A Marriage of Convenience by Vicki Blue Page B

well-being must always come first.” Martha Bellaford said, but she was looking at Jillian as she said it. Jillian didn’t respond. She walked away.
    “Try not to let her get to you,” Austin said.
    “It might be easier if she didn’t try to act like my child is her child,” Jillian said.
    “Our child,” Austin corrected. “But she’ll get the message.”
    “Do you promise?” Jillian looked directly at him now. “I’m not stupid, Austin. I know part of the reason your mother forced you to marry me is because she wants to get her hooks in Sabrina. But I’ll fight you both to the death before I let her take her.”
    Austin looked taken aback. “Look, Jillian,” he said quietly. “If those are her intentions, she’s not shared them with me.” He glanced at his mother, who was across the room talking on her cell phone. She was frowning and glancing in their direction. “My mother is very controlling. I told you that. But we’re married now and that means you and Sabrina come first.”
    “Until it’s over, right?” she said.
    “We’re always going to be linked through the baby,” he said. “You know that. And I told you when I…proposed…that I wasn’t going to force you to stay with me. But my family name is important to Mom, especially since my father passed. I know it’s antiquated, but she still has old-fashioned notions about honor and responsibility and I do, too. If I’d know, Jillian, I’d have offered to help with the baby. That’s my job as a man.”
    “You seem as much a mama’s boy as a man,” she said bitterly, and then sighed, feeling guilty. “I’m sorry, Austin,” she said. “That wasn’t fair. You were honest with me about this and you’re right. I just don’t want you to feel like you have to pretend to care.”
    The baby started to fret. He jiggled her awkwardly, but she stopped. Austin looked at Jillian, his face serious. “You think I’m pretending?”
    She gave a sad smile. “Come on. We spent one night together and have been back in touch for a couple of months. I’m not deluding myself, Austin. After a lifetime of being abandoned, I’ve learned not to let myself get too trusting,” she said. “No one’s going to take care of us in this world. A person has to take care of themselves.”
    “That’s kind of sad,” he said. “And I don’t think it’s true.”
    She laughed bitterly. “That’s because you’ve never had to want for anything.”  Jillian reached down and picked up the diaper bag. “Can we go?”
    “Sure,” he replied. They headed for the door, but were intercepted by Martha Bellaford, who was again eyeing the baby.
    “Would you like me to take the baby for the night so you two can have your first night as husband and wife together?”
    “No,” Jillian said. “A shotgun wedding calls for a rapid fire honeymoon, Mrs. Bellaford. We both have to work Monday, so I think we’re going to spend the weekend fixing up the apartment.”
    As part of the arrangement, Austin had signed a lease on a three bedroom apartment. It was nicer than anything Jillian had ever lived in, certainly nicer than the one bedroom place she’d shared with her daughter before he’d showed back up in her life. She’d not wanted to move in with him at his place; she insisted on having her name on the lease so she could not be kicked out on a whim and he’d surprised her by agreeing even though she had no money for even part of the deposit. He’s been so polite to her and Jillian wasn’t sure what to think of that. Both of them were being forced to marry the other - Austin by his mother and her by fear of homelessness. And yet he seemed less resentful and more cordial. Jillian didn’t want to be cynical, but she couldn’t help it. She feared that somehow Austin would turn on her, that the man he was pretending to be was not the man he really was.
    Austin’s mother pulled him aside. Jillian could see the older woman arguing vehemently in hushed tones while