Wife for Hire by Christine Bell

That said, it might work out in the end. I’ve made a few business contacts that show some promise already. If they pan out and the wife is happy, it will have been three weeks well spent.” That was an opening if there ever was one.
    Nico moved to the leg press machine. “For your sake, I hope it works out that way.”
    For a few minutes, the only sound was their heavy breathing as they powered through their workouts. Owen waiting for Nico to tug on the bait, even a little, but no go. Interesting.
    “You married?”
    Nico shook his head. “I…was.” He looked away, his throat working noiselessly. “My wife passed away two years ago.”
    The guy was good. His voice actually cracked a little on the end.
    “I’m sorry to hear that.”
    “It was a hard time, but we had a great marriage and I believe in the sanctity. Eventually, I’ll take the plunge again, but I’m too involved with this place right now to get serious with anyone. It’s noble work we’re doing here, and I’m not ready to set it aside or hand over the reins quite yet.”
    Owen struggled not to launch himself at the pious bastard and shake him until his Chiclet teeth rattled.
    “When I do get married again, I’ll make sure I can commit one hundred percent. You have to do that if you want it to work. If not, it’s impossible to be with only one person, ’til death do you part, don’t you think?” His dark eyes locked onto Owen’s.
    Owen thought hard before he answered. He and Lindy had decided that consistency was key, but in spite of the fact that this was play-acting, it still grated on him to brand himself a cheater after seeing the pain his own father’s infidelity had wrought.
    Focus on the end game, he reminded himself grimly. “I wouldn’t know,” he said after a long pause. “That’s part of the reason we’re here. I was unfaithful.”
    Nico nodded. “I see. I hope that The Healing Place can make a difference for the two of you. And don’t beat yourself up about it. Our therapists deal with this issue constantly. I think monogamy is in direct opposition to the true nature of a man. It’s a constant struggle, and if she’s willing to forgive you, you need to forgive you too. The measure of a strong couple is not the absence of mistakes, it’s the ability to work through them and come out the other side intact.”
    Now, in spite of being a “believer in the sanctity,” it was as if Nico was absolving him of his infidelity. But then again, that’s was conmen did, wasn’t it? They watched, they listened, they learned, and then they told people exactly what they wanted to hear.
    While Owen pretended to contemplate the other man’s “profound” advice, Nico stood, toweling off his face. “I’m going to take a quick shower and get ready for the morning’s sessions. It was nice chatting with you.”
    “You too.”
    Nico left and Owen stared after him, trying to put the pieces together. Even though he’d given him the opening to discuss business, Nico hadn’t bitten. He’d kept the focus on the retreat. Was Nico slow-playing him? They did have three weeks. Maybe subtlety was his game? Or maybe…
    No. He refused to consider the idea that this was a genuine business venture. The signs all pointed against it. The short-term lease, the quick, slapdash manner in which he’d put together the company. Not to mention Nico himself. After some research, it became clear that he’d never held a legitimate job in his life. Why start now? Hell, if he was being honest, there was more to it than that. It couldn’t be a legit business, because if it was, Owen had failed his sister.
    And that was unacceptable.
    …
    Lindy sat on a mat in the center of the room, trying not to nod off. A Sounds of Nature CD was doing its best to lull her into a sleep-deprived stupor. That would be a nifty feat, considering she was tangled up like a pretzel. Maybe it would’ve helped if the lights weren’t so dim, but Liza the yoga instructor