Chapter 19
Samuel
Tip #19: Celebrate small victories. Today, it’s a fake engagement; tomorrow, it’s convincing her family you’re perfect together.
I flung open the door to the meeting room and charged in with a grin plastered across my face. Miguel sat at the table, lounging in an office chair like it was a La-Z-Boy recliner. Clad in sweatpants and a sweatshirt, he looked more prepared for a gym session than our late-evening debriefing.
“Natalie said yes!” I said.
Miguel leaped to his feet. “She said yes?”
“She said yes!”
We shared a laugh before exchanging the typical male shoulder pat/hug.
“Samuel Warner,” Miguel said, his smile threatening to split his face, “allow me to congratulate you on finally achieving your dream of getting engaged to Natalie Mann.”
My mind raced with thoughts and memories.
I had been smitten with Natalie since high school. While I’d tried to forget her while away in college, my feelings for her had instead flattened me. I knew I was head over heels in love with her way before I became Warner Print’s CEO.
My infatuation with Nat was a poorly kept secret within the Warner family. Everyone from Logan to my grandfather knew about my long-standing crush. But now, it seemed my dreams were coming true—even if by unconventional means.
“The only negative,” I said, some of my elation leaving me, “is she was backed into saying yes to my proposal through public peer pressure. Even though we’re engaged, we’re technically not dating.”
“That’s semantics. Who cares? Now you’ve got her neatly tied to you with the engagement,” Miguel pointed out, his voice full of mischief. “That should get rid of the impending deadline of your fake relationship.”
“True,” I agreed, relieved to have made progress in my pursuit of Natalie’s heart. “And just in time. Owen and Jenna look at each other like a pair of sappy teenagers.”
Miguel snorted. “As if you have room to judge in that area, Mr. Loyal Till My Last Breath Samuel Warner!”
I laughed, and the edge of intensity that had dogged me for weeks finally started to fade. “Can you believe it took this long to get here?” I said, both tired and ecstatic. “To be in an actual relationship with Natalie?”
“Don’t celebrate yourself,” Miguel replied tartly. “If Natalie hadn’t approached you about the fake romance, who knows how much longer you would’ve been pining away.”
I couldn’t argue with that. When Natalie first asked me about this scheme, I thought I was dreaming.
I laughed. “Remember when I frantically called you after she proposed the idea at Literum? You thought I was either hallucinating or having a panic attack.”
“Because it sounded too good to be true,” Miguel said. “Although in hindsight, it’s probably the only way Natalie would have voluntarily stayed around you.”
“Yeah.” I rubbed my jaw, almost drunk on my elation. “It’s been pretty dicey, though. There were so many times my family all but told her I’ve loved her for years.”
“They have been quite the liability,” Miguel acknowledged. “Isaac’s taking time off to meet Natalie and making the effort to interact pleasantly with her instead of staying holed up in his office crunching numbers should have been a dead giveaway to Natalie that there was more to your little agreement than one would think. Then again, I was surprised you didn’t blurt out the whole story to Isaac yourself. He is your twin.”
“I’ve debated telling him several times, but I’m not sure how he would act around Natalie if he knew, and I couldn’t risk messing this up.” I groaned. “It’s a miracle no one besides you knows the relationship is fake.”
“And I’m still mad about that. I want to tell my husband, and I can’t!” Miguel scolded.
“Sorry about that.” I plopped down into one of the office chairs surrounding the meeting room table. The chair creaked under my weight.
Miguel eyed me but must have thought better of continuing his rant, because he clapped his hands once. “So! How do you want to celebrate? This is probably the greatest emotional and relational achievement of your life.”
“Is it sad that I still barely believe it happened?” I massaged my temples, trying to wrap my head around the reality.
“Let’s have some drinks,” Miguel suggested. “I’ve got about an hour before Kyle expects me home from the ‘gym.’ We could go out, or if you are feeling inclined to spill your guts about your relief at finally securing your ladylove after a decade of carrying on over her, we could avoid witnesses and stay here to crack open that brandy you keep in your office.”
“Are you angling for my best liquor?” I accused him, smirking.
“Of course not.” He snorted, feigning innocence. “I’m trying to help you celebrate the monumental achievement of finally getting the girl of your dreams to agree to a fake engagement with you.”
“Wow, when you put it like that, it sounds so impressive,” I said sarcastically.
“Hey, it’s a start,” Miguel said. “And I’ll have you know I’m almost as happy as you are about Natalie saying yes, because it means my days of being forced to listen to you lament over her and rant about how beautiful she is might finally be coming to an end!”
“I didn’t realize I was such a burden.” I chuckled. The weight that had been pressing on my chest for years seemed to have lifted at last.
“Of course you were,” Miguel joked. “But that’s what friends are for, right? Speaking of friends… friends also share their plans for the future. So what are your plans for making your relationship with Natalie real and not a highly choreographed fake?”
I hesitated, suddenly unsure. “I don’t know yet. I just... need some time to figure it all out.”
Miguel slapped me on the shoulder. “Well, for tonight anyway, let’s just celebrate. I’ll go grab that brandy. You stay put.”
“Thanks, Miguel.”
Miguel waved me off as he left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
I closed my eyes and leaned back in the chair, savoring the new peace. It had been incredibly hard having Natalie so near and yet so far, with everything about our relationship being a meticulously constructed lie. But now, for the first time, things were finally progressing between us.
I smiled as I recalled the way her cheeks had flushed when I kissed her. I’d recklessly lost control on both occasions, unable to hold back when she’d looked up at me with that achingly warm smile of hers. Her innocent blush and the fact that she’d kissed me back instead of losing it gave me hope that I might be able to win her over after all and make our relationship real.
As I sat there, lost in thought, I knew one thing for certain: I wasn’t going to let her go. No matter what it took, I would find a way to win Natalie’s heart for real.