Strictly Pretend (The Salinger Brothers #6)

Chapter 15

CHAPTER

FIFTEEN

brOOKS

My phone buzzes as the three of us start walking down the makeshift path that the construction company must have dug and layered with bark at the same time they put up the tents.

“Go ahead,” I tell Emma. She gives me a little frown that should annoy me but it doesn’t. I can’t remember the last time anything about her annoyed me. “I’ll take this and join you when I can.”

“He’s always so busy,” Emma says to Mia, shooting me what looks weirdly like a warm look. “I’m hoping this week I get to loosen him up a little.”

“Good luck with that,” Mia says, winking at me.

I turn away and accept the call.

“Hello.”

“Brooks? It’s Luke,” my assistant chirps out over the phone. “You’ll never guess what’s happened?”

I close the door to the air-conditioned yurt and shuck off my shirt because it’s hot and I really need to get changed out of my dress clothes and head to the lake after this call. I don’t like leaving Emma on her own – or even with Mia. Not with her ex around. Even if he’s staying up at the house he’ll probably be hanging out with everybody else at the lake and the thought of her having to deal with him alone galls me.

“What?” I say. Usually I’d reply with something sardonic, but seriously, I’m hot and bothered and want to cut to the chase.

“We’ve just finished going through the remaining files in the Redfern acquisition. The paper files,” he adds. “There were thirty boxes of them to scan into the system.” And I know how much Luke hates the grunt work of doing that.

It’s necessary because a lot of our real estate comes from a time way before the world became digital. And we need the details of the builds in case we want to make future changes. Plus any deeds and liens against the property can be enforced if we make the wrong alterations.

“Well, thank you for doing it,” I say, unzipping my case and grabbing a pair of shorts. They’re not swim shorts, but they’ll do. “Is there anything else?”

“Don’t you want to know what we’ve found out about the Redfern Building?” he asks.

I freeze. “What?”

“There’s a new contract. One signed in the nineties. By both lessees. It’ll override any previous lease that existed. Like the one we all thought was still valid.”

“What does it say about the length of the contract.”

“It doesn’t. Not exactly. It includes a notice period that can be invoked by either side.” He pauses. “It’s one calendar month.”

“Does it explicitly revoke the previous contract?” I ask, because that would make it crystal clear.

“No.” Luke clears his throat. “I’ve sent it over to the legal department for Ryan to look at immediately.” Ryan is the head of the legal department and the best legal mind I know when it comes to property. “We’ll hopefully get an answer soon.”

“Okay.”

There’s a pause. “Damn, I thought you’d be happier about this,” Luke says. “Seriously, it could change everything. We could get the building vacant with no issues. You wouldn’t even need to offer them the alternative anymore. Because we all know that you’d be renting that out at a loss, too.”

I inhale sharply. “I’ll be happy about it when Ryan tells us if it’s enforceable or not,” I say. “But can you do me a favor?”

“Sure.”

“Don’t tell anybody about this. I don’t want this being leaked anywhere until we know the outcome for sure.”

“Of course. That goes without saying.”

“Thanks for keeping me up to date. Anything else I need to know?”

“Your father said he’s coming in tomorrow,” Luke tells me.

I groan. “Just don’t let him go on my computer.” Last time he crashed it.

“I won’t.”

“Thanks. I’ll see you next week.”

I hang the phone up and stare at the walls of the yurt. Luke is right, I should be doing a damned victory dance right now. Because at the very least we have the best lawyers and way more money to fight a court case than Emma and her granddad do.

I could probably walk out of here right now and tell her I’m ending our arrangement because I don’t need her to look at the new unit anymore. I don’t need her to do anything.

But the thought of it makes me feel irrationally angry. At myself mostly, but also at Luke for calling me and telling me.

Only a few minutes ago she was touching me all over like I was some kind of work of art. She was making me hard, and I was forgetting why we were here.

I even asked her to marry me. Though of course I didn’t mean it. It was just for show.

But I can’t go. I can’t leave her here alone to face everybody and explain why I hightailed my way out of Montana. I’m a piece of shit, yes, but I’m human, too.

Sighing, I change my clothes, putting on the shorts I’d packed along with a t-shirt that Linc gave me for Christmas, because I had about five minutes to pack and it was near the top of my pile of clothes.

And as I walk out of the door I decide that I won’t mention the newly found contract to Emma. I won’t even think about it myself. I made a gentleman’s agreement to be her date for this wedding and I’m not backing out of it.

Even if we both know I’m no gentleman.

EMMA

“I want to hear everything,” Mia says to me as we walk through the forest. “You and Brooks Salinger, damn I never would have thought that would happen.”

Out of all my old school friends, Mia knows me the most. Probably because we were best friends until the day I got thrown out. We’d both cried buckets as we said goodbye. And yes, she’d tried to keep in touch with me, but I was in a bad place back then. I’d lost my parents, my school, my home.

The only anchors I had left were my grandparents and the shop. I clung to them so tightly there hadn’t been room for anything else.

And then time had passed and we’d all grown up. I’d kind of made friends at my local high school and then before I knew it we were all in college and things changed again.

But then I bumped into her at JFK when we were both flying to different places and it had felt like time had gone backward. She was still so lovely and friendly and delighted to see me. She’d insisted on me accompanying her into the first-class lounge, even though I was flying economy, and then my flight had been delayed and she’d canceled hers, telling me she’d take the next one out.

It had been a reminder of how different we were that she could cancel a first class flight without batting an eyelid, but I hadn’t felt envious at all. Just pleased that we were getting to spend time together after all the years.

We’d met up regularly. Then she’d invited me to a party where some of our old crowd would be and that’s where I reconnected with Cassie.

And where I’d met Will.

In so many ways it had felt like a fairytale. Like I’d found a new family who wanted to be with me. But looking back, I think I was a novelty to Will. Somebody from outside of the crowd, but still part of it. He used to call me his ‘little bit of rough.’

I thought it was an endearment. Now I see it differently.

“It’s all your fault,” I tell her. “He took care of me at your wedding, remember?”

“I do.” She smiles. “Which means if you two get married I have to be chief bridesmaid.”

I swallow hard, remembering the stupid fake proposal Brooks gave me. The way it had made my heart hurt. “Of course you would be,” I say, keeping my voice light. “I owe you for that bridesmaid dress you made me wear.”

“Have you seen what I have to wear in Cassie’s wedding?” she asks. I’m not in the bridal party for this one. She asked and I demurred mostly because it was right after Will and I imploded. Plus Cassie has about a thousand cousins and all the girls she went to college with.

“No, but I’m looking forward to it.”

“Make sure you check out our feet. We’re wearing white cowboy boots. Custom made.” Mia rolls her eyes. “The stupid things cost thousands.”

She’s so lovely. I try to ignore the twist in my stomach at having to lie to the woman who accepted me back into her world without a second thought. She’s going to be the first person I come clean to when this is all over. And I just have to hope she’ll see the funny side of it.

Maybe I will, too.

But I can’t tell her now. Even if I’m fairly sure that Cassie’s dad hasn’t bugged the trees, it feels wrong to make her keep the secret from her friends. No, better for me to be in the wrong than her.

The sound of voices and splashes are getting closer. A shaft of sunlight blazes between two trees at the edge of the wooded glade, catching my eyes and making me blink. As we approach them my eyes acclimatize to the sudden light, and I can see the cerulean blue of the lake in front of us, the surface looking like it’s dappled with diamonds in the sun's light.

“Oh damn,” Mia says. I follow her gaze and my already-tight stomach does a twist so hard I think I’m going to throw up.

Because Will is there, standing with a couple of friends. The three of them are wet, their hair slicked back, their torsos tan from vacations abroad.

One of them elbows Will and he slowly turns to look at me.

Mia slides her hand into mine and squeezes hard. Truth was, I thought I’d be with Brooks the first time I had to see Will. And though it would be awkward, I wouldn’t feel exposed the way I do now.

There’s no sign of Jemima. Which is probably a good thing because if she was a bitch to me over the phone then god only knows what she’ll be like to me face to face. Plus, I definitely need Brooks with me then.

Will runs his hands through his hair and walks up to us. “Emma.”

I force a smile on my face. “Hi Will. How’s the water?”

He blinks. “Um, yeah. Good.”

“Excellent. I guess I’ll see you later.” I glance at Mia. “Where should we leave our clothes?”

But as I go to leave Will catches my free hand. “Do you have a minute?” he asks.

A shiver snakes down my spine. I don’t want to talk to him. Not only because he’s a cheating bastard, but because he knows me more intimately than anybody else here. Lying to him will take a whole other level of deceit.

“Can’t it wait?” I ask him.

“Not really. I just want to clear the air between us.” His brown eyes catch mine. “I’m sorry about Jemima calling you. We had a big argument after she did.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I tell him. “It’s all history now.”

He runs his thumb over my wrist. “I very much regret the way things ended between us. I know I hurt you.”

I pull my hand away from him. “It’s fine.” All I want to do is get into the water. “But thanks anyway.”

He takes a deep breath, and glances over my shoulder. “You and Brooks Salinger? Seriously?”

“What about us?” I ask him.

“He’s an asshole. Never even cracks a fucking smile.”

“He does for me. We’re happy, that’s all you need to know.”

Will leans close enough that I can feel his breath on my face. “I get it, you want to make me jealous. Or whatever.” He waves his hand around. “But with him? No way. We may have split up, but I still care for you. And I know for a fact that man doesn’t have an empathetic bone in his body. He’s an asshole. He’s using you, he’s going to hurt you.”

“What could he possibly be using me for?” I ask him. It’s a genuine question. Because Will doesn’t know about the arrangement Brooks and I have. “I’m not being funny but look at me. I don’t have money. I don’t have status. Why would he be using me?”

Will lifts a brow. “Why do you think? You were always a good lay.”

His words feel like a slap on my face. I wince at their impact.

“What did you just say?” a deep voice intones.

I don’t even have to look around to know that Brooks is right behind me. Even if I hadn’t heard his voice, somehow I’d just know. My body immediately relaxes as he puts a possessive hand on my shoulder.

“Oh, hey man,” Will says with uncertainty in his voice. He takes a step back.

“Would you like to repeat what you said to her?” Brooks asks. I’m a feminist through and through. I don’t need Brooks to fight for me.

But damn, I like it. Way too much.

Will glances from me to Brooks and back again. “It doesn’t matter,” he says, shaking his head as he turns to walk back to his friends. “Enjoy your swim.”

Brooks leans down to kiss my cheek, then murmurs against my ear. “If we get through this weekend without me flattening that man, it’ll be a miracle.”

I take his hand in mine and kiss his palm. “Your hands are too pretty to punch anybody,” I tell him.

The corner of his lip quirks. “I’m sorry you had to deal with him alone. That wasn’t part of our agreement.”

Our agreement. Those words feel as much a slap in my face as Will’s did.

“It’s okay. It’s all good,” I reassure him. “What was your phone call about?”

A strange look comes over his face. “Nothing important. Just some boring business. Are you ready to take a swim?”

“Absolutely,” I tell him, pulling my t-shirt over my head and shimmying my yoga pants off. I’m wearing a pair of lace panties and bra that aren’t exactly going to set the world on fire, but he still stares at me with dark eyes. “I’ll race you to the lake,” I shout, already running off toward the jetty that acts as a diving board into the center of the water.

He lets out a grunt and pulls his t-shirt off, scooping me into his arms right as I reach the edge of the planks

“You don’t play fair,” he whispers, before he launches us both into the water.