The Art of Marrying Your Enemy (The Richmond Brothers #2)

22. Aaron

22

AARON

“ M om?”

Bill flinched slightly, just like he did the very first time I’d called her Mom in front of him in the too-bright hospital.

Just like Daisy had flinched last night.

The guilt twisted in my chest. I shouldn’t have lost my temper like that.

Wasn’t this why I had said I’d never have a wife or kids or pets? Because I didn’t trust myself? Having Daisy in my house was setting myself up for failure.

“I didn’t expect to see you here.” I took a seat.

“Why? Were you hoping I wouldn’t come? I can leave. I don’t need my own son to be resentful of me.” Emily made a big show of grabbing her purse while Bill protested.

“This is a business meeting, Dad. Why is she here?” Natalie demanded.

“We’ll be done soon, Emily. Then we can go to lunch. Do you want to wait in my office?” Bill offered anxiously. “I can have my secretary bring you a coffee.”

Emily ignored him and turned on me.

“The Colemans are having some sort of party this weekend. As if you and that girl are going to stay married. You promised me, Aaron,” she ranted. “You promised this wasn’t a real marriage. I feel like you’re lying to me, Aaron, just telling me what I want to hear so I’ll go away.”

“I promise,” I said, biting back the word “Mom.” “It’s not like that.”

“She and her family were at the old mansion, redoing the garden.” Emily’s mouth turned down. “Becca told me. She said Peggy Coleman posted about it on Instagram. You were in the photos.”

“I didn’t mean to be, Mom.”

“So you weren’t going to tell me,” my mother said triumphantly.

I cursed myself for walking into that trap.

“You were just going to go behind my back, doing something you knew would upset me, something you knew I set a firm boundary on and asked you not to do. Then you lied about it.”

“They’re just trying to fulfill the terms of the contract,” I told her. I hadn’t been expecting Emily today and didn’t have my defenses ready.

“And now you think I’m the crazy one for being angry!” Emily accused. “I knew it. I knew you were just going to try and start a fight to cover for the fact that you got caught in a lie.”

I ground my teeth, forcing my expression to be perfectly neutral.

“Don’t worry, Emily.” Bill patted his daughter’s hand. “A girl like Daisy from a good family would never actually want to be with a man like Aaron. People like the Colemans appreciate good breeding.”

“They’re actually fairly down to earth…” I began.

“It’s an act,” Bill stated. “ Noblesse oblige .”

“Her grandmother is dating a man who’s illegally growing marijuana in his attic.”

“Eccentrics are tolerated once a person reaches a certain age. However, families like that desire good matches for their daughters. They don’t want grandchildren from just anybody.”

And certainly not from the man who kidnapped their beloved daughter.

Bill didn’t have to say it. I saw it in the mirror every day.

“I went to school with Margaret Coleman. She is very careful about who her children date and marry. So don’t worry, Emily. Daisy won’t be staying with Aaron past the thirty-one days dictated by the contract,” Bill assured his daughter.

“Can we please get back to business?” my aunt said, her jaw clenched. “This isn’t a matchmaking session. I don’t want to walk into the upcoming meeting with Richmond Electric cold.”

“Apologies, Natalie.” I opened my portfolio.

Emily huffed, taking out her phone.

“What are they expecting on staff reshuffling?” Natalie asked me as she went down her list.

“Since they just landed that big tidal electric contract, they were planning on hiring aggressively, so I suspect that they’re going to be shunting a number of people to that project,” I replied.

“What’s the status of the Fed approval of the buyout?”

“The current administration is happy that Richmond Electric’s investment is allowing them to take credit for meeting a campaign energy sector goal, so they’re leaning on the Department of Energy hard for approval. Everyone wants this to—”

Emily let out a sob.

Natalie sighed heavily.

“Natalie, your sister is upset,” Bill admonished.

“She’s always upset,” Natalie muttered.

“Siobhan is pregnant,” Emily cried. “Again.”

Natalie threw her pen on the table.

“Guess this meeting is over. We’ll just plan to get slaughtered at Richmond Electric tomorrow. Don’t wear a white shirt, Aaron.”

“ Natalie ,” Bill barked.

“I’m going to get coffee.” She stood up abruptly.

“Bring your sister some tea,” Bill called.

“It’s not fair,” Emily sobbed bitterly in her father’s arms while I sat there, willing myself to become invisible. “I wanted a daughter. I dreamed of a daughter, and all I have is him . I can’t have any more children. Do you understand?” She grabbed my hand, her nails digging into my wrist. “This is why you can’t choose her over me. I want a granddaughter. I finally want a baby I can love.”

“It is statistically unlikely that—”

“ Aaron! ” Bill shouted.

“Of course, Mom. Of course I’ll do anything for you. I’m not in love with Daisy or having a baby with her or anything like that.” I tried to keep my tone modulated. “I’ll always choose you. You’re my top priority, not Daisy. I’m just using her to save my business billions of dollars.”

Emily sniffled. “Just promise me you’ll marry Aurora after this nightmare is over, and give me the granddaughter I deserve.”

“Yes, Mom. You know I will.”

Spencer: Hamptons group chat!

Finn: I’m not wearing matching swimsuits.

Graham: Grayson thinks it’s a cute idea.

Grayson: No, he doesn’t.

Connor: Are we staying with your in-laws, Aaron? Daisy’s invite didn’t say.

Aaron: There is no invite. Invite has been rescinded. You’re not coming.

Finn: Damn.

Spencer: Daisy said ignore him.

Graham: I plan to. I want some of that lobster salad Daisy had all over her Instagram.

Aaron: Stay the hell away from her.

Graham: Going to be hard. She said the Angelique Foundation could host their next charity garden party at your place.

Aaron: No. I said no charity functions. It’s a very old house.

Spencer: She said ignore that too.

For someone who I wasn’t going to stay married to, why the hell was Daisy so enmeshed in my life?

“I ordered you boys swim trunks and matching shirts,” Betty called to me. “A nice bright yellow. That’s what the gals on TikTok say. You have to dress your kiddos in bright colors, not blue, so they can be rescued easily in the water. I was going to bring my ambrosia salad for the potluck. Do you think Daisy’s mom will already be making that? Never mind. I’ll ask her.” She took out her magnifying glass and started to type slowly on her phone.

“I don’t think it matters,” I replied. “Return my suit. I’m not going.”

“The contract, sugar.”

“Fine, I’m going, but I’m not participating in the party.”

“Daisy’s grandmother is dating a guy who can score edibles.” Betty waggled her penciled-on eyebrows.

“Why,” I said slowly, “are you talking to her?”

“You need to branch out, Aaron, be more social,” Betty chided. “Madge, she’s a real cool lady. Did you know she did a topless photo shoot for Playboy in their heiress issue? It’s a killer photo.”

“Do not show me,” I begged.

I did not need Betty and Granny Madge together in the same room.

And I really didn’t want to go to the Hamptons with all this family .