The Fake Fiancée Proposition: A Billionaire Fake Relationship Romance (Cape Simon Billionaires Book

Chapter 1

It’s a lovely Georgia spring afternoon, chill and crisp, but beautiful nonetheless. Down here on the coast, the weather stays cooler for longer. One day soon, the oppressive summer heat will descend. But not today. Today, tender grasses unfurl. Young, still-green buds get the signal that they should soon bloom. The world seems to slough off its heavy winter mantle and worship the sun.

It’s a day full of possibilities. It smells like business deals waiting to be made.

Cape Bistro bar and winery is absolutely humming right now, because it is packed to the gills with a who’s who of Cape Simon families.

I take it all in with a jaundiced eye. The soft rustle of elegantly dressed guests mingling among tables adorned with crystal glassware and silver cutlery makes me feel restless.

Blush pink silk ribbons adorn the backs of chairs. The fragrant pink flowers that are gathered as centerpieces give the air a heavy, perfumed scent.

Instead of spending the day finalizing another million-dollar proposal, I’m here at Cole and Savannah’s engagement party, gritting my teeth.

These parties are not exactly to my taste. They’re meant to be a celebration of things to come… but the things to come are marriage and babies. Everyone knows those things aren’t exciting to me.

In fact, I would say that the signs of commitment and settling down make me a little nauseated.

Not that I would say any of that to anyone here. I sip the glass of whiskey I’m holding and try to assess the party.

Are there deals to be made here?

”Beautiful, isn”t it?” Savannah sidles up beside me. Her voice is quiet and sweet. Somehow it pairs perfectly with the clingy blush pink silk dress hugging her curves. The fabric catches the sunlight and casts a glow on her skin that makes her look like a fairy princess.

She seems like the perfect woman to pair with my brother Cole. Together, they are a replica of the bride and groom you’d find atop a wedding cake. It’s nice, if you can stand how sugary sweet their whole deal is.

”Sure,” I reply, adjusting my suit jacket. ”If I was looking to throw an engagement party, which I am definitely not, I hope that I’d have half as much taste in silk hangings.”

She grins at me. She”s a sweet girl that can go toe-to-toe with my brother and my nephew. I’m glad that I talked Cole into kissing her feet and begging her to take him back. I might not need a partner in my life but Cole does. And he’s infinitely better for it.

”River, don”t be such a cynic. It”s a party. Lighten up,” she chides gently. She flicks a fingertip at my blush pink silk tie. Her fingers graze my chest briefly.

I sigh. Lightening up isn”t exactly my forte.

I”m more the guy who stands back and observes. That is, unless I am given a risky business venture. I’m willing to roll the dice all day long when I’m dealing with properties and investments. Love, however, doesn’t make my blood run hotter or my heart race. There is nothing so good as closing a deal that no one else could ever make.

I like to make mental notes of the dynamics at play in every situation. Just like right now, at this party. And the dynamics in play here are heavy and opulent enough to make anyone gag. Savannah may not be marrying my brother for his money. But my parents are celebrating this engagement with as many symbols of wealth as my no-nonsense brother will allow.

Speaking of the devil himself, Cole strides through the crowd. His suit is tailored to perfection. He’s the physical embodiment of coolness.

”River, come join us,” he calls out, waving a hand in my direction. His smile is practiced, but it’s genuine enough to draw a few happy glances from the surrounding guests.

”Be right there,” I respond. As I watch, as he turns back to a cluster of well-wishers, doling out firm handshakes and charming smiles.

I move through the throng of people, each step measured and precise. I can”t help but feel like a wolf in a field of sheep. I’m different than most of these people. I don’t want their cheesy good tidings or need their sentimental happily-ever-afters. Having a new bride on my arm has simply never been a part of my plan.

I usually don’t think about it this much, but this party is practically bashing me over the head with Cole and Savannah’s pre-marital bliss. I hate every second of it that I’m forced to endure. But I do it with a pleasant smile.

”Congratulations,” I tell Cole as I approach him. The words feel foreign on my tongue. ”You two seem... happy. Aren’t you glad you listened to me?”

”Thanks, River,” he replies, clapping a hand on my shoulder. ”I’ll try not to take it as a ‘told you so’.”

I straighten my lapels. “You asked, I answered. So I’m here with bells on. Until at least… what do you think? Eight?”

“You aren’t getting out of here any time soon.” He pins me with a look. “I don’t care how much you hate wedding culture.”

I raise my hands. “You won’t hear a peep from me about why it’s a huge waste of money and pretty insulting to women.”

“Insulting to women?” He shakes his head a little. “Look I know that all this wedding mumbo jumbo isn’t really your scene. I promise, there are only six thousand more bridal events before the actual wedding. Then you can relax.”

“Sounds amazing.” I lift a shoulder in a casual shrug. “I admit you and Savannah make a pretty cute couple. Just promise me there will be no funny business about setting me up with a bridesmaid or anything. It’s the last thing I want.”

“Relax, will you? Everybody who knows you, knows that you’re against marriage.”

I give Cole a look. “It’s a sham. No offense. It’s the old world desperately trying to reach into modern day relationships, just to fuck with them. Why should any of us have to do the whole swoony proposal schtick and promise our partners forever?”

Cole’s look hovers on serious. I squint around at the room. This is not the place to be airing my personal feelings about the wedding industrial complex.

“Sorry, I got a little long winded there, even for a lawyer. I just have strong feelings. I swear to you that it’s the last rant you’re going to hear from me. At least today.”

Cole squeezes my shoulder and offers me a wan smile. “You’ve made your views clear. Often. And loudly.”

Wrinkling up my face, I sigh. I shouldn’t go off on him about this on today of all days. Let him have his delusion.

“Today’s about you, though. And I know that all the hearts and flowers and diamond rings are your idea of happily ever after. So… congratulations.”

He shakes his head with a wry smile. “Thanks, I think.”

When Cole gets distracted by another well-wisher coming up to shake his hand, I take a leisurely stroll through the sea of guests. Each one seemingly more enamored with the spectacle than the last. My eyes skim over smiling faces, all drunk on love.

Or maybe that”s just the open bar.

Either way, their blissful ignorance grates on me. But I hide it well. After all, I”m River.

All I care about is when my next million is going to be earned.

Lost in thought, I round a table adorned with more pink petals than a florist”s shop and nearly collide with a vision in...

Well, would you look at that, more blush pink silk. Pearl Brown nearly topples over. I grab her, trying to right her. And in doing so, my hands grab her taut ass.

She”s all soft curves wrapped in that peasant blouse. Her light pink skirt rustles gently, a stark contrast to the rigid structure of the party around us. With her dark hair in neat braids, her sable skin looking dewy and perfect, and her flawless cheekbones, she’s a freaking knockout.

”Sorry, didn”t see you there,” I say, steadying Pearl by her shoulders.

Pearl is a waitress at Gem’s Diner. She also happens to be very close friends with Savannah and my little sister Lucy. Which I suppose is why she’s here.

And did I happen to mention that she’s absolutely stunning?

She makes my withered, frozen husk of a heart skip a beat.

”River,” she breathes out. A hint of surprise in her voice suggests she wasn”t expecting to be swept up off her feet today. ”You’re excused. This place is as crowded as a public bus.”

”Seems like it,” I agree. I take a step back, but I’m not able to peel my gaze away from Pearl’s face quite yet. Or the hint of cleavage that she’s showing off. ”You look like you”re about to bolt for the nearest exit.”

She offers a small laugh, her fingers nervously smoothing down her skirt. ”Is it that obvious? I guess these kinds of parties aren”t really my scene.”

”Join the club.” I lift my glass in a mock toast. ”But hey, at least we”re dressed for the occasion. Your blouse and my tie match the decor to a T.”

”Yeah.” Pearl rolls her eyes but there”s mirth dancing in them. ”I swear, Savannah must have sent a memo to the whole town about the dress code.”

”It was a thousand percent my mom’s doing. She’s been on cloud nine ever since Cole and Savannah announced that they were getting married,” I reply. “She’s been trying to convince them to get married at our family’s home, La Ville Coralle.”

”Hah! I think Savannah is nice enough that she would just let Sarah bulldoze her way into planning the entire wedding without her input.” She looks mildly exasperated, but her voice hints at a fondness for Savannah.

I smirk. “That sounds like my mom’s dream come true. I’m glad that someone in the family is going to let her fulfill her wedding planning dreams. The rest of the family is definitely not on the same track as Cole and Savannah.”

Her lips twitch. “So, you’re not interested in the whole ‘for better or for worse’ thing?”

I laugh. “Not even vaguely interested. At this rate, even Rex will be married before I go down. And Rex hasn’t spent two consecutive nights with the same woman… well, ever.”

“Honestly? I’m not really interested in dating anyone either. I just got out of a serious relationship last year. Now I’m like… allergic to anything other than light and fun.” She wrinkles her nose and sighs. She looks around the room. “I should probably try to mingle.”

Her reluctance is as clear as the day is long.

”Or,” I suggest, leaning in with a conspiratorial whisper. ”You could hide out with me. I’m thinking about sneaking out onto the patio with a bottle of whiskey.”

”Is that so?” She quirks an eyebrow, amusement flickering across her features. ”You know I love whiskey. How would you feel about making that a bottle of cinnamon whiskey?”

”Gross,” I say, feeling a smirk tugging at my lips. “Cinnamon whiskey tastes like chugging those little heart-shaped candies. Bleh.”

“I can just find somebody else to talk to,” she fires back.

“Hey now, there’s no need for threats. If cinnamon whiskey is a requirement, I can procure the supplies. I think I saw a bottle behind the bar.”

“Oh, it’s on.” Pearl flashes me a naughty grin.

That grin goes down as smooth as a shot of real, un-cinnamon-flavored whiskey. I’ve chatted with her before, but this flirtation is a new thing, and I could get used to it.

I smirk at her. “Who knew dodging forced social interactions could lead to a secret whiskey mission?”

“I’ll be Mata-Hari. You be Jason Bourne. Let’s rendezvous on the terrace at 18:30 hours.” Pearl gestures with a flourish. Her hand lands on her hip and her eyes issue a challenge.

Strangely, I’m looking forward to rising to that very mild provocation.

Moving separately but making a lot of silly faces, we navigate through the throng of guests. The DJ is starting to spin an old disco tune and we have to side step a few overzealous dancers.

We reach the fully stocked bar, an oasis in a desert of social niceties. The Cape Winery not only has every wine under the sun, but a selection of top shelf liquor too. The bottles are arranged in precise lines and the bottle of cinnamon whiskey is very close to the door.

I wait until the bartender turns away, then filch the bottle I want, leaving fifty dollars in its place. ”Looks like we found the treasure,” I whisper to Pearl.

”Definitely worth the expedition,” she agrees. She gives me a cheeky grin that I can’t help but like.

I might actually be having fun at this engagement party. Who knew? Pearl follows me out of the overcrowded bar and onto the patio.

It’s the end of March, and still quite crisp outside despite the sun shining down on us. I sweep my jacket off and offer it to her.

We make eye contact. I’d never noticed before, but her darkened amber eyes are the same color of a very expensive shot of whiskey.

Our eye contact holds for a few seconds too long. Pearl blushes and accepts the coat, pulling it on. “Thanks.”

I open the bottle of cinnamon whiskey, and take a couple of gulps. It burns as it goes down my gullet and I wince. It’s so sweet that I’m pretty sure my gut is going to rot out on contact.

I make a disgusted sound. Pearl eyes me, but I just raise my hands in surrender. “It was an honest reaction.”

“Uh huh.” She takes the bottle and sips from it, wiping daintily at her lips when she’s done.

I find myself wanting to stretch out the moment that we find ourselves reveling in. Her glossy lips keep catching my eye.

The last thing I want is for Pearl to catch me staring at her lips. Our flirtation is still very much in the silly phase. Being caught lusting after her would move us firmly to the ‘should we do this already?’ phase. And I don’t think we’re ready for that just yet. Still, I’m already at half-mast just standing here.

Imagine if she actually touched me with those lips. I would likely not survive the fallout from the explosion. I clear my throat.

”So, Pearl,” I say. ”How”s life treating you?”

She hesitates, taking another sip from the bottle before passing it back. ”Actually, things are terrible.” Her voice trails off as glances toward the beach in the distance.

”Sounds serious.” I take a shot of the whiskey and prod her, nudging her gently with my shoulder.

She takes the bottle back but doesn’t make any move to drink more just yet. She bites her lip in this way that’s somehow both cute and hot. Then her shoulders slump a little bit. Her mouth puckers.

Did I just misread her mood? Maybe I need to stop staring at her mouth and actually pay attention to her expression.

”My great aunt Delta’s land,” she finally says. Her whiskey-colored gaze returns to mine and I find it tinged with worry. ”The property tax bill came. Land assessors were just out. They assessed an amount for the property taxes that”s astronomical. That’s on top of the several years of taxes already owed! We could lose everything if we don”t figure something out.”

“Shit.” I try not to wince. “I’m really sorry, Pearl. Your family has had that land for a while, hasn’t it?”

“A few generations.” She blows out a breath.

“How much does she owe?” I ask. I like having all the facts. And dollars and cents are my specialty.

Pearl turns up her hands in a questioning posture. “Who knows? More than ten thousand dollars. Less than a hundred thousand. That’s my best guess and I have asked.”

She looks sad. I’d like to kiss her downturned lips until she smiles again.

But somewhere, in the back of my mind, gears begin turning. Ten thousand dollars is a pretty meager amount of money. Anybody can scrounge up that much if they really had to. Less than a hundred thousand is not something that anyone should wring their hands over.

I close deals bigger than that in my sleep. My tongue darts out of my mouth as I think it over.

Her aunt Delta is ancient and she’s not exactly friendly. Especially not to people like me, who happen to own real estate brokerage firms. She has snapped at me several times and accused me of trying to take her land.

But I might be the solution to this whole problem. I sure as hell wasn’t trying to steal her land then, but I might be now.

Well, not steal. Sell for an ungodly profit is more like it.

”Damn, that”s rough.” My brow furrows as I process Pearl’s predicament. “Is the property all one piece?”

Pearl gives me a look out of the corner of her eye. “Yeah…”

Aunt Delta”s estate is an important piece of history and it’s woven into this town’s tapestry. Located just south of South Shore, it’s almost priceless. The land has fifty miles of shoreline and it is in pristine condition. I would be lying if I said the real estate lawyer in me didn’t perk up at the mere mention of the land becoming distressed.

By distressed, I mean possibly underwater on property taxes.

Pearl... she doesn”t deserve this stress. Plus, she would find herself in an endless sea of dollars if she maybe helped me sell her land.

And maybe I would receive a small finder’s fee. Or better yet, maybe I could help the right company buy her property and then help them build something on it.

My brain is seriously chugging so hard it’s about to catch fire.

”Have you considered any options?” I ask, trying to sound helpful rather than like the vulture I am.

”Not yet. I just don’t want to have to sell any of it.” The mischief and fire in her eyes during our whiskey mission is draining away. ”I”m at my wit”s end, honestly.”

I lean back against the linen-covered table, watching the light play across her face, casting shadows that shouldn”t be there on such a bright day. A plan begins to form in my mind.

Her problem is the land. Mine is that I am bored and need a new deal.

”Maybe…” I venture, drawing her attention. ”I might have a way to help.”

”Really?” Surprise lights up her features. But just as quickly, the bright expression dims and is replaced by skepticism. ”What kind of help are we talking about?”

”Let”s just say,” I pause, the thrill of the gamble running through my veins. I lean into it because it is literally my favorite feeling. ”It would be a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

Her eyes narrow slightly, intrigued and cautious all at once. But behind that caution, I see it.

The spark of hope.

The possibility of a deal hangs in the air between us. Pearl”s gaze, now a perfect blend of hope and skepticism, pins me in place.

I lick my lips. What else might come of us doing a deal together?

Pearl looks at me, her gorgeous mahogany-colored eyes like twin pools of molten amber. Her breath seems to catch. I lean in.

My brain has suddenly stopped working. A minute ago, I saw nothing but the cold hard dollar signs that could be made from this deal. But now I find myself wondering just what Pearl might like to get out of this scheme.

Would it involve me kissing her senseless? Maybe spending the night stripping her naked and burying my face between her legs?

“Pearl?”

She edges closer to me. “Yeah, River?”

“Would you?—”

The whirlwind that is Savannah sweeps out of the winery, her satin dress fluttering behind her like a superhero”s cape. She bangs open the patio door and looks between us with some surprise. We both jump apart and suddenly become quite interested in making sure our clothes are free of wrinkles.

As if Savannah can somehow tell that we almost kissed simply by being in our presence.

“Oh, there you are!” Savannah tells Pearl. “I was looking all over for you.”

Pearl hands me the bottle of whiskey, grinning sheepishly. She looks at Savannah. “Busted! Please don’t tell anyone that we decided to sneak off for some cinnamon whiskey. I don’t really understand why anyone drinks wine.”

”Well, I’m sorry to interrupt,” Savannah chirps. She loops an arm through Pearl”s. ”But I need you to come settle an argument. You don’t mind, do you?”

The attention slides to me. I shake my head and raise the bottle at them.

I hate to lose my only ally at this function, but I’m not the type to make a fuss. The bride asks for Pearl, so the bride gets to pull her attention away.

I’m a little disappointed. But I push a smile to my lips.

“Of course not,” I say. “Pearl is quite popular today.”

“Thanks, River,” Sav says. “Don’t stay out here too long. It’s frigging cold!”

Pearl throws me an apologetic look over her shoulder. She starts to take off my jacket, but I shake my head. “Keep it. It looks better on you.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

I cup my hand to my ear. “What’s that? Ridiculously handsome, you said?”

”You’re awful. We’ll talk later, though?”

Oh, you can bet on that.

Savannah starts pulling her through the patio door.

”Definitely.” I flash her a reassuring smile, already plotting how I can turn our potential deal into something concrete.

Something… mutually beneficial.

Something that I’m certain Pearl will enjoy as much as I will.