A Love That’s Real (Fiancee for the Summer #1)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

Kaye “Taylor” Rollins studied herself in the ornate mirror in the executive washroom. The look in the eyes staring back at her might reflect a steady determination, but her hands trembled, betraying the storm raging inside her. She pressed her lips together, willing them—and herself—to hold firm.

The polished sink gleamed beneath her white-knuckled grip as waves of panic rolled through her, tightening around her chest like a steel band. Her skin prickled with cold, as though fear itself had burrowed beneath it.

This couldn’t be happening, not like this.

She took a shaky breath, desperate to quiet the nausea clawing at her throat. There had to be a mistake. Nicholas Lanagan III—the name carried weight, a reputation for fairness. Surely, if she could just talk to him, he would see reason.

Dear God, what am I going to do?

The whispered prayer settled in her soul, quiet but insistent. Strength. That’s what she needed now. Not tears. Not panic.

Taylor released her grip on the sink, feeling foolish for the sheer desperation tightening her muscles. She straightened, smoothing her hands over her skirt, but the paper in her grasp remained a stark reminder—her life had just changed forever.

“Effective immediately, your position has been eliminated…”

The words burned as she read them again, but defiance sparked in their wake. Rollins blood ran through her veins, and Rollins didn’t crumble.

With a resolve she didn’t entirely feel, she crumpled the slip in her fist and strode out of the washroom, heels clicking against the marble floor with purpose. The elevator loomed ahead, its polished doors reflecting the image of a woman standing on the edge of an abyss—but she wasn’t about to fall.

No, she would fight.

Nicholas Lanagan III was about to find out exactly who he was dealing with.

* * *

Nick checked his watch for the third time as he waited for the brass elevator doors to open. An hour late. He clenched his jaw. The Chamber of Commerce breakfast meetings were supposed to be beneficial, a strategic move to keep Lanagan Associates in the good graces of Cedar Ridge’s business elite. But when meetings ran over— again —it threw his entire schedule into disarray.

His time was money, and today, he’d just wasted both.

The elevator slid open, and Nick strode out, his long legs eating up the polished marble floor as he made his way toward his office. Miss Dietrich, his admin, sat behind her oversized cherry-wood desk, the picture of efficiency.

She pushed the hold button on her phone and raised her steely-eyed gaze. She didn’t waste her time, or his, commenting on his lateness.

“Mr. Lanagan, Mr. Waters is holding on your line. He says it’s important.” Her poised fingernail hovered over the transfer button. “Do you want to take the call?”

Nick exhaled sharply. Henry Waters. Again. The man had been a thorn in his side for months, but Nick needed his company to finalize the biggest deal of his career. He couldn’t afford to alienate him.

“Put him through,” Nick muttered, pushing open his office door, grateful the man didn’t have his cell number.

The moment the door clicked shut behind him, he yanked off his suit jacket, tossed it over the chair, and dropped into the smooth leather seat behind his desk.

“Henry,” he said into the receiver, forcing patience into his tone. “What’s up?”

The man’s excitement practically crackled through the line. “I know we’re meeting this afternoon, but I’ve got good news and couldn’t wait.”

Nick pinched the bridge of his nose. “Good news?”

“Claire’s coming home!”

Nick stiffened. His fingers went slack around the receiver.

“I’ve been waiting for her to come to her senses,” Henry barreled on. “When she broke up with you and left town?—”

“Henry,” Nick interrupted, sharper than intended. “That was six months ago.”

“Exactly.” Henry didn’t miss a beat. “No time at all. You two can pick up right where you left off.”

A slow, cold dread curled around Nick’s spine. This could be a problem. A big one.

Henry’s voice lowered conspiratorially. “You and Claire were great together. I knew she’d come back to you sooner or later.”

Nick barely heard him. His mind was already racing, calculating the potential damage. If Henry was under the impression that Claire and Nick were some tragic love story waiting for a reunion… this could tank everything.

Henry had been surprisingly sympathetic when Claire had left town. That sympathy had played to Nick’s advantage in the bidding war for Waters Inc. And now, with the acquisition set to be finalized in two months, Henry was expecting a heartwarming reunion?

Not happening.

Thankfully the ability to respond under pressure had always been Nick’s strength. He ad-libbed, loosely covering the receiver with one hand and talking to the picture of his father on the wall as if the man had suddenly walked in.

“Can it wait? I’m on the phone.” Nick forced an irritated sigh. “Henry, I’m sorry to cut this short, but something’s come up. We’re still meeting at three?”

Henry hesitated. “Yeah, of course. We’ll have a long talk then.”

Nick ended the call and set the receiver down carefully. Too carefully.

Claire.

Just her name stirred up an avalanche of irritation. She had been a complication from the start, a distraction in a carefully constructed plan. Their so-called relationship had barely been more than a handful of public outings, but the moment Henry caught wind of it, he’d been seen as a future son-in-law.

And now she was back.

His jaw tightened. What had he done to deserve this? As if the day wasn’t bad enough, now he had to figure out how to neutralize this disaster before it gained momentum.

The door cracked open. Miss Dietrich entered, a steaming cup of coffee in her hands.

“It’s very hot,” she warned as she placed it on his desk.

“Good,” Nick muttered and took a reckless gulp.

The burn seared his throat, but he welcomed the pain. At least it distracted him from the bigger firestorm brewing in his life.

Miss Dietrich arched a disapproving brow. “Anything else, sir?”

“Not now,” he said, rubbing his temple. “I’ll buzz if I need you.”

She nodded once and disappeared, closing the door behind her. Nick stared at the rich, dark liquid swirling in his mug, his thoughts twisting just as wildly.

If only he could get rid of Claire with so little effort. Say a few select words and she’d be history. Out of his life for good this time. If only it could be that easy.

He plopped the cup down. The freshly ground Colombian coffee sloshed over the rim and spilled onto the hand-rubbed cherry-wood desktop.

Wiping it up, he stifled a curse.

Claire! One word said it all. Raking back a strand of hair that dared fall across his forehead, he railed against the injustice.

What had he done to deserve this?

Even as he asked, he knew the answer. He’d made the mistake of escorting the attractive brunette to a few social functions. Dating the daughter of a potential business partner was risky under the best of circumstances, but when that woman was Henry Waters’ little princess the potential for disaster increased tenfold.

When Claire unexpectedly accepted a job at a prestigious public relations firm in Washington, D.C., no one had been more thrilled than he’d been.

An added plus was that Henry had been incredibly sympathetic when his daughter had taken off without a second thought. In retrospect, Nick couldn’t help but wonder if that had given him an advantage in the bidding war for Henry’s company.

If Henry thought Claire’s return was some kind of divine sign for their happily-ever-after, he might pull out of the merger if Nick turned her down too harshly.

That wasn’t an option. If the man took his business elsewhere, Lanagan Associates would be forced into major restructuring. Today’s layoffs would be nothing compared to the massive cuts he’d be forced to make.

He needed a solution. A way to make Henry believe he was unavailable—permanently. He raked a hand through his hair and exhaled sharply. He needed to be engaged.

The idea settled in his mind like a puzzle piece falling into place.

A temporary fiancée.

He could find someone. Someone to play the part just long enough to ease Henry’s concerns, just long enough for those contracts to be signed.

The office door flew open and slammed shut. Erik North, his closest friend and chief legal counsel, was now splayed against it, looking more like a spy on the run than a corporate attorney in Armani.

“Quick, bolt the door,” Erik said, his voice low and urgent. “Your watchdog is ready to bite.”

Nick sighed, rubbing his temple. “Watchdog?”

“That drill sergeant you call an admin,” Erik whispered theatrically and pretended to wipe sweat from his brow. “I wasn’t on your appointment calendar. That’s a crime in her book.”

“She’s just doing her job,” Nick muttered, gesturing to the chair across from him. “Since you’re here, sit down. My morning’s already shot.”

“I’m glad to see you, too.” Erik made himself comfortable, propping his expensive loafers on the glass table. “So, what’s got you looking like someone ran over your dog?”

Nick leaned back in his chair. “Claire Waters. She’s coming back.”

Erik whistled low. “The Catwoman returns.”

Nick’s lips twitched. Erik had never liked Claire, and the nickname had stuck.

“She’s coming back, and Henry thinks we’re still a thing,” Nick said flatly.

“What’s the problem?” Erik raised a brow. “Tell her you’re not interested.”

Nick let out a humorless laugh. “It’s not that simple. Henry’s expecting some glorious reunion with us living happily ever after. If I reject her, he’ll take it as a personal insult.”

Erik stifled a laugh. “He obviously doesn’t know you’re already committed.”

“Committed? What are you talking about?” Nick frowned. “I’m not engaged.”

“Okay. Maybe the company is more like a mistress. It gets all your attention, your devotion.” Erik placed one hand on his chest and topped it with the other. “Just tell Claire there’s no room in your heart for anyone else.”

“Cut it out, Erik. This is serious. There’s no way I’m going to let Claire’s return ruin everything.”

“Maybe she doesn’t want you, either. Have you thought about that?”

Nick shook his head, wishing that were true. “I didn’t get that impression.”

“Okay, then…” Erik paused for a moment. “What’s the worst that could happen? She comes. She hits on you. You turn her down.”

“And the merger negotiations fall apart.” Nick pressed his fingertips to his temples.

“Okay, then string her along. Whisper a few sweet nothings in her ear. Just enough to keep her happy until those papers are signed.”

“It’s tempting.” Nick knew it would be the easiest solution, one with the least amount of risk. Still, something held him back. “I can’t do that, even to Claire. Besides, I might get stuck with her forever.”

Erick visibly shuddered. “A life with that woman would be a fate worse than death.”

“I agree wholeheartedly.” Nick laughed. “That’s why I came up with a plan.”

Erik stroked his chin. “What is this plan?”

Nick hesitated, then said, “I tell Henry I’m engaged.”

Erik sat up, his grin wide. “Oh, this is good.”

Nick shot him a warning look. “It’s not good. It’s necessary.”

“Right, right.” Erik waved him off. “You realize Henry will insist on meeting your fiancée.”

Nick sighed. “I’ll say she doesn’t live here.”

“Henry might buy it, but Claire? Not on your life.”

Nick thought for a moment. “Then I’ll find someone in Cedar Ridge to play the part.”

His friend collapsed against the smooth leather, his mouth twisting in a wry grin. “It has potential. The only problem is you haven’t even been seeing anyone lately.”

“Henry doesn’t know that.”

“And a fiancée usually expects marriage as a follow-up.”

“This one won’t. I’ll make that very clear.”

“Who will you get to play this part?”

Nick shook his head. “I haven’t gotten that far.”

“How about that blonde you brought to the Christmas party?”

“Aimee?” Nick shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

“Why not?” Erik quirked an eyebrow, and a mischievous grin danced on his lips. “She was really hot.”

“Keep in mind the reason we broke up.”

“Because you were more interested in work than her.”

The promptness of his friend’s response brought back Nick’s smile. “Not that reason.”

“All right, so she was more interested in your money than you.” Erik’s eyes gleamed. “In this situation, she’d be perfect.”

“Probably. She’s out, anyway. I heard she’s getting married next month. For real.”

“You really think you’ll be able to come up with a fiancée on such short notice?”

Nick met Erik’s questioning gaze with determination. “I don’t have much choice. I’ll find someone if I have to take the next female that walks through that door.”

Their gaze shifted to the door and—as if on cue—it opened.

Miss Dietrich stood at the threshold, a tight expression on her face. “Sir, I told her you were in conference.”

A young woman stepped into the room, ignoring the warning. Obviously pretty. Obviously furious .

Chestnut curls tumbled over stiffened shoulders, and green eyes—piercing, furious, and unrelenting—locked onto his. A tailored jacket in a deep sable hue emphasized her slim waist, her full lips tight with restrained anger.

“Mr. Lanagan, I apologize for interrupting,” she said, her voice controlled but simmering with barely contained emotion. “But I must speak with you. It’s urgent.”

Miss Dietrich arched a brow. “Would you like me to call security, sir?”

Nick glanced at Erik, who gave him a subtle thumbs-up.

“No, Miss Dietrich.” Nick leaned back, intrigued. “I’m interested to hear what Ms.--”

“Rollins,” she finished.

“What Ms. Rollins has to say.”