Chapter 7
seven
ELAINA
My cell display reads 12:47 p.m., but I’ve been ready for hours, pacing the apartment with Captain Crunchypants in my arms like a furry, purring security blanket, wondering if I’m being brave and bold or…completely crazy.
Now, we’re downstairs, standing beside my giant—but probably not over sixty pounds… probably —suitcase, waiting for a very bad man to come pick us up and whisk us back to his castle in the concrete jungle.
It’s all very Beauty and the Beast. An innocent young woman, a broken, jaded older man, a cute animal sidekick who kind of looks like a teapot when he’s curled up for a nap at the foot of the bed…
“Except I’m not innocent,” I tell the Captain, kissing his silky soft head. “And you aren’t a teapot, and Hunter is only going to lock me in his castle until he knocks me up or his mother dies. One or the other.”
The Captain rolls his head back, staring at me with golden eyes that seem to ask me to listen to myself. To really listen and evaluate if this is the kind of chaos I’m looking for, especially while trying to get pregnant.
“It’s too late now,” I mutter. “I could already be pregnant.”
My sassy cat croaks out a rusty meow that sounds like, “You crazy slut, I love you,” and I laugh.
“I know. I am a crazy slut, but I couldn’t help it.” I sigh, my blood humming as memories of Hunter fucking me like a freight train in the lifeguard hut fill my head. “If you’d seen him in that suit, you wouldn’t have been able to resist, either. He was way too magically delicious.” I pull in a bracing breath as I turn to pace back the other way. “So, what’s done, is done. We’re on the path and it’s too late to turn back now. I figure…it’ll either be the best decision I’ve ever made or a complete disaster. Either way, you and I will always have each other. That’s never going to change.”
The Captain purrs louder and headbutts my chin, proving he’s the best buddy a girl could ask for.
He’s rumbling so loud that I don’t notice the softer rumble of an engine until the sleek black car with tinted windows is halfway up the alley behind the café. But when I do, my heart starts racing again, triple-time.
This is it. The moment the timeline of my life splits in two—to before I took Hunter Mendelssohn up on his wild bargain and after.
I send out a silent hope that this time next year I’ll be holding the Captain and a baby in my arms in my New York apartment.
The moment the car pulls to a stop in front of us, Hunter emerges from the back seat, looking devastatingly handsome in a charcoal suit that probably cost more than my monthly rent.
But he doesn’t smile, wish me a good afternoon, reach for my suitcase, or insist we run upstairs for a quickie. He simply narrows his stormy eyes on the cat in my arms and grunts.
“No.” He shakes his head. “Absolutely not.”
I blink. “What do you mean, no?”
“No. No animals. The cat isn’t part of the agreement.”
My jaw drops. “What?”
“It’s not in the contract.”
“But I—” I break off, fighting to regain control of the panic flooding my nervous system, and offer a reasonable argument. Hunter isn’t the kind to be swayed by emotion. After a beat, I continue, “I’m sorry for any confusion, but the Captain is like my child. I assumed you understood that, and there was no need to state explicitly in the contract that he would be joining me in the city. I made a commitment to him when I adopted him that I would always be his mom. We’re family, and you don’t separate family.”
Hunter’s expression softens a fraction, but his tone is still unyielding as he says, “My mother is allergic to cats. Severely allergic. And we’ll be spending a lot of time with her. With her health already so precarious, I can’t risk her having an allergic reaction.”
“Oh.” My stomach bottoms out as I look down at my sweet boy. “I didn’t think about the possibility of something like that.”
“Clearly.” But his tone has lost its edge. He moves closer, careful to keep the sleeve of his expensive suit away from the Captain’s reaching paw. Hunter might not be able to stand my cat, but the Captain loves him. “It’s only temporary. Once my mother…” He trails off, a shadow crossing his face. The reminder of why we’re doing this makes my chest ache. “Once you’re settled in the city for the long term, he can join you. Him and as many other cats as your HOA will allow.”
A lump forms in my throat. “I guess I could ask Kira to watch him, along with the rest of the café cats.”
“Don’t cry.” He reaches out, brushing a tear I didn’t realize had escaped my eye from my cheek. “This isn’t forever. Nothing is. It’s the worst and best part of being human.”
I sigh. “Don’t get philosophical at a time like this.”
“Times like this are when we need philosophy. It offers perspective. Everything we suffer has been suffered before. It’s not unique, and it’s not personal.”
I nod, understanding he’s talking about more than me leaving my cat behind. Someone he loves will be leaving, soon, too, and she won’t be coming to live with him somewhere down the line…
With that in mind—Hunter may act cold and untouchable, but he’s obviously having a hard time facing his mother’s death—I give the Captain one last squeeze. “Okay. I’ll take him inside and be right back.”
“I’ll load your bag,” he says, frowning when he grabs the handle and finds it clearly much heavier than he anticipated.
But he doesn’t say a word, only carries it toward the open trunk the driver must have popped from the inside.
The cat café is quiet when I enter through the back door. The morning regulars are long gone and our after-school crowd won’t hit for another hour or two. Kira looks up from where she’s restocking the pastry case, her eyes widening as she watches me carry the Captain over to the cat play structure, where he immediately leaps into action, exploring like the overgrown kitten he is.
“What’s up?” she asks. “I thought you guys were leaving for the airport at one.”
“I am but we aren’t.” I sigh and force a wobbly smile. “Turns out the trip isn’t cat-friendly. Is it okay if I leave him here with you?”
“Of course,” she says, nodding harder as her cousin, Kit, appears behind her. “The more the merrier. We’ll keep an eye on the Captain and everything running smoothly until you get back. No worries.”
If I get back , I think. Aloud, I warn, “Just remember he’s a wild and unrepentant humper. And super gay.”
“Aw, me too, Captain. We’re going to get along great.” Kit gives a thumbs up, her green eyes crinkling at the edges.
The joke makes us all laugh, banishing some of the sadness.
“If he gets too aggressive with the other boy cats,” I continue, “you can put him in a time-out in the kitten zone in the back. The kittens are big enough to fend for themselves now. They don’t really need a protected place to sleep the way they used to. Usually, after he’s been in time-out for a while, the Captain will calm down and remember how to respect boundaries.”
“We can handle it,” Kira assures me. “I promise, everything will be fine. Go. Have an amazing adventure in the city. You deserve it.”
Kira thinks I’m heading to New York for a six-month French pastry intensive with a famous chef. I wonder if she’d be as supportive if she knew what I’m really up to…
I have no idea, but I can’t tell her.
I can’t tell anyone, not even when this is all over. The contract I signed yesterday makes that very, very clear. I can’t even tell my friends I’m in the city until much later in the process. In the meantime, I will basically be held captive in Hunter’s apartment aside from visits to his mother’s place.
And I’m sure it’s a very nice apartment, but still…
I walk back outside to where Hunter waits by the car, feeling adrift without the Captain snuggled in my arms.
I’m really on my own now. On my own, and on my way to a brand-new place, where I won’t know anyone except this thrilling, terrifying, maybe as-bad-as-he-keeps-telling-me-he-is man in the fancy suit waiting for me by that big black car…
Hunter opens the back door for me. On my way into the shadowed cab, I catch the briefest glimpse of uncertainty in his eyes before his usual, bored-and-above-it-all mask slides back into place.
He’s nervous, too. This is just as real—and maybe nearly as terrifying—for him as it is for me.
Somehow, that makes me feel better.
“Ready?” he asks as he slides into the leather seat beside me.
I take a deep breath, letting it out slowly as I nod. “As I’ll ever be.”
He shuts the door behind us, sharp and decisive, before calling through the tinted partition between us and the driver, “To the airport, please.”
As the car pulls away, I resist the urge to look back at the café.
At my old life.
Instead, I look forward. Toward whatever comes next.
After all, when one is potentially walking straight into a shit storm, it’s best to keep an eye out for…shit.
Hunter
The plane sits on the tarmac, its engines idling as we wait for clearance to takeoff. Elaina’s gone quiet since we boarded, her usual bubbly fire replaced by something that looks suspiciously like anxiety.
Or terror…
It seems the reality of what we’re doing is hitting my fake fiancé as hard as it hit me last night, when I woke up in a cold sweat wondering what the fuck I was going to do if Elaina was already pregnant.
But I did what I do best: I stepped back, looked at the situation from a dispassionate distance, decided the plan was still solid and an emotional reaction was a waste of energy, and went back to sleep. I know how to handle myself in high-stress situations. Hopefully, Elaina does, too.
If not, I may be sending her back to Sea Breeze on this very plane far sooner than expected.
No matter what our contract says, if she decides she wants out, she’s out. I’m not going to force a woman to stay with me, no matter what kind of legal documents we’ve signed.
I check my watch again, more out of habit than necessity. We’re right on schedule, which means in just over an hour, we’ll be landing in New York. Then, headed to my apartment, where Elaina will be sleeping in my bed tonight and every night until we get pregnant or my mother passes…
The thought stirs things low in my body, while that primal part of me that came out to play last night in the lifeguard stand growls in approval. Breeding kink or something more disturbing, I can’t deny I’m looking forward to taking her bare again more than I’ve looked forward to anything in a very long time.
Elaina gulps, her grip tightening on the arms of the leather seat as the plane begins to taxi.
“First time on a smaller plane?” I ask, wondering if that’s the reason for her fear, not the fact that she’s about to put her fate in the hands of a man she barely knows.
She turns from the window, and I’m struck by how pale she’s become. “First time on any plane at all in about sixteen years. I flew to visit my great aunt in Chicago when I was ten. That’s it.” She attempts a smile that morphs into a grimace. “The girls and I have been saving up for a trip to Iceland, so I haven’t had extra money for flying places, and it’s…”
“Scarier than you remembered?” I supply.
She nods and gulps again, her lips pressing together as we turn the corner onto the runway. “Oh God, we’re going to die. We’re totally going to die and Captain Crunchypants is going to be an orphan.”
“We’re not going to die, hold my hand,” I say, uncurling my fingers.
“I’m not sure holding hands is going to help when we’re rolling the dice on this thing zooming fast enough to launch itself into the sky before we crash into the sea.” But she takes my hand, squeezing it tight.
I smile. “That’s not exactly how jet engines work.”
She winces, pressing back against the headrest as we start to accelerate down the tarmac. “Then explain it to me, Smart Guy. Distract me with science.”
So, I do, raising my voice to be heard as the engines roar louder. “The basic principle involves four forces: lift, weight, drag, and thrust. The engines provide thrust, pushing us forward, while the shape of the?—”
“Thrust, huh?” She interrupts, her voice higher-than-usual. “Is that your answer to everything?”
I squeeze her hand tighter. “Are you complaining about my thrust?”
“No, I love your thrust, I just—” She cuts off with a gasp as the nose lifts. Her nails dig into my palm hard enough to sting as we climb higher, the pressure pushing us back in our seats.
“The steeper angle helps us achieve lift faster,” I explain, letting her maim my hand while keeping my tone as calm and steady as possible. “Think of it like swimming. The harder you push against the water?—”
“I get it, I get it. Physics. Great. Are we almost done with the scary part?”
“Almost.” I run my thumb over her white knuckles. “Another thirty seconds or so.”
She nods, squeezing her eyes shut as the plane continues to climb.
When we finally level out, she lets out a long breath but doesn’t release my hand. “We’re alive. I’m so glad,” she murmurs, shooting me a look of such joyous wonder that I can’t help but laugh.
“It gets easier, I promise.” I nod toward the bar cart on the other side of the small cabin. “Glass of champagne? To celebrate our survival against all odds?”
She shoots me a wry glance and finally releases my hand. “Yes, please. Champagne makes everything better. Especially survival.” She frowns as she adds, “Unless you think I should abstain from alcohol? Just in case…”
“A glass or two should be fine until we know for sure.” I stand, ignoring the flutter in my stomach, the one that could be dread, but could also be excitement. But as I correctly realized last night, dread has no place here. It’s too late to turn back now, even if I wanted to.
And I’m not positive that I do.
I like having Elaina beside me, sipping champagne, marveling at the wide variety of treats in the snack pantry, and the chessboard carved into the top of the table holding our impromptu happy hour.
“If only we had game pieces,” she says, trailing her fingers over the edge of the etched wood. “I haven’t played in ages, not since study hall senior year, but I remember it was fun.”
I reach under my seat, collecting the cloth bag of pieces. “White or black?”
Her expression brightens. “Oh yay! White, please. I need all the advantage I can get.” She takes another sip of her champagne before helping clear our snacks away so I can set up. “Fair warning though, I’m rusty. And I might have forgotten what some of the pieces do.”
“I’ll remind you,” I say, intending to take it easy on her for the first game.
But the chess master next to me isn’t rusty at all. Within ten moves, she has me on the defensive, her strategy aggressive but elegant. Like her.
“Oh look, check,” she announces with obvious satisfaction. “How did I do that?”
I shake my head. “Shark. You’re a shark.”
She giggles. “I am. Sorry. But I wasn’t lying. I haven’t played since high school.” She shrugs. “I’m just really good at it for some reason.”
“I’m guessing strong pattern recognition and solid predictive instincts,” I say. “The same things that make you a good businesswoman.”
She smiles, looking flattered. “Why, thank you.” Her smile fades as she adds, “But speaking of predictive instincts and death by fiery plane crash… What happens if I die?”
I frown. “I’m not sure if I?—”
“Not like, in a philosophical sense,” she hurries to explain. “Or right now. I mean, if I die after the baby’s born. Or when she’s a little girl. What will happen to her?” Her brow wrinkles with worry. “She won’t have another parent to step in.”
It’s an excellent question.
And one I should have addressed in the contract. I was so sure I’d thought of everything, but maybe…I haven’t. The thought is enough to send a fresh wave of dread through my chest as I say, “You’re right. That’s something we should sort out. I don’t have any living family, so if you?—”
“Me, either,” she cuts in with a shake of her head. “Not anyone who would be able to step in and raise a child, anyway. All my relatives are in their sixties or seventies. My mom was my grandmother’s only child, and I was hers.”
“Your family line is on the way out, too,” I observe, struck again by how alike we are in so many ways. “Then, maybe a friend? Maybe Maya and Anthony? I have no doubt they’re going to be amazing parents.”
She nods slowly. “Yeah, Maya’s the best. I was sort of thinking that, too, I just…” She pauses before adding in a softer voice. “You wouldn’t want to step in at all? Not even if I were no longer in the picture?”
“ You’re not the issue,” I say, refusing to feel guilty. I’ve made my position crystal clear from the beginning. I couldn’t have been more transparent if I’d tried. But I’m willing to give it one more shot in the name of getting through to her. “ I’m the issue. Me and my certainty that I will never be a good or effective parent. The baby would be better off with Maya and Anthony.” I cover her hand, offering what comfort I can. “But the chances of that happening are slim to none. You’re young and healthy and have a good head on your shoulders. You’re likely going to live a long, full life, and be there for your child until you’re old and gray.”
She sighs. “I hope so.” Her lips curve. “So, one more game? Just to give you the chance to prove that you’re not a chess dum dum?”
I smirk. “Dum dum?”
“Technical term,” she says, beginning to rearrange the pieces. “A little lingo we masters use when we’re alone. You can be white this time.”
“You’re good to me.”
“I know,” she agrees with a serious nod. “Practically a saint.”
We play two more games, splitting the victories and the rest of the bottle of champagne, before the captain announces our descent into New York.
Elaina tenses again, but less severely than before.
“Tell me about your castle in the deep dark jungle of Manhattan,” she says as we bank toward the city. “Will my tower room have a gym? A coffee shop? Will I be able to get into shape and stay properly caffeinated while I’m imprisoned?”
“You won’t be imprisoned,” I say dryly. “Though I appreciate the fairy tale energy.”
“Thank you, but honestly, that part in the contract about not leaving the apartment without permission and keeping my whereabouts a secret from everyone…” She wrinkles her nose. “Sounds pretty prison-like to me.”
“It’s temporary,” I remind her. “I’ll show you several places in the neighborhood that you can explore without fear of discovery. And as far as prisons are concerned, it’s a nice one. Upper West Side, overlooking the park. Three bedrooms, two offices, a private elevator, and yes, a gym. Though that I share with the other residents of the top floors, along with the sauna, hot tub, and swimming pool.”
“Swimming pool and hot tub sound nice. But two offices?” She arches a brow. “Let me guess, one for business and the other for…more business? Because when you go, you go hard?”
“The very hardest,” I agree. “When I’m in the middle of a big deal, my assistant sometimes comes to work in the second office. But I don’t have anything pressing in development at the moment. You can use the second office as your own, if you’d like.”
Her eyes widen. “Yeah? What would I use it for?”
“Brainstorming your next business venture, perhaps? I’m sure you’ll want to work in the city eventually, once the baby’s in pre-school, if not before. You’ll be bored to tears if you don’t have something on your plate. A brilliant business mind needs a project to thrive.”
“It does, you’re right,” she says as the plane touches down with barely a bump. She laughs, giving my thigh a light smack. “Good job with the distraction.”
“Thank you,” I say.
She hesitates a beat before asking, “Did you mean it? Do you really think I’m a brilliant business mind?”
“You started a business at eighteen,” I say. “A food service business, no less. Sixty to eighty percent of food service endeavors fail in the first two years. But you’re still standing and thriving.” I nudge her knee with mine. “So, yeah, I’d say pretty brilliant. But don’t let it go to your head.”
“Too late,” she whispers, holding my gaze with a warmth and gratitude I enjoy far too much. “Already plotting world domination.”
I grunt. “Don’t know why I expected anything less.”
As we taxi to the private hangar, I realize all the stirrings of dread are gone. I’m actually looking forward to showing her the apartment. To watching her explore the space, claim it as her own, set up her computer in the office where she will no doubt begin her domination of the world.
At least of my world…
It would be so easy to fall under this woman’s spell for longer than a few months, but that’s all we have.
And I’ll do my best to remember that tonight and every night until we say goodbye for good.