13. Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Thirteen
Hailey slams the door to our office shut, leans against it, covers her face with her hands and lets out a frustrated groan.
I’ve been pissed off about many things since I woke up to the news this morning, but I never saw this twist coming. Not even in the slightest way possible. Not at all.
“I’m sorry,” I start. There are many things I want to say to her and I have to take it one at a time. “This is all my fault. I was sure I had the paparazzi under wraps until two days ago. It’s my fault that your privacy and that of Leo have been compromised, and I’ll do anything to fix it.”
Hailey drags her hands from her face to her hair as she leans away from the door.
“It’s not your fault,” she shakes her head. “It was supposed to be a simple day out in the park. They would have cooked up any story regardless of that photo.”
She’s right. If there’s one thing I know about the media, it’s how invasive they are and how tirelessly they’ll work to infiltrate someone’s privacy and turn it into their money-making machine.
“Leave the articles about romance between us,” she says. “But please…please, do anything you can to leave my son out of this. He’s only five. I don’t need him being the center of anyone’s attention except mine.”
I lean against my desk and nod. For a moment, we’re silent again and I’m watching her pace around the office, her heels clicking loudly against the tiles.
None of this would have happened if I hadn’t tried to kiss her yesterday. This would have been another normal Monday morning if I weren’t thinking with my heart instead of my head when she fell on top of me.
Her privacy wouldn’t have been compromised if I had just put a fucking lid over my conflicted feelings, instead of desperately wanting to feel her lips on mine again.
It’s my fault and we both know it. No matter how much she tries to convince herself otherwise.
Hailey takes a deep breath. “Listen. About what I told Evelyn…”
I stare at her, willing for her to continue her explanation. I won’t lie and say her lie didn’t rattle me, but I was certain that for her to boldly proclaim something as false as a romantic relationship between us, she must have her reasons.
Strong reasons at that. And it’s the only reason why I played along with her sham.
“It was probably a selfish thing to do but I had my reasons.”
I raise a brow, still not sure where she’s going with this.
“Well?” I urge. “As serious as what has happened, I’m sure I’d like to know why I’ve suddenly become your boyfriend overnight.”
A deep red blush covers her face. It’s not because she’s flustered by what I’ve just said, but because of the weight of the truth on her tongue that she’s reluctant to reveal.
“Did Jas ever tell you about me eloping with Ethan on the morning of my wedding?”
I remember the first time I heard of it. Jasmine and Hailey might be best friends, but there’s only so much Jas tells me about Hailey’s personal life. As close as Hailey was to our family, I never heard of a wedding. Not until morning was it publicized in the papers.
“Jas didn’t go into the details.”
Hailey nods. “Okay. Well, long story short, my dad set up an arranged marriage with an associate of his. I went with it but then on the morning of the wedding, I discovered I was pregnant with Leo. So, I called Ethan and we fled before I could get married. That led to my parents disowning me, but you already know about that, so I’ll skip the details and go straight to the point. ”
She pauses to breathe. Her hands are clenched into fists as she paces around in the office.
“I don’t know if it’s a phase or something, but Leo’s been bothered about seeing his grandparents. So, I tried reconnecting with them two nights ago. And my dad… my dad set up a condition for me to return to the family.”
“What was it?”
She swallows, her eyes hardening as she remembers. “He wants me to marry the same man I ran from. Sebastian Clyne.”
Sebastian Clyne is a bastard in every way possible. There’s not much I know about him since I don’t involve myself in the family’s business, but I know he’s a sick fool old enough to be my father.
His history of physical abuse with women isn’t unknown, but of course, his status as a wealthy and powerful business mogul overshadows his ugliness.
The thought of Hailey’s father reinstating such a stupid arrangement makes me bristle with anger.
“It’s clear that he sees me as nothing but a bargaining chip, but I can’t do what he wants,” Hailey says.
“My parents will do anything to boost their way up the Manhattan socialite ladder, even if it means signing me off to some old son of a bitch. But I’ve promised Leo and I can’t afford to break my promise to him.
And that’s why I’m doing this. Proposing a fake relationship with you. ”
“A fake relationship?”
She nods. “Even a blind man can see my father’s motive behind his arrangement.
Money and recognition. My dad is hosting a charity fundraiser this weekend and I’m sure they will have seen the tabloids by now.
If I tell him I can’t marry Sebastian because I’m already involved with you, he might reconsider. ”
“You’re everything they’ve ever wanted in a son-in-law. You’re a football legend. Your family has an empire wealthier than Sebastian’s. You have everything they need to get to what they want.”
“So, let me get this straight,” I say, my voice laced with skepticism. “You want me to pretend to be your boyfriend–no, your fiancé–to crash this charity fundraiser and make your father call off your arranged marriage?”
Hailey stops pacing and turns to face me, her expression resolute. “Yes. Exactly. Like I said, you have the reputation and influence to make it believable. If my father sees me with someone like you –someone respected and untouchable–he’ll have no other choice but to reconsider.”
“And what happens after the fundraiser? What’s your plan once your father buys into this little act?”
She hesitates slightly, like she hadn’t thoroughly thought it through.
“Once the engagement is called off, we just have to keep up with appearances for a while to make it believable. Long enough to get Leo acquainted with his extended family like he wants. Eventually, I’ll leave you out of it.
We’ll make up a story about irreconcilable differences or a mutual parting of ways.
No one gets hurt, and you get to go back to your perfect little life. ”
“Please, think about it,” she adds quietly, her expression faltering at my silence. “I’m running out of options here.”
“I’ll think about it.” I say, even though I already know what my answer will be.
Hailey sighs in relief. “Thank you, Matthew.”
***
For the rest of the day, I all but ignore the curious messages and calls from my parents, Jasmine (who vows to stop by my apartment to find out what the hell is going on since Hailey isn’t saying anything either) and my former teammates and Coach.
Hours after Hailey’s shotgun proposal, I find myself in a jewelry store, carefully scanning the rows of engagement rings on the glass counter and wondering what Hailey would prefer as if it’s a real engagement.
I pretend not to notice the kind smile on the middle-aged sales assistant as she watches me patiently.
“She likes simple, elegant things,” I say to myself as my fingers drum against the edge of the display. “Nothing too flashy. Something timeless, like her.”
She nods thoughtfully and pulls out a sleek platinum ring with a round diamond. “This one’s classic but understated. It sounds like it might suit her taste. What do you think?”
What do I think? I think it’s crazy for me to feel this nervous about getting a ring for something that isn’t real.
For fuck’s sake, I don’t even date. But Hailey Donovan proposes a fake engagement with her and I’m trembling like a leaf.
I examine the ring with a frown. “It’s beautiful, but I don’t know. It needs to be a little more her. Maybe with a small emerald? She loves green.”
The assistant chuckles, sliding the ring back into its place. “A man who notices her favorite color–she’s a lucky woman.”
I smile, not sure if my next words are from me playing the role of Hailey’s fake fiancé or if they’re straight from my own head.
“No. I’m the lucky one.”
“In that case, this should be the perfect one for her,” the assistant says, pulling out a tear-drop emerald ring that glints under the bright lights. “She sounds like someone worth getting it just right for.”
By the time I return to the office, it’s dark. I walk in to find Hailey all on fours under my desk.
She stumbles to her feet once she hears the door opening. Her hair is scattered all over her flustered face and she laughs nervously as she points to my table.
“I wasn’t snooping around.”
I shut the door with a smirk. “I never said you were.”
She runs her hand through her hair and clears her throat. “My pen rolled over and I was looking for it. Where did you run off to?”
“To get your ring.” I say. She remains stiff as I approach her. I grab her hand and slide the box out of my pocket.
Her eyes narrow. “Is that a real ring?”
I stare at her incredulously as I flip the box open. “Why would I get a fake one?”
Her mouth drops open as the jewel glints in her eye. “Are you out of your mind? Is that a –”
“Shh,” I murmur, grabbing her hand and sliding the ring onto her finger before she can object. “You’ve got yourself a fake fiancé, Hailey. But just so we’re clear, I don’t do charity cases for free. So, this better work.”
Hailey doesn’t take her eyes off the ring. Her mouth moves, but no words come out.
I grin to myself. It doesn’t take too much to impress her after all.
“Rules,” she blurts, reminding me of the first day we were assigned to this office together. “If we’re doing this, there have to be rules to this thing.”
Of course. There’s no Hailey without rules.
“We only pretend to be a couple in public,” she states, still staring at the ring. “We can kiss, hold hands, hug, or do whatever PDA to make our act believable. But when we’re alone, we return to our usual routine.”
“What about sex?”
She burns me with her Hailey Donovan glare. “You don’t expect me to fuck you in public, do you?”
“I don’t see why not.”
She rolls her eyes. “No sex. In fact, no physical intimacy besides the usual pecks and touches. That’s it.”
“You got it.”
“One more thing,” she says, taking a step toward me. “This, still, doesn’t make us friends.”
I can’t hide my smile. “Oh, it makes us much more than friends, Hailey. It makes us more than friends, enemies, co-workers or even neighbors. It makes us worse.”