Chapter 13
Silvie
I’ll do it.
Wait. He’s serious.
“You don’t have to do that,” I say quickly, voice firm.
My mind is reeling with what Wilby told me. Tyler and Belladonna getting married? That means my family and the board are moving on to the contingency plan. My sister.
I really need to call Dad. Wilby said he was angry about everything. Was this why? I’ll be out of the running, and she’ll swoop in to “save” the day.
What a disaster.
That’s why it needs to be me. There’s still time. It was always supposed to go to me. And, because of a stupid time limit and some ridiculous rules, it’s all about to slip through my fingers.
I have to figure this marriage thing out and put on one hell of a show. All I have to do is convince my grandmother’s attorneys. They don’t know me. This should be easy.
“You don’t have to do that,” I say again, the certainty leaving my voice.
Because what if he did?
That would save me, the company, a family legacy.
It would be for show and for a short time. Cal did say I was “wifey material.”
“You already said that,” he says softly. “And, I know.”
Cal just sits there eating his breakfast burrito, adding more hot sauce to it like he didn’t just flip my entire life upside down with one sentence. He doesn’t even seem phased.
I’ll do it.
Who does that? He said it like he’d take me to lunch or go surfing.
Not signing a legally binding contract agreeing to marriage.
Also, it’s so much more than that. Marrying a Montclair is a legal nightmare.
Not to mention a paparazzi nightmare. I close my eyes and wince at the idea of paparazzi swarming this place that has become a sanctuary to me. I can’t bring that shit show here.
It’s too risky. I shake my head before my brain can catch up. “No, I can’t ask you to do that.”
But that being said, it’s truly my best shot.
Plus, I know I could convince the attorneys I “love” Cal Bennett.
I mean, I’m quite smitten with him, so it’s not a stretch.
I could always say I ran to Coconut Beach after the betrayal and accidentally fell in love.
It happens in movies literally all the time.
“It’s only temporary,” Wilby says quickly. “It wouldn’t last forever. Just until the ink dries and the company is hers.”
Cal’s eyebrows slightly furl at the mention of how it wouldn’t last forever. He’s not the type of guy who randomly gets hitched to a woman he barely knows. This would be messy in his life and he doesn’t deserve that.
“You’re not asking,” Cal says, sitting up straight and boring his gaze into mine as if he’s convinced himself this is the only answer to one of life’s biggest questions. “I’m offering.”
This makes my stomach knot in a way I don’t appreciate. And if I am being honest, it’s because having him do this would be a lot harder than having a stranger whom I have no feelings for.
God, I do have feelings for Cal. BIG feelings for Cal.
Wilby clears his throat. “Okay, back it up. I just need to confirm something. You are willing to be fake married to my best friend and boss to help save her family’s company?”
Cal looks at him. “Yes.”
“And what do you gain from this?” Wilby asks, eyes sharp and assessing.
I hold my breath because, honestly, it’s a valid question and also a scary one. And considerably rude since Cal just offered to save my ass. There are layers to this one.
Cal turns to me, gentle but kind. “I’m not trying to talk you into anything. But if you need my help, I’ll help.”
“Why, though?” Wilby counters. “For money? I’m sure there’ll be a stipend for your ‘trouble,’ however, this doesn’t grant you keys to the kingdom. There will be an ironclad prenup with whoever she marries.”
“Wilby.” I shoot him a warning glare.
“I’m just covering all of our bases here. It’s my job,” Wilby emphasizes the last part.
“I don’t need or want your money.” Cal sets down his fork. “Listen, I’m not married. Never been married. I’m single. If I could help you, why wouldn’t I?”
“Well, for one,” I say. “My family is crazy.”
Wilby nods, and his eyes widen. “Can confirm.”
Cal smirks. “Okay...”
“You would have to sign an NDA and a prenup?” Wilby challenges, as if he’s trying to scare him away.
I kick Wilby under the table and glare at him. He ignores me and continues in his professional voice he uses when he can talk anyone into doing just about anything.
“Of course.” Cal shrugs and takes another bite. “Wouldn’t want you taking all of my money.”
If Cal’s uneasy about the idea, his poker face is on point. I stare at him for a little longer than necessary, wondering if he’s hiding his true feelings about it.
Wilby laughs. “I love you, Cal.”
“Thanks?” Cal smirks and takes another bite.
“I’m sorry. This is really weird. Like a really weird conversation. How did we go from surfing to discussing a potential marriage?” I ask, pinching the bridge of my nose as a stress headache forms.
“Eat,” Wilby orders. “You get a headache if you don’t eat.”
I sigh, pull my plate closer, and drizzle syrup on the pancakes, which look perfect. Fluffy and buttery. I close my eyes. A weird day this has turned out to be. But at least there’re pancakes and sausage.
Wilby looks at Cal. “I didn’t mean to imply you didn’t have money. But I’m just covering bases. Because if this goes any further and makes it to the lawyers, that’s what they will be asking.”
“Good,” Cal says. “I wasn’t worried about it.”
Wilby taps his chin. “This could work.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “You have no idea what you’re volunteering yourself for. Some of my family is terrible. Horrible. Like stealing your sister’s husband horrible.”
Cal’s gaze stays on mine. “I’m not worried about your family. But I do think it’s ridiculous to lose everything to two people hell-bent on trying to destroy you. That concerns me. And it concerns me that your family is okay with them doing that.”
My heart rate quickens in my chest. Cal is my friend, but when he says things like that—so protective and from the heart, it blurs the lines between friendship and something more.
And a fake marriage won’t?
“Oh, her dad is not okay with that. Trust me.” Wilby shakes his head. “He is livid. But he’s also getting desperate. He stands to lose it all.”
Guilt consumes me as I think about how much I’ve left on my dad’s shoulders. I ran with my tail on fire from the wedding and he’s been cleaning up fires without me since.
We’ve always been a team.
I definitely need to call him.
“This is such an inconvenience for you, Cal,” I say with a frown.
He doesn’t answer right away. His eyebrows furl together as if he’s thinking long and hard about something.
He looks at the table and adds more coffee to my cup, then Wilby’s, and tops his own.
Then, his shoulders relax as if he’s made peace with his worries.
“You’re my friend, Silvie. And I don’t like seeing good people get taken advantage of. It makes me mad.”
And there it is. The crack to my armor that I’ve so carefully constructed for most of my life.
I swallow down the emotions clawing at my throat. “You need to know what you’d be signing up for. Your entire life would change.”
“I’m sure it wouldn’t change as much as you think.”
Wilby sighs. “It absolutely would. Have you ever Googled Montclair Holdings?”
Cal pauses. “I know who they are, Wilby.”
“The paparazzi would dig into your life,” I murmur, already hating what that would look like for him. “They’d look for dirt. And pressure you. They’d try to pay you off.”
Cal shrugs. “I’m not for sale.”
“I know. We’d be in the spotlight, though,” I say, voice slightly rising. “There would be constant press, gossip, and assumptions.”
The marriage would be the easy part. It’s everything that comes with the Montclair name that makes life so utterly difficult.
“I can handle that,” he says confidently.
“And when it ends,” I say quietly. “That’s when it’ll be the hardest. Awkward even.”
Wilby rolls his eyes. “This isn’t a romcom.”
“No one said it was,” I say dryly.
Wilby straightens. “Okay,” he says. “If we’re entertaining this further, I have some more questions.”
I glare at him. “We are not entertaining this.”
But it’s a lie. I’ve already begun moving chess pieces in my head. Cal wears a determined glint in his eyes.
“Humor me,” Wilby says, already turning to Cal. “Do you have debt?”
“Nope.”
“A criminal record?”
“Nope.”
“A temper? Because I would kill you if you acted sideways to Silverlyn. And I can promise you her father would do a million times worse than anything you could ever imagine.”
I bite back a smile. I hope he’s making Tyler’s life a living hell.
Cal smiles faintly. “No temper.”
Wilby nods like that tracks. “Children?”
Cal hesitates. “Maybe someday. With the right person.”
My heart stutters.
Wilby laughs. “No. I mean, do you currently have any?”
Cal shakes his head.
Wilby exhales slowly and grins. “This makes sense.”
“It doesn’t,” I insist, though there’s not much fight in my tone.
Wilby sits up straighter. “It does on paper. Which, unfortunately, is where your future is being decided right now.”
I shake my head. “I feel like I’m trapping someone into this.”
Cal leans in and says softly, “You wouldn’t be trapping me. I offered.”
That’s worse. When it ultimately ends or falls apart spectacularly, I’ll feel guilty for that, too.
I look away, blink hard. “I didn’t come here to get married.”
“I know.”
“I came here to breathe and have peace,” I say, gesturing between us. “And this will take away both of our peace. I don’t think you fully understand.”
Cal smiles softly. “Bring it.”
Wilby watches us, quiet now, like he’s calculating. “This is going to save your company.”
I squeeze my eyes shut. “Okay.”