Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
BLUE
“Oh, nice,” I said, pointing at the chandelier hanging in the building’s lobby like a glamorous Christmas ornament. “Look at that,” I added, now motioning to a sprawling mural that shimmered with gold-veined marble. “Is that a—?”
“What happened to ‘I talk and you nod’?” West laughed, steering me from the grand entrance toward yet another elevator.
He was teasing, but I knew I’d been narrating everything we passed like a kid on a school field trip, acting as though West had never even been there before and I didn’t want him to miss a thing.
It was how I was coping. It made me feel a little less out of place in his very curated, very rich world.
“Sorry.” I looked up at him and zipped my lips shut dramatically, tossing the imaginary key over my shoulder.
West smirked like he actually enjoyed having me there. That look, the amused curve of his mouth, settled me in a way I didn’t expect. For a split second, my life didn’t feel fake. It felt like we were two misfits about to cause a little trouble and laugh our way through it.
The elevator ride up to his office was nearly as long as the one to his penthouse. I bit the inside of my cheek, struggling to stay silent. West noticed and nudged me gently with his elbow. “Say it.”
“You feel too young to have this much money,” I said, grinning.
“I’m older than you think.”
“You’re thirty-six,” I shot back. “Miles and Easton love reminding everyone you’re ancient.”
“See? I’m ancient. I’ve worked every single day for twenty years. And when the deals started coming, they came fast. It doesn't take long if you work hard at something you love.”
I snorted softly as the elevator doors opened. I wished life was that straightforward. I knew West’s story had rough chapters, but standing next to him now, it was clear: West Brooks had won the game.
He took my hand again, feeling steady, warm, and firm in mine.
He led me through a sleek, modern reception area where a young woman greeted him enthusiastically, “Good morning, Mr. Brooks!” Her voice wilted the moment she noticed me holding his hand, and when I offered her a bright smile, she didn’t return it.
West didn’t notice. He nodded and kept walking, guiding me past another desk where an older woman stood with a polite smile.
“Blue,” he said in that deep, even tone, “this is Hattie, my secretary. Hattie, officially meet my fiancée. She’ll be here for a few hours this morning. Let Hugo know she’ll need a ride back to Harmony Haven this afternoon.”
I blinked at him. That was news to me. I thought he was taking me back, not pawning me off on a stranger. Not that I needed him attached at the hip, but riding with a random driver felt unsafe.
But I didn’t have time to protest or overthink, because Hattie promised she’d handle it and West and I kept walking quickly down a hallway.
At the end, he opened a set of large double doors and gestured for me to enter first. His office looked like something out of a movie with leather, glass, city views, and not a speck of dust. Even the air smelled rich.
“Harrison will be here with the papers, but I wanted to go over a few things,” he said.
I sank into a pristine couch, feeling the anxiety start to creep in again.
“No sex. No kissing. No unnecessary touching,” he stated flatly. You’d think I’d just offered to climb him like a tree. My eyes snapped up to his, anger rising up that he’d even deemed it necessary to tell me his rules. I didn’t want to kiss him, and I already told him I wasn’t sleeping with him.
I stayed quiet though, and he kept going. “Everything between us is business. The legal tie makes it easier to transfer ownership of Fiddlers. My grandparents will expect you at Sunday dinners, so don’t schedule yourself at the bar Sunday evenings. Also–”
“Wait,” I cut in, needing to assert some control in this plan. Something that made me feel like an equal player instead of his little pawn. “Since we are tossing out the rules, I want a rule too.”
“Like what?” He scoffed. I guess since he had all the money, he thought he had all the power. But there was something I wanted, something that would be important down the line.
“I want all that stuff you said, plus, you cannot fall in love with me. It needs to be in the contract, Mr. Brooks.”
His smile widened and he licked his lips. “That won’t be a problem. Anything else?”
“Yep,” I smiled, knowing my next request wasn’t going to be as easy and I couldn’t wait to see his smug smile fall. “You work at the bar with me one night a week. Friday. I also want a raise. I’m barely going to be there for tips and I still have bills.”
He smirked, and it wasn’t the reaction I had hoped for.
“What?”
“I already had your raise deposited,” he said casually. “Before you even agreed to this. Do you not check your accounts?”
“No,” I admitted, defensively. “I’ve been a little busy dealing with your bar and your drama.”
He exhaled slowly, thinking.
“I have a house on the lake in Harmony Haven. I can stay there Friday and Saturday nights,”
“And at Fiddlers,” I pushed.
“Fine,” he bit out. “But Monday the bar’s closed. You come back to Atlanta Sunday nights with me and be part of my schedule here on Mondays.”
“Fine,” I huffed, slumping back into the couch.
The intercom buzzed. “Mr. Brooks, Mr. Strickler is in the conference room with the paperwork for you and Miss Caldwell.”
The fact that they already knew my name sent a chill down my spine. This whole thing was happening. Fast. Too fast.
When we walked across the hall to the conference room, an attractive older man with grey around his temples stood to greet us.
West introduced him as Harrison Strickler and he shook my hand, skepticism evident in his eyes.
I didn’t blame him. I looked like the poster child for “this girl’s using him.
” But Mr. Strickler knew the truth. He knew it wasn’t my plan, so I took a deep breath and settled in the chair that West held out for me.
For a few minutes, we reviewed the papers.
I also had Mr. Strickler handwrite the additions I wanted to add before we initialed them.
I wasn’t stupid. If I was faking a marriage to someone like West Brooks, I needed legal leverage.
Although they both chuckled when I insisted they add in the not falling in love with me clause.
They could think I was crazy all they wanted, but it felt important to make sure that line was inked into the deal.
“Alright,” Mr. Strickler said, stacking the papers. “You’ll be legally married by Friday.”
I rolled my eyes. He smiled kindly, clearly entertained, and left the room.
“Your ride’s ready,” West said, with his phone out.
He grabbed my hand again, leading me out. Hattie gave me a little wave, like I was family now, and the receptionist avoided us altogether. The elevator was blessedly empty when we got in and West let out a deep breath, as did I.
“You okay?” I asked, almost touching his arm. Then I remembered the contract thing. I assumed unnecessary contact was when we were alone and there was no reason for it. Which made sense.
“Of course I am,” he said, and pressed the up button.
“Where are we going?” I panicked. “How is there an up?”
“The roof.”
“Oh, so you can throw me off and keep my bar?” I deadpanned.
He laughed as the elevator doors opened to the distinct sound of helicopter blades slicing through the wind.
“Hugo will fly you back. You’ll land at the medical center. There is a landing pad on the roof. A car will take you home or to the bar, wherever you want.”
“I’m not getting in that fucking thing!” I backed into the elevator.
“It’s safe. It’s fast.”
“I’m not in a hurry. I’ll walk.”
“I fly all the time.”
That was great for him, but I started pressing the down button on the elevator over and over, hoping it closed me in and him out.
“Hey,” he said, stepping into my space, stopping the door from closing, and lowering his voice so I could hear it over the helicopter blades. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. I’ll even ride with you this time.”
“This time?” As if I would ever fall for the ol’ ‘up button in the elevator’ trick again.
“All this back and forth, Blue? We will need to go by air sometimes to make it quick.”
He tried to lead me forward. I resisted, but I stepped forward anyway. The closer we got, the stronger the wind, and I was sure my bones were vibrating.
The pilot jumped out to open the door, waiting for us.
West moved behind me, placing his hands on my hips to guide me in. For a second, I wanted to snap that it was ‘unnecessary touching.’ But instead, I let him.
I let him get me into that death trap, buckle me in, and press the headset onto my head. I was shaking–hands, legs, breath. Everything.
“Oh my God, oh my God,” I whispered, as he closed the door and the pilot jumped in to get to work.
I panicked as the helicopter lifted, swaying back and forth as it got momentum. West reached out and placed a hand on my thigh. Steady. Heavy. Real.
At first, it didn’t help. But then, slowly, I started to breathe deeper. The skyline fell away behind us, and the world turned into a toy city under the glass.
He kept his hand there the whole ride, keeping me grounded while we soared through the sky.
Fifteen minutes later, we began to descend onto a rooftop in Harmony Haven and I braced for impact, expecting an explosion. But it was smooth. Effortless.
Then West squeezed my thigh, gave me a thumbs up, and said into the headset. “You did it!”
I did. And it was amazing. But I was still frozen, unsure of what to do next.
When he leaned over to take my seat belt off and remove my headset, my heart started racing again. He led me out of the helicopter and held onto me as my knees wobbled and tingles raced down my spine.
But it wasn’t fear. Not that time.
It felt more like thrill.