17. Amara
Chapter seventeen
Amara
W hispers follow me like shadows today, clinging to every step I take through the office. It’s my first day back in the office since Nicholas and I announced our engagement, and nervous doesn’t even begin to cover how I’m feeling.
Two coworkers hover near the glass doors, leaning in close. Their conversation dies the second they see me. They look away quickly, pretending not to notice me as I walk past, but I still hear those damn whispers.
“Do you think it’s true?”
“With him? No way. She’s not even his type.”
My face burns, and I try to keep my head high, doing my best to ignore the stares and murmurs, but the words settle under my skin, prickling with every step.
This is why I told Nicholas I wanted to walk in alone today. It’s better this way. No audience, no scene. I don’t need the extra attention right now.
It’s bad enough that my sister and grandma have been blowing up my phone since the news of our engagement got out. I panicked, told them it wasn’t real and hoped to god they would believe it.
But I know at some point, they’ll have questions… questions I’m not ready to answer.
I glance at my desk, seeing Jade and Sophie deep in conversation. Jade spots me first, her eyes laser-focused on my hand. Before I even reach my seat, she’s out of her chair and grabbing my fingers.
“Holy shit, look at that rock!” Her voice is so loud, I swear half the office hears it. I wince, glancing around to see eyes flicker our way.
“How much did this cost?” Jade’s voice is tinged with awe, her wide eyes practically glued to the diamond on my finger. Sophie shoots her a glare which makes Jade shrug. “What? I might buy myself one.”
Sophie scoffs. “I don’t think you could afford a ring like that even if you worked your entire life.”
My heart races at the reminder. “I don’t know how much it costs… but it must be a lot since we flew in his helicopter to get there,” I tell them.
Both of their eyes widen in shock.
Jade’s jaw practically hits the floor. “What?”
Sophie, however, shakes her head, her brows tugged together. “I still don’t understand how you were suddenly engaged to Nicholas Blackwood?”
My head snaps toward Jade. “You didn’t tell her?” I ask, assuming she would have told Sophie about the fake engagement the first chance she got.
Jade shrugs. “Nope, you told me not to tell anyone.”
Sophie’s expression flickers with confusion. “Wait. She knows? Jade knows and I don’t?”
I let out a sigh. “She found out when I was shopping.”
Sophie’s eyebrows knit together. “Found what out? Someone tell me what the hell is going on.”
I chew on my lip for a moment. Screw it. What’s one more person? “It’s not real,” I say quietly. “The engagement… It’s just a means to an end until Nicholas can secure a business deal.”
Her expression shifts, staring at me, her eyes wide with disbelief. “Wait.” She shakes her head. “What?”
I nod, my gaze dropping to my hand, the weight of the ring still unfamiliar. “Nicholas needed to convince the board he was settled down and ready to take on the international merger,” I explain. “The fake engagement will be over in three months.”
Sophie doesn’t respond right away, staring at me for a beat. I can practically see the wheels turning in her head as she processes what I’ve just told her. She finally looks up from the floor, her eyes meeting Jade’s. “And you kept this to yourself the whole time?”
Jade shrugs, a smirk tilting her lips. “I know how to keep secrets.” She gives us a knowing look. “You wouldn’t believe how many secrets I have.”
Sophie narrows her eyes. “That kind of scares me.”
Her smirk widens. “It should.”
Sophie lets out a small huff of disbelief, reaching for her coffee. “Where were you yesterday?” she asks. “I came over to your place, but you weren’t there.”
“Yeah, I uh…” I press my lips into a thin line, knowing I’ll never hear the end of it. “I kind of moved in with Nicholas.”
Both of them freeze, their wide eyes locked on me.
Sophie slowly swallows the coffee down with a loud gulp, placing her mug back on her desk. “ What ?”
Jade shakes her head. “Okay, I had no idea about that.”
Sophie’s brows tug together. “You guys are living together, engaged, and you’re telling me nothing’s happened between you two?”
I shift in my seat, the pressure of their stares making me squirm. “No,” I say, shaking my head quickly. “Nothing. Seriously. It’s just business. We’re under contract.”
Jade raises an eyebrow, leaning back and crossing her arms. Her gaze sharpens as she examines me. “And where in the contract does it say you have to live with him?”
I let out a long breath, my fingers tightening around my mug. “It doesn’t,” I admit. “But when he saw my apartment, he… told me to move in with him.”
Jade lets out a scoff. “I told you to move in with me, and I didn’t see you pack a single bag.”
“It’s not like that,” I assure them, my shoulders tense. “He was just worried and—I don’t have time for this. I need to work.” I turn toward my monitor, clicking open the list of tasks I need to tackle today.
“Uh-huh. Sure. Change the subject all you want, but we both know you’re lying to yourself if you think you two will make it three months without fucking.” Jade’s voice drips with amusement.
I roll my eyes, keeping my focus on the screen. “Trust me, that won’t happen.”
Her eyes twinkle, and she winks at me. “Whatever you say, babe. We love a good slow burn.”
I feel my face heat up, and I quickly glance away. “Don’t get your hopes up,” I mutter. “Nicholas would never be with someone like me.”
Jade laughs. “Please tell me you’re kidding.” She waits for my response, but when I don’t give her one, she scoffs. “Amara, babe. You’re hot. Your ex was a piece of shit who made you think you’re not desirable, but that’s the farthest thing from the truth. Trust me, that kiss between you two at the gala? You don’t kiss someone like that if you’re not attracted to them.”
Trust me when I say, my attraction to you isn’t an issue.
The memory of Nicholas’s words comes rushing back to me, and the knot in my throat tightens as I wonder if she’s right.
Just as I’m about to respond, the elevator doors open, and a delivery guy steps in, holding a bouquet of flowers.
“Amara?” he calls, looking around the room.
I furrow my brows, not sure what’s going on. I raise my hand. “That’s me.”
He makes his way over, handing me the bouquet. My frown deepens as I take it from him. It’s beautiful—soft pink and white peonies. My favorites.
I glance up at him, confused. “I’m sorry, I think you’ve got the wrong person. These can’t be for me.”
He glances at his phone, then back at me. “Amara Winslow?”
“Yeah… That’s me.”
He nods, offering a polite smile. “Then they’re for you.” With that, he turns and heads back into the elevator.
I stare down at the flowers, my heart racing, the knot in my throat refusing to loosen. Jade is practically grinning, looking like she’s enjoying every second of this. “Are those from—”
“No.” I shake my head. “They… can’t be, right?”
Sophie taps me on the shoulder, a little too eagerly. “Uh… babe.” I glance up and see the elevator doors open again. Another delivery guy steps in, carrying an even bigger bouquet than the first.
My head spins. “He didn’t.”
“I think he did,” Jade adds with a chuckle. “Oh boy, I love it when I’m right.”
“Amara Winslow?” one of the delivery guys calls out, scanning the room.
“That’s her,” Jade says, pointing directly at me with a grin. “Right here.”
Before I can even process what’s happening, another delivery guy walks in, then another, and another. They keep coming, one after the other, each with a bouquet in hand. Hundreds of peonies… The flowers just keep piling up, and I can barely catch my breath. By the time the last delivery guy steps in, I’m standing in the middle of a forest of flowers, my arms full of bouquets.
The whole office is watching the spectacle unfold, and I can feel their eyes on me.
“Wait, there’s a card in this one.” Sophie hands me a small pink card that’s tucked into one of the bouquets.
I take the card from her, and read the words, my stomach fluttering like crazy.
You deserve to have everything you’ve ever wanted .
My breath catches in my throat. I glance up at Jade, who’s watching me intently, her lips curled into a mischievous smile.
“Can I be the maid of honor at your wedding?” Jade asks, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I roll my eyes, my heart pounding. “There won’t be a wedding,” I tell her, trying to keep my voice steady despite the fluttering in my chest.
Jade just laughs, clearly not buying it. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”