Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
“Y ou want a drink?” I asked, kicking off my shoes as soon as the door to my suite had closed.
“I’m good. Thanks.” Lily hovered by the door, shifting from one foot to the other as if she couldn’t decide whether to stay or go.
Was she having second thoughts?
I couldn’t think straight. She made me feel distracted—all the time, but especially in that dress. Before now, I’d only ever seen her in business clothes. Professional clothes. And this dress was anything but.
I cleared my throat. “Before we discuss this any further, I’ll need you to sign an NDA.”
“Oh, um, sure.” She chewed on the inside of her cheek. “Do you have a pen?”
“I do.” I tried to imagine myself saying those words in a different context, where she was my bride. There would be no wedding without an NDA. I grabbed it and a pen from the safe in the bedroom. “Take your time to look it over.”
She quickly skimmed the contents and then affixed her name on the signature line with a swish.
“Any questions?”
“Nope. Looks pretty standard.” She should know. She’d reviewed plenty of them while in my employ.
With that settled, I grabbed a deck of cards, opening it and relaxing at the feel of them in my hands. I sank down on the couch, setting the deck on the coffee table.
The chicken started clucking, and I did my best to ignore it, hoping Liliana would too.
“Do you know how to play gin rummy?” I asked, trying to lean into building a rapport outside of our past as employer/employee.
A crease formed between her brows. “Did you hear that?” She tilted her head. “Do you hear… Was that a dog? Or no.” She shook her head. “A chicken?”
“It’s nothing.”
“No.” She shook her head. “I swear I hear a chicken clucking. Like, in someone’s room.”
I stood, worried something was wrong with my chicken. Not my chicken. The chicken. She was not my pet, even if she had quite the delightful personality. And now that she was clean, you could see her gorgeous plumage.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“There may or may not be a chicken in my room.”
“What?” Lily squawked, following me. “Are you serious?”
“I found her on the beach this morning. The vet says her wing is damaged, but she should make a full recovery.”
“But what’s she doing here?”
“I’m just keeping her until the vet can find her a home.”
“You’re keeping her. Here?” She said the words slowly, as if she couldn’t make sense of them.
“Yes. Temporarily.”
When I glanced at her, she was watching me curiously. “Yes?” I asked.
“Nothing. I’m just surprised, that’s all.”
“Why?” I asked. “I rescued Prince Albert and Queen V.”
“Yeah, but they’re not a chicken.”
I scratched under the chicken’s chin. “Does that make her any less worthy?”
“No. Nope.” Her voice sounded strange. When I met her eyes, they were shining.
I gave the chicken one last glance, made sure her food and water were full. And then I gestured toward the living room.
“Does she have a name?” Lily asked. “Your new roommate.”
“She’s not my new roommate. I’m not keeping her. So, no, she doesn’t have a name.”
“Mm.” She tapped a finger to her lips. “I think we should call her Lady Lorraine.”
I chuckled. “Lady Lorraine?”
She stilled.
“What?” I asked.
She turned to face me. “You just…you laughed. You never laugh.”
I frowned. “I laugh.”
“Not with me.”
“It’s not a done deal yet, but I suppose if you’re going to be my wife, we should probably work on our rapport, as you suggested.”
“Is that what this is?” She gestured to the cards and the couch. “Working on our rapport?”
“No.” I sat on the couch and shuffled the cards. “Games and puzzles have always helped me relax.”
“I know,” she said softly. So softly, I almost missed it.
I was coming to realize just how closely she’d paid attention to me. Not just as her boss, but as a man. It honestly made me feel like shit. That she’d been so attentive and perceptive, and I… I swallowed hard. Sometimes, I felt as if I was only scratching the surface with her.
A game of cards was as good a way as any to get to know someone. I also hoped that playing cards would give me something to concentrate on besides the gorgeous woman across from me. When I’d first seen Lily in that dress, with its swirling blues and dangerously low neckline, my tongue had nearly fallen out of my damn mouth. Even now, I found it difficult not to stare.
And I hadn’t been the only one. The entire restaurant had been captivated by her. Jasper too, even if his flirting seemed tamer than usual. Now that I thought about it, he’d been going out less lately too. I made a note to follow up with him. Because a quiet Jasper typically meant one thing—trouble.
Liliana kicked off her shoes and sat on the couch next to me. Not close enough so we were touching, but still closer than I’d expected. Her scent wafted over to me—sweet, floral, a little powdery, and full of energy.
Unable to help myself, I drew in a deep breath, eager to take another sniff. It reminded me of my garden in the summer, the blooms bursting with color and fragrance. It was both invigorating and relaxing, and I wanted more of it. More of her.
“Why Lady Lorraine?” I asked.
“Since you make a quiche Lorraine with eggs.”
“Clever,” I said before explaining the rules of gin rummy.
We began to play, and every so often, she’d ask questions about the rules or strategy. It was fun. Easy. Especially after she really started to get the hang of it.
I watched her out of the corner of my eye, amused by the way her tongue darted out of the side of her mouth when she was concentrating. I remembered her doing that when she’d worked for me. Now that we were spending time together, I remembered a lot of things about Lily. Things I’d tried to ignore in the past.
When she won a round, her whole face lit up in delight. She was beautiful. Captivating.
I gripped the edge of the couch, feeling light-headed. What was this sensation? What the hell was wrong with me?
I shook my head as if to clear it, remembering that she wasn’t interested in me. Not really. She’d pulled back from our almost-kiss last night because she wanted my money. And that was fine, because we were both getting something out of this.
“Think you got the hang of it?” I asked.
She nodded, but then she flashed me a wicked grin. “Care to make it interesting?”
I wondered what she was envisioning. Was strip gin rummy a thing? I supposed it could be. I imagined winning hand after hand as Liliana had to strip off her clothes piece by piece.
Focus!
“What did you have in mind?” I asked.
“The winner of each round gets to make a suggestion for our arrangement.”
Ah. So she wanted to use this as a negotiation. That suited my purposes. “Fine by me.”
I focused on the cards and my opponent, trying not to let my surprise show when she said, “Gin.”
We showed our hands, and she won the round.
“Go ahead,” I said.
“If we’re going to do this,” she said, shuffling the cards, “I don’t want to wait. The chateau is in a precarious position, and the sooner I can get the funding to secure it and start on the projects, the better.”
Excellent. Moretti’s formal offer had come with a deadline. We had thirty days to accept, or it would expire. The board was already champing at the bit.
“I agree, which is why I had my lawyer draw up a prenup.” Her eyes widened as I slid her the document, our game—or the pretense of it—forgotten. “I’ll put ten million dollars into a trust designated for the Chateau de Bergeret. My contribution will be anonymous. As long as we make it to the two-year mark, the additional ten million is yours.”
“That’s fair. Thank you.”
“The terms are laid out in full, including the fact that upon our divorce or in the event of my death, you will not be entitled to any of my property or anything relating to the Huxley brand.”
“As it should be,” she said, and something inside me relaxed. “The Huxley Grand is a family brand.” I had to protect my family and the brand at all costs.
Women I’d dated in the past hadn’t always been so…understanding of that fact. They often wanted to take advantage of my money or my brand. But I knew that wouldn’t be the case with Lily. It just wasn’t who she was.
“That said, I used to be your assistant. Getting married would be a major shift in our relationship dynamic. I would be your partner, not your employee. And I want to know that you’ll respect me, even if you don’t always agree with me.”
“If you’re my wife,” I said, the word still foreign on my tongue, “of course I will respect you. I couldn’t marry someone I didn’t respect, even if this is fake.”
Her expression was thoughtful, and then she nodded.
“I’m taking a huge risk,” I said. “If the truth of our arrangement ever came out, my board would likely fire me, and I’d lose control of the company.” Not to mention potentially facing charges for fraud. But I didn’t mention that. The less Lily knew about the additional shares, the better. I wanted to reassure her, but I also wanted to make it clear the stakes were high for both of us.
“I understand.” She turned to the next page, skimming the clause on fidelity. “Everything seems reasonable so far.”
“Good. And this is strictly a business agreement.”
“If you’re worried about me falling in love with you,” she chortled. “Don’t.”
Okay. I wasn’t sure whether to be grateful or offended. But at least we were both on the same page. Her reasons for saying that didn’t matter. Or at least, they shouldn’t.
“I know you don’t do relationships,” she said, as if to soothe the sting of her earlier comment. “You’re married to your job. And after being the caretaker for the chateau for the past year, I get it. Even if I do still hope to one day get married for real.”
“Exactly,” I said, grateful that she understood me, perhaps more than anyone I’d ever dated. “Assuming all other terms are to your liking, I’d like for us to get married in LA on Wednesday.”
Her jaw dropped, and she gawked at me. “This coming Wednesday? As in, less than seventy-two hours?”
“Is that going to be a problem?”
She’d wanted to move fast, and I was completely on board. We needed to put things in place to protect the chateau’s interior and make it watertight. And if she was legally my wife, I could obtain the additional ten percent of the shares. There was no reason to wait.
“I don’t—” She swallowed hard. “Yes, this is a fake marriage, but shouldn’t we at least try to make it seem real? I need some time to find a dress. To tell Josephine. Then there’s the matter of our guests. A photographer.” The words were coming out faster and faster, like a Ferris wheel spinning off its axis.
“I’ve taken care of everything from the venue to the legalities.” Carson had already contacted the staff at the Huxley Grand LA. They were on standby to set up for an intimate and discreet wedding on my terrace, though I hadn’t told him who it was for. And Pierce was handling the legal side of things. “My stylist will have dresses for you to choose from. All you have to do is show up.”
I’d expected Liliana to be relieved or happy. Instead, she seemed almost disappointed. Or maybe she was trying to negotiate for more. Most people would.
“Wow. Okay.” She blinked rapidly. “I’m not opposed to the idea of leaving, but what am I going to tell Josephine about my sudden departure?” Lily asked. “We planned to spend the week here together. I was really looking forward to hanging out with her, and I feel like a shitty friend ditching her.”
I lifted a shoulder, admiring her loyalty to her friend even if it was contrary to my plans. “Tell her whatever you want. Or don’t tell her anything. For now, the fewer people who know, the better.”
“Yeah. I get that, but she’s my best friend. I can’t keep secrets from her.”
“Does she know how dire your financial situation is?”
She wouldn’t meet my gaze when she shook her head. “No.”
“Then you do keep secrets from her.”
She rolled her eyes. “Thanks, Graham. That makes me feel a hell of a lot better.”
I couldn’t imagine how much pressure Liliana had been under all these months. And she’d only had herself to rely on. But she’d trusted me with the truth of her situation. And now, she had me.
She’d always been loyal to me. A good assistant. We’d worked well together, especially navigating high-pressure situations. I could only hope those qualities would carry over to our marriage, even if it was all just for show.
Whether I wanted to admit it or not, I cared about her. You couldn’t spend a year in close quarters, working together day in and day out, and not care about someone. Yeah, but you don’t feel the same way about Carson that you do about Liliana. I pushed away that thought.
“I wasn’t trying to upset you,” I said. “Merely pointing out?—”
She held up a hand. “Stop. Just stop.”
I shut my mouth, knowing that I was only digging a deeper hole.
Finally, she said, “I know you want this done quickly, and so do I. But a public engagement and wedding would add legitimacy to our story.”
“Not necessarily. We can come up with some backstory about falling for each other while you worked for me but never acting on it. Then reconnecting and having a whirlwind romance.”
“A whirlwind romance?” She gaped at me. “Two words I never thought I’d hear from your mouth.”
I frowned. “I can be romantic.”
“I sure hope so,” she said. “Because if people are going to buy this story, we’re going to have to really lean into it. Be a little…extra.”
I frowned at the idea of making a fool of myself. At faking intimacy. But this was important. I’d find a way to make it work. I had to.
“What will you tell your family?” she asked. “You mentioned that my blog might be an issue.”
“I’ll figure out how to spin it.”
It wasn’t like my family would be upset that I was in a relationship with the author of Gilded Lily . But I wished I hadn’t made such a big deal of finding out who the blogger was. It would affect the timeline of our story. It could affect my family’s acceptance of the lies we were about to tell them.
It would be suspicious if we had been dating and I didn’t know Lily was behind Gilded Lily . So, a whirlwind romance really was our only option.
“What about your family? Are they going to be a problem?”
An expression passed over her face, but it quickly cleared. “I hope this won’t be a deal-breaker, but I’m not on speaking terms with my family.”
Oh. I hadn’t expected her to say that. I didn’t know the circumstances, but if Lily didn’t want to speak with her family, it must be serious. I wondered what had happened to fracture their relationship to the point that it was beyond repair, but I got the feeling she didn’t want to talk about it.
So I asked the only question that truly mattered. “Are you okay?”
She lifted a shoulder but wouldn’t meet my eyes. “Honestly, it was a long time coming, but it still hurts.”
“You’re not the first person who has cut ties with your family. I’m sorry that your relationship is strained, but it doesn’t change anything—at least not for me. In fact, it makes things easier because it’s fewer people we have to convince.” And fewer people who would be disappointed when this was over.
“I hadn’t thought of it like that. Honestly, I’m more concerned about how to sell this to Jo. She’s always been able to see right through me.” She considered it a moment then said, “Actually, no. You know what? That’s one of my conditions. I want to be able to tell Jo the truth.”
“No,” I blurted. “Absolutely not.”
Her eyes flashed with anger. “Tell me something, Graham. Does Pierce know?”
“Yes, but?—”
She shook her head. “He’s your best friend. Therefore, my best friend should get to know too. She would never tell anyone, and if anything, she’d be an asset to us.”
“Pierce is my attorney.”
“And Jo is my…” She seemed to debate the best word, finally settling on, “Adviser.”
I held her gaze; she didn’t blink. Fuck me. She wasn’t going to back down, was she? But perhaps she was right—having her best friend on our side could help us sell our story.
“She’d have to sign an NDA,” I said, even though I didn’t like it. More people meant more chances for someone to slip and reveal the truth.
“No problem.”
“And I want you to have a bodyguard,” I said, not wanting to dwell on her friend. I hadn’t agreed to anything—not yet. Lily scrunched up her face, so I added, “All my brothers’ wives have one. Sloan has one.”
“Do you have a bodyguard now? And don’t think we’re done talking about Jo.” She wagged her finger at me. “You didn’t agree to my condition.”
I shoved my hands in my pockets. “I don’t need one. I have a fifth-degree black belt.” And I was a hacker, but I didn’t tell her that. I could inflict a lot more destruction from behind my keyboard than she’d ever know.
“The bodyguard is nonnegotiable,” I continued. “If you’re vulnerable, I’m vulnerable. There are many people who would seek to harm you to get to me or my money.”
She blew out a breath and sank back against the sofa. “Jeez. Are you trying to talk me out of this?”
“No.” I picked up the cards and placed them back in the box. “I’m just trying to make sure you understand what it would mean to be married to me.” After what had happened with Sloan, I wasn’t taking any chances.
“Okay,” Lily finally said.
“Okay to the bodyguard, or okay to the deal?” I asked.
“Okay to both, assuming you agree to my condition that I can tell Jo the truth. Otherwise, I walk.”
I scoffed. “You’d walk away from twenty million dollars over that?”
She met my gaze. Hard. Unflinching. “Yeah. I would.”
Well, shit. I believed her. And that only made me respect her even more.
I debated my options. While I didn’t want to tell any more people than absolutely necessary, this was important to Lily. If she thought her friend’s support would bolster the believability of our relationship, then so be it.
“You can tell her it’s a business deal, but you are not to tell her anything about why I need a wife.”
“Agreed.” She stood, smoothing her palms down her skirt. “Unless there’s anything else, I should get back to my room so I can pack and figure out what to tell Jo.”
I pushed off the couch to join her, appreciating her efficiency and decisiveness. “Then we have a deal.” I held out my hand.
She placed hers in mine, her skin roughened from hard work, her grip sure and steady. “Congratulations, Mr. Mackenzie. You’ve got yourself a fiancée.”