53. Ford
FORD
I put George on speaker so that Hayden and Gabriel can also contribute to damage control. “I understand you’re upset, sir…”
“You have no idea what ‘upset’ even means,” George roars through the phone.
My jaw clenches. This whole situation is becoming unmanageable.
Silver Start is an excellent company and the best option for our expansion plans, but George is the kind of CEO who should’ve retired ages ago.
He’s from an older era, and I don’t just mean in his values.
He’s also from a time when he could just bellow and roar and people would scatter to give him whatever he wanted.
Those days are over. And I won’t be bullied into groveling to anyone.
“But I would like to remind you that I have a right to be upset as well,” I continue evenly. “You’re coming to me, willing to end months of hard work between both your people and mine, because of a rumor someone randomly told you, without proof, and without corroboration.”
“There is a morality clause?—”
“And do you fire people based on rumors with no evidence? Your poor HR department must be run ragged,” I reply, letting my voice sharpen.
“Sir, my brother is a vindictive person who understands exactly how important this deal is to our company. He is trying to sabotage it and frankly I’m insulted it’s working so well with you. ”
“George,” Gabriel cuts in smoothly, sensing my rising temper. He’s clearly pissed too—I can see it in his blazing eyes—but his voice stays controlled. “I urge you to remember how successful our company is, and how lucrative and beneficial our partnership would be for both parties.”
“And our personal lives shouldn’t be any of your damn business,” Hayden says, just loud enough for George to hear.
That sets him off again, ranting about how you behave in private affects how you behave in public.
I glare at Hayden while Gabriel has to calm the guy down again.
Hayden’s right, but that’s not going to fly with this particular dinosaur.
He’s someone used to having his views stand unquestioned and I don’t think we’re going to change his mind in one angry phone call.
Gabriel manages to get George’s ruffled feathers smoothed down again, and then I take over.
“I want you to think long and hard about what you’ve seen of us and our company over these past months, and then think about how you just believed some random person who clearly bears a grudge against us.
And I want you to think about who you’re going to listen to, and how much work you’re willing to throw down the drain based on gossip. ”
I can practically hear George turning it all over in his stubborn mind. “I’ll have to think about it,” he says at last, and then he hangs up without another word.
Gabriel slumps slightly in relief that the call is over.
“I can’t believe that arrogant prick would just believe some random bullshit a piece of shit says,” Hayden growls. “Unless he filmed us—and we could sue him into the ground for that— there’s no evidence. And all our employees will testify we didn’t sleep with Maeve while she worked for us.”
My fury at Liam knows no bounds. I’m not sure if we can salvage this deal or not.
It’ll depend on what kind of man George really is underneath all that bluster.
And as much as I want this deal with Silver Start, a man who will so readily believe a rumor from a vindictive person with no proof and pull the plug on an entire deal as a result is not the kind of man I actually want to work with anyway.
My bigger concern right now is Maeve.
Liam just deeply humiliated her in front of our entire family. If he told them, and told George, without a second thought—then what else has he done? Has he gone on social media or spread rumors at parties? Has he been telling anyone who will listen what a whore he thinks Maeve is?
The very idea makes me see red. I could literally kill him right now with my bare hands. And I’m not all that sure I won’t still go and kick his ass into next week.
“Where is she?” I ask Gabriel.
Gabriel steps out of the room and looks around the hallway. “I don’t see her anywhere.”
I stride past him into the dining room. My mother and father are picking at their breakfast, clearly uncomfortable. Lydia’s still eating, apparently with an appetite, talking animatedly at them. She sounds pissed, actually. Liam’s nowhere to be seen. Smart man.
“Any idea where Maeve went?” I ask.
My parents just stare at me like I’ve grown a second head, but Lydia shakes her head. “She left a few minutes ago.”
“Thanks.”
I leave Lydia to whatever pointed lecture she seems to be giving our parents and go to find Maeve, Gabriel and Hayden following close behind.
We check the downstairs rooms and peek outside at the gardens and the gazebo before heading upstairs.
As soon as we reach the second floor, I make a beeline for our bedroom.
It’s the only other place she’s likely to be, unless she decided to flee the house—which honestly wouldn’t surprise me at this point.
Sure enough, there on the bed, curled up like she’s trying to make herself small, is Maeve.
She sits up quickly as we enter, her movements sharp. Her eyes are red-rimmed but she’s not crying, her shoulders squared and her back straight. You’d think she was bracing herself to face a firing squad.
“What’s happening?” she asks immediately. “Is Silver Start still on board?”
“We’re not sure yet,” Gabriel admits.
“George is posturing, trying to take some kind of moral high-ground in the face of the accusations. But we don’t know yet what he’s going to do,” I say honestly.
I want to protect her from this mess, but she’s smart enough not to buy some vaguely placating answer from us.
She deserves to know what we’re dealing with.
“He’s gotten spooked by Liam’s bullshit. ”
“It’s complete bullshit,” Hayden says vehemently. “He should know better than to listen to rumors or care what happens in our personal lives. This whole charade about a fake engagement was bullshit and we never should’ve had to go through it.”
Maeve looks hurt at that comment. “We don’t regret you being here,” I say quickly, shooting Hayden a warning look.
Hayden catches his mistake and looks over at her, his expression softening. “None of this is your fault, baby,” he says gently. He sits down next to her on the bed. “That old bastard shouldn’t have put you in this position in the first place.”
“We’ll have to contact the others at the company and prepare for him to pull out,” Gabriel says, running a hand through his hair.
“No,” Maeve says sharply, surprising all of us. “Why are you three giving up so easily?”
I stare at her. “Because it sure seems like George isn’t going to believe us no matter what we say.”
“The man was going to come over for the party your parents are hosting, right?” Maeve asks.
All the different families around here take their turns hosting Christmas parties during this time of year, and of course my mom would never let anyone else outdo her hospitality.
I had invited George and anyone else from the board he thought might enjoy it to come and attend the party, where they could meet my family and my fiancée, and see for themselves the kind of family men the three of us were.
“That was the plan,” I say slowly, wondering where she’s going with this.
“He believes Liam, or might,” Maeve points out. “So call his bluff. Have him come over and meet Liam, and the rest of the family. Have him see exactly what kind of man Liam really is, and how much he’s disliked compared to the three of you. This whole neighborhood could be a character witness.”
“It’s true,” Gabriel says slowly, his eyes lighting up with understanding. “People don’t really like Liam. I’ve noticed that the last few years during the holidays.”
“We handed him a way to sabotage us on a silver platter,” Maeve admits. “But if you ask me, this didn’t come out of nowhere. He’s probably been wanting to think of a way to hurt you for a while.”
“That does sound exactly like Liam,” Hayden agrees grimly.
“Part of why I wanted to take the job with you was that it was obvious Liam was jealous of you,” Maeve admits. “I knew it was petty of me. And I did desperately need the job. I couldn’t afford to turn it down. But it was nice to know I was going to work for the brother Liam didn’t like.”
I sigh heavily. “I won’t subject you to rumors and gossip,” I tell her firmly. “I’m not going to have some old asshole interrogating you about your sex life.”
Maeve juts her chin up stubbornly. “I can handle myself. This was what I signed up for, remember? I’ll play the role until you get the deal signed. And?—”
Her voice falters for a moment and her eyes look genuinely sad, but then she gathers herself with visible effort.
“Maybe it’s actually a good thing,” she adds.
“I would never want to hurt your family, Ford, and I’m so sorry this happened.
But at least now maybe they can learn the truth?
If they know that I was never your real fiancée and this was all just for the deal, then maybe that will make it better for them.
I’m sure your parents and Lydia won’t tell anyone. ”
It’s a logical suggestion. My mother and father both looked more scandalized than I’d ever seen them.
They were clearly upset and confused. To tell them that Maeve had never been engaged to me for real and this was just to secure the business deal might hurt initially, but it would mean Maeve could get a clean break like we had always planned, and it could soften the blow of what Liam had told them.
But the idea gives my stomach an awful, twisting feeling. It makes me feel almost physically sick.
“It will also help us when we say that everything Liam said was a lie,” Maeve continues. “If I’m not really engaged to you then it adds weight to the idea that I’m not involved with any of you at all.”
Hayden looks angry at that suggestion. Gabriel opens his mouth briefly, then closes it without saying anything.
Yeah, I don’t like that idea either. Not even a little bit.
I get that some people might think it’s wrong that Maeve has been with all three of us at once.
And I do want to set the record straight with my family when it comes to our sexual relationship.
I would never—Hayden and Gabriel would never, either—treat Maeve like some object or like sex was all she was good for, and we never crossed any professional lines when she worked for us.
She’s important to us. She’s important to me. I…
I swallow down the end of that thought before it can fully form.
“Maeve,” I start, but she interrupts me.
“I’ve seen how hard you’re all working for this deal,” she says. “I’m not going to let myself, or anything relating to me, ruin that. I won’t let it happen. I refuse.”
She sounds so upset and so stubbornly determined, it makes my heart clench painfully. Nobody should ever make Maeve feel this way, including me, and I can’t help but feel that I played a major part in this mess.
If I had just had more damn self-control, if I hadn’t given in to temptation, she wouldn’t be hurting like this. Fuck.
“We… appreciate that,” Gabriel says slowly. “But we want you to make sure you do what’s right for you, too. What will make you comfortable.”
“If you’re not comfortable playing my fiancée at this point,” I tell her, “I understand and we can figure out another way.”
“No. I’m getting paid for this, I promised to do this, I’m committed to seeing it through.”
I admire her commitment and integrity, but I don’t want her to put herself in a position where she’s feeling hurt or humiliated. But if she insists on going through with it, there’s really nothing I can do unless I send her away, and I can’t bring myself to do that.
“And once it’s over, I’ll get out of your hair,” she continues. “You won’t have to worry about me anymore and your parents can view me as just a brief unpleasant episode in their lives. It’ll all be fine. This is the best way.”
I’m not sure it is the best way, but I’m at a loss for what else to do or say.
Or maybe I’m not. It feels like there’s a blank space sitting out there, just waiting for me to fill it with words, with something meaningful, but I can’t do it.
Maybe I do know what it is, I just can’t bring myself to face it.
Maeve stands up, clearing her throat. “I should go take another soak in Lydia’s tub. Stay out of everyone’s way, and, um, clean myself up.”
She starts to leave the room, but my hand shoots out to stop her before I can second-guess myself.
“We should’ve thought about this,” I admit. “We should have considered the possibility of getting caught. What that would do to you. We don’t deserve you. We never did.”
That’s the thing I’ve always known, deep in my heart, when she was working for us and I would get those flashes of wanting her, the moments I couldn’t stuff down fast enough.
I would never be good enough for her. I shouldn’t even try.
Especially now that I know how thoroughly awful Liam was to her.
I can’t be another terrible man in her life.
Maeve stares at me for a long moment, then shakes her head. “It’s sad,” she says quietly. “Because it seems like you actually believe that.”
She gently detaches herself from my grip and slips out of the room, leaving the three of us staring after her.