Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
Charlie
The flowers, the champagne, the music, and the lights—everything was set to tell her I was one hundred percent knee-deep in love. However, Hope was full of tears and trembling. Clearly, this was not the time.
I rocked her, and neither of us moved. When she was ready, she took my hand but sat on the couch. The second I sat, she wiped her face. “So, I got a message from my ex I told you about.”
My pulse raced, and I stepped back. “And you rushed off to see him and lied to me?”
“I didn’t lie. I wanted to fix everything for you like you do for me.” She lowered her chin and shook her head. “I rushed to find out what the hell he had to say, but it turned out he bugged my phone.”
I took a deep breath. She wasn’t wishing for another. Then I processed what she'd said and jumped up. “So he’s listening now.”
Her eyes widened, and she grabbed her phone. “I need a new phone.”
“One second.” I took her phone. In the hallway, I said, “Fuller, please dispose of the listening device right away and get the newest model for Hope.”
He nodded. “At once, sir.”
When I turned back to Hope, her face was bright red. She rocked in her seat and shook her head. “I didn't even think… I shouldn’t have brought it here, and you don’t need to replace it.”
I rejoined her on the couch and took her hand. “It’s a gift.”
Her nose wrinkled. “You won’t want to give me anything.”
My entire body tensed. “Why? What’s going on?”
She met my gaze. “We’re toast.”
Adrenaline rushed through me. “Why?”
Her eyes widened. “He knows you paid me to be your fake fiancée.”
Heat rushed through me. I realized now I’d made a huge mistake with that offer. I’d said it because I wanted to keep her close and hadn’t realized my feelings. I rubbed the back of my neck. “About that…”
She turned away and lifted her chin. “I can’t work with Kir or you or help you start your business when this explodes. You need your brother’s help far more than you need mine right now. Patterson said he’d keep it a secret if we paid him ten million dollars.”
My mind raced. I wasn’t sure how she felt or what she wanted. I folded my hands between my legs. “Do you want me to pay?”
She jumped, and her eyes were wild. “No. I want you to realize we’re over.”
I took her hand and squeezed. “I don’t want that. We’re going to Hawaii.”
Her bottom lip pursed. “I wanted to go.”
Maybe it was better to show her in Hawaii that I was absolutely in love. It sounded romantic, and I couldn’t care less what anyone said about me online. “Then come.”
She closed her eyes. “Your brother will hate me.”
I doubted that. My family wanted me to be happy, and if I loved her, then that was all that mattered. I kissed her knuckles. “I will deal with him. Promise me you’re coming.”
Her eyes were open. “It’s not a good idea.”
I was getting to her. “It really is.”
She stood but held me. For a second, my heart beat was wild, but then she said, “Let’s just go to bed. I want to hold you.”
She had to feel something for me too. I took a deep breath and held her waist. “We’ll figure this out.”
As we headed to the bedroom, she said, “It’s okay, Charlie. I’ve always been a realist, and I have no energy left today.”
“I’m here for you.” I held the door for her.
She might have had to settle in the past, but she was mine now. And I refused to accept defeat. I would prove my love was solid and real and always hers.