Chapter 3
three
. . .
HONOR
“So, who are we meeting tonight?” I asked, holding onto Blake’s arm as we strolled through the open-air hotel lobby of the luxury resort we’d be calling home for the next three weeks. If he was bothered by the physical contact from me, he didn’t show it. He had to get used to it anyway. Now that we’d arrived, I was officially his fake girlfriend.
We made our way through the resort on our way to dinner with his family, where I’d meet them for the first time. The entire place was one picturesque scene after another. It was set right on the soft sand beach, with miles and miles of idyllic turquoise water stretched out in either direction.
The villa Blake had booked was mind-blowing. My first thought when I’d seen it was that it was fit for royalty. The suite opened into an enormous lounge with a bar and dining table.
Sorting the sleeping arrangements on any overnight jobs was always the most awkward part, but Blake had followed the instructions I’d sent him via email, and I was given my own room. The two bedrooms on opposite sides of the suite were the most luxurious I’d ever been in, with enough room to throw a party in each of the ensuite bathrooms, complete with the deep massage jet tub and shower with the fancy robot showerhead taking up so much space.
By far, the best part was the huge back porch right on the beach. I planned to spend the hours Blake didn’t need me sitting out there listening to the sound of the ocean and entering a state of utter relaxation.
Life beside a billionaire really had its perks.
“You’ll be meeting my brother and his fiancée, obviously,” Blake said absently, reading an email on his phone. “My parents, as well as my cousin, who’s one of the groomsmen. And my ex-fiancée. More people will be arriving over the next few days or weeks.”
My brows crept up into my hairline. “Wait a minute, your ex - fiancée?”
“That’s right.”
I pulled us to a stop on the winding path that led towards the ocean.
“What made her an ex-fiancée and not a current one?”
Blake looked up from his phone, momentarily uncomfortable. “She tried to sleep with my brother.”
My eyes widened. “You mean the groom?”
Assuming there wasn’t a third brother.
He nodded, and I pulled a face. “That’s not a great quality in a fiancé.”
He didn’t disagree, but also didn’t offer any further commentary. Instead he offered me his arm again and we kept walking.
“So did she succeed?”
His gaze slid to me.
“You said she tried to sleep with your brother. Does that mean she didn’t actually do it?”
“My brother wasn’t interested. He was already with Kelly at the time and Reyna was engaged to me, so he turned her down.”
I blinked. “How is she even invited to the wedding then?”
The warm breeze picked up, blowing my dress against my thighs, as the sun started to dip towards the waterline in the distance.
“She’s Kelly’s best friend, so she’s the maid of honor.”
Disbelief flooded me. “Wait… what? ”
The fact that Blake’s fiancée had cheated on him—or tried to—with his own brother went some way towards explaining why he was so closed off. I wouldn’t be in any rush to trust someone again after something like that.
I found myself softening towards him just a little bit.
But for Kelly to forgive her best friend for trying to sleep with her man? To the point she’d asked her to be maid of honor at their wedding?
She was a far better woman than me, that’s for sure.
“It was two years ago, we’ve all moved on,” Blake said in his usual impassive tone.
That explanation wasn’t nearly enough for me, but it wasn’t my job to pry. If he said they’d all moved on, then I had to accept it. But these people had to be near-saints or highly medicated in order to get over drama like that.
I studied Blake for a moment. He was so stiff and measured, keeping himself in constant check. Surely there was more to him under the surface. What would happen if he let himself go?
“So, are we going to get our buzz on at this party? Really kick up our heels?” I asked, smiling up at him as we walked, trying to cajole some lightness into his stony expression.
He quirked an eyebrow. “I’m not dancing.”
I laughed despite myself. “Of course you’re not. Does that mean I can’t dance either? Given I’m supposed to be your very strait-laced girlfriend?.”
We’d almost reached the point where the path widened onto a large patio and bar right on the edge of the sand.
“You can dance all you like. I’ll be at the bar.”
I patted his arm. “Deal.”
We strode onto the patio. The band was already playing, and some of the other hotel guests gathered in front of the stage to dance in the setting sun. Small tables were scattered around, with a bar at one end and the band at the other near the beach. Along the other side of the intricate stone and shell patio was a green lawn, with a stunning table covered in white linen and candles and beautiful pieces of decorative driftwood, a set up that had to be for our small party for dinner.
The whole thing was like something out of a tropical holiday movie. And I instantly fell in love with the place.
Blake slipped his phone in his pocket and guided me towards a group huddled at the end of the bar.
“Look who’s here!” a guy dressed in a white linen shirt and navy shorts called across the lawn, his expression bright.
It had to be Blake’s brother, Hudson—the groom.
He looked like Blake, yet totally different at the same time. He wasn’t quite as tall, his shoulders not quite as wide. He was athletic, but much leaner than Blake and his eyes were a lighter shade of brown. Where Blake was stern and stoic, this man’s smile alone promised mischief.
A petite yet curvy woman in a gorgeous red strapless dress that popped against her dark skin was tucked into his side, her dark brown eyes lighting up at the sight of my date.
The two men clasped hands, patting each other on the back in a man hug, before Blake embraced the bride.
“This is Honor,” Blake said, his warm hand landing on my lower back.
Both the bride and groom’s eyes landed on me with a look of surprise.
“Honor, is my… girlfriend .”
Blake’s brother let out the loudest, most joyous laugh. “Hurt you a little bit to call her that, didn’t it, Big Guy?” He offered me a hand. “Ignore my idiot brother. He must really like you or he definitely wouldn’t have asked you to be his girlfriend. I’m Hudson. This is my beautiful, out-of-my-league bride, who I somehow tricked into marrying me next week.”
The bride slapped him playfully on the chest, offering me her hand as well.
“I’m Kelly. Thanks so much for coming, Honor.”
I smiled. “Thank you for having me. This location is incredible.”
“Isn’t it?” she said, turning dreamy-eyed. “Hudson and I came here on vacation, and I just knew if we ever got married, I wanted it to be here.”
“A great decision.”
“And we all know I make great decisions!” a voice called from the bar. A giant of a man, hair scraped back in a bun at the back of his head, made his way over, three drinks balanced between his fingers. He offered the glass of white wine to Kelly and a beer to Hudson, keeping the last one for himself. “Blake, my man, good to see you, brother.”
He and Blake did the same bro-hug-slap thing he’d done with Hudson.
“Honor, this is my cousin Spencer. Spencer, this is Honor.”
“His girlfriend,” Hudson added.
Spencer’s eyes widened as he moved to shake my hand. “Girlfriend? Jesus, did you have to blackmail the guy to get him to call you that?”
“I prefer a much more direct approach. I held a gun to his balls and threatened to pull the trigger.”
Spencer hooted with laughter, throwing an arm around my shoulders. “I like you already, sweetheart. You ever get bored of the stiff-shirt, you let me know.”
I smiled. “You’ll be my first call.”
Blake, who’d watched the entire exchange with his standard unreadable expression, said, “I’m heading to the bar. Do you need a drink?”
I nodded. “Malibu and pineapple, please.”
Kelly let out a noise of agreement. “That sounds festive! One for me too, please. White wine is too proper for an island party.”
A woman in a slinky green dress and long black hair that fell down her back sidled up to Kelly with what looked like a gin and tonic in her hand.
“Rey, have you met Honor?” Kelly asked.
So, this was Blake’s former fiancé. Reyna.
Her eyes landed on me, surveying me before offering her hand. “I’m Reyna, the maid of honor.”
She clocked Spencer’s arm still around my shoulders.
“Are you the poor date Spencer dragged along? I can’t understand how he manages to score all these attractive women. Does he have a huge package? That has to be it.” She glanced at Spencer, turning her nose up.
“Spend a lot of time thinking about my package, do you Rey?”
“Honor is actually Blake’s date,” Kelly offered, ignoring their sparring.
Reyna’s expression hardened as she viewed me with fresh eyes.
“Interesting,” was all she said, glancing at something over my shoulder. “I need another drink.”
She disappeared to the far end of the bar just as fast as she’d come, her full drink still in her hand. Clearly, we wouldn’t be doing each other’s liquid eyeliner and swapping friendship bracelets any time soon.
“Don’t mind her,” Spencer said, dropping his arm from my shoulders. “She wants me, but won’t admit it.”
I laughed, just as Blake returned, passing a cocktail each to me and Kelly.
After fifteen minutes of small talk with Blake’s family, during which he introduced me to his sweet mother, Helen, and welcoming father, Charles, the waiter announced that dinner was about to be served. We made our way to the long table under the palm trees, where the sound of the waves crashing against the beach floated over us. It was truly magical.
I took a seat between Blake and Spencer. Hudson and Kelly were settled across from us, with Blake’s parents on their left. When Reyna appeared and pulled out the chair on Blake’s other side, I had to stop myself from placing a possessive hand to his knee.
You’re his pretend girlfriend, remember? I reminded myself.
It was nothing to me if Blake decided to get back together with his fiancée on this trip. If that were the case, I’d bow out gracefully knowing my bank account would still be topped up with an extremely large sum tomorrow. Our contract guaranteed that.
I had no right to feel… whatever it was that took up momentary residence in my chest. In a month, all of these people would be distant memories. Ghosts of a past job. There was no reason for me to get involved or invested in their family business.
I reached for my drink, taking a gulp and plastering a smile on my face.
The meal was served family style, with bowls of spiced crab curry, whole lobster, crispy calamari and freshly shucked oysters passed between us.
“So, Honor, Blake mentioned you work at a marketing firm. What’s that like?” Blake’s father asked.
I shifted a piece of lobster around my plate with my fork, hating that I had to lie, but reminding myself it was what I was paid to do. And I’d done it in the past more times than I could count. Why did it suddenly bother me that I was doing it with these people?
I grimaced. “About as interesting as it sounds, Charles.”
The rest of his family chuckled, and Hudson glanced at his brother. “Can’t believe Blake has finally brought around a girl with a personality.”
Reyna scowled at Hudson. “I take offense to that.”
“You should,” Spencer replied casually, downing an oyster, and earning another scowl from Reyna.
“Play nice, children,” Kelly said good-naturedly.
Ignoring Reyna completely, I leaned across the table towards Kelly. “How did you two meet?”
“Blake didn’t tell you? He introduced us,” Kelly said, smiling at Blake.
I turned to him, a look of surprise on my face. “No, he didn’t and I’m floored. That’s definitely something I would have loved to know.”
Focused on cutting his food, Blake didn’t so much as flinch at my thinly-veiled barb. “I’m sure I mentioned it.”
He definitely, absolutely hadn’t. A crucial detail like that should have been something we discussed ahead of time and most definitely should have been captured in the questionnaire he’d been emailed before our first meeting at the airport.
“Nope,” I said, cutting into my own dinner. “You think you know a person after four months…”
Reyna laughed to herself. “Please. Four months with Blake is like four days with a normal person. I’m sure he hasn’t even shown you his apartment yet.”
I wanted to snap back at her, to shut her down and say he had. But I couldn’t stray that far from the truth, not when Blake and I hadn’t discussed it first.
An awkward silence hung over the table instead.
A part of me wanted Blake to come to the defense of our fake relationship and say that I had seen where he lived, maybe even go so far as to say he’d given me a key and really sell the lie.
Only… why did I even care?
Reyna was nothing to me and Blake was a client. If she wanted to play games with a man she’d already betrayed once, it was no business of mine, beyond playing my role as his new girlfriend.
Blake stayed infuriatingly silent.
“Blake has always been methodical in the things he does, even love,” his mother said, giving me an encouraging smile. “It’s how he’s been so successful in business.”
I nodded my agreement. “He’s a very impressive man, Helen. I’m sure you’re very proud of him.”
I could feel Blake’s gaze against my skin now, but I didn’t turn to look at him.
“Absolutely,” his father boomed, raising his glass. “We’re damn proud of both our boys.”
“But especially Hudson, surely,” I added, picking up my glass. “For snagging himself such a perfect bride.”
“Here, here,” Spencer said, picking up his drink. “To the bride and groom!”
Everyone lifted their glasses, echoing the sentiment.
The conversation flowed as we returned to our dinner. Blake moved his arm along the back of my chair, his fingers lightly brushing my bare arm, and I almost jumped out of my skin.
He leaned in close, the intoxicating smell of him and his expensive aftershave overwhelming me.
“Thank you,” he murmured.
“For what?”
Our gazes met and I got a glimpse of something hiding behind those serious brown eyes of his.
“Just… thank you.”
The rest of the dinner passed without incident. Great company, lots of laughter and so much delicious food the evening hardly felt like work. Blake’s family were so open and fun, and they’d welcomed me without question. Blake was definitely the only strait-laced square in the family, but being with them gave me hope that maybe he was capable of opening up if he wanted to.
When the waiters cleared the plates after the most incredible chocolate lava cake I’d ever tasted, Spencer pushed his chair back and stood.
“These feet are ready to bust some serious moves on that dance floor.”
Hudson offered a hand to Kelly. “Dance with me, my sweet cherry pie?”
Reyna pretended to dry retch into her champagne, while Kelly giggled and followed her groom to the dance floor.
Blake leaned in close again, about to murmur in my ear, when Spencer cut in.
“Mind if I steal this one from you?” he asked, offering me his hand. “I know you’re not about to show her a good time out there.” He leaned down to stage-whisper to me. “Blake doesn’t dance.”
Blake straightened, his expression smoothing out.
“That’s up to Honor,” he said, getting to his feet, his demeanor more arctic than he’d been since the airport lounge.
I frowned, trying to catch his eye to make sure it was okay, but he didn’t even glance my way.
“I’ll be at the bar,” he said, striding off.
His dad stood and followed. “I’ll join you, son.”
I stood and accepted Spencer’s offered hand, letting him lead me into the throng of people, as Blake reached the bar over on the other side of the dance floor.
What was up with him? Moody one moment, worse the next.
We’d talked about this on the way here and he’d said it was fine for me to enjoy myself tonight. So why the sudden mood swing?
Then I remembered that concern strayed very close to a feeling and I wasn’t being paid to worry about those.
Giving Spencer my broadest smile, I shimmied my way into the cluster of people with him, swaying to the music until we reached Hudson and Kelly. Soon, the four of us were gyrating and flailing and shouting lyrics at each other until we were red in the face.
Six songs later, my feet were aching, my skin was hot, and my mouth was drier than the beach at noon.
“I’m going to get a drink!” I called to Spencer over the music.
He smiled and nodded, moving his feet and hips like a professional salsa instructor. He was surprisingly nimble on the dance floor for the hulking man he was.
I twisted through the crowd until I made it to the edge of the dance floor, scanning the patio for the temperamental billionaire I came with.
He was standing with his back to the bar, a glass of whiskey in his hand. And he wasn’t alone.
His head was ducked listening to whatever Reyna was whispering in his ear, her body pressed against his. It was impossible to read Blake’s impassive expression, but when Reyna pulled back, he smiled down at her. The first genuine smile I’d seen from him.
He’s still in love with her.
After she’d propositioned his brother and ruined their engagement, the immoveable, emotionless stone wall of a man was still in love with his cheating ex.
I don’t know why the thought bothered me, but it did.
It wasn’t my place to get involved with my clients or their families, nor was it my job to try to solve their problems for them. Their affairs and feelings and choices were their own, I was just here to observe and play the role I’d been hired to do. Blake was a big boy. If he wanted to ruin his own happiness by getting back with a woman he’d never be able to trust, that was on him.
Ducking through the crowd, I skirted around the bar so I wouldn’t be spotted and took the small path towards the ladies’ room.
When I returned to the party, Blake was no longer pressed against the bar. He was sitting by himself at one of the small tables lining the edge of the patio, once again on his phone. Reyna was thankfully nowhere to be seen.
“Having a good time?” I asked, flopping down in the chair beside him, letting our legs brush against each other. “Or is that against the emotionless billionaire code of conduct?”
He smirked, the sight of it making me just a little bit giddy. I wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol or if he was genuinely warming up to me, but either way it was progress, and I’d take it.
“Billionaires know how to have fun. We just don’t have to shake our asses with a bunch of strangers to do it.”
“Sometimes shaking your ass with a stranger can be the best kind of fun.”
I tried to hide my smile as his serious gaze slid to me. Not even the ghost of a smile that time. He was one tough nut to crack.
I sighed, surveying the dance floor. Hudson and Kelly were wrapped around each other, swaying to the beat.
“Explain something to me that I can’t quite understand,” I said to Blake, though my eyes stayed on his brother and his bride. “How can someone as sweet as Kelly be okay with the fact her best friend and maid of honor tried to sleep with her future husband?”
He was silent for so long I thought he wasn’t going to answer.
“Because she doesn’t know.”
My head snapped in his direction. “Excuse me?” I hissed.
His hand closed over my knee in warning, and I tried to ignore the way his touch sparked against my skin.
I kept my voice low. “What do you mean she doesn’t know? Why hasn’t anyone told her?”
He glanced at Hudson and Kelly. “Hudson didn’t do anything wrong. She propositioned him and he knocked her back. He didn’t want to be the one to ruin his fiancée’s friendship with a woman she’s known since they were kids. Reyna is Kelly’s friend, she made the choices she did, so she should be the one to tell her. She never has.”
I leaned in closer, my disbelief and confusion obvious. “So why haven’t you told her?”
“It’s not my place.”
Like hell it wasn’t.
“You think that poor woman deserves to have this kept from her? How many of her wedding guests know the friend standing beside her on her big day tried to steal the groom?”
“A few.”
I gave him a pointed look. “Blake, she needs to know.”
“I know she does. But it won’t be from me, and it definitely won’t be from you either.”
I went to argue, but the hard flint of his brown eyes shut me down before I’d uttered a word.
“Honor, I’m paying you to play a part. That doesn’t include inciting drama or ruining my brother’s wedding, no matter how just your cause might be.”
He was right. He was totally, infuriatingly right.
But I still hated the idea of poor, sweet Kelly being oblivious to her own best friend’s betrayal on her wedding day.