Chapter Five

“You gave up a Michelin starred restaurant just to impress a woman?”

Julian sighed. “Not just any woman. I’m marrying her.”

His friend rolled his eyes.

Shaking his head, Julian turned his gaze away from the two men beside him. Jason and Ryan had been his only confidantes for years now. They’d met in business school and had never quite been able to shake each other. Now Jason ran his legal department, and Ryan had built up a successful hedge fund all his own.

“Why do I tell you two anything, again?”

He should have known better than to bring up his date. It’d been a week since he’d seen her, but Lillian was never very far from his thoughts.

It’s because this is new.

Their relationship would no doubt settle into a comfortable pattern eventually, and then she’d likely be the last thing on his mind.

Ryan laughed. “Ignore him. You know his idea of a serious relationship is seeing the same woman twice.”

He raised his glass to that before tossing back the last sip of whiskey.

The night air ruffled his hair as he looked around the rooftop patio of the most exclusive lounge in the city. This was where the elite came to kick back with designer liquor and wealthy clientele. He’d been a member for years.

“I still think this is a stupid plan,” Jason said. “You don’t need marriage to succeed. How many billions do you have, anyway?”

“The Abbott name will open doors faster than anything else,” he replied. “You know that. There’ll be no stopping us once we’re united.”

“Still, there must be better ways to accomplish this goal,” Ryan said, his voice quieter. “Getting married is extreme.”

He shrugged. “I need to marry eventually, and this way I get something in return for my freedom. Win, win.”

“We’re talking about real people here,” Ryan said. “What does Ms. Abbott think of your logic?”

“So far she has no objections.”

Jason snorted. “Why would she? You’re a walking, talking piggy bank.”

An anger he had no business feeling burned low in his gut.

“She’s not like that.” The defense was out before he could stop it.

What the hell am I doing?

Both men stared at him, curiosity in their eyes.

“I mean, this isn’t about money. The Abbotts aren’t exactly hurting in that department.”

“That’s nothing compared to you, and you know it. Besides, no woman marries a stranger just because she’s told to.”

“I’m sure she has her reasons.”

Jason rubbed his fingers together. “Yeah. Cha-ching.”

“Wonderful. Of my two best friends, one of them thinks my future wife is a gold digger and the other thinks she’s a mistake.”

“I’ll bet you a thousand bucks one of us is right,” Jason said.

“How about I just buy everyone another round and we forget about a wager?” he asked, holding three fingers up at the waitress.

“When are you seeing her again?” Ryan asked.

“Not sure. I need to figure out a time to bring her over to the house so she can check it out.”

“And if she hates it?” Jason chimed in.

As if I care.

He shrugged. “Then we’ll move.”

Jason scoffed, falling back into his chair.

“That’s very…husbandly of you,” Ryan said, ever the peacemaker.

He rolled his eyes. “You know I don’t care about things like that. Let her make our home however she wants.”

“All you care about is the business,” Jason said.

“Exactly.”

“That’s no way to live a life,” Ryan added.

He rubbed his jaw as they waited on their drinks. Compromising any aspects of his life after marriage had never been the plan, but if they were going to live together, he’d have to learn to do exactly that.

Can I do that? Do I even want to?

But then again, would it be the worst thing in the world? Lillian had lit up when they’d entered the little burger joint that boasted ten tables at most, with plastic tablecloths and fluorescent lights. It’d been a far cry from the evening he’d planned, but the smile on her face had made his chest tighten.

He’d even gone one step further and ordered every appetizer on the menu, an action that had been more than worth the price when it had earned him a delighted laugh from his intended.

She’d been relaxed in a way she hadn’t been at the restaurant he’d originally chosen. And as much as he’d been looking forward to the meal, he’d given it up in a heartbeat to make her happy.

It was logical. I’m trying to win her over.

Except when he’d ushered her from the first restaurant, he hadn’t been thinking about furthering his plans or winning her favor. He’d just wanted to erase the resignation on her face.

Was that what compromise got him? More honest smiles and shy touches?

Maybe I need to learn the art of it, after all.

“Things won’t be anywhere near as bad as you think,” he said, taking his glass as the server brought it over.

“You like her?” Ryan asked.

“She’s not what I was expecting,” he said. “The opposite, in fact.”

Jason took a deep drink. “And that’s a good thing?”

His lips twitched into a smile. “Yes.”

His files had painted Lillian Abbott as bright yet biting. She was rumored to be ruthless when it came to protecting those she loved. While he could easily see his fiancée cutting someone down to size if needed, there was a softer side to her.

While the woman in his research would be the perfect candidate to be his wife, he preferred the living, breathing version of her.

What is it about her?

He’d never had a fiancée before. Maybe it was just the novelty.

Or was it something else?

“You don’t have that long to get to know her,” Ryan pointed out. “You’re the one that didn’t want to meet her more than a couple of months out from the big day.”

Yes, he had. He’d wanted to focus on the business aspects of the engagement, not the personal ones.

Not one of my finer decisions.

They could have had more time to build the foundation Lillian clearly wanted in her marriage. One she didn’t think she could have now.

Should I try to make it up to her?

He rubbed his jaw at the foreign thought. Taking other people’s needs into account didn’t come naturally, but if he was going to get married, he supposed that would have to change, too.

I could rearrange my schedule. He’d only booked a few appointments to spend time with her, but there was no harm is clearing out more. He was a man about to get married. It was high time he started acting like it.

Saluting his friends with his drink, he tossed back the liquor while his mind whirled with possibilities and more than a few questions. She’d been skittish about the marriage, but he couldn’t afford for her to back out now. Normally he had no problem taking charge of a situation, but romance was often the last thing on his mind, and that avoidance was coming back to bite him. How the hell did a man win over his wife?

…

It was easy for Holly to get lost in her work. In fact, it had been her safe haven for years. It wasn’t as if her father could criticize her for working late or putting endless hours into his own company.

No, this department was a safe space. Here she could be herself. Make friends. Work on campaigns she believed in.

But today, the words blurred before her eyes. She’d typed the same sentence twice trying to find the right words for some new copy they needed. Her focus was shot, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out why.

He’s not what I expected.

Since she’d seen Julian, the date had been on repeat in her head. She’d been so certain he was just like her father, but he wasn’t. Her father would never have taken her away from a restaurant she didn’t like or have reordered his plans to make her smile.

He wouldn’t have saved that B&B out of the goodness of his heart.

Nor would he have offered to take the blame if she wanted out of this engagement.

Why did he have to be…

Decent.

Everything would be so much easier if he’d been another version of her father. That man she wouldn’t have minded deceiving. Hell, he’d probably deserved it.

But Julian was a different story. He seemed to genuinely want the merger for the good of their companies. And he appeared actually interested in trying to find a way to make this marriage work.

And all I’m doing is lying to him about who I am.

What did that say about her?

Nothing good.

Perhaps there was more of her father in her than she’d ever believed.

I’m putting people’s lives first. I have good reasons to lie.

Still, guilt tugged at her. The same guilt that had reared its head on her date when he’d moved to kiss her.

Lillian.

That’s what he’d called her.

The name had turned her veins to ice. A stark reminder that his kindness was for another woman. She had no right to that kiss, even if it was all she’d been able to think about since.

Does the damn man taste as sinful as he looked?

She wanted to find out.

When was the last time any man had tried to make a move? And dammit, she’d wanted him to. Despite knowing he wasn’t meant to be hers, she’d wanted to know what his lips felt like. And to see if the fire that pulsed beneath the surface whenever he was near was real chemistry or just her imagination.

You know it’s not in your head.

All he had to do was grab her hand, and her heart rate sped up. She’d wanted to rise to her tiptoes and kiss him back when he’d leaned in. They’d been so close to taking that first step forward into this new relationship, and she’d had to pull away.

There’d been no mistaking the confusion in his gaze when he’d caught up to her, guiding her through a few side streets before they reached the restaurant. He hadn’t tried to touch her again until after the meal, and even that had just been a light kiss on her cheek as they parted.

What am I going to do?

They were supposed to get married, for goodness sake. He was going to expect to touch his wife.

She hit the edge of her desk in frustration. Why had Lillian run? If she’d stayed, if she’d met Julian the way she’d been meant to, she might have actually liked him. Now she’d up and left Holly in this mess.

Because I could like him. Easily.

And that would only end badly. While both she and her sister had the blood he wanted, only one of them had the inheritance.

He should get something for rescuing us. I get why it has to be Lillian.

But it was just one more instance that proved she was second best. For all his smiles, Julian would be gone in a heartbeat if he knew her real name.

Giving up on work, she left the little office she didn’t need but her father had forced her to take for appearances’ sake. She’d much rather work directly with her team than be shielded away from them.

Marketing and communications shared the large office walled with glass. The open space housed several work stations, and she quickly rounded the corner and made a beeline for the desk in the back. Pulling over her usual chair, she dropped down next to the woman staring intently at her computer screen.

“I need a break,” she said.

Charlotte closed her browser with a click. “Best news I’ve heard all day. Quick, check if my brain is leaking out my ears yet.”

“Long day?”

“Isn’t it always?” Her friend smiled, leaning back in her chair as she focused her attention on Holly. “Come on. Tell the boss man to lighten up on us.”

She snorted. “There are no words to express how little he’d care.”

“Okay, backup plan. You stage a coup, take over the company, and give us all a nice long holiday.”

Not a terrible idea.

“I’ll put it on my to-do list.”

“Excellent. Now, what can I do for you? Want to do a coffee run?”

“It’s like we’re of one mind.”

Charlotte laughed, tossing her headphones onto the keyboard as she stood. “I could use a walk.”

Together, they left their desks behind and headed for the break room. It was sterile and gray, like most of the building, but it was well stocked with coffee options.

“How’s life?” Holly asked as they walked down the hall.

“Same old. Did I tell you about my date last week?”

“The one who stood you up?”

“Yep. The joys of online dating. Whatever happened to good old-fashioned matchmaking? Come on. Don’t you know some drop-dead gorgeous guy just looking for the marketer of his dreams?”

“If I did, I’d call dibs,” she replied.

“No fair. You can waltz into a benefit full of eligible men. And yet, do you ever take little old moi? No.”

“I’m saving you. You have no idea how boring those evenings are.”

“Open bar, right? I’ll take my chances.”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine. You’ll be my date to the next one. But you can’t come crying back to me when you find it mind-numbing.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Charlotte replied. “How about you? How goes the love life?”

“It’s…” Complicated. She cleared her throat. “There’s no one special yet.”

“I feel your pain. Well, chin up. We’ll figure it out eventually.”

“Right.”

They rounded the corner of the break room and found it empty. Charlotte made a beeline for the coffee machine, popping in her favorite pod flavor.

“Mocha?” she asked as she reached for the second cup.

“Thanks,” Holly agreed, moving to her side.

“How’s the fam these days?” her friend asked, watching the liquid streaming into her cup.

“Lillian is…traveling.”

And ruining my life while she’s at it.

“Must be nice to be a sales rep, eh? Where’s she this time? London? Hong Kong?”

“Not sure,” she said in all honesty.

“Want to get drinks when she’s back? Let’s hope we have better luck finding a guy in person than we do on the apps.”

“Sure.”

“Though, I gotta say, going out with two single blond twins is not exactly skewing the odds in my favor.”

She rolled her eyes. “You know they only pay attention to Lillian.”

“Girl, you need to get your glasses checked.”

Holly accepted her coffee with a laugh. “Ever my supporter, eh?”

“Always.”

Coffees in hand, they strolled back toward their corner of the office.

“There’s always speed dating.”

“How to disappoint twenty men in two hours? Fun.”

Charlotte rolled her eyes. “Just think of it like a game. If it’s a bust, I’ll take you out drinking after.”

“Maybe in a few weeks,” she hedged, imagining the trouble she’d get into if she started dating random men now. Julian might not want a real marriage, but she doubted he’d take too kindly to his future wife making her way around the speed dating circuit.

The image was so ridiculous she nearly laughed aloud.

But all amusement drained away when they reached the glass doors to the communications department and she spied a tall man standing with his back to them.

No. He can’t be here.

But even from behind she recognized him.

Apparently Julian Worth had come looking for his bride.