Page 27 of The Temporary Fiancée
“Ugh.” I grimace melodramatically. “We havegotto work on your sweet talk. Don’t call me ‘dear.’ You sound like my grandmother.”
She laughs, and it’s nice to hear her laugh. It makes this all seem more normal.
In an effort to make it even more normal, I pull out my phone and open up a group text. I add Cole, Declan, Riley, and Sophie,then puzzle for a moment over whether there’s anyone else who should know. Shane, probably, since he’ll be finding out from my father anyway. Noah, too. He’s been at the last few poker nights, so he probably needs to be included on this secret.
“What are you doing?” Olivia asks.
“Sending a text to our friends,” I reply. “I’m inviting them over for dinner so that we can let them in on what’s happening.”
Olivia’s eyes widen instantly, and she reaches out to grab at my arm. “Wait. Don’t.”
I glance down at her. “Why not? They’re going to have to know eventually. Unless you’d rather let Riley think that we’reactuallyengaged.”
“I don’t think I’m ready to tell people about this yet,” she admits.
I can sympathize with that, but there’s no other option. “We don’t have a lot of time,” I remind her, feeling guilty; though really, if anyone should feel guilty, it’s my father. “We need to get moving on this. Our entire engagement is only going to last six months, so I’d rather if our friends were aware of it right from the start.”
Olivia nods as my words sink in, then exhales, like she’s trying to pull herself together. Outwardly, she looks calmer, but I can tell that she’s still freaking out internally. “Okay. As long as it’s just a small group.”
“It will be,” I promise. “How does seven sound to you?”
“That’s fine.”
I finish typing the message, then fire it off and tuck my phone back into my pocket.
“What room will I be staying in?” She looks curiously over her shoulder, back toward the hallway. “I saw a bunch while I was poking around.”
Part of me—a persuasive, loud part—wishes I could tell her that she’d be staying inmyroom. That we’ll be sharing my bed. Iliked seeing her in that familiar setting as she got dressed. I liked walking in on her in the bathtub, comfortable in my space.
But I ignore this impulse; it’s probably not wise. Instead, I walk toward the door and gesture for her to follow. “You’ll be staying in one of the guest rooms.” In the hallway, I point to the left, toward the opposite end of the hallway. My penthouse spans the width of the entire building, with windows in the rooms on both ends.
“Thanks.” She gives me a grateful smile. “I’m gonna go get ready for dinner and unpack, if that’s okay.”
“Sure. I need to make a call, anyway.”
Olivia heads back to the living room to gather her belongings, and I retreat into my office, closing the door behind me for privacy. I hear the wheels on Olivia’s suitcase as it trundles past the door. Once she’s out of potential earshot, I pull out my phone and dial my father’s number.
Lionel picks up on the third ring. “This better be good news, Reed.”
“It is,” I say. “I’ve found someone willing to work with us on the image repair project.”
“Thatisgood news.”
“She’s already signed the paperwork,” I say, glancing at the completed contract on my desk. “We should be good to go.”
“Who is it?”
At this question, I hesitate. I know that my parents likely wouldn’t consider Olivia an acceptable choice; her mother was one of their staff throughout my childhood, and I’m sure that Lionel is hoping I’ll be engaged to some socialite.
Instead of answering, I change the subject. I can broach that topic at a different time—probably whenever my father has to meet Olivia.
“How are things coming with Dubai? Is Shane?—”
“Fine,” my father says dismissively. I can just picture him waving a hand at me. “Don’t concern yourself with it. Shane is handling it—like he’ll be handling everything, if you can’t reform your reputation with the public.”
The reminder stings, but I press on. “Yeah. Great. Glad it’s going well.”
“The lawyers will have an ironclad contract drafted this week,” my father continues. “Bring the girl in so that she can sign it as soon as possible, understood?”
