Chapter Eight

  Harley

  Too many things are happening at once. I have a new office, a new job… and a new fiancé. I’m still trying to wrap my head around my decision to marry Nate. It’s for the good of the company, but Nate is making this hard already.

  A new email pops up on my screen. It’s from Nate.

  Dear Future Ex-wife,

  That has a nice ring to it, don’t you think, wifey? You have thirty days left until you get to unwrap your wedding present. You can open it sooner if you want.

  P.S. It’s huge.

  Fueled by rage and coffee, my fingers pound the keyboard with fury. Who does he think he’s talking to?

  Dear Future Ex-hubs,

  I don’t care how “huge” your present is because I won’t be unwrapping it on our wedding night, or any night for that matter.

  P.S. I hope you and your hand enjoy the lube.

  A knock on my new office door snaps me back to reality, taking me by surprise. My father strolls into my office with a hopeful look on his face. He seems like he’s happier now that I’ve agreed to marry Nate.

  “Hey, honey, I just thought I’d see how you’re settling into your new office.” He takes a seat in one of the chairs in front of my desk.

  “Uh, yeah, it’s okay. It’s not the same as the one I had in LA but it will do for now.”

  “I understand if you’re upset. I know this isn’t what you wanted. It’s not what I wanted for you either.”

  “Oh, really, Dad? Is that why you so easily went along with this plan that Danika came up with? You knew from the second you called me that I had to marry Nate. How could you do this to me?”

  He pauses, folding his hands on his lap as he considers my question. Then, he looks up at me, his blue eyes glassy. Maybe he does care. “I’m sorry… I don’t even know what to say. What are we supposed to do? A marriage is the only way to salvage this deal with Titan Tech.”

  “I would have liked to have had a choice. It would have been nice to have been consulted ahead of time. Instead, you ambushed me. I can’t stand Nate. He’s the reason I moved to LA. I don’t want him back in my life, but you have left me with no options.”

  He stares out the window, and an awkward moment passes between us.

  “I don’t know what you want me to say. We’re all getting something out of this deal. Titan Tech is back in play. Nate’s issues are cleared up with the media. You’re getting a promotion.”

  “Yeah, a promotion I deserved, one you denied me for years because I’m a woman.”

  “That’s not why I denied you. It has nothing to do with you being a woman.”

  “Oh, it doesn’t? Because the last three people you hired for the exact same position that I’ve begged for were all men. Actually, a woman has never held that position in this company.”

  “They were more qualified than you.”

  “That’s bullshit, Dad, and you know it. Some of my designs are in your video games, and you didn’t even give me proper credit for them. You even took the logo I drew for fun and used it for our rebranding without even asking me.”

  “Well, it was a great design. Of course, I wanted to use it.”

  “But you’re only proving my point, Dad. You never give me a chance. You overlook me because I’m a woman. Would it kill you to acknowledge me for my work? It would have taken two seconds to add a credit for my art in the games.”

  “I don’t overlook you because you’re a woman.”

  “Then, why won’t you treat me the same as Nate, Stefan, and the programmers?”

  “Because I never wanted you in this business. Tech is cutthroat. It’s not suitable for a woman. Your mother couldn’t handle it.”

  Everything comes back to the woman who broke your heart.

  “Well, then you shouldn’t have named me after your favorite comic book character, Dad. I mean, seriously, what did you expect? It’s almost like this is in my DNA. I was supposed to be like this, and now that I am, you can’t stand it. But you have to get over it. This is who I am.”

  He takes a minute, unsure of what to say, and before our conversation can continue, my office door creaks open. Nate taps his fist against the wood before he enters the room. He slowly steps inside, giving me a concerned look. He had to have heard the conversation. Even though I’ve said the same things to my dad repeatedly over the years, he never hears me. He will never understand me.

  But Nate does.

  He’s the only one who ever really got me. And when he gives me those sad, puppy dog eyes of his, I know Nate heard a lot more than the tail-end of our conversation. I know that he feels sorry for me, and I don’t need his pity.

  “Is this a good time?” Nate asks. “Because I can come back.”

  “Ahh, yeah, perfect timing, actually.” My dad stares down at his watch and gets up from the chair. “I’m going to be late for a meeting… I’ll get out of your way.”

  As he passes Nate, he taps him on the back and whispers, “Good luck,” even though I can hear him. My dad has never treated me like a normal child. It’s always like I’m his property or that women are not people to him. It’s not the same as the way he treats Richard or the other men in this company.

  “Is everything okay?” Nate raises a concerned eyebrow.

  “Yeah, the usual crap with my dad.”

  He sits down, fixing his gaze on me. “I know you’re mad about the wedding, but us working together will change his mind.”

  “After dealing with my dad, I need some time alone. Do you mind? I’m not in the mood to talk about him or his approval I’ll never get.”

  “You better get used to having me around,” he snaps. “Because you move into my penthouse tonight.”

  “I’m not moving in with you. I’ll get my own place… or stay at a hotel.”

  “If you want people to believe we’re engaged, then we need to live together.”

  “Our engagement means nothing,” I shoot back. “And I don’t have to live with you, not until we’re married.”

  “You’re moving in and that’s final.”

  “Who the hell do you think you are, Nate?” I fold my arms over my chest, staring him down. “You don’t get to tell me what to do. You’re not the boss of me.”

  “Technically, I am. I outrank you.”

  “Oh, don’t pull rank on me, Nate. Don’t make me climb over this desk and kick your ass.”

  He laughs, leaning back in his chair as he scratches the dark stubble along his jaw. “You’ve never lost the fight. That’s the one thing I’ve always loved about you, Harley. You’re a fighter. You never give up.”

  One thing he loves about me? Loves.

  “Don’t try to sweet talk me. You’re not gonna get me to settle down and play your little games like my dad. It’s not going to work, so just stop it.”

  “I’m not trying to play a game. I know this isn’t a great situation. I never even thought about getting married. And I’m sure that was the last thing on your mind, too, considering you don’t even date.”

  “I date,” I growl. “I’m dating someone right now.”

  He shakes his head. “You were…. and that doesn’t matter anymore. We’re getting married in thirty days. You’re going to be my wife. I’m going to be your husband. And even though every single picture will be fake, every moment will be forced, we were friends. You were my best friend. You were my only friend for a long time. I know you haven’t forgotten that. So, don’t pretend like you hate me. You can’t hate me that much. I know I’ve done some things over the years that have torn us apart, but we were good together. I see this as a win-win for both of us. You get the promotion you want, and honestly, I get my friend back.”

  I raise my hand to cut him off. “You left for MIT and it was like I didn’t exist anymore. You created the distance between us. You put other girls before me.”

  “Oh, c’mon, Harley. That’s not true. I never put any girls before you.”

  “No? How about Anna or Victoria or any of the girls from high school? The second they came into our lives nothing was the same. You were Mr. Popular. You were too good for everyone and forgot about all of your old friends.”

  “I could never forget you, Harley. It would be like forgetting my own name. Impossible.”

  “You mean improbable,” I correct.

  Nate groans. “You know what I mean. And… you know what… I don’t want to talk about the past anymore.”

  “Me neither,” I shoot back.

  “Anyway, welcome back to Philly. I hope you like your new home. I’ve already arranged to have your things sent to my place.”

  “I’m not sleeping in the same bed as you.”

  “It wouldn’t be the first time.”

  “That was years ago!”

  He waves his hand to dismiss me. “I don’t want to fight, okay? I have three spare rooms. You can pick which one you want.”

  I take a second to consider his offer. What am I doing? Why did I agree to this ridiculous wedding? I wasn’t thinking clearly at the time I made the deal. And the things he just said…. did he mean them? Has he missed me all this time?

  “Fine. I get my own room, and you stay in yours. And I swear to God there better not be any women coming in and out of the apartment. I’m not putting up with that shit, Nate. I don’t care what agreements you have with them or if they sign an NDA. You are not to have any women over. If I have to live with you to make this engagement look believable, then you have to hold up your end of the bargain, which means you have to go without sex until this marriage is annulled.”

  “You’re going to be my wife, Harley. You’re naïve if you think we’re not going to consummate the marriage.”

  I give him a nasty look. “We’re never having sex. You’re not kissing me or touching me.”

  “You’ll have to kiss me on our wedding day. People have to believe we’re in love. It won’t kill you to show some affection toward me. You can’t squirm or cringe when I touch you. Whether you like it or not, you have to fake it. But I can guarantee you one thing…”

  “What’s that?”

  “The second I touch you, you will want the real thing.”

  “Oh, the hell with you. I don’t want to kiss or touch you. And I won’t want the real thing. I can promise you that with absolute certainty.”

  “What about on our wedding night?”

  “The only thing you’re touching on our wedding night is yourself.”

  “Oh, yeah? Thirty days, Harley. Let’s see how long you last. Because I can guarantee you will be in my bed by our wedding night.” He leans forward, a sly smirk playing on his lips. “And you will beg for it.”

  Chapter Nine

  Nate

  Harley McQueen is driving me insane. Ever since our fight this afternoon in her office, she has stonewalled me. I had her things delivered to my apartment and she’s since barricaded herself in her new bedroom, refusing to speak to me. Every time I try to talk to her, she blows me off and says she needs time and space. I don’t know what to think after everything I said to her earlier. I basically poured my heart out, or at least as close as I’ll ever come to confessing my feelings for her.

  I admitted I miss her, still want to be friends with her, and in some ways, I’m getting a little bit of pleasure from it. Because by her agreeing to marry me, I still get what I want. I’ve always wanted Harley back. She’s the one person that I could never shake. No woman compares to Harley. She’s it for me. Every girl I’ve ever dated is blonde—because of Harley.

  I knock on Harley’s bedroom door.

  “Go away, Nate. I’m busy.”

  “I ordered food. It will be here any minute. You can at least come out and eat with me.”

  After a few minutes of standing in the hallway pleading with her, the door swings open. She’s dressed in tight shorts that ride up her toned thighs and a low-cut tank top. I get a semi just looking at her. Harley hides her curves at the office, stuffing her magnificent body into boring work attire. But now that she’s relaxed, her hair piled on top of her head and dressed like she’s going to the gym, she looks like my Harley. Like the girl I fell in love with years ago.

  She wipes the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand and looks up at me. “What’s so important that you can’t let me finish unpacking in peace?”

  “I ordered food. You need to eat.”

  She scrunches her nose. “I said I wasn’t hungry.”

  “No, you have to be hungry. You haven’t eaten all day.”

  Harley throws her hands onto her narrow hips with a wicked look in her eyes. “Probably because I’m sick to my stomach.”

  I extend my hand for her to take. “C’mon. Keep me company while I wait for the delivery man.”

  Staring at my hand, she sighs. “What did you order?”

  “Chicken cacciatore, your favorite.”

  “Yum.” She licks her lips. “Fine, I’ll eat with you. But then I have to get back to work. I have a lot of stuff to do.”

  “I bought your favorite Pino.”

  “If I didn’t know any better, I would say you were trying to bribe me.”

  Harley blows past me, and I follow her into the kitchen. She pours two glasses of wine and slides one of them along the counter in front of me. We drink in silence, and she stares at me as she taps her long nails on the countertop.

  “So, thirty days until we get married.”

  Harley seems sad, as if she wants to cry but it’s taking every ounce of her self-control to hold it in. She wanted to prove herself without a fake wedding, without my help. My future ex-wife is an alpha female, not the type of woman who wants a job handed to her.

  It’s a shame that Harley has to go through this. If it were up to me, I would give her the position she wants without a fight. She has natural talent, she’s a true artist. I still remember the first time I watched her draw. It was as easy as breathing for her. I both envied and admired Harley for her skill. There are so few artists with talent like Harley’s, and her dad could never see it. He never acknowledged her for her art. He didn’t want her in our world, even though she was made for it.

  “So, what’s the plan?” she asks. “I’m assuming our fathers have already decided when, where, and how.”

  “My dad told Carl Voss that we’re getting married on Valentine’s Day because he thought it sounded more romantic.”

  “Where are we getting married?”

  “An all-inclusive resort in Nassau. It’s a small, private ceremony on the beach, open only to close friends and family.”

  “At least he got that part right.”

  “He remembered how much you love Nassau.”

  She wants to dance under the stars and have sex on the beach. I can do that. I can give her almost everything she wants.

  “I’m embarrassed to ask my friends to take part in this wedding.” She scrunches her nose. “It’s bad enough our families have to play along.”

  “We already know Callie’s onboard. She suppressed all of the stories she could’ve written about me and replaced them with our wedding announcements. Jules, Lola, and Amelia will also help you plan the wedding. You can have the perfect wedding.”

  “I have no control over anything,” she hisses, though this time her anger isn’t directed at me. “I didn’t even get to choose the date or location. I’m being told like a child when I’m getting married and who I’m marrying.”

  My cell phone dings in my pocket. “It’s Danika,” I tell her, staring down at the phone. “Our cake testing is this week. She doesn’t have a date or time yet.”

  Harley gives me a confused look. “Why are we doing a cake testing if the wedding is in the Bahamas?”

  “Danika wants us to go through the motions of a real wedding.”

  She raises an eyebrow. “So, we have the pics to prove it?”

  I nod. “Anything you want you can have. What’s mine is yours now.”

  Harley sits on the stool at the kitchen counter, digging her elbows into the marble. “Who was that girl?”

  My heart slams into my chest. Harley would call off the wedding in a heartbeat if she knew the truth. Any chance of us getting back on track would go out the window.

  “Why was she so important that you had to ruin all of our lives over it?”

  “She wasn’t important. She’s a nobody,” I lie. “Someone I met at a bar. Look, we’ll make the most of this. You can still have the wedding of your dreams and everything that comes with it.”

  “Yeah, in theory, but not a wedding to the right person.”

  “You have no way of knowing who you would have married.”

  “I sort of had a boyfriend, or at least I was working on one when my dad called me to come home. Now, I have what? A fake fiancé?”

  “It’s not the worst thing that can happen,” I deadpan.

  “Yeah, I guess. But…”

  She uncorks a new bottle of wine, pours some for herself, and then adds some to my glass. We clink our glasses together.

  “I hope you know what you’re doing,” she says with sadness in her tone. “Please don’t screw this up. If I’m going to put my name on the line for you and pretend that I’m your wife, please be honest with me. It’s one thing to bail you out, but it’s another to go through public embarrassment from the downfall of this relationship.”

  “You have every right to be nervous and cautious,” I admit. “I haven’t given you many reasons to trust me. I promise, Harley, nothing will get in the way. No other women. And I will make this the wedding of your dreams, even if I’m not the man of them.”

  Harley stares at me for a few seconds, biting her bottom lip. Her nails clink against the wine glass. Right now, she’s hard to read, though I can guess what she’s thinking. She doesn’t hate me. I know she doesn’t. She hates this situation.