Page 18 of The Contract Marriage

I ache for her. What kind of asshole can’t even buy her something as basic as flowers? They’re sold everywhere, and she deserves all the flowers in the world.

It takes a lot of control to keep my hands at my sides. I wish I had the right to reach out, dry her tears and kiss her pain away. I should’ve looked her up earlier, before she met Tyler. But I felt like I needed to build my empire first, to make myself into someone worthy and impossible to ignore.

But I missed my chance. And now my effort seems as futile as trying to catch a plane after it’s taken off. I ignore the knot tightening in my belly.

“Hey, you want to try something super awesome?” I ask.

Her eyebrows pull together as she considers. “You sound like a perv offering candy to a little girl.” But her lips curve slightly.

“Do pervs often show up in tuxes, holding flowers?”

She laughs, and I smile in response. The sound is shaky, but it’s a first step.

“No.” She studies me for another beat, then holds out her hand. “I guess not.”

My heart stops for a full second before it races. Swallowing hard, I wrap my large, callused hand around her soft, delicate one and gently help her up. “Let me drive you.”

“My car—”

“I’ll bring you back here later. Or have it brought to your place, whichever you want. Cool?”

She hesitates for a second, then nods. “Okay.”

I grin, my heart soaring like a bird in the sky. I lead her to the Spectre, and she cocks an eyebrow at the gorgeous midnight blue Rolls. “No wonder I didn’t hear anything.”

“My car is the strong silent type.”

She gives me a wan smile. I open the door for her, and she slides onto the baby-butt soft ivory leather. Once I shut the door and get behind the wheel, we become enclosed in a world of our own, cut off from everyone. She glances at the blue crystal baby-grand piano hanging from the rearview mirror. “Do you play?”

“No. But I know someone who does.” I look at her, my mind conjuring up a memory of her at Stanford, playing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue arranged for piano. She probably didn’t know anybody was listening as she swayed to the rhythm and her fingers danced like fairies over the black and white keys.

“Nice.” From the way she nods, I know she doesn’t understand that I’m talking about her. But it’s to be expected. I didn’t make my presence known back then.

I drive to Himeko—a fairly new Japanese-style parfaiteria. I’ve never been, but so many people have raved about it—especially Max, who fell in love with their chocolate parfait. I park, then stare at the line snaking around the corner, torn between relief and annoyance. It’s been a few months since it opened, so people shouldn’t be waiting forever to get in. At the same time, this place must be incredible.

“Damn,” I mutter.

“I don’t mind. The day is already so sweet with flowers and a genuinely nice guy, who’s going to buy me candy. Or something like that,” she says, her beautiful eyes crinkling a little.

I smile. “This genuinely nice guy also has some skills. Watch me work my magic.” I speed dial Jeremiah.

“Did you hit somebody?” Jeremiah says drolly on the third ring. “Any fatalities, or just some blood?” She never ignores calls from the family, especially when they’re from me or my brothers. She bills a kidney and an ovary every year to take good legal care of us.

“Very funny. Hey, can you hook me up? I heard Akiko has her own table at Himeko.”

“Of course she does. She’s one of the main investors. But I’m just a lawyer, and this isn’t billable.”

I roll my eyes. “Are you for real? It’s Rhys who didn’t invite you to his wedding, not me.”

“Are you saying you’ll invite me, should you get married?”

“Of course. You know how I feel about you, Jeremiah. You’re like the mom I should’ve had!”

She snorts. “I wouldn’t have you as my son if you begged. No Harvard ambition. Therefore no dedication to the Huxley legacy.”

Damn right. Because writing legal briefs that meet her standards is a Mephistophelian torture reserved specifically for serial killers.

“Fine. Just tell Marco that Akiko sent you.” She hangs up.