Page 17 of Loving Her Enemy

That wasn’t the first time he had used the term of endearment with her, and it seemed to roll off his tongue effortlessly. She shouldn’t read too much into it, but Halayna would be lying if she said it didn’t make her feel all gooey inside.

God, they needed to get this conversation over with and quickly. Otherwise, she was sure to embarrass herself.

Let me just get some food. Surely, whatever he wants to discuss won’t take long.

Chapter Nine

Marry me.

Let’s get married.

Will you marry me?

The words rattled through Sloane’s mind as he finished his call. He had coordinated and closed on million-dollar deals that hadn’t caused him as much emotional turmoil as those phrases had caused the last few hours.

After meeting with his sister yesterday, he had a solid plan of how he would present the marriage of convenience idea to Halayna. But an hour ago, Hershel had gotten back to him on what he’d found about Halayna’s predicament. She was broke. Beyond broke. Barely had enough money in the bank to buy gum.

Yes, Sloane knew she was going through a rough patch, but after the details Hershel revealed, Halayna’s life was an action film disaster. Of course he had the means to fix things financially, but his concerns centered on how she’d gotten into her predicament in the first place.

He didn’t know her father personally, but he knew enough to know the man would’ve left his daughter taken care of after his death. Hershel had found out as much. Halayna’s father had owned a house in Brooklyn that was paid off, and he’d had a sizable insurance policy. Halayna had gotten it all.

Yet, she was broke. How could that have happened in the last two years?

Sloane’s gut told him Owen had everything to do with Halayna being penniless. So far, they hadn’t found a paper trail linking him to Halayna’s finances. They could keep digging, but he’d rather hear the details about what happened directly from her.

In the meantime, Sloane was ready to move forward with his proposition. Especially since the world’s sexiest men article came out that morning, and like he expected, throughout the day, he’d been hearing from women from his past. Some he’d gone out with a few times but hadn’t been interested enough to ask them out again. Others were business associates who acknowledged the article and wanted to see if he’d like to do dinner or meet for drinks.

But it was the call from his socialite mother, Dalia, who made Sloane want to close on this deal with Halayna immediately. His mother only reached out when she wanted to parade him or Bristol around, and unfortunately, she too had heard about the article. She insisted it was time for him to settle down and get married, and of course she had the perfect woman for the role.

Sloane shut that conversation down immediately. Too often she tried playing matchmaker with him and some of her friends’ daughters. Women who were too much like her—self-absorbed, all about appearances, and thought most people were beneath her—the opposite of what he wanted in a wife.

He needed Halayna to say yes to this arrangement, no matter how crazy the idea might be.

Sloane approached the table where she sat, glad to see her eating and seeming to enjoy the food. She no longer looked as frail as she had when she moved to Atlanta, and it probably had everything to do with Ms. Mae loving to feed people. This afternoon was no different. His housekeeper had gone beyond what he had requested and had prepared everything from a charcuterie board to pasta dishes, as well as a couple of dessert items. It all looked delicious.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Sloane said.

Halayna was in the process of pouring another cup of coffee. Ms. Mae had mentioned her being a big coffee drinker. They had that in common.

“I’ve had too many calls today, including some regarding a major real estate project I have going on in Nashville, and a deal Reece and I are trying to close in New York. Everything is kind of coming to a head at the same time, and…” Sloane shook his head. He needed to stop oversharing and get to the topic at hand. “Anyway, thanks for being willing to meet with me. Is the food okay?”

“Everything is amazing. Thank you for arranging all this.”

“It was my pleasure,” he said as he loaded his plate.

“And this coffee always hits the spot. I was already addicted to java, but I’ve been spoiled by yours. Best coffee I’ve ever tasted.”

He chuckled. “I agree. It comes from Panama, and like you, I’m addicted. By the way, what fragrance are you wearing? Is it one of your custom blends?”

“Yes. I only wear my own scents now, and this is the latest one I created a few months ago.”

Sloane nodded. “It smells incredible. I loved the scent you wore the other night, but I might like this one even better. It’s soft, calming even, but still just as potent. Is that lavender I smell and maybe citrus?”

“You’re good,” she said approvingly. “It does include lavender, orange, and a little jasmine.”

“Nice,” he said and started eating.

Small talk flowed between them easily. Like the other night, hanging out with her felt natural. So much so, Sloane was more than liking her, as his sister accused. If he could convince this woman to marry him, he knew they’d get along well, probably better than most couples who started out in love. Especially if the way she’d eyed him earlier was any indication. It was plain to see his attraction to her was mutual. That little fact would make their arrangement so much more enjoyable.