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“I need the list of women you want to be considered.”
I laugh without humor and eye the ceiling. “That’s not so simple.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Do you know Bella Bailey?”
“Of course, I know Bella. She’s gorgeous and successful. What man wouldn’t know her? Oh, fuck. You’re in bed with her. Holy hell, Tyler. After Allison—”
“It’s not the same. I have feelings for her.” I speak those words effortlessly, and that says a lot about where I stand right now.
“I think the ground just shook. Since when do you have feelings foranyone?”
“Now,” I say. “And if I do this fake fiancée thing, I will lose her.”
“If you don’t, you lose a shit ton of money and the company. The company being the big one here, because everyone attached to the company, me included, could end up screwed over ifleadership flies south. We’re talking a lot of lives here, Tyler. Hundreds of employees.”
“What if I talked to Bella? Her mother was Alice, from Alice Shopping Network. Her father is Victor Bailey.”
“The NASCAR driver?”
“Yes. She’s swimming in money. She doesn’t need mine. And I trust her.”
“She’s perfect, except for one thing. She obviously values creating a life and a career for herself because no one here knows about her mother. And I sure didn’t know about her father. The minute it’s discovered that you two are together, she’s ruined. It will be assumed she slept her way to the top. If you have feelings for her, convince her the rest of this shit is as fake as it is, and don’t fuck the other chick. But you cannot be caught with Bella. There’s small print you need to know about.”
“What small print?”
“If anything about this ‘marriage’ is deemed for show, you lose everything. I’m guessing there’s a PI who will be following you. You have to assume you will be watched.”
“Of course, I will be. And as for Bella, the other woman is just never going to fly with her. And you’re right. Her career matters to her. Hell, she’s up for partner, and that was on the table before we ever got involved. She just closed a major deal for her brother, Dash. I can’t take that from her.”
“Then get a list. You have fifteen months to screw this up, or six months plus a short marriage to end this. Once you inherit, it’s done.”
“What about the company? What will anyone know?”
“Nothing. You’re the crowned CEO and majority stockholder until you’re not. I’ll spare you the details unless you want to hear them, but technically you inherited the stock and maintain your current role of CEO, with stipulations. As of today, you are no longer in an acting role. You’re the real deal. Notifications havebeen sent out to all partners. With your permission, I’ll send a formal notice to the clients of the firm.”
“Yes. Do it. We’re done here. I need to think.” I walk toward the door.
“Get me the list,” he calls out.
I lift a hand and say nothing.
There is only one name on my list, and that’s Bella, as impossible as that seems right now.
Chapter Fifty
Tyler
I work late, buried in a multitude of things I should have handled days ago. It’s almost ten o’clock when I leave the office and intend to drive home. Instead, I drive to Bella’s house and sit outside, talking myself out of going inside. My cellphone rings with Gavin's number, almost as if he knows where I’m at and he wants to check me.
“Yeah,” I answer.
“I hope like hell you aren’t with Bella. You will ruin her.You will ruin yourself. You will ruin lives. Let me be a little clearer: she is not good for you if she ruins your lives and those of others. Get me my list.”
“I get it. Did you call for anything I need to hear?”
“We both know you needed to hear that. I’ll come get the list. Where are you?”
