AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I press my advantage. “I see. You’re just going to have a stranger take over Helius Airlines because I did what you wanted and settled down with a nice, stable girl like you wanted.”
He looks flustered. “But you...but that photo...”
“For the last time,she dropped her phone,” I growl. Just thinking about that photo has my pulse pounding. “What’s his name, by the way?”
“Who?” my dad asks, bewildered.
“The fucker who thought he could ruin Hazel’s reputation to make a quick buck,” I grit out. “Give me his name. I’ll sue him into oblivion.”
This time, I’m not lying. There’s something about the idea of Hazel getting hurt because she’s spending time with me that twists in my gut like poison spreading.
I don’t want to think about what that feeling means.
Something in my dad’s face softens. “You’re actually telling the truth, aren’t you?”
I don’t say anything, just stare him down.
He looks away first, absently twisting his wedding ring. It’s been seventeen years, and he still wears that fucking ring.
For a second the memory of my mom rises between us, and I feel bad for lying to my dad.
Then I remember he was willing to ruin Hazel’s life just to punish me, and I don’t regret a damn thing.
“I could see it in your face,” he admits quietly. “The one where she’s laughing. You’re looking at her like...well, like she’s the one.”
I bite down the impulse to correct him. If he wants to read too much into a photo, the better for me.
He scrubs a hand through his hair. “I don’t understand. You hired your fiancée to write your autobiography?”
“Youpicked her. There wasn’t time to find someone else,” I remind him. “Besides, who knows me better than my fiancée?”
My dad studies me. For once in his life, he looks uncertain. “It would go a long way toward reassuring the board that you’ve finally grown up and settled down.” He grimaces. “Fine. I won’t hold these photos against either of you. But you have to promise you’ll never get caught doing something like this—or looking like you’re doing something like this—ever again.”
I nod.
“And you need to get married by the end of the month.”
“What?” I blurt.
“If these photos do leak, it will be better if you’re already married.” He raises his eyebrows. “That’s not a problem, is it? If you’re truly in love with the girl, I assume you want to tie the knot as soon as possible.”
I force my expression to say calm and neutral. There’s still a part of him that doubts the truth of my story.
“A month is a tight timeline to plan a wedding,” I remind him.
He gives me a dry smile. “Somehow I think you can handle the extra expense.”
I grit my jaw. “I’ll have to run it by Hazel.”
“You do that,” my dad says.
“Send me that photographer’s name,” I order as I turn and leave.
I can’t decide if faking an engagement to Hazel is the best or worst idea I’ve ever had.
But it’s too late to take it back now.
Now I just need to convince Hazel to go along with it.
