by Ellie Hall
As she hurried to meet Will, her eyes landed on all the art and furniture, representative of his wealth. Working as his assistant and taking it upon herself better to understand his business, she saw the raw numbers. The totals. The bottom lines. She couldn't quite wrap her head around the strange life she suddenly lived—half-luxurious with dinner in Paris and half fretting over her phone bill.
She couldn't imagine not having to account for every dollar. Of course, Everett promised her a life of financial security, but the result of that was evident on her credit card statement.
Even though it was all fake—the romantic dinner in the park with Will, when he saved her from hitting the ice, and the hot chocolate—she wondered if the kiss counted. Her fingers landed on her lips. It was unexpected, so fast, a flash. He was sweet in a way but also savory, rugged. She imagined his fingers in her hair, caressing the length of her back. She recalled the feeling of his breath on her cheek. She stopped herself when their eyes met. He waited in the entry with his coat buttoned and an expectant look on his face.
She choked on a sigh He was undoubtedly handsome morning, noon, and night. "Busy day today? You're up and at 'em early." Usually, he straggled out to meet her.
"Actually, we're taking the day off. No questions. It's a surprise."
Ten minutes later, Emma waited in the SUV while Will rang the buzzer outside a modest flat in a nearby neighborhood. He disappeared for less than five minutes and returned holding the hand of a little girl. She reached just past his waist and they had the same color hair and cool blue eyes.
Emma's mouth dropped open in shock.
The two buckled in.
"You didn't mention you had a daughter," Emma hissed.
Will smiled. "I don't think anyone in their right mind would pick me to be their child's father. I'm not going to win a daddy of the year mug." He shook his head. "I'm looking after Birdie today. I'm Uncle Will and she's my niece. Emma meet Birdie."
Relief swept through Emma; not because he wouldn't make a good father, but the situation highlighted the fact how little they knew of each other with no thanks to her no questions rule.
The little girl waved. "Nice to meet you. I gave him an uncle of the year mug for his birthday last year."
"It's my favorite mug." Will smiled at Birdie. "Did you know today is a very important day?"
Birdie tapped her chin. "Well, it's almost the weekend and that means Mummy doesn't have to work."
"That's very special. But today is your day. I have some ideas but I'd like to know what you'd like to do. You name it. Anything."
"Mummy said you can't spoil me."
Will mock pouted. "But you're my favorite niece. Of course, I can spoil you."
"I'm your only niece." Where Will had one dimple, she had two.
"True." Will turned to Emma. "My darling sister stubbornly refuses my help even though she has three jobs and a child."
"Last year she let you take us on holiday."
"We should do that more often."
"Yes!" She bounced in her seat.
"For now, let's officially make today Birdie day. What should we do? Go on a shopping spree? A museum? Take a turn on the London Eye? Emma do you have any suggestions?" He leaned into his niece. "Be careful, she took me ice skating last night, we fell down, and then I spilled hot chocolate on my trousers."
Birdie giggled. "Why'd you do that?"
Will cleared his throat and didn't answer. "Where to first?"
"Mummy says you know the princess."
Will inhaled. "I do know Princess Ava and Prince Oliver."
"Can we visit them?" Birdie and Emma said at the same time. They looked at each other and giggled.
"You talk funny," Birdie said to Emma.
"I'm from The United States."
"That's far away."
Emma nodded. "This is my first time in London."
"I'm a really good tour guide. I could show you around." Birdie took her hand.
"Would you?" Emma asked.
"Yes. First, we'll go to the Mews. There's a golden carriage there. Also, we must see the crown jewels, and I'm sure you'd like to watch the changing of the guards. They're very serious."
"Are those the men with the funny hats?"
"Yes, but Mummy says we mustn't try to make them laugh because it's rude."
"Mummy needs to laugh more," Will muttered.
They spent the morning touring the city, still dressed with lights and garlands for Christmas but creeping toward New Year's in just a few days. When they'd left the Tower of London after admiring the crown jewels, Will asked, "Are you getting hungry, Birdie."
"Starved. But only for our place."
"Our place?" Emma asked.
"If eating cookies for breakfast are any indication, I think you'll love it."
Birdie's eyes widened. "You eat cookies for breakfast? Mummy would never let me."
"When you're an adult you can have them for breakfast, lunch or dinner, but mostly I do it to annoy your Uncle Will," Emma said.
"Why?"
But Emma didn't answer because she wasn't sure anymore.
Will directed Benson to an address across the city and he dropped them nearby. The scent of burgers and French fries wafted along the city street.
Emma's stomach growled but she hung back. She couldn't afford to buy lunch, not even at a burger place because of her phone situation. She was mad at herself for not getting it sorted out before she left but everything happened so fast. Since she hadn't been working as Will's assistant for a week yet, she hadn't been paid.
After Will ordered, he stepped aside and gestured for Emma to go.
"Oh, I'm fine."
"You're not hungry?"
"Um, no. Not today."
The space between Will's eyebrows crinkled. "You didn't have breakfast unless you have a secret cookies stash. We've traipsed all over the city. You must be starved. Come on, my treat."
Emma shook her head.
"Considering you're acting in assistant capacity at the moment, I'm buying. I insist."
When she still didn't say anything, Will turned to the counter clerk. "Add one more regular. Three specials total, please. Remember, mine with no bun." He turned to Emma and said, "Rexy said no carbs today."
Emma started to protest him buying lunch but Will shuffled her toward the table where Birdie waited.
"Tell me or I'll tickle you," he teased.
She turned to face him. "I didn't change my phone to an international plan, ran up a huge bill, and now my debt is twenty-nine thousand nine hundred thirty-nine dollars."
"I'll pay the bill."
"You just paid for lunch."
"Did you read the contract Jared sent over?"
"Well, sort of… I just really needed a job. I had no idea I was signing up to…do whatever this is."
"You did apply to be my assistant."
"No, Joe just threw the position at me."
Will sighed. "I apologize for not addressing it sooner. We'll get you set up with an international plan."
She was upset because she'd once been on her way to being a financially independent and secure woman. Then Everett came along and she made some stupid choices. Then kept making them and now was in more debt than ever.
"Less than a month until you get your money. Plus you'll get your regular paycheck tomorrow."
"You're already counting down until you can be rid of me?" Emma asked, taken aback.
Will shook his head slowly, studying her, and then lifted his eyes to hers. "No, Emmaline. Actually, I'm not."
Frustration brewed inside because she didn't know when she was supposed to be his coffee girl and when she was supposed to be his fake girlfriend. The kiss wasn't supposed to be a big deal. It was staged, posed, probably like so many of his modeling jobs. But she also couldn't stop thinking about it.
Birdie's voice interrupted her thoughts. "All the ladies fancy Uncle Will. But I've heard him burp." She giggled. "Especially when he drinks soda."
"My burps happen to be rather manly and—" He turned to Emma. "No, not all the ladies fancy me.
Chapter 14
Will
After lunch, Will checked his phone and said, "Birdie, since you did such a wonderful job showing Emma around our city, how about a special surprise for you this afternoon."
"Are we going to visit the princess?"
Will chuckled. "Someday, but I think you'll like this almost as much."
Birdie begged him to tell where they were going but Will remained tight-lipped, hoping Emma would also enjoy their next stop as much as his niece.
Benson turned down a street strung with lights, holiday bells, and baubles. Shoppers and tourists bustled along the sidewalk despite the cold weather.
"I know where we're going," Birdie exclaimed as the SUV stopped in front of the London Coliseum. She pressed her nose to the window. Unable to contain her excitement, she hopped onto the sidewalk. Two men in black jackets appeared from the crowd and started snapping photos.
Emma rushed over, guarding Birdie.
Will strode toward the men. One of them had a mustache and another wore an eyebrow ring. "Not now," he ground out. Couldn't he enjoy an outing with his niece and Emma out of the glare of the lens?
The cameramen continued to snap photos and ask questions. "Is this your secret love child? Will, do you owe child support? Is this the American's daughter? Have you set the date?"
He ignored them and hoped the Birdie didn't hear the questions. He'd managed to shield her and his sister from the spotlight, but it had never been this bad. He could hardly leave the house since returning to London. Even the other night when he went to visit Sydney, they'd tailed him.
Safely behind the doors of the theater, Will let out a breath. "Yes, you guessed right, Birdie, the theater. But do you know what we're going to see?"
As they entered the foyer of the beautiful building with ornate woodwork, marble floors, and classical details, Emma's eyes sparkled. "It's like we're in a fairytale." She turned in a circle and abruptly stopped. "Will, isn't this a little much? I don't recall such lavish events in the contract."
"I thought you didn't read it closely."
Birdie gripped Emma's hand. "I think it's okay to let Uncle Will spoil you."
Emma laughed. "Just this once."
"I'd let him spoil me every day if it was okay with Mum. We'd go to tea and drink with our pinkies up, shopping on the high street, and even be invited to visit the princess."
Emma giggled.
"I love shiny things. That's why Mummy calls me Birdie like a magpie."
The lights lowered as they settled into perfectly centered and plush seats inside the grand theater.
"I bet the princess has sat right here," Birdie whispered.
Will thought about how the princess was a little snobby and the prince was a little full of himself.
"The princess is so pretty," Birdie went on.
"And the prince is so handsome," Emma added.
Birdie giggled.
A twinge of jealousy shot through Will at that comment.
"Have you met him?" he asked her.
"No, but we know you have, Mr. Famous-knows-the-prince-pants."
Will wrinkled his nose at her teasing.
Birdie giggled.
"I have more money than he does."
"He's a prince," Emma countered. "He can have anything he wants with a wave of his wand."
"He's not a wizard, and I can too." Only, his stomach sunk because there was one thing he couldn't have. He'd been ruined and feared he'd never trust a woman again. There was Emma, but there was no way their relationship could work.
As the play began, he listed the reasons why:
She hated him.
She worked for him.
She lived an ocean away.
Their fake relationship was mostly a disaster.
She thought the prince was cute so he'd always have competition.
His relationship with Veronica was an utter failure, proving to him he was too.
He'd suffered so much loss already, trying to love again put him at risk to lose too much.
He sighed.
For the duration of the show, he hardly paid attention, wrapped up in thoughts of work, Emma, Sydney, his career, and what he stood to lose if he didn't make sure everything was perfect.
Jared had been right: Will built his career on trust and that was why his fans and customers flocked to his gyms and bought his supplements and health products by the millions.
Will glanced over at Birdie. She was perfect and he wondered how his sister managed it. She too was alone after their mother had passed. Her ex-husband remarried less than a year after Birdie was born. Sure, they had each other, but she was as guarded as he was. They'd both endured so much. Yet, she risked love for her daughter. He supposed he did too. But he wasn't sure if he could risk more than that.
Swept up in the magic of the story on the stage, his niece's eyes twinkled. She sang along at every opportunity. This reminded him of when he and Emma sang Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer on the flight. A smile broadened on his lips and he found himself gazing at Emma. She glanced over and smiled. It made a dent in the wall he'd so carefully constructed.
After Cinderella was over, Will bought Birdie a T-shirt as a souvenir. On the way out of the theater, an animal rescue called Wags and Purrs hosted a pop-up adoption shop.
"Don't let the magic of the holidays end for these pups," a woman called. "Give them a forever home."
Birdie looked at Will with puppy dog eyes.
"You know what your mother would say."
"But can we pet them?" she pleaded.
Emma also made puppy dog eyes. "Please, Uncle Will?" she added.
He wasn’t sure if she was joking.
He sighed. "Fine, but we can't bring anyone home with us today."
Birdie took Emma's hand as they trotted over to the kiosk.
Emma leaned in and said, "Notice Uncle Will said today. That doesn't mean never."
Birdie giggled.
"You're not helping," he muttered.
"But I want a puppy too." She frowned.
"I suggest you read that contract." His tone was flatter than he intended but he'd meant it as a joke. He started to resent the contract, Jared, and Nexxiss. With his travel schedule and work commitments, he knew it wouldn’t be fair to the dog to be gone so often. He glanced at Emma. Or be fair to her, if things were different.
Emma and Birdie snuggled the puppies. He wandered over to an older dog with a white muzzle. "Hey, boy."
The dog's brown eyes met his and sadness swept over him. Sydney slipped into a coma after his last stroke. The nurses said he might be able to hear and it was good his sister brought Rupert to visit, but he was missing so much. It was another loss compounding the others. If he wasn't strong, he feared he'd break.
After a few more minutes, they said goodbye to the animals.
Emma took a business card from Jennifer, the woman hosting the event, and they got back into the warm SUV.
"What'll we have for dinner?" Birdie asked.
"I think Bartholomew has broiled fish and broccoli on the menu," Will said.
The little girl stuck out her tongue.
Emma did too.
Will grinned. They were both adorable but he knew he'd see Birdie next week, month, year. He'd know her for all his life. As for Emma, their time would be brief and he had the odd thought he was missing her even though she was still there. Or perhaps he was confusing the situation with Sydney, lying still at the hospice.
"Uncle Will, you have a frown. If broiled fish and broccoli makes you sad, we don't have to eat it. I won't tell Mummy."
"And I won't tell Rexy," Emma said, referring to his trainer.
Will couldn't help but laugh. "I already had a burger today."
"No bun, no fries…" Emma crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat.
"He's no fun, Emma," Birdie said. "Uncle Will, she at
e her entire burger and fries. Clean plate club."
"She doesn't make her money off her rock hard abs."
Emma stiffened. He knew the comment may have sounded rude, or disrespectful, but he wasn't exactly sure how or why. Money was a sore subject for her. He'd mentioned he wasn't born with a silver spoon and had worked for every coin, but his family had gotten by growing up. Then Sydney took him and his sister in and taught him everything he knew about business. Money was no substitute for the love he'd lost, but it worked out for him just fine. Emma had debt but she'd soon pay that off. Why did his wealth upset her so?
After dinner—Will had his broiled fish while Emma and Birdie shared a pizza—, Birdie asked to play a board game. He had an outside looking in moment as the three of them sat around the coffee table smiling and laughing. Although he knew Birdie was his niece and Emma was his assistant slash fake girlfriend, he wondered what it would be like to have a family, a wife, and kids—to settle down. He imagined a house in the countryside with broad fields and meadows filled with flowers. His jaw trembled and he looked away.
"Will, are you okay?" Emma asked.
Her voice pulled him back to the present.
Birdie placed her hand on top of her uncle's. "It's okay. He's just sad. Mummy gets that way too sometimes. I never knew Grand-Maman, but Mummy tells me all about her. She had long brown hair and she'd sing all the time. Kind of like Cinderella. Only, she didn’t get her happily ever after."
Will drew a deep breath. "I suppose not." He avoided Emma's questioning gaze as they finished the game.
When it was time to tuck Birdie in, she asked for a story. "But you have to snuggle up." She patted the bed on either side of her.
Will climbed on top of the comforter and Emma followed suit. They took turns reading the pages from her book. Emma yawned and then Will did. They turned to Emma.
She covered her mouth with her hand and yawned. "They sure are contagious."
