by Eva Luxe
I close the door behind me, smile at him, and say, “Mr. Styles. I’m here to turn in my application for the Junior Partner position.” I try not to let the anxiety I’m feeling show on my face as I stand there.
Styles extends his hand, and I realize he wants my file. I hand it to him, focusing on controlling my breathing.
“Thank you, Ms.Hope. Playing a bit close to the final deadline, aren’t we?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, sir, I thought it was the end of the day today?”
“It is. Better to be close to the deadline and better prepared, though, hmm?”
I nod furiously, agreeing with him. “Yes sir. Thank you.”
I turn to go. “Ms. Hope.”
“Yes, Mr. Styles?”
“I’m very glad to see this application on my desk.”
I keep my expression neutral until I get back into the hallway, with the office door closed behind me. Then, I burst into a smile so big that my face hurts.
Back in my office, my first thought is, I have to call Brent! It almost surprises me - but why should it? His encouragement really helped me get up the guts to apply…it only makes sense that I want to let him know now that something has gone well.
I pull out my phone and tap Brent’s number, waiting anxiously as it rings.
“Hey, you.” Brent answers, sounding relaxed as usual. “What’s going on? Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”
“I am!” I laugh, remembering our conversation about skipping out. “I just, I have something I want to tell you, that’s all! And it couldn’t wait.”
“In that case, spill!” He actually sounds excited to hear from me. I know it’s because of the way Jason treated me that I’m not used to hearing that kind of tone in a guy’s voice, but I decide that right now isn’t the time to wallow in that particular pit of misery and annoyance.
“Amil? You fall asleep over there?”
“Sorry, sorry! Just got distracted. But you remember that junior partner position I told you about over the weekend?”
“That’s not the only thing I remember from this weekend, but yes.” I can practically see his teasing grin, even over the phone.
“Stop that.” My voice is jokingly stern. “This is serious.”
“Okay, sure. Yes, I remember.” Brent’s voice settles, and I can tell he’s really listening to me now.
“The application window closes today…and I applied!” I burst out.
“That’s amazing! I told you it was a great idea!” Brent sounds almost as excited as I feel. “You know what this means, right?”
“No….what?” I ask, playing along.
“We have to celebrate, that’s what!” Brent says. “Come over tonight. I’ll cook for you.”
“Wait a minute, you can cook?”
“Ha ha, very funny. Just for that, you don’t get any of my world-famous ramen recipe.”
“Oh no, I love ramen!”
“I think everyone who was ever a college student does.” Brent agrees. “I’m serious, though. Come over tonight, I’ll cook, which honestly I don’t do often at all, but I want to do it for you. And we can celebrate. Unless you don’t want to?”
The question makes me realize that we’ve never actually spent time alone together outside of our ‘fake’ wedding events - and that I really, really want to. “Don’t be silly! Of course I’d love to celebrate with you. I’ll even bring a bottle of wine.”
“Great.” he says, the smile and relief plain in his voice. “Say eight?”
“Sounds perfect. See you then.”
I hang up, and if it’s possible, I’m somehow even more giddy now than I was leaving Styles’ office.
Chapter 48 – Brent
“I invited her over for dinner!” I’m practically shouting as I come out of the bedroom. Nikki stares at me from the couch, nonplussed as usual.
“What’s the big deal? You both know how to eat.”
“What? That’s true but - that’s also not the point at all?!”
“Okay then.” Nikki watches me as I pace around the room, cell phone still clutched in one hand.
“No,” I say, “You don’t get it! I don’t even cook. I mean, you know that.”
“Very true,” she says.
“But here I am cooking for her and acting like we’re a normal couple.”
“So what, you’re worried it’s going to be too sanitary and sane, or something? Since you’re so used to getting together in alleyways? I can throw together a crappy gift bag if that’ll make it less strange.”
“You are being remarkably unhelpful right now.” I glare at her. She doesn’t move from the couch.
“It still amazes me that you’re continually surprised by that.” She finally looks up from her phone. “Calm down, dude. You’ve had dinners before. And most of them have been way fancier than this one. Take a breath, stop freaking out, and look in your fridge.”
“The fridge?” She’s right. I take a deep breath as I wait for her answer.
“Yeah. Where the food is. Hopefully.”
“Oh. Duh!”
I look, and thankfully there’s more than expired milk and a lone stick of celery in there. At least I’m not that stereotypical of a bachelor. “Okay. I can do this.”
“Sure you can, doofus. I get what you mean about tonight being a big night, and I’m happy for you. Good luck.” Nikki heads for the door.
“Hey, where are you going?!”
“Somewhere out of the splash zone, obviously. You’re disgusting when you’re in love.”
It takes a second for her statement to register. “Wait, when I’m what?! I am not! I am not…in love.”
The door closes behind her. “I’m not…”
And that’s the first moment that I realize…I’m lying.
I am in love. Fuck.
Chapter 49 – Amelia
I know I should stay in the office and focus on my work (especially on the day that I turned in my application for a promotion), but I can’t get Brent out of my head. I convince myself to stay until 4 PM, but that’s the best I can do. At 4:01PM, I’m out from behind my desk, bag packed, thinking about what bottle of wine I’m going to pick up on the way home.
I open my office door - and almost bowl over Rosa.
“Hey, you!” she laughs, then looks me up and down. “Wait a minute…are you leaving early?”
“Pffft.” I try to pretend I’m not, but it doesn’t even come close to working. “I have a…a meeting. Client meeting. Important-”
“You’re a filthy liar.” Rosa shifts to block my way down the hall. “Spill!”
“Okay, okay!” I give in, probably a little too easily. “I turned in my application for the Junior Partner position today, and -”
“Oh, sweetie, that’s amazing! I told you you could do it!” Rosa gives me a big hug, then pulls back to look at me. “But that doesn’t explain playing hooky for the first time in your career!”
“I’m having dinner with Brent.” It just spills out of me in a stream of words. “I told him about the job and he really encouraged me to go for it and when I called him to tell him I’d applied, he said we had to celebrate so I’m going home to get ready.”
Rosa bursts out laughing.
“What?!” I demand, confused.
“Amil, honey, I’m not - this is wonderful. I’m only laughing because…well, you’ve got it bad for this guy, don’t you?!”
“I’m just excited to celebrate, that’s all!”
“Uh-huh. And this has nothing to do with the fact that this’ll be the first time you two do something together that’s not part of your ‘wedding’ adventure, right?”
That brings me up short. “I hadn’t even…thought of that. I was just excited.”
Rosa smiles, and steps out of my way. “Whatever you say. You go get him. I’ll cover your phone.”
“Thank you!” I’m off down the hallway at a speed that surprises even me. Part of me keeps insisting: I’m just excited to celebrate, right? This
isn’t really about Brent. We’re just…having fun. Aren’t we?
The rest of me isn’t fooled. Not even a little bit.
Chapter 50 – Brent
By the time Amil knocks on my door, I’ve managed to cobble together something resembling a nice meal. Something I call chicken alfredo even though it’s somewhat of an original recipe. It’s been awhile since I’ve cooked so extravagantly, and by now it’s quite clear I’m no master chef, but it seems I’ve pulled it off.
Amil steps through the door and exclaims, “Wow! It smells amazing in here. Who did you pay to cook for you?”
“Just for that, you don’t get any wine!” I take the bottle she’s holding, laughing as I do.
“No wine? But that’s the only way I can put up with you!” she shoots back.
“Come on, is that any way to talk to your future husband? What happened to in sickness and in health and all that?”
“Last time I checked, there was no ‘in intoxication and sobriety’ clause in the usual vows.”
“You got me there.” She comes close, but instead of reaching for the wine bottle, she kisses me - then sneaks the wine bottle back out of my hand. “So, where’s your corkscrew?”
Dinner is wonderful. We eat, we talk, we laugh…and the whole time, I’m mentally on the edge of my seat, my brain ricocheting around, trying to figure out how to say what I need to say, what I want to say.
By the time we’re standing on the balcony of my apartment, looking out at the lights of the city with our third glasses of wine, I think I’ve figured it out.
“Nikki’s right.” I burst out. Well, that wasn’t it.
“What?” Amil leans back against the railing, eyebrows raised. She looks absolutely amazing, wearing a deep purple dress accentuated with gold.
“Sorry,” I mumble. “Just…distracted for a second. Look, Amil, there’s something I need to tell you. Finish telling you, really.”
“What? Does The Bachelor want you back for another season? Lookalikes In Love, or something?” She’s trying to sound joking, but I can practically hear the breath catch in her throat.
“Close.” I smile, trying to ease her fear. I don’t think it works, but I plow ahead anyway. “You remember the last night at the winery? We talked about my family.”
“Sort of? We were both pretty out of it that night.” Amil is paying closer attention now, worry lines creasing her brow.
“Yeah…but you asked me about those women who came up to me at dinner. And you sort of fell asleep on me before I could totally tell you the truth.”
“What truth?” Amil isn’t relaxed anymore.
“That the reason they came up to me isn’t because I look like someone else.”
“I kind of figured that out,” she says, which causes me to relax a little. “I mean, I know I was really drunk the night you started telling me about it, but I get where you were going with it.”
“Okay, good,” I tell her. “Because I felt bad for lying. I know I’ve told you how I’ve earned my money. But, also, my family is incredibly rich. I try to have my independence from that but I’m also kind of attached to it involuntarily.”
Remembrance flashes across Amil’ face. “They knew about your last breakup.”
I nod, and at the same time, we both say, “Smelling blood in the water.”
“You’re richer than I even thought, and famous, and you didn’t tell me!” Amil brandishes her wine glass.
“Just rich. Not famous. I mean, I have some groupies and fans, but it’s mostly due to the rich part.”
“Still!”
“Look, let me explain.”
“Explain?”
“What I was going to tell you before you fell asleep that night, Amil. The story wasn’t over.”
“Oh.” She lowers the wine glass, and I take that as permission to continue.
“My family, they’re rich. My dad was a banker. You remember that much, I take it.” She nods, waiting for me to go on. “When my father passed away, he left his estate and company shares to me. Overnight, I wound up one of the richest men in New York. I didn’t want it. I hate numbers, I hate that world. But I loved my father. So, I put people he trusted in charge, and I took the money I need to survive - and thrive a little - and invested it in the opportunities I found, and went my own way.”
She meets my eyes. “That’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
“You say that.”
“Yeah, I do! I still don’t get why you kept it a secret from me, especially after the restaurant.”
This is it, then. This is when I have to tell her the real, core truth. “Because, Amil. I’m scared. This thing…this thing we’re doing, it’s turning into more than just something fun for me. I - I’m starting to really care about you. I hope you feel the same way, but if you do…I want you to be with me for me, not for money or anything like that. Some people…they find out about the money, and that’s all they want. I wanted to hang on to this, whatever it is, as long as I could. Just like Kelly. We had a prenup in place in case the wedding didn’t work out, and when she left me, she left with a lot of money. I’ve just tried to make sure that, you know, any future relationship I get into— which, I really didn’t mean to get into one so quickly, but, here we are— is based on more than just money.”
Amil regards me for a long moment. “You…are an idiot. But a lovable idiot, so it’s okay.” Even she seems a little surprised at the words coming out of her mouth. “I get bad relationships, I do. But do you really think I would’ve kept this whole thing up just for fun? I’m a lawyer. I work 14 hour days during the week, and I do just fine for myself. Trust me, I don’t need your money. But I do want you. So, the real question is, do you want me?”
I meet her eyes, loving the quiet, soft smile growing on her face. “I do. I really do.”
“Good.” she says, wrapping her arms around me. “Now, Richie Rich, is that a roll of silver dollars in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?”
“That…is the worst pickup line you’ve ever used on me.”
“Did it work?” She runs her lips over the skin of my neck, and I have a feeling she already knows the answer.
Chapter 51 – Amelia
I wish I was waking up next to him, is my first thought the next morning. I had to beg off staying the night, because leaving early and showing up late back-to-back was the kind of thing that I’d get noticed for - especially now that my Junior Partner application is in.
Still, I have to put that aside for the moment and force myself to focus on work. Our big weekly meeting is today, first thing in the morning. I slip into my chair at the conference table five minutes early, and it’s not too long before Rosa joins me.
“So? How’d it go?” she whispers to me as the room begins to fill up.
I can’t keep the grin off my face. Or the blush. “It was amazing. I think—” the end of that sentence gets driven out of my head when I see Jason and Violet enter the room…together, as always. Styles enters right after them, so I have an excuse to not talk.
“Good morning, everyone. Just a few quick things to knock off the agenda here before we head into the day. First off, applications are closed for the new Junior Partner position, and I’ll be finalizing my decision by the end of the week. I’m really pleased with the applications I received, and there are a few in particular that truly stand out.”
As he says this, Styles looks right at me…and smiles, just slightly. The rest of the meeting is a blur, as I try to process that look. He didn’t look that way at anyone else, did he? The nudge and grin that Rosa gives me makes me think not.
I’m feeling great, until the meeting ends and I head into the hallway. Violet and Jason are out there, and as I pass by, Jason looks right at me and says, “Yeah, the Junior Partners are the ones who get put on our billboard ads…Styles is going to have to pick someone who’ll actually fit.” Next to him, Violet snickers.
I keep walking. It shouldn’t matter to me. It shouldn’t.
> But it does.
The morning is a dull slog of activity after that. I work, but I can’t bring myself to care much about what I’m doing. I have to go back and do some of it over because it’s so full of errors.
When a knock comes at my door around noon, I jump at the chance to get out of my rut. “Come in!”
Rosa pokes her head around the door, still grinning just like she was this morning. “Hey! Got a surprise for you.”
“Yeah?”
She opens the door all the way, and standing in the hallway with her is…Brent. “I found this one wandering around the halls, looking for your office. Poor guy looked like a lost puppy, so I figured I could take a little pity on him.”
“Hey, Amil.” Brent is smiling, and holding two bags in his arms. “I brought lunch. Samples from the catering company!” He comes in and sets the bags on my desk. “C’mon! Time to stop working away and dive into something else more tasty.”
I should be happier that he’s here to surprise me. And part of me is. But the rest of me is still stuck in that hallway, hearing Jason’s comments over and over again. I barely pick at the food he brought us, and he notices.
“Amil. You okay?”
“Yeah. Sure. Just not that hungry.” I lie.
“Oh, I get it. Saving up room for the catering company taster this weekend, huh?”
Shit. I’d totally forgotten about that. And now, I was in no mood to actually do it. “About that…I’m not sure I can go.”
“What? Why not?” Brent looks incredulous, and I can’t blame him.
“I just - all this fancy eating out is making me gain weight.” Before I can stop myself, the rest of the thought bursts out. “And I’m fat enough as it is, I don’t need more.”
Brent sits back. “Amil. Where is this coming from? You look amazing.”
“No, I don’t! I look gross. I definitely don’t look good enough to be a Junior Partner.”
“Wait.” Brent reaches out and cups my face in his hand. “This doesn’t sound like you. It sounds like…Amil, did your ex say something?”
“Cute and smart.” I offer a halfhearted grin.
“Look, why do you care what he thinks anyway? He’s your ex, nothing he says matters-”
