One of the storefronts was an art gallery. They slowed down so she could look at the display cases housing original, handmade jewelry. Earrings and necklaces of hammered silver and burnished metals shared space with ornately rendered rings boasting gemstones of all colors. Olivia caught a glimmer of an exquisite fire opal ring set in an ornately carved rose gold band.
“That’s gorgeous,” she said, pointing to the ring. “I’ve always wanted something like that. I’ll have to come back and try it on. I’m guessing that you’re not a shopper. Am I right?”
“I’m guessing you’ve got me pegged. But if you want to try it on, you might as well since we’re here.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to subject you to that torture, because once I start in a shop like that I can’t promise how long I’ll linger.”
She flashed him a flirtatious smile as she started walking away from the shop. “But since we’re getting married, maybe that could be my engagement ring.”
* * *
“Ariana Lamonte of Weird Life Magazine is here to see you,” Judy Vinson, Olivia’s administrative assistant, said over the phone. “I know she doesn’t have an appointment, but she asked me to see if you could give her a few moments of your time. She said she’s been trying to get in touch with you for more than a month.”
“Ugh,” Olivia groaned into the phone.
No! Not Ariana Lamonte. The woman was the last person Olivia wanted to see today. It was her first day back and all day she’d felt as if she had been stuck in first gear when she needed to be in fourth to make serious progress toward catching up. Work did not stop even when the boss’s daughter got married.
Olivia had already fended off Pamela Davis who, as promised, had appeared in her doorway first thing that morning expecting to see the ring. Olivia was surprised the woman hadn’t brought her jeweler’s loupe. She stopped her sarcastic thoughts. She was just being defensive because she felt bad for having to tell yet another white lie—this one about the ring being sized.
Lies begat lies. She should be used to that by now. But it didn’t mean she had to like it.
Now she had to contend with Ariana Lamonte. The woman was relentless. She had been dogging Olivia for over a month now, trying to pin her down for a meeting. Until now, Olivia had been able to avoid her. Ariana was writing a series of articles about the Fortune family, more specifically about her father’s children. She’d been interviewing both the legitimate and illegitimate children of Gerald Fortune Robinson. It was juicy news that Austin’s resident genius had sown his seeds far and wide.
“Olivia?” Judy said. “Are you there?”
Olivia sighed loudly. “I’m here, Judy. Look, I can’t deal with Ariana Lamonte today. I am drowning in work. Can you get rid of her, please?”
“I’m sorry. Ordinarily, I would have already done that,” Judy said, her voice low, “because I know how you feel about her. But I think you might want to talk to her today. She says she has some news that you need to know.”
Oh, for God’s sake.
Olivia leaned her head back on her chair. If she sent the reporter away, she would only come back. She might as well deal with her once and for all and make the problem go away today.
“Okay, Judy, tell her I’ll be with her in a few minutes. I’m going to take a walk with her outside the building. She makes me nervous being in here. Please make sure she stays put. Don’t let her wander around. She has a knack for finding the exact place she shouldn’t be.”
“I hear you,” Judy said. “No worries. I have it all under control.”
“Thanks, Judy.”
Olivia took a moment to smooth her long dark hair—she was wearing it down today. Thank goodness she had taken the extra time to flatiron it smooth. She retouched her powder and reapplied her crimson lipstick. Finally, she stood and smoothed the wrinkles out of her black pencil skirt and white silk button-down blouse.
If the truth be told, she had put in the extra effort for Alejandro’s benefit. Why else would she have subjected her feet to the black stilettos she’d chosen if not to show him her professional side. When she’d walked into the kitchen this morning he’d given her a cup of coffee and a look that said he approved, one hundred percent.
Actually, as painful as the heels could be, they made her feel pulled together and in command. They made her feel badass. So, with that in mind, there couldn’t be a better day for Ariana to ambush her.
As Olivia walked down the hall toward the reception area, she chuckled to herself because she really was feeling pretty badass today. That meant the notorious Ms. Lamonte, who thought she could stage this surprise attack, would soon be discovering that the joke was on her.
When Olivia walked into the reception area, she saw a woman who looked to be in her mid to late twenties. She had a curvy figure, long brown hair and dark eyes. Her outfit was boho-artistic. Probably chosen to present an image of creative free spirit meets investigative reporter. She had pretty skin and her makeup accentuated her features but wasn’t heavy-handed. She wasn’t at all what Olivia had expected. Then again, Olivia didn’t know what she had expected when it came to Ariana Lamonte.
But here they were, face-to-face.
Olivia stuck out her hand, immediately taking charge of the situation. “Ms. Lamonte, I am Olivia Fortune Robinson. How can I help you?”
The reporter stood. She was probably close to Olivia’s height, but the high-heeled boots she wore made her seem much taller.
“Thanks so much for seeing me. I don’t make a habit of showing up unannounced, but I’ve called several times to set an appointment to no avail. So here I am. I had a feeling this would work.”
Ariana tilted her chin up a notch and smiled.
“Yes. I can only give you five minutes because I’m very busy. I’m in the process of digging myself out after being out of the office all week last week.”
Ariana’s eyes flashed. “Yes, I know. For your brother’s and sister’s weddings. I hear the ceremony and reception were absolutely beautiful. And I understand congratulations are in order for you, too. You’re engaged! Even though it does seem rather sudden, all of Austin is abuzz with the excitement of the happy news.”
It had been less than forty-eight hours since Sophie had opened her big mouth at the wedding and spilled the news. How could “all of Austin” already be abuzz?
“Is that so? You must have some very good inside sources because we haven’t announced that news yet. Who told you?”
Ariana widened her eyes and smiled an innocent smile. “Oh, Olivia, surely you know a good reporter never reveals her sources. But I can say this—everyone is very complimentary about your fiancé. I hope I will have the honor of meeting him sometime soon?”
Yeah, not on your life.
“Yes, well, what can I do for you today?”
Ariana hitched her leather handbag up onto her shoulder. “As you know, I have been writing a series called ‘Becoming a Fortune.’ I was hoping you would allow me to interview you for the next installment.”
“Why don’t we take a walk, Ariana.” Olivia didn’t wait for the reporter to weigh in. She simply started walking. “We can talk while we walk.”
Olivia cast a glance over her shoulder and saw Ariana stepping double time in those high-heeled boots to catch up. When she did, she fished in her shoulder bag and pulled out a small notebook and pencil.
“What can you tell me about your fiancé?”
Olivia frowned. “He’s a very private person, Ariana. I’d rather not talk about him in his absence.” They exited the front door of the office building and started walking down the path. “What other questions do you have? If that’s it, I really do need to get back to work. I hope you understand.”
“Of course. Well, I wanted to ask if you know anything about your father’s life before he moved
to Austin. I have uncovered some evidence that he may have been married before. Can you tell me anything about that?”
Olivia felt the edges of her peripheral vision go fuzzy for a split second. What? Oh, the fun never ended. Was her mother now going to have to deal with a harem of Gerald Robinson’s ex-wives in addition to the flock of illegitimate children? If so, maybe the wives—or wife, singular, as Ariana had said—would legitimize some of her father’s newfound offspring.
“Ariana, I have no idea what you’re talking about. All I know is that my father has been married to my mother for many years. If he had been married to someone else before her I can hardly see how that matters or is any of your business, frankly.” She turned on her heels. “I need to get back to work now. For the record, I’d rather not be interviewed. Please don’t contact me anymore.”
Chapter Ten
Alejandro knew there were many different facets to Olivia, but he’d never seen her quite as overwrought as she was when she got home from work on Monday evening.
“I don’t know who Ariana Lamonte thinks she is, but she basically ambushed me at work.”
Alejandro poured her a glass of Saint-émilion Grand Cru from the bottle he had opened an hour earlier so that it could breathe for a while.
“Thank you.” She took a sip and continued. “Wouldn’t you put two and two together and figure out that if somebody didn’t return your calls it was a hint that they didn’t want to talk to you?”
“I know you mentioned her the other night, but who is this woman?”
“She’s a features writer for Weird Life Magazine. It’s an Austin-based magazine. She’s been doing a series of articles called ‘Becoming a Fortune.’ She is completely obsessed with the Fortunes and all my father’s illegitimate offspring.”
“Why did she want to interview you?”
“She’s been profiling my siblings and basically anyone who has a connection to the Fortunes. I can’t believe how many people have cooperated and spoken to her. I don’t understand why. It really weirds me out to think that she’s putting my father’s indiscretions out there for all the world to see.”
Olivia sipped her wine. “This is good.”
“I thought you might like it. It’s one of my favorites. But did you talk to her?”
Alejandro motioned toward the living room. Olivia followed him into the room and they sat on the couch with their wine.
“I tried. Really, I did. But when she started asking about our engagement, that was the beginning of the end. She knows about us, Alejandro, and Sophie spilled the beans less than forty-eight hours ago. She’s that obsessed with us.”
“How do you think she found out?”
Olivia shrugged, then sipped her wine. “There were a lot of people at the wedding. It could’ve been anyone really. For all we know, she might be paying someone close to us for information.”
“What did you tell her?”
“I shut her down. Changed the subject. And she tried to follow up with the most ridiculous assertion that not only had my dad fathering children with women other than my mother, which we do know is true, but she says she has uncovered evidence that my father was married before he was married to my mother. That was the last straw. I asked her to leave.”
“How did she take it?”
“In all fairness, she was actually civil about it. She told me if I didn’t want to be interviewed, I didn’t have to do it. That’s how we left it.”
“I’m glad she was decent enough to realize she couldn’t force you into something you didn’t want to do. Do you think she’ll leave you alone?”
“I do. Or at least, I’m hopeful. I think she knows better than to show up at my office again.”
“I hope so.”
Olivia shook her head and stared off into space for a moment. “Every day it’s something new. Some new revelation or surprise about my parents that jumps out and hits me between the eyes. That’s why it’s easiest to not believe in anything that has to do with love and relationships,” she said. “Because just when you think you have a handle on it, that you know what’s what, a new piece of evidence surfaces that proves that everything you thought was real and good was all a big lie.” She turned to him. “Do you know what it’s like to live a charade?”
His right brow shot up. “I’m in the middle of living one right now,” he said. “I don’t mean to make light of your family situation.”
She reached out and touched his hand. “I know you don’t. The funny thing is, our relationship feels more real and substantive than anything that my parents have lived for decades.”
Her expression softened. And she looked like she had surprised herself by saying it.
“That might’ve sounded awkward or inappropriate,” she said. “I don’t mean to put any pressure on you. It’s just that you and I are more open and honest with each other than my parents have ever been.”
She shook her head and waved her hand as if she were clearing her words from the air.
He wanted to reach out and hold those hands, but he stopped himself. “We are open with each other, Olivia. If I lived in Austin, I think I might want to see if things could work out between us—”
“I was hoping you were still considering moving to Austin. Or at least that Hummingbird Ridge would keep you here for a while, while you look for a new investor.”
He silently muttered an explicative. He couldn’t tell her that he’d planned to talk to her father about investing, but today he had called Gerald Robinson’s assistant and canceled the meeting that was supposed to take place at three o’clock because he didn’t want to solicit an investment while he was masquerading as his daughter’s fiancé. He didn’t want her to feel pressured into intervening or going to bat for him, and he didn’t want to seem like one of the many guys who’d used her just to get to her father. But he was going to have to tell her something now. “I didn’t want to mention this until after the wedding, but that slight snag with the winery purchase is turning out to be more challenging than I first thought.”
“What’s happened?”
He shook his head, trying to decide how much to tell her. “It’s complicated, but it’s nothing we can’t work out. It’s not over yet. I just need some time to reconfigure the timeline. But on a much better note, I have a surprise for you. How about something to brighten your day?”
She narrowed her eyes. “Sounds good to me. What did you have in mind?”
“I got you something. Actually, it’s a birthday present, but I’m no good at holding on to gifts. Especially for the better part of a week. It’s burning a hole in my pocket. May I give it to you now?”
A smile spread over Olivia’s face and some of the stress from the day seemed to melt away. He got up and walked to the kitchen island and came back with a small square red velvet box. Balancing it on his right hand, he offered it to her.
“What is this?” she asked.
“Open it and see.”
She held the box for a moment, glancing up at him with a skeptical look on her face. Finally, she opened it.
* * *
It was the fire opal ring she had fallen in love with at the shop in downtown Austin yesterday. The sight of it took her breath away.
“Alejandro, what is this?”
He slanted her a glance. “The ring you liked? It is the right one, isn’t it?”
“Of course it’s the right one.” She slid it onto her finger and admired it for a moment before she got up and threw her arms around him. “Why did you do this?”
“It’s for your birthday. I guess I should’ve sung ‘Happy Birthday’ to you, but I’m sure you would’ve asked me to stop.”
“You shouldn’t have done this. It’s too much. I know how much it cost.”
He shrugged. “Nothing is too good for my fake fi
ancée. Now when they ask you to see the ring you can show them.”
“If I was engaged, this is exactly the ring I would choose.”
Olivia framed Alejandro’s face with her hands and before she could overthink it, she kissed him.
It was supposed to be a quick thank-you kiss. A peck on the lips to show him her appreciation, but somewhere between quick and kiss, it turned into something more.
Kissing him had become so natural these days. But this was different. It began leisurely, slowly, starting with a brush of lips and a hint of tongue. But at the contact, reason flew out the window.
When she slid her arms around his neck and opened her mouth, inviting him in, he turned her so that he could deepen the kiss. Deeply, fervently. Desperately.
Olivia fisted her hands in his shirt and pulled him closer.
Her entire body sang. Every sense was heightened as his touch awakened the sensual side of her that had been sleeping for far too long.
She heard the ragged edge of his breathing just beneath the blood rushing in her ears. She felt the heat of his hands on her back. He smelled like heaven: a heady mix of soap and cologne with subtle grassy notes mixed with something leathery and masculine. Yet despite the intoxicating way he smelled, it was the way he tasted—of red wine and something that was uniquely him—that nearly made her drunk with pleasure. The two combined were a heady, seductive mix that teased her senses and made her feel hot and sexy and just a little bit reckless.
Here in his arms, she didn’t feel like she had to have control. She wanted to melt into him, let him take charge for a while.
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