In Deep

by Lulu Pratt

  “That’s cliché.” I shoot back, but I am blushing, warmth spreading from my cheeks to my toes. The night is magical and his words strike a core within me. I still feel a little dizzied from the evening, which feels like it passed in a whirlwind.

  A laugh bubbles up in my chest, surprising me. Cade looks at me curious and I shrug, “You proposed on the first date.”

  “I was enraptured by you and I just happen to keep a spare ring on hand.”

  I laugh, a genuine one, and shake my head, “So you only date girls with my ring size?”

  Cade nods, “It’s an absolute deal breaker if you’re any other size.”

  I smile and the walk lulls into a comfortable, pleasant silence. I realize that I am still holding his arm, but it seems too late to pull away. So I just breathe in the river, the water, and the lights that glitter from the city.

  It’s magical. This would have been the perfect evening, if not for the nagging doubt that I am being a complete sell out. I’m doing Cade a favor and he’s doing me one in return. We both have our reasons. I know his and I’m not sure whether or not he knows mine.

  He needs to be married before he turned thirty, or he won’t inherit the money from his trust fund. I smile, remembering the conversation that happened as I cut his hair. He had been worried about it – I could tell, even through the easy confidence. As a joke, I had recommended he just fake a marriage, fake a relationship to make it through.

  Cade had jumped at the idea and I soon found myself being propositioned. I would pretend to be in a serious relationship with him – possibly even marry him (for a little while), and he would compensate me by paying me serious money.

  “You seem lost in thought.” Cade glances at me.

  I shrug, “It’s been a bit of a crazy day, don’t you think?”

  “Pretty average.” He teases.

  I laugh and shake my head, “That’s one hell of an ‘average’ life you’ve got there.”

  “You know it.”

  We lapse into silence again and I am happy to let it happen. I have to let all this happen, after all. I need the money, even though he doesn’t know it. Sure, he realizes that I’m not making top dollar in my job, but there are medical bills mounting for my brother, an aging mother who cannot possibly do it all herself, a lifelong dream of opening my own salon and helping them all.

  My stomach twists. I have to make this convincing. Cade is relying on me and so is my family. There is no room for being coy, no room for error. I glance at Cade. It shouldn’t be hard. He’s easy on the eye, wealthy and everything a girl should want. Sure he’s a flirt and I want to strangle him when he asks too personal questions, but I can make this work. I have to.

  I bite my lip. It’s not easy to pretend we’re in a relationship, when I’ve never been in a relationship that was even close to as serious as this fake one. I blush. Cade kissed me with more passion in a relationship that is totally made up than expected, more than any other man has in the past.

  I hurry to find something to say, something to cover the way I have started blushing, “What else do we have to do to prove this?” I look at him curiously.

  Cade sighs and tilts his head back to stare at the stars, “We might have a few meetings to attend, a couple of legal signings – that kind of thing.” He glances at me, “You don’t have to attend, but it would be good if you did.”

  “Be the supportive fiancée, I guess?” I smile.

  Cade nods, “Yes, and you can guarantee that they will send people in to check up on our relationship, to prove that it’s real.” He shakes his head and I can see the disgust in his eyes at the thought. “Sharks, the lot of them.”

  I nod and decide now is not a great time to bring up the fact that this is a fake relationship, and they would be right to have their suspicions. I keep my mouth shut and idly muse that I’m already getting better at reading him, fake relationship or not.

  We approach the bridge and Cade leads us onto it. I smile as the glittering lights reflect off the water. It’s heavenly. It’s beautiful and I sigh. This might all be fake, and I might have my own motives, but there’s no denying that it’s an experience being on Cade’s arm.

  He’s charming and driven and knows how to treat a lady. No wonder he has a new one on his arm every week. He probably has a new girl on his arm every couple of days, if I am being honest. That would make me his longest relationship. The thought makes me chuckle and I shake my head when he throws me a curious look.

  I realize that I have still not let go of his arm and I smile, realizing that I am not in much of a mood to do so. We need to be convincing, after all.

  “Let me know when they schedule any meetings and I’ll try to get off work.”

  He nods, looking concerned, “It might be short notice. Do you have to pay your replacement if you give short notice?”

  I nod, “Yes, that’s the standard rule, unless it’s sick leave.”

  Cade nodded, “Well, I’ll cover any expenses, okay? We need this to go smoothly, so just let me know what you need.”

  I smile and nod, relief bubbling up inside me. I laugh, “Well, in that case, I need a shopping trip.” I tease.

  “Done.” He stops, riffling through his wallet and handing me a credit card. He scribbles down the pin code and hands it over to me.

  “Cade.” I blush, embarrassed, “I didn’t mean you had to…” I trail off.

  “Just try not to spend thousands. If you need something for the meeting, don’t hesitate to grab it. You’re my fiancée, after all.”

  I stand there, feeling awkward as I clutch his card in my hand. Eventually, I tuck it into my purse and shut it firmly, “Okay… but I’m not going crazy with it.”

  Cade smiles and looks me over, “No, I don’t suppose you would.”

  I wonder if he’s given anyone else a card, if any other woman has had access to his funds, or knows his life story as well as I do. I don’t think we’re close, but being someone’s stylist means you learn things. It strikes me that he may be trying to get me on his good side, so that I have no reason to rat him out.

  I realize that I have a lot of the power here, even though he holds the money. One word to the trust fund and it’s all over for him. But then, that would mean it would be all over for me too, and I’m not that silly. Besides, he’s an arrogant womanizer, but he’s never been anything but nice to me, even though he can drive me nuts. I have no reason to try to hurt him. As long as we keep this professional, there’s no reason to worry.

  “We’re almost at your car.” He smiles and I realize that he’s right. He offered me a lift, but I declined, preferring to take my own car and have an escape route. Now I wonder why I even worried about that in the first place.

  “Thank you for tonight.” I turn to him as we reach my car.

  He shrugs, “Thank you.” He leans in and takes my hand. I can feel my heart beating in my chest, thudding as color rises to my cheeks, “The company… was exquisite.”

  He presses his lips to the back of my hand and I think I might swoon right there and then. Then he smirks and there’s something different in his eyes, something that’s different from the teasing glances of before.

  One hand wraps around my waist and he pulls me in. When his lips meet mine, all I can taste is him, the lingering flavor of coffee on his tongue, the tiramisu. His kiss is electric and I feel it move through my body, down my skin and fizzling in a blush along my cheeks.

  He’s kissing me like he means it and I cannot help but melt into him, my arms going around his broad shoulders.

  Keeping this strictly professional is not going to be easy.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  ADAM JONES

  The wind nips at my heels today and I wrap my coat tighter around myself. It’s a chilly day – not yet cold enough to bring on the wrath of winter, but not warm enough to turn off the heaters or unwrap the coats. It’s my favorite time of year – it has a way of cleansing the city, leaving it feeling fresh and crisp in a way t
hat I could never have imaged before coming here.

  It feels like it is blowing away the soot and dirt of the world, and leaving it scrubbed fresh and new. I enjoy it and work seems to pick up around this time. I glance at the building in the distance. It’s a tall, imposing sort of building with mirrored windows. It is completely impersonal. Funny, because that’s the opposite of what I do.

  I make my way into the building, the doorman nodding at me when I step inside. At the elevator, I push the button to the tenth floor and let it do its thing, grateful for the silence, for the fact that I am alone in this elevator. I turn and check myself in the mirrored walls. A little windswept. I smooth back my hair and straighten my jacket.

  The elevator dings and I step out into the corridor, making my way to my office. It’s a small space, seeing as this is a privately rented office. But it works for appointments with my clients, and that is really all that I need it for. I unlock the door and step into the room. Simple waiting room space, leading into a clean office with minimalistic décor, clean lines and a desk with three chairs. One for me, two for my clients.

  I flick on the coffee machine and let the scent fill the room. I take off my coat and drape it neatly over the back of my chair. A legal pad and a pen follow, placed on my desk.

  I sit, unpack my laptop and fire it up. It doesn’t take me long to get into my emails, and I do a bit of digging on this job. It seems simple enough, and I am not feeling very worried about it. It seems like it will be straightforward. Easy money.

  Then it’s just a case of waiting until they show up. I glance at the clock. A few minutes to go.

  Pouring myself a cup of coffee, I take a moment to admire the artworks that decorate the wall. Simple, sedate landscapes that I am quite fond of, and my clients don’t deem as too emotive. This is meant to be a calm space, a relaxed and professional environment where my clients can speak to me in the strictest of confidentiality.

  A knock on the door catches my attention and I set down my coffee with a small smile. Time to do what I do best.

  I pull open the door.

  “Mr. Jones’s office?” The man in front of me is an older gentleman, dressed in a suit that is obviously not cut to fit him. The watch on his wrist highlights wealth, as do the diamonds that drip from the woman beside him. His wife, I presume. It’s my job to be observant, very observant.

  “Mr. and Mrs. Samuel. Please, come in.” I step back graciously to let them past, “Please take a seat in my office.” I lead the way to my desk, taking care to shut the door behind them. I pull out the seat for Mrs. Samuel.

  “Coffee?” They both nod and I go to the machine and pour out two cups. The silence and the smell of coffee linger in the air. It’s comforting – to me at least. It also gives my clients time to collect themselves before we talk – take out any paperwork and that kind of thing.

  It’s a ritual that works time and time again – the social connotations of talking over coffee. A way to ensure that my clients talk more, give more answers, let me into their motivations a little more. It just makes my job so much easier.

  “Sugar and cream?” I enquire with a smile, glancing at them.

  “No, thank you.” Mr. Samuel answers almost coldly and I make a mental note of it. Remember what he drinks and how he takes his coffee – you’ll come across as more personable later, which is just what I want.

  “Cream and two sugars.” Mrs. Samuel answers. I hear an almost distressed edge to her voice and I understand that this is big deal for her, probably in more ways than one. I wonder where they both fit in to all this. After stirring the sugar and cream into Mrs. Samuel’s coffee, I set them both down on the table.

  I grab my own coffee, giving them another moment, listening to the sound of clinking cups and the dull thud of one being put on the table, before I turn and take my own seat.

  “Now… what can I help you with?”

  Mr. Samuel purses his lips, “Mr. Jones, if I may speak very frankly…”

  His wife glances at me, almost nervously. I can see the displeasure radiating from the both of them. “I am in charge of a trust fund for my nephew, and I have been for many years now.”

  I nod, paying close attention to what he is saying, as well as how he says it. Reading people is an art, but it is vital in this business.

  He continues, “However, I am… concerned about the validity of some of his claims.”

  “The validity, you say?”

  “Yes.” He answers stiffly, “There is a clause which states he must be married by the time he is thirty, in order to gain his full inheritance.”

  “Is he married?” I ask in quiet tones.

  He shakes his head, “No, but evidently he is engaged.” He frowns deeply, “This only happened very recently, mind you, and he is approaching his thirtieth birthday.” He looks at me in a knowing sort of way. I suppose he thinks that he is being smooth. I keep my own face collected and composed.

  I nod my head in understanding, “So you believe he has entered into a fake relationship in order to gain access to this trust fund?”

  “Exactly.” Mrs. Samuel hisses with such ferocity that I almost drop my façade. Almost.

  She continues, “He’s never been interested in settling down before. Never! He’s had a string of one-night stands a mile long. It’s an absolute disgrace.”

  I hide my smirk and nod seriously instead, “Of course, Mrs. Samuel, of course. It would be terribly distressing for you and your family.”

  She nods and sinks back into the chair, seeming satisfied with her little outburst. Her husband continues on instead, “We want to make sure this relationship is legitimate. You understand?”

  “I understand very clearly, Mr. Samuel.” He wants me to find some dirt on the two of them, and it couldn’t be clearer. He has something to gain from his nephew not getting the money and I have no doubt as to what that might be. I need to make sure that I find some way of disproving their relationship, in order to have success in this job.

  “What is your nephew’s name?” I ask.

  He hands me a stack of papers, and the name that appears time and time again is Cade Harlow. He’s the one I’m looking for. He’s the one I am seeking to undo. The pile of papers is huge and it will take me forever to skim through them all. I take a quick look through a few of them, before I set them down and look at them both dead on.

  “I will do the best I can to make sure that this relationship is truly legitimate, to protect the honor of your… family.” The word ‘money’ lingers on my tongue but I do not say it. Instead, I stand, “May I keep these papers?”

  “Of course.”

  I nod in satisfaction as I see them both to the door. As we are walking, we discuss the contracts and the money. They will be paying me quite handsomely and I make a note to send over the contract to them as quickly as possible. I want this signed before I start with any of the work.

  I have learnt the hard way not to trust anyone, especially not my clients.

  “Thank you for your time, Mr. Jones.” We shake hands and I smile.

  “No, thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel. I assure you that I will do everything in my power to get to the bottom of this.”

  I see them out of the door. The name plate on the door glints in the light. Adam Jones. Lawyer. I smirk and shut the door behind myself. I might be a lawyer, but sometimes I feel far more like a private investigator, like someone who works on covert missions instead of someone who should be defending a man in court.

  I sit down at my desk, taking a long sip of my coffee as I read through the information that they have provided me. It’s quite in depth. There’s the paperwork from the original trustee agreement, all the legalities and the clauses outlined perfectly. There’s proof of Cade’s birthday.

  I read on, nodding slightly as my suspicions are confirmed. Yes, if he does not get the money, then they will. The two of them looked wealthy enough, and it’s not like they needed the money, but that’s not what it’s about.

&
nbsp; If I expose Cade in a lie, then it’s hardly my fault if his world crashed around him. I’m just doing my job and he should be doing his. I file away all the paperwork, and lean back in the chair, staring out of the window.

  I’ve been caught in the crossfire too many times in my life. Too many people who lie and cheat their way to the top. I’ve been trampled too many times in the process and, I swear, I will never let it happen again.

  If Cade is lying, deceiving his family for his own personal gain, then he deserves everything that he gets. I feel the resolve harden in my chest as I pick up the phone, preparing to make the call.

  I hope that Cade is ready for this.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CADE HARLOW

  It has been another day of nonstop meetings. It has not eased since I first walked into the office and it doesn’t look like there is any chance of it slowing down any time soon. If I am not emailing somebody, then I am phoning them and if I am not doing that, then I am in a face-to-face meeting with some executive or employee who wants more from me than I can give.

  I sit at my desk, staring at the figures that had seemed so promising only a few months ago. Without warning, they have plummeted against prediction and I am left with debts to pay, deals to make and the burning drive to pull my family’s company up and out of the dirt. I know if I have the money, these deals will work. I know it. They will build the company that my father worked so hard to create – I will build it to even greater heights.

  I lean back against the chair and rub my face. I could really do with another coffee. I have barely had time to drink the first one today and I am beginning to feel as if I am running on fumes. The memory of last night seems so far away.

  The thought of Ellen and the spark that buzzed between us seems like nothing more than a fevered dream. There is no way that we kissed under a sparkling sky. There is no way that we walked hand in hand after drinking Champagne and coffee. Something that romantic, however fake, doesn’t seem like it could exist in the harsh world of business.