by Ali Parker
“It will be. It already is. Champagne in the middle of the day. I feel fancy,” she teased.
We walked in, I gave my name, and we were quickly taken to our table that I had reserved at the last minute. It hadn’t been easy, but fortunately, my name did have a little clout in the city. We sat down, ordered a bottle of champagne and took a minute to simply breathe.
“Tell me everything,” she said with a smile while sipping from the fluted glass.
I let out a long sigh thinking about the moment he asked me to be his wife. Tears once again blurring my vision. He was turning me into a ball of mush. I wasn’t usually prone to so much crying. “It was absolutely magical. I could not have pictured it going any better or being any more romantic. It was something I will cherish for the rest of my life.”
She nodded her head. “Okay, okay, I’m hooked. Tell me everything.”
I took a deep breath. “He rented out the entire restaurant. He had the chef prepare us a gourmet meal and then, he proposed to me on the balcony, overlooking the water with the moon high in the sky. It was absolutely beautiful. He got down on one knee after delivering the most moving speech and asked me to marry him.”
“What was his speech?” she asked breathlessly.
I smiled. “He said he loved me. That he’d loved me from the moment he saw me in his office that day. I swear my heart grew and then just stopped beating altogether.”
“I’m guessing there was a lot more to that speech.”
I grinned. “Yes, but that’s for us. Suffice it to say it was enough to make me want to melt in his arms.”
She propped her chin in her hand. “I’m so jealous.”
“I know.”
We ordered lunch and decided to have a real girls’ day. We skipped the spas and opted to do a little window shopping—for wedding gowns.
“I think you need to get some pictures with you and that ring,” she declared.
“Pictures?”
“We could go down to the pier or to that special place you said you had.”
I nodded. “That would be awesome. I could give him a picture as an engagement gift.”
“Do you have any photographer friends who’d be willing to give you a freebie?”
I shrugged a shoulder. “Maybe, or you can do it.”
She shook her head. “No way, not me. I’m not a photographer.”
“I have the equipment. It isn’t that hard.”
She smiled. “Really, you trust me to do that?”
“I do.”
I saw her face light up. “I’m thinking barefoot, a white flowing bohemian-style dress on the beach at sunset.”
I was impressed. “That actually sounds like a really good idea. I think you missed your calling.”
“Okay, let’s go shopping for the perfect dress,” I said, excited about the idea.
We visited several boutiques, but nothing was fitting in with Mandy’s vision. I was leaving it to her. This was her shoot. I was just the model.
“Stop!” she said as we walked by a thrift store specializing in vintage goods.
I stopped to look at the window where she had stopped moving.
“That one?” I asked, looking at the gauzy dress that looked like it was a turn of the century nightgown.
She nodded. “That has to be the one.”
I shrugged. “All right, let’s see if it’s my size.”
We went inside the shop, and the nice saleswoman pulled the dress out of the display window, handing it to me to try on. I loved the way it felt in my hand. It was so lightweight and breezy. It was perfect for a beach shoot.
I tried it on. It was too short for an ankle-length gown, but Mandy had an idea.
“We’ll slice up the hem, giving it a handkerchief look,” she said.
The saleswoman was horrified. “This is a one of a kind, you can’t shred it.”
Mandy turned to look at her. “I’ll pay you double.”
“Fine,” she grumbled.
When Mandy said she would pay double, she really meant me. I handed over my credit card and looked around the shop while the woman rang up the sale.
“We’ll go back to your place, and you can do your hair and makeup. I want to see this camera you said you have.”
At my house, we enjoyed a few glasses of celebratory champagne while I got dressed. Mandy wanted me barefoot, my hair long and loose and very little makeup. I had been in the industry long enough to pick up a few makeup tips.
I walked out of my bedroom to find Mandy messing around with the camera.
“Ready?” I asked her.
“I am.”
She looked at the clock. “We should get down there, so I can take some practice shots.”
I nodded and slipped on my sandals, ready to get to work. The Uber driver dropped us off at the pier, and we walked down to the section of beach I had claimed as my own.
Mandy fiddled around with the camera for a while before declaring she was ready. I did what I do best and posed for the camera with the sun setting on the water behind me. Every time I saw a similar scene, I was going to think about Terran.
When the sun was setting, and Mandy decided we had gotten all we could we called it a wrap.
“Let’s go back to my place and load these on my laptop so we can pick a couple,” I said.
“I’m excited. I think I got some really good shots, but I don’t know. I’m no professional.”
When we got back to my place, I cracked open a bottle of wine.
“I can’t believe you’re getting married. All this time and bam, you meet the man of your dreams. I guess good things do come to those who wait,” she said with a smile.
“I hope so.”
She shook her head, loading the memory card into the laptop. “Three months ago, you were a single virgin. Now, you’re engaged to be married to one of the most eligible bachelors in the state.”
“It’s hard to believe. I still can’t wrap my head around it.”
The pictures popped up, and I was immediately impressed with her work. “Mandy!” I exclaimed.
She was grinning. “These are good! Right? Am I right or am I just thinking they’re good, but they’re not like magazine good?”
I shook my head. “These are amazing. I don’t know if I can pick just one.”
We spent the next hour narrowing down the selection before sending a few shots to be printed. I couldn’t wait to present a framed picture to Terran. They were special because they were only for him.
“So, how’s it going with your new man?” I asked.
She smiled. “Good. Did you still want to do that double date?”
“Yes! I’m sorry! I talked to Terran, and he said whenever.”
“Great.”
“So, since you’re so good with the camera, I’m thinking I want to do something special for Terran’s birthday.”
“Uh, I don’t do porn,” she said, holding up her hands.
I laughed. “Not porn, but something sexy and for his eyes only. I don’t know what else to get the man who has everything besides me.”
She shrugged. “I guess. We can do a tasteful shoot. I don’t want to see any of your bits though.”
I laughed. “As if!”
“Okay, so should we do a little online shopping for this next photoshoot?”
I nodded. “Definitely and we have to order it in your name. I can’t risk anyone getting wind of this.”
“I can do that.”
“I want to make this birthday special. I’ll have a nice dinner ready for him, wear whatever outfit I have on in the pictures and bring his fantasies to life.”
She grinned and nodded. “We need a theme.”
“Oh my god, you are a naughty woman. What kind of theme?”
She burst into laughter. “I’m naughty?”
“I’m trying to think of what he likes. I mean, he likes surfing, cheeseburgers—” I said, my voice trailing off.
“We’ll think of something, or rather, you
’ll think of something,” she assured me.
I would. I wanted to make him feel like the most loved man in the entire world. He needed to know just how special he was to me.
Chapter 36
Terran
I could hear her softly breathing and knew she was still sound asleep. It was early. I woke up before I needed to. I couldn’t sleep. There was a lot that I had planned for the day. It was a nervous energy that had me wide awake with the rising sun, something I was not normally prone to.
I carefully rolled out of bed and padded out to the living room in nothing but my underwear. I started some coffee and sat down at the breakfast bar with my laptop, ready to start my day. I sipped coffee and clicked on the email from my attorney first. I looked at the time and saw it had been sent about ten minutes ago.
“Damn,” I muttered, wondering if he got up that early every day.
I quickly read the brief email, asking if there were any updates to my situation. I grinned thinking about the update and decided it would be best to call and tell him instead. I took my coffee out to the balcony, carefully closing the doors behind me. I didn’t need Hailey overhearing my conversation.
I called Jim’s cell phone and waited.
“Well, well, well,” Jim answered.
I laughed. “I just got your email and wanted to call and talk to you.”
“What’s happening?” he asked in a tone that revealed his dread about hearing the answer.
“I’m officially engaged.”
“Well hot damn. That’s great. I think we should be able to wrap this all up in a hurry then,” he said with glee.
I smiled, feeling a weight being lifted from my shoulders. “So, what do we do now?”
“I’ll contact the estate attorney. I don’t see any reason this can’t move forward. I will need some kind of proof of the engagement to shore up the deal.”
I nodded my head. “How do I get that? I can’t exactly ask her to sign a statement saying she has agreed to marry me. She isn’t aware of the marriage clause, and I don’t want her to find out.”
He cleared his throat. “I understand. I’ll do my best to keep all that quiet.”
“Thank you.”
He didn’t speak for several seconds. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” he asked.
“What? Her not knowing? Yes, I think it’s a very good idea. If she thinks I only proposed to get the money, there’s a good chance she’ll back out of the engagement. I can’t afford to lose everything,” I said a little testily.
“Okay, okay, your call. I’m only trying to make sure you don’t run into any snags at the last minute.”
“It’s fine. I’ve got it handled. Now, what do I need to do to make this official?”
“I think the announcement in the paper will do just fine. It’s a nice picture of you and your future bride who is beautiful,” he commented.
“What?” I asked, wondering what the hell he was talking about.
“Your engagement announcement. It’s the front page of the community section. You’ll want to get some better pictures of the two of you actually together, but this will do for now,” he explained.
I shook my head, wondering if the man was half-asleep or really confused. “I don’t have an announcement in the paper. I literally got engaged just over forty-eight hours ago.”
“Well, I’m telling you, I’m looking at your face with the news of your engagement to a one, Hailey Hollis, age twenty-eight, wedding date is still to be set,” he read in a monotone voice.
“Holy shit,” I muttered, thinking Hailey was definitely moving fast.
“Okay, I’ll check into that. So, what now? Get pictures of the two of us together? The ring? What do I need to make sure this looks real?”
“I’ll chat with the other attorney and see how much of a stickler he’s going to be. I’ll get back to you today if I can. Congratulations and good luck in the world of marital bliss,” he joked.
“Ya, I’ll need it.”
“By the way, I’m an excellent divorce attorney,” he teased before hanging up the phone.
I walked back into the condo and listened. I didn’t hear any sounds of her being awake yet but walked back to my bedroom to be sure. I pushed open the door and saw her bare back, the sheet around her waist, her hair in a halo around her head as she slept away.
I watched her for several minutes, debating whether or not I should wake her up with a trail of kisses down her spine. Her beauty mesmerized me. I felt something deep in my soul when I looked at her. Her blue eyes always drew me in. I smiled thinking about how they twinkled with unshed tears when she was really happy.
I mentally shook myself out of the little reverie and headed into the shower. I had planned an early day at work with the anticipation of dealing with phone calls from dad’s attorney. If the engagement was truly in the paper, I had a feeling my day was going to be a lot busier. Friends, clients, and acquaintances would all be wanting to call and offer their congratulations.
I ignored the knot of guilt sitting in my stomach. I couldn’t feel guilty for wanting what was rightfully mine. Yes, I was being a little shady to get it, but it was still mine. I had every right to that inheritance and definitely to my company. It was my damn company!
I stepped into the hot shower, trying to wash away that cloak of guilt that wouldn’t go away. I had hoped to avoid a public announcement in order to save Hailey the embarrassment when I broke it off in the next couple of months. She clearly was in it to win it and had staked her claim in a very public way. That didn’t sit right with me. I had a feeling the announcement was more of a bragging than a sharing. She wanted everyone to know she had snared herself a wealthy man.
I shut off the water, my anger quickly pushing away the feeling of guilt that had plagued me earlier. I wished she could be the woman who she claimed to be. That was the woman I was in love with if I was being honest with myself. The superficial Hailey, the one I was convinced was under that perfect veneer, that was the Hailey I would dump once I got my inheritance.
I dressed, grabbed my briefcase, stuffing my laptop inside before heading for the door. I didn’t stop to kiss her goodbye. If I did, she’d probably wake up, and I couldn’t talk to her right now. I was far too angry and hurt.
I walked out the door and headed for the lobby, my face set in a scowl.
“Congratulations Mr. Maddox,” the doorman said as I walked by.
My initial reaction was what the hell he was talking about before I remembered why I was in such a pissy mood to begin with.
“Thanks,” I mumbled and jumped into the waiting car I had ordered.
I had a feeling my day was going to be long and irritating. I didn’t want to hear all the stupid congratulatory remarks. I hoped like hell I could hide in my office all day and pretend none of it ever happened. In that moment, I was regretting my decision for a long list of reasons.
By the time I got to the office, I had worked myself up into a serious tantrum. I stopped and grabbed a newspaper from one of the stands and headed for the elevators, quickly pulling out the middle section. There I was, staring at my face in black and white. One of Hailey’s headshots was posted alongside my own photo with the caption, ‘Notorious Bachelor to Wed.’
I rolled my eyes. I wasn’t notorious. Zach was notorious. I had been a single man dating. I didn’t see why that had been such a big deal for anyone.
I was thankful the office was quiet. I looked to be the first one in. I hit the lights in my office, sitting down to read the brief article that went along with our engagement announcement. I stared at Hailey’s picture and felt that familiar pull at my heart. She was gorgeous. I guessed things could be a lot worse. At least I was fake engaged to a beautiful woman. Attending parties and various functions with her on my arm would be fun. It wouldn’t be a chore to dress up in a tux and dance with various women. I could dance with her alone and talk to her alone.
I smiled, feeling some of the anger subside. I was mad and
glad at the same time. I was beginning to feel like a hormonal mess. This inheritance business needed to be over and done with before I lost my damn mind.
There was a soft knock on the door before Lena popped her head in.
“Good morning,” I greeted her with a smile.
“Good morning to you, although I think your morning is probably a little better than good. I saw the announcement. Congratulations. I really like her. I’m glad you two are going to make it official.”
I smiled. “Thank you, Lena.”
“Sure. Is there anything you need? You’re early. I would usually have a coffee ready for you, but you beat me in.”
I laughed. “I had some stuff I wanted to get a jump-start on.”
“Okay, I’ll leave you to it. Congratulations, again.”
“Lena,” I called out, stopping her before she closed the door behind her.
“Yes?”
“Can you maybe filter the calls that come in today? I’m guessing there are going to be a lot of well-wishers, and I really do have a full day and would rather avoid the interruptions.”
She smiled. “Of course. It isn’t every day one of the top bachelors in the state gets pulled off the market. There are going to be a lot of broken hearts today.”
I chuckled. “I doubt that.”
“Don’t worry, the sounds of joy and the celebrating by the other young, eligible men are going to drown out those tears.” She laughed.
I rolled my eyes. “There are plenty of women for everyone.”
“Yes, but you seem to have had the market cornered. The ladies were all holding out for you. Now that you’re off the market, they’re going to have to start looking elsewhere, which is going to make those other guys very happy.”
I shrugged a shoulder. “I do what I can.”
She shut the door. I could hear her laughing as she moved away. I focused on my work, waiting to hear back from Jim or get word from Bob. I kept looking at the clock, waiting to hear something. I’d heard the phone ringing quite a bit, but Lena only patched a few calls through. I had been right about the calls to congratulate. I felt a little bad for Lena who was having her busy workday interrupted as well. It would all die out soon. It was the hot news for the day. Soon enough, a government official would get caught for drinking and driving or find himself in the middle of the scandal, and then Hailey and I would be forgotten.
