Marry Me For Money: A Billionaire Fake Fiance Novel

by Ali Parker

  Chapter 52

  Hailey

  I tried my best to stay rational and impartial. I wanted to fall into his arms and believe everything he was saying. I wanted to. I wanted to pretend I never heard what Lance said. I wished like hell we never had the conversation outside the restaurant, but we did. As much as I wanted to believe him, I had to know for sure. I had to know he wasn’t just running another game on me to get that money. I closed my eyes, replaying the scene and him accusing me of going after him simply because of the money.

  When I opened my eyes, he was staring at me with those expressive green eyes that I could stare into for days. He was so handsome. It should be illegal, I decided. A man should not be able to be that good-looking. It wasn’t fair. How could any straight woman resist him?

  “Terran?” I said his name like I wished everything he said was true.

  “Tell me. I can handle it. Please, put me out of my misery and just tell me what’s on your mind.”

  He was waiting to hear what I had to say. The tension in his shoulders made my heart hurt. I loved him. I didn’t want to see him hurting. I was hurting as well. It had physically hurt not being near him the last week.

  I took a deep breath, steeling my resolve. “What happens if you don’t have a fiancée by your thirty-fifth birthday? I mean, I know you said you won’t inherit, and the company gets sold, but where does the money go?”

  “To a charity. He set it all up before he died. I didn’t know about it. I mean, I had been told there were some probate issues, but it never occurred to me he would have done what he did. It still blows my mind,” he said with a sadness I could feel in my very core.

  “What about everything you have? I mean you’re well-off, aren’t you? Why do you need your dad’s money?” I asked. I wondered if he was throwing a fit because he would only be rich and not mega-rich.

  He shook his head. “I’ve put a great deal of my money into the company. I had to take out loans to grow it. I wasn’t too smart about investing outside my company. I’m not going to be a complete pauper, but my lifestyle will change. I won’t just not have a company, I won’t have a job. Without a job, I can’t pay my rather exorbitant mortgage and the even more ridiculous payment on that stupid yacht I should have never bought in the first place. That was one of those things that pissed my dad off. Squandering my money, he always lectured. I guess he is really getting the last word in everything.”

  “Oh,” I said.

  He chuckled. “Ya, oh, is right. I’m not pressuring you. This is not your problem. I only told you because I want to be completely honest with you.”

  “Thank you, I appreciate that. I am so sorry. I cannot imagine what kind of stress that has put on you. I never meant to make it worse, but, at the same time, marrying me can’t be the solution to your financial problems,” I said in a way that I hoped was gentle and not arrogant.

  He shook his head. “I know, and it wasn’t supposed to be. Hailey, I knew if I continued to see you, there was a good chance I wouldn’t get the inheritance. I chose to keep seeing you anyway. Things were going so well between us, I decided to propose to have the best of both worlds. It wasn’t to deceive you or the lawyers or anything else.”

  I looked at him and knew he was telling the truth. In his eyes, he wasn’t doing anything wrong. “This is a lot for you to be carrying around. Why didn’t you talk to me about any of this?”

  His face turned red as he grimaced. “I guess I was embarrassed and ashamed.”

  I winced. That would be rough. I knew what it was like to be broke. “Terran, I want to give you another chance. I really do, but you have to know I’m hesitant.”

  “Tell me what you want. I’ll do it. I’ll do anything,” he said, eagerly.

  “I need to know you don’t want me, this relationship, just so you can get your father’s inheritance.”

  He was nodding his head. “Okay. I get it. I promise it isn’t. I will swear on whatever you want. This is real. This is all about you and me.”

  I didn’t know if I could believe him.

  He continued. “I want to start over. I want to give this relationship another shot. I will never lie to you. I want you to believe me. I don’t want you to ever question my true intentions. Please, Hailey, please give me the chance to prove how serious I am about us.”

  He was saying all the right things, whittling away at my defenses. It was taking everything I had not to grab his hand and drag him somewhere private.

  “I want to believe you, I really do, but Terran, you hurt me. I’m the one that has my guard up now. I’m afraid to let myself fall for you.” I had never felt this vulnerable in my life.

  He closed his eyes. “I know. I’m sorry. I can’t tell you how sorry I am. I fucked up.”

  I held up my hand. “Stop. I don’t need groveling. That’s not what I’m asking for.”

  He shook his head. “Hailey, what are you asking for?”

  “Let’s start over. We can go to dinner tomorrow. Does that work?”

  He vigorously nodded his head. “Yes, absolutely.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. He was so cute. He reminded me of a little boy but in a manly way. I hated how much I loved him. I should have been more guarded. I casually wiped my mouth, making sure I wasn’t drooling. I felt like I was drooling as I looked at him and thought about him naked and what he could do to my body. I quickly refocused my attention on the matter at hand.

  “Okay, can we table all that heavy stuff and just talk?” I asked.

  He blew out his cheeks. “Please. I’ve missed you. I’ve missed talking to you about my day and stuff.”

  “What have you been doing the last week?” I asked.

  He smiled. “Well, I did a lot of sulking and moping around at home. Then Zach took me to the beach. I don’t think I got out of the water for a good three hours. He wasn’t happy. Zach is more of an opportunity surfer. He goes out for a bit, then combs the beach looking for women while pretending he’s been surfing all day.”

  I laughed and took a big bite of my burger. It was nice to be with him. I wanted to tell him about my part but held back. It felt too personal. We needed to take this slow. I couldn’t risk my heart again. We managed to get through a stilted lunch before he took me back home.

  “Does seven work for you?” he asked, sitting in his car in my parking lot.

  I nodded. “Yes. Do you want to pick me up?”

  “Yes, I’d love to.”

  “Great. I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said, quickly climbing out of the car before it got awkward and he tried to kiss me. I couldn’t kiss him. If I kissed him, I would be lost.

  I waved goodbye and headed inside. I forced myself not to look back. I could hear the engine of his car idling and knew he was watching me walk in. I purposely swayed my hips a little more than usual. I couldn’t help but tease him.

  As soon as I was inside, I breathed out a long sigh. That had been hard to keep my guard up when all I wanted to do was ask him to hold me. My heart had shattered listening to how much he stood to lose and was choosing to give it all up for me. I wanted to believe him. I was listening to my gut like Mandy advised and felt he was being truthful. He did love me.

  I had to tell her. I grabbed my purse and fished out my cell phone. She answered on the second ring.

  “I did it!” I squealed when I heard her say hello.

  “You did what? What did you do? Do I need to raise bail money?” she asked rapid fire and slightly out of breath.

  I burst into laughter. “What are you talking about? Bail money? Who do you think I am?”

  “Well, when you said you did it, I have to assume you did something that was too terrible to admit to over an open line.”

  I rolled my eyes. “You watch too many crime movies. I just had lunch with Terran.”

  She was silent for a few seconds. “So, again, do I need to raise bail money?”

  “No!”

  “Whew. Okay, how did it go? Did you claw his eyes out o
r did you give him a chance to explain?”

  “We talked. We’re going out to dinner tomorrow, and I hope to talk again.”

  I could hear the relief in her voice. “Okay, give me the details. What’s that gut telling you?”

  “I want to believe him. I think he’s being honest. I do believe he loves me.” I said the words out loud, listening to them and letting them roll over me.

  “Good. So, now what?”

  “I don’t know. I have to find out if he’s really serious about wanting me for me.”

  “And how can you ever know for sure?”

  I groaned. “I don’t know.”

  “What did he say to convince you that he loved you for real and not for what you could do for him?” she asked.

  I sighed, moving to sit on the couch, my feet up on the coffee table. “He apologized. He told me about the will and why his dad wants him to be married. What a sad situation. My heart hurts for him. He had all the money in the world and the big house and the fancy car, but he didn’t have that stability—that love that a kid needs.”

  “You’re breaking my heart,” she sniffled.

  “It is a really sad story. He is so used to being used for his money and connections he just assumed I was the same way. I hate that he doesn’t have better self-esteem,” I said, fighting back the emotion in my voice.

  “I think that man has plenty of self-esteem,” she quipped.

  “You know what I mean. He overcompensates.”

  She burst into laughter. “Are you talking about something else?”

  “No! Definitely not,” I protested.

  “Okay, so he had a bit of a rough childhood. I get it, trust me, I get it. Don’t let him pull at your heartstrings. I mean I know he loves you, and I’m glad you see that, but just be careful,” she warned.

  “I will.”

  “How are you going to know for sure he wants you and not the money? I mean, if you choose to stay engaged to him, doesn’t he get the money?”

  “Yes, I guess. I didn’t ask him about all the details, but I would assume so.”

  “So, what’s your plan?” she asked.

  I burst into laughter. “I have no idea. I’ll think of something, I’m sure. I just don’t know what.”

  “Well, I’m happy for you. I hope it all works out, I really do. I want him to be your happily ever after.”

  I sighed. “Me too.”

  Chapter 53

  Terran

  I was as nervous as a kid picking up his first date and having to meet an angry father. The stress of it all had me changing my clothes three times. Damn suit felt too stiff, but I didn’t want to look too casual.

  The date was about showing her I was serious about getting her back. I had to prove to her I meant every word I’d said at lunch yesterday. I had meant them all. I did love her, and the more I said and acknowledged it, the easier it got. It was like knowing the sky was blue.

  I loved Hailey, and that was that.

  Now, the tricky part was getting her to believe me. I wasn’t sure how I could convince her. I had told her, repeatedly. She was looking for some proof. Maybe I could take a lie detector test. I didn’t know. I was desperate enough to do just about anything.

  When I parked my car in front of her place, I was giddy with excitement over seeing her. I hoped she let me touch her. I wanted to run my fingers through that silky blond hair, inhale her scent while nuzzling her neck. It felt like half of me was missing this past week. If I couldn’t get that half back, I would be a hollow shell—just like my father.

  I closed my eyes, having a better understanding of the pain and grief he must have lived with all of his days without Mom. How he managed to keep going, I would never truly know. I did know I couldn’t live like that. If Hailey refused to have me, there was no way I would let myself wither and die like my dad did. No. Fucking. Way.

  Shaking my head of the morose thought, I went to her door and knocked. It took her a few seconds to answer. I smiled thinking about her running late and probably looking for her other shoe right that minute.

  When she opened the door, my breath caught in my throat. “You’re gorgeous,” I said and breathed out.

  I hadn’t planned to say it. The words just fell out of my mouth. Her blond hair was loose and hanging around her bare shoulders in the royal blue dress she was wearing with tiny spaghetti straps. It hugged her figure, showing off plenty of those long shapely legs I loved to look at.

  “Thank you,” she said with a smile.

  I looked down and almost burst into laughter when I realized she only had on one shoe. “Um, I think you’ll need two—or none.”

  She sighed. “I know, I was looking for the other one. Can you give me just a minute?”

  “Of course. Take all the time you need.”

  I stepped inside her apartment, standing near the door while she went off in search of the other shoe. She returned a few minutes later with a different pair of shoes on.

  She shrugged one shoulder. “I couldn’t find it. These will work.”

  I laughed and fought the urge to wrap her in my arms and kiss her. Instead, I grabbed her hand and led her to the car, opening the door for her before going to the other side. The moment I was inside the car, the scent of her perfume washed over me. Oh, how I had missed that.

  We ordered wine at the restaurant and settled in. I had been nervous, but the nerves were slowly fading as we settled into our normal routine. We chatted about mundane things as we sipped our wine and enjoyed an appetizer.

  “How’s the acting going?” I asked her.

  Her eyes lit up, and I knew she had big news. “I recently auditioned for a part.”

  “Really? That’s great. How’d it go?”

  She was smiling so bright I felt like it drowned out the soft glow coming from the romantic lighting in the restaurant. “It went great!”

  “What kind of role?”

  “The lead in a feature film,” she said with the same mega-watt smile.

  My mouth dropped open as I stared at her. “What? Seriously? Gabriel set you up with that?”

  She nodded her head, her loose curly hair bobbing up and down with the motion. “Yes, it was a really big deal. He managed to get me an audition. He said it was tough because I’m an unknown, but the other director I worked with on that commercial put in a good word for me.”

  I nodded my head. “How was the audition?”

  “I was crazy nervous, and when I got there, I recognized an actress that has actually been on TV. The other women were pros. I showed up looking like a fresh-faced teenager. Gabriel assured me it was okay and said they wanted something new and different. I had to audition on a little mini-set with lines and everything,” she gushed excitedly.

  “That must have been pretty exciting.”

  “It was. It was so fun to be on a real set!”

  “And?” I asked, sensing she was holding something back.

  “There were several other actresses with established careers that had their name on the list as wanting the part. Gabriel said it was a good experience for me and would help me get better. It’s really the only reason I went.”

  I shrugged my shoulders. “You’re only going to keep getting better. I’m excited for you. Does he have any more parts for you to audition for?”

  She grinned, that same twinkle still dancing in her eyes. “No. Not right now. I’m going to be a little busy, and I’m not interested in working around the clock.”

  “Oh, what are you doing? More commercials? Print ads?”

  She shook her head, a cheeky grin on her face. “Nope. I’m going to be shooting a movie.”

  My mouth fell open. I didn’t want to look shocked. That would be insulting. It would seem like I wasn’t confident in her ability. I was absolutely confident, but for her to have already gotten a part in a movie seemed like a really big deal.

  “Wow. What movie is this?”

  “The one I auditioned for.”

  That time
I didn’t try to hide my shock in the least. “The one where the big names were vying for the role?”

  She clapped her hands and nodded her head, making a weird squealing noise. “That’s the one!”

  “Hailey! I’m so happy for you. Great job! Seriously, that is amazing. We have to celebrate.”

  She breathed a big sigh. “I’ve been dying to tell you.”

  “I’m glad you did. When do you start?”

  She shrugged a shoulder, taking a sip of her wine. “Gabriel was putting a fast track on the contracts. I guess the role I landed was a last-minute change-up. They had already been shooting when they realized the first actress they had wasn’t working. I guess she wasn’t what the director envisioned.”

  I wrinkled my nose. “Ouch. That has to be harsh for the other actress.”

  Hailey nodded her head. “I know, and it makes me nervous. What if he doesn’t like me?”

  “He’ll like you. I guarantee it. What’s not to like?”

  She burst into laughter. “We’ll see. I think Gabriel said I’ll have a table read, and I’m supposed to get the script tomorrow. I’m so nervous and yet so excited. This is a huge deal. This could make or break my career.”

  “I have every confidence you are going to kill it. This time next year you’re going to be the new It Girl. Your face is going to cover all the magazines, and Gabriel is going to be inundated with calls for you. You’re going to be the actress everyone wants to see. I’m so proud of you! And I’m so glad I can say I knew you when,” I told her, hoping like hell I’d be beside her as she accepted her awards and accolades.

  The waitress delivered our steak dinners, occupying us while we enjoyed the perfectly cooked meal.

  “I have a confession,” she said in a low voice.

  I felt like a knife had been stabbed into my gut. Was she going to tell me she’d slept with someone else while we were apart? I wasn’t sure I could deal with that. I wiped my mouth with my napkin and looked into her eyes, trying to get a hint about what she would say.