Her One Night Proposal (One Night Book 4)

by Katherine Garbera

  She was in her bed for a good four hours before she heard Zac in the other room with some other guys. They were laughing and shushing each other and she lay there alone in her bed, realizing that even paying for a man hadn’t changed her.

  * * *

  Zac woke up with a fuzzy mouth on the couch of the suite he’d been sharing with Iris. He had one shoe on and his belt was removed but otherwise he was fully clothed. He blinked, surprised he didn’t have a headache. But he’d been very well hydrated the night before. He blinked again, seeing the light through the window, and then Iris sitting in a chair opposite him. She watched him with that prim expression she had when she was in an awkward situation.

  He scrubbed his hand over his face, felt the stubble on his jaw and something that might be a bruise later—did he punch Logan last night? Then he forced himself to sit up and tried to smile but the light was really bright and he had to close his eyes for a second.

  “If you can manage it, I’ve put in an order for a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit for you,” Iris said.

  “You really are an angel. Coffee too?” he asked.

  “Coffee too.”

  He knew he should go and wash up. He’d been in this situation before. Women didn’t always respond positively when he came home drunk and passed out on the couch.

  He washed his face, brushed his teeth and debated a quick shower. After a whiff of his clothes as he took them off, he decided that there was no debate and spent three minutes under the hot jets of water.

  He felt closer to human as he left the bedroom dressed in a pair of basketball shorts and an old America’s Cup team T-shirt. His food was on the table under a cloche, along with a cup of coffee and a plate of fresh fruit.

  Iris sat at the table, looking so elegant and put together, like a woman with a mission on her mind.

  “I’m sorry about last night. I knew Nick needed to drink because I would in his situation. My brothers were being uptight and his were too, so someone had to be the one to break the ice,” Zac said.

  “That’s okay. Honestly, you were so funny and probably exactly what everyone needed,” she said.

  He opened the cloche and took a bite of the bacon, egg and cheese biscuit, and closed his eyes. It was perfect. Exactly what he needed.

  “What about you? I know I wasn’t delivering on my duties last night,” Zac said.

  “About that,” Iris said. “I think we can agree that your behavior last night can’t be repeated. Starting today, I need you to be everything I asked for in the contract.”

  “I’ll try,” he said, taking another bite of the biscuit. Honestly, at this moment, he was only half listening to her. The food was making him feel a lot better.

  “You’ll do more than try or you will be in breach of our agreement and I will call my father and tell him that I don’t think you’re a good investment,” she said.

  That he heard.

  He put his biscuit down and his hands on the table next to his plate. “Are you threatening me?”

  “I am. I know your family is going through some messy things, but your first priority is the commitment you made to me.”

  “Other than last night, have I shirked my duties?”

  “Last night was the first time you were supposed to be doing your duties in front of other people.”

  “I sang to you, Iris. Even Toby said that was romantic,” Zac said.

  “I came home about four hours before you did,” Iris pointed out. “You didn’t even notice I was gone... Not very romantic.”

  “Sorry I wasn’t paying one hundred percent attention to you,” he said. “I already apologized for last night.”

  “You did and I appreciate it. I’m just saying don’t let it happen again.”

  She stood up and walked past him to go to the bedroom but he stopped her by catching her wrist lightly in his hand. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded, tugged her hand free and kept on going.

  But he knew she wasn’t. He wanted to blame it on his hangover but he knew he was missing something. He’d done something last night that had changed the way that Iris was looking at him. Damn him if he could remember all of the details clearly enough to figure it out.

  He finished his biscuit and coffee. He wanted to make this right. He stood up and went to the bedroom door, knocking on it before entering. She was standing in front of her wardrobe when he entered.

  “Hey, I’m sorry about last night. Whatever you need today, I’ll be there for you. I think we have the scramble golf tournament and you wanted me to pose for some photos, right?”

  “Yes. My glam squad will be bringing some clothes for you and I’ll text you when I need you. I kind of like the stubble so if you want to leave it for this morning and then shave before tonight’s rehearsal dinner—if it’s still even on—that would be fine. Did you see Adler last night?”

  “I don’t remember,” he said. “Angel face, I really am sorry. I never meant to drink like that. It’s not every day I find out I have another brother.”

  She nodded. “I know. I’d be a monster not to understand it, and I definitely am not upset that you drank last night.”

  “Then what are you mad at me about?” he asked. “Don’t deny it, you are upset with me.”

  She shook her head. “I’m upset with myself because I thought you were something that you aren’t.”

  Something he wasn’t. He’d been more himself with her than he’d ever been with anyone else and she still thought he was phoning it in.

  He was tired, he knew that, and a wiser man than he would have kept his mouth shut. But hell, no one had ever labeled him the smart Bisset.

  “I’m not what you thought?” he asked, approaching her as she turned away from the wardrobe to face him. “Iris, you hired a guy you met in a bar to be your boyfriend for a four-day wedding. What exactly were you expecting?”

  “Don’t get defensive, I wasn’t attacking you,” she said, folding her hands neatly in front of her.

  And that right there was enough to push him over the edge. He’d seen glimpses of the real woman beneath all the prim and proper behavior but more times than not, this was what he was faced with. Some cardboard cutout of the real woman. No man wanted that. Actually he felt safe in saying that no one wanted to have a relationship with someone who was always hiding behind the perfect smile, clothing and manners.

  “I’ve gone above and beyond for you. I actually like you as a person most of the time, but I can’t with this,” he said, gesturing to her holding her coffee cup with one hand while smiling serenely at him. “It’s not real. I get that we have a contract, but I’ve never been anyone other than myself with you. Who does that?”

  “I do, according to you.”

  “You can’t fight properly. Tell me what’s on your mind. Don’t worry about hurting my feelings or how it might make you seem human instead of a social media goddess with the great life. Just be you, Iris. Do you even know who you are?”

  “Screw you, Zac. That’s not a very nice thing to say. Of course, I know who I am,” she said.

  “That’s it. Get mad, girl. Show me what’s really bothering you,” he said. He wasn’t sure where this was going but after last night, learning that most of his life he’d been lied to by his father, he was tired of half-truths. He was no longer interested in playing a part. Any part. He was going to live life on his terms and he wasn’t holding back. Iris should do the same.

  “What’s bothering me?” she said. “I don’t think you really care that much, Zac. We both know you’re only here until my dad and Collins Combined come through with your funding. Then you are off to train and race for three years. We both know that you are playing a role even though you want to pretend that you’re, what, better than me, more honest than me? You’re not. You’re here dressing in jackets with pocket squares, shaving and trying to fit into a ro
le as much as I am. You’re judging me while excusing yourself.”

  “I didn’t say I was disappointed in you,” he pointed out.

  “Well you didn’t have to. I’m disappointed in myself. You know what’s the matter this morning? My dad sent over some paperwork for both of us. He has assembled your investors and you will have the money wired into your account on Monday. And I know you’ll be out the door. Sure, you’ll be sweet and polite about it, but that’s it. You’ll move on.

  “And while I watched you singing and dancing in front of the fire last night, I realized I didn’t want you to leave. I didn’t want to see you walk out of my life because I’m an effing idiot and fell in love with you. Sure, I knew I shouldn’t. Hell, you’re not even the kind of man I usually fall for. But you know that perfect image you’re so sure I’m hiding behind—well, I wasn’t. I was myself. Sorry I’m not more exciting and can’t deliver nonstop fun the way you can, but that was me. Guard down and being totally myself.”

  He was stunned. He was pretty sure in the middle of her rant she’d said she loved him. Iris Collins, the most sophisticated, sexy, sweet, charming, smart woman he’d ever met, loved him. He’d lashed out because he knew he wasn’t worthy. Even now he realized he’d let her down. Again.

  He should apologize. He knew that. But his brain was working slowly this morning and Iris just shook her head and blinked a lot before she walked out of the hotel suite.

  Why was she leaving?

  He hadn’t had a chance to tell her any of the things he needed to. He ran out after her, but she’d gotten in the elevator and was gone. His gut told him if he let her go, he’d regret this for the rest of his life.

  This wasn’t a moment where time was going to make things better. She needed him now.

  He went to the balcony. They were only on the third floor and he climbed over and lowered himself onto the balcony below and then one more time until he was on the ground floor.

  The gravel path was rough on his bare feet, but he made it around to the front of the building just as Iris exited. She had her large black sunglasses on and a sheath dress. He stood there with dirt and rock embedded in the bottom of his feet, looking like a beach bum instead of a Bisset.

  He was never going to be the picture-perfect man on her arm, but he knew that no one would love her better or give her more adventure in her life.

  Now to somehow show her that.

  Sixteen

  Iris walked straight past him and he realized that maybe it was better if he just let her go. She was definitely not thinking straight. He knew women tended to get all those romantic feelings during a wedding weekend and Adler and Iris were best friends.

  He stood there next to the valet, barefoot and looking like he’d just come off a night of binge drinking, which he had. Watching the woman he loved more than he’d ever thought he could walk away from him was sobering. This was the reality of life with the two of them. They were both busy people and weekends like this would be the best they could hope for.

  She deserved more, and in her own words, wanted more. Shouldn’t he just let her have it? He watched her get into her sensible car and drive off and then he slowly made his way back into the hotel.

  His brother Logan was slinking in, as well. He had his eyes shielded behind his Ray-Ban Wayfarers and as he saw Zac, he lifted his hand in a weak wave. His brother looked worse than Zac felt, and he wasn’t sure how that was possible given that Zac’s world was crumbling. Everything he’d ever believed about himself was shattered. He wasn’t the man who was looking for another horizon—he had been looking for Iris. No other woman had ever made him feel like he was okay just as he was.

  “Dude, you look rough,” Zac said. “Where’d you go last night?”

  “Took a trip down memory lane and I’m not sure how but we ended up in bed,” Logan said. “I think it’s going to end up biting me in the ass.”

  “Her too,” Zac said. Logan hadn’t always been the type-A, driven COO he was today. Once upon a time he’d been a very competitive kid with a girlfriend who liked to one-up him. Quinn had gone on to take television by storm. She was one of the top producers today. But Logan had caught up and maybe even moved past her, making a name for himself at Bisset Industries. It was interesting to think of the two of them hooking up. And it was just the distraction he needed after Iris walked away looking broken.

  “Yeah, I know,” Logan said. “What are you doing in the lobby looking like a hobo? If you have even the slightest chance of keeping a woman like Iris Collins, you have to up your game,” Logan said. “Come up to my room and I’ll get you some decent clothes.”

  “Thanks, bro,” he said, trying to play it cool but knowing he failed when Logan put his hand on his shoulder. Everyone could see that he and Iris weren’t meant to be. He should just take the investor money and start focusing on the one area where he was good. Sailing. Captaining a racing team. He could do that.

  “You okay?”

  “No. I screwed up, Logan. I have no idea how to fix it or if I should even try. I’m hungover. I might still be a little drunk. I’ve had the kind of morning that Dad should be having but he probably is too coldhearted to realize that everything is slipping out of his grip.”

  “Z, Dad’s not the heartless monster that the media and Carlton play him up to be, you know that. Despite everything else happening right now. What’s wrong that you are lashing out?”

  He shook his head. He had no idea where to start. “Never mind.”

  “I’m on your side. I’m always on your side, no matter what happens. Talk to me. If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s solving problems,” Logan said.

  He was good at it. “All right. I agreed to be Iris’s plus one this weekend in exchange for her getting some investors for my America’s Cup run. We both said it would be temporary, but it didn’t feel that way until this morning. Now I don’t want to let her go, but even you pointed out that she’s too good for me and you hardly ever notice stuff like that.”

  Logan put his hand on Zac’s arm and urged him to move out of the lobby. For the first time, Zac was aware of their surroundings—the fact that it was a crowded lobby and that people had been staring at the two of them.

  Damn.

  Hell.

  He was the biggest asshole on the planet. He’d had blinders on because he wasn’t used to anyone caring what he did when he was on land.

  “Do you think they heard?”

  “I have no idea, but let’s get up to my room and figure out what’s next,” Logan said.

  “She’ll be ruined by this, Logan. I can’t believe I didn’t think before I spoke. She’s all about image. I mean that’s why we—”

  Logan put his hand over Zac’s mouth as they got on the elevator. The door closed and Logan dropped his hand. “Paparazzi are all here trying to get the scoop on the latest Bisset scandal. You have to stop talking.”

  “I know.”

  Zac didn’t say another word until they were down the hall and in his brother’s room. “Why aren’t you staying at Gran’s?”

  “I didn’t want to make Adler uncomfortable. I’ve been a douche about Nick and he’s her groom. But I do love our cousin. I figured the least I could do was stay out of her way.”

  “Yeah, that’s a good call. Nick’s not a bad guy.”

  “I know. It’s just that for as long as I can remember, I’ve always been trying to beat him. Sometimes I do and other times I don’t. I hate losing and he’s a Williams, so it makes it harder to let it go,” Logan said, tossing his sunglasses on the bed and then looking over at him. “Now about Iris... We need to get ahead of this before it comes out.”

  “What am I going to do?” Zac asked his brother. “I love her. I was trying to ask you how to win her back, but it seems impossible now, doesn’t it?”

  “Nothing is impossible. You told me that when we were t
eenagers. If you were smart enough to realize that back then, you can fix this,” Logan said.

  Zac wasn’t sure his “wisdom” as a teenager was anything more than bravado, and he didn’t know how to fix this. But he regretted that he might hurt her and had to try to make things right.

  * * *

  Iris didn’t have a destination in mind as she left the hotel behind. She could think of only one person who actually needed her this morning and that was Alder. Sure Iris wanted to escape. She’d never been in love with anyone before and confessing it to Zac and having him just sort of blink at her wasn’t the reaction she’d been hoping for. She’d had two breakups fairly close together and honestly she had to say this one was affecting her way worse than the first.

  Not that she and Zac had broken up. She started crying as she realized how messed up this truly was. She pulled her car off the road and just sat there for a few minutes, realizing that the only place she wanted to be was off Nantucket. But she couldn’t do that to Adler.

  She was trapped by her own bad decisions. She almost texted Thea something mean but it wasn’t her sister’s fault that she’d decided to choose a man to be her fab, fun plus one and Zac Bisset turned out to be the one. She couldn’t have predicted it and she couldn’t blame it on Thea.

  She drove her car back to a public parking lot and left it there, walking toward the beach because going back to the room she was sharing with Zac was completely out of the question. She took her shoes off as soon as she was on the sand. Tendrils of hair started to escape from the chignon she’d put it up in, when she was still trying to pretend that she had it all together. She reached up and took the pins out, knowing that she was done fooling herself.

  Since she’d gotten the internship with Leta Veerland, she’d promised herself she wouldn’t waste a moment. That she’d craft a life that was successful and leave no room for failure and she’d done that. On every front except on the personal one. But there was no way she was ever going to be successful in a relationship unless she let herself be. The problem with men, and Zac in particular, was that she didn’t want to be vulnerable to him. She didn’t want him to see that she wasn’t that social media person. The one with the fabulous life who made good choices. But until him, she’d never found a way to be comfortable with herself.