Cocky M.D.: Single Dad Fake Fiancee Romance (Steel Series Book 5)

by Victoria Pinder

  For one second, I almost ignored it to help my son, but then I saw it was the hospital. If there was an emergency, then I needed to help. And besides, work usually numbed me from thinking too much, so I answered. “Dr. Munz. How can I help you?”

  “The paperwork is with human resources. I sent a note that you’re my first choice.”

  I cringed. I’d made the deal with Olivia because of work. I’d wanted to prove myself the opposite of my family, and work had always been my means of escaping life and helping others. Without Olivia, life felt empty. My hand curled at my side, and I said, “You didn’t have to do that.”

  “Thanks for thinking of me. See you tomorrow.”

  Done. Fuck. In one spoiled-rich-boy maneuver, I’d ruined everything that truly mattered to me. I hung up the phone without explaining. The next day was soon enough to tell everyone the truth… she’d left me.

  I walked down the path that led to the pool, but I remembered how I’d walked back with Olivia in my arms and how her flirting was both serious and sweet. I couldn’t even look at the pool. As I passed it, my phone rang again. My heart swelled with hope that it was Olivia, but then I saw the number.

  “Mom, I didn’t expect you to call.”

  She launched into her plans, as if the wedding were a benefit fundraiser she was hosting. “My secretary told me you plan to stop here on the way to the honeymoon. I wanted to confirm with you that you’re letting me spoil my grandson for the week.”

  I massaged the back of my head. I’d made plans for something that would never happen, but I couldn’t tell my mom. I swallowed and figured I would explain the next day. “I don’t know for sure, Mom.”

  “What happened?”

  I crossed my arms and continued to walk on the path, around the garden. “Nothing I want to talk about. Can I ask you a question?”

  “Sure. What’s going on?”

  How do I begin to explain how screwed up in the head I am and how it all started? “How did you stomach not loving our dad but being there for him and us?”

  “Love doesn’t exist. I taught you that. The illusion that love is all we need is what’s wrong with the world.”

  Right. But in proving that to Olivia, I’d caused her to leave. With Ruby, I’d just thought business deals were a ticket to my freedom, but maybe Olivia was right about listening to my heart. I wouldn’t feel so awful if it was some fantasy. My stomach was in knots. Despite what I'd said, I thought I had a heart, and she’d snuck past all its defenses. “Is that how you justify to yourself all of Dad's affairs?”

  “I… Our relationship was always an arrangement. Contracts clear up little desires, and everyone wins when order is followed.”

  No, they didn’t. I’d had order all my life. Olivia had told me exactly what she wanted—love. And I’d set out to set that belief on fire. My childhood played like a black-and-white movie in the back of my mind. “You had twelve sons, Mom. Yet Dad never even tried to be faithful. Weren’t you ever… I don’t know… jealous?”

  “No. Well, maybe when I was young and foolish, but I learned and tried to teach you. You were always the one I feared didn’t listen. Is there someone else in Olivia’s life that you’re nervous about, son?”

  My heart was heavy. I sighed and said, “No.”

  “Did she find out about some fling of yours, then?”

  “No.” My stomach did a little flip. Olivia had made me forget my life when she was with me.

  “You were always the strange one, Johnny.”

  I kicked a rock on the path and wished I’d somehow made a better deal with Olivia. “I know. Look, Mom, I need to go find Bradley.”

  “Wait.”

  I stopped walking and glanced up at the moon. “What?”

  She spoke like she was reading something and I was a distraction. “I’m sending a wedding present. It should be there today.”

  Right. It was like the night wanted to mock me. “Thanks, Mom.”

  I returned to the house, as there was nothing else for me outside. Olivia haunted everywhere.

  All the lights were off. It seemed I would eat dinner by myself. I didn’t have the heart to command my son to eat with me, so I cut into my steak made for one.

  As I finished and returned to my bedroom, I realized I had even less than I did before I’d met Olivia. After Ruby had died, I’d had more responsibilities, but I ‘d been whole. It was like Olivia had taken a piece of me with her.

  I cleaned myself then went to check on my son. He was lying on his bed, holding a book.

  “Bradley, I just wanted to tell you that I’m sorry.”

  He sat up with energy and asked, “Are you going to Olivia’s to say you’re sorry?”

  I went to his bed and tucked him in. “No, but I am sorry I hurt you.” I’d never had to apologize to a woman.

  He turned away from me, holding the book like it was the most precious thing he had. “Doesn’t matter, Dad. When I turn eighteen, I’m free to get out of here too.”

  My chest felt hollow, and I put my hand on his shoulder. “What?”

  He choked out tears. I’d never seen him cry before. “Olivia left because you didn’t care. I can do that too.”

  I leaned over and kissed his cheek, as I had no answer for him. “I love you, son.”

  He wiped it off and curled into a ball under his blankets. “Yeah, right. I’m sure the next nanny you stick with me and hates me will be here tomorrow.”

  Damn. I never should have listened to my parents about childcare. I hadn’t known what to do, but I always knew my life was shallow. I hadn’t had a window to another life until Olivia came. “I’ll try to do better.”

  “Whatever.”

  The next day, I would have to plan something better than a wedding. I owed him more time and attention.

  For the moment, I followed his orders and left. Somehow, I would make things right with him. Something whispered inside me that he’d been right.

  If I went to Olivia, she would close the door on me forever. I’d humiliated her, and she deserved better. I knew better than to go and just say, “I’m sorry.”

  In my bedroom, the adjoining doors, which I’d ignored since we moved in, called to me. Part of me hoped she was still there, but when I opened the door, the room was quiet and empty.

  I called for the staff. When the maid came, I told her, “Please pack up Olivia’s things to be delivered as she requested.”

  “Very well, sir,” she said, and I closed the door.

  It was better that we were over, though I wished I felt better about what had happened. But it was better to shatter delusions of love, as those could never be real.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Olivia

  Driving up to Georgie’s house seemed surreal. A year ago, I’d visited her once a week for dinner, but she’d moved across the country to be with her husband. The last time I’d seen my sisters was at Nicole’s wedding. My nerves were shot, and it wasn’t a happy moment for me.

  Once again, I was the one that didn’t live up to all they’d done. They were all driving luxury rental cars and had changed their entire lives. Even Stephanie had up and moved away, yet the house was where we had all grown up.

  Change was sometimes good, though, and I was the only one still with the same car and living near a home that no one lived in.

  I locked my car and knocked on the front door. Georgie waved me in, and I found only my sisters, no husbands or children. Ridley poured me a glass of wine and waved for me to join them at the table.

  When we were girls, that very table was where we’d sat and listened to our parents. We’d all signed our share of their house over to Georgie, as she’d been pregnant and alone at the time. She’d recently moved to Tulsa, and I’d intended to rent the house from her once my lease ended. I would probably have held back, though, as I would feel lonely there all by myself, or so I feared. Georgie had been different. When she’d lived there, she’d made it more her home for her son, until she’d moved on.<
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  I took my wine and sat next to Ridley, who’d moved and now had a nice tan from living in Texas.

  “So what happened?” she asked.

  I took a sip and saw five sets of eyes staring at me. I put the white wine down and stared at it as I said, “He didn’t love me. I can’t marry a guy who doesn’t care about me.”

  Indigo looked at my hand and said, “Wait. What? That ring is gorgeous.”

  I put my hand under the table. My face and hands tingled. “I have to send it back. I forgot to take it off when I stormed out.”

  Stephanie leaned forward and said, “You could sell it and have the down payment for a new place.”

  Of course the two accountants in the family equated dollars with love. I sipped my wine and continued staring at my drink. “You know I can’t do that. It’s not honest.”

  Georgie put popcorn bowls in front of us, and I reached in like I was still a girl there for movie night. “So can you tell us what happened?” she asked.

  I finished my handful of popcorn and shifted in my seat. Then I looked up and said, “Yeah. It was a huge mistake. I went to pick out a wedding dress where he’d told me to, and the clerk told me she had no payment on file for me. I’d never have gone there on my own, and I didn’t want to call any of you. I figured out he was testing me about money and confronted him.”

  Indigo asked, “You told him you saw through him?”

  My face heated. “Yeah.”

  Georgie said, “Good.”

  I brightened for a second then realized I missed him still. “I guess.”

  Ridley patted my back and said, “You guess, because you love him?”

  I cringed. “Doesn’t matter.”

  She pushed my hair off my shoulder and stared at me. “Did you tell him you loved him?”

  Damn. I’d thought my eyes were dried out from tears, but Ridley always saw inside my heart. I lowered my head.

  Georgie squeezed my shoulder. “You told him?”

  I nodded. “Why is that shocking?”

  She gazed at the rest of my sisters and said, “Because you spoke up for yourself and didn’t hesitate.”

  Wow. They really understood me. My skin heated. “Oh, well, I guess.”

  Georgie came from behind me and hugged me. “I’m proud of you, sis.”

  Over clothes stopping me from being with Johnny? I wasn’t like them. I’d lost. I let out a sigh as she let me go and said, “Look, I’m not proud. I’m… sad.”

  “Spill,” Stephanie said and scooped up the bottle of wine to pour more for herself. “You have a wedding dress in the back seat of your car, so you were clearly shopping. You’ve grown as a person. Why are we not celebrating your wedding? Was there more?”

  “Nothing like what you went through.” Unlike the rest of our sisters, Stephanie had suffered heartache. I sighed and said, “Johnny doesn’t believe in love.”

  “Oh,” Ridley, Nicole, Georgie, and Indigo said in unison.

  I narrowed my gaze at the four happy brides, who’d married men they adored. “You wouldn’t understand. All of you have amazing husbands who love you.”

  Georgie sat next to Indigo and said, “Now they do, but it wasn’t easy.”

  I massaged the back of my head, half expecting it to explode if any of them said they’d had my troubles. “What do you mean? Your weddings were beautiful expressions of your feelings.”

  Georgie poured her wine as she said, “I didn’t know who Michael was to even tell him I’d had his child.”

  “You found him.”

  “Then we almost broke up because I was a jerk who refused to move to New York City.”

  No. I shook my head and said, “You hate New York, and he plays for the Sooners.”

  She scooped up popcorn as she said, “I love being in Tulsa, but I almost lost out because I didn’t want to believe in love, not after Mom and Dad.”

  Huh? I tilted my head and said, “They loved each other, though.”

  Georgie’s gaze narrowed, then she shrugged and said, “I guess.”

  Indigo put her glass down. “Well, Jacob and I only married because he needed a temporary wife. And I said yes because I wanted the money.”

  My eyes widened. If any of us would marry for cash, though, Indigo was most likely. Her wedding ceremony in Napa had been a fairy tale. “You didn’t.”

  She nodded and said, “I did. We had a contract, and I wanted to start my own company, and he’s not hard on the eyes.”

  My heart twisted. I’d guessed the other day that she would be the one I could ask for advice. My skin prickled. I wasn’t as calculating as she’d been. I sipped my wine and said, “Wow. What changed?”

  She twirled her wine and said, “Life, and he’s a great guy. I never thought I’d be in love or get married. But Jacob is a dream.”

  Unlike her, though, I didn’t want anything else. I had no business goals, as I was clearly the slacker of the family without big plans or dreams. I’d wanted to be accepted and loved by the man I fell for. I ignored the pang in my heart and said, “I didn’t know that.”

  She sipped her wine. Then she rolled her eyes. “He had bigger issues with that father of his.”

  Interesting. Maybe Johnny had more issues than he’d let on. Storming out like I had meant I would never get to ask. “Wow. I had no idea.”

  Ridley covered her mouth as she coughed for attention then said, “Carter and I said we’d marry instead of fighting each other for custody of Chelsea. I didn’t think I was pretty or fun like the rest of you, but in the deal, I got to marry the guy I’d always had a crush on but never believed myself his equal. Now I see he loves me, and I love him, and it was my own doubts that were my biggest problem.”

  Indigo clinked glasses with her.

  Georgie said, “Ridley, you’re amazing.”

  She lifted her chin. I’d always thought Ridley was stunning, but she practically glowed as she said, “Thanks.”

  I guessed doubts were normal for us all, but Ridley had the biggest heart of all of us.

  For a moment, we all drank, then Indigo tapped on the table and said, “Nicole?”

  Nicole’s eyes grew wide. “Well, you were there, Olivia, when I almost didn’t marry my prince. I didn’t want to give up on my blog.”

  I’d enjoyed being a teacher, but soon I wouldn’t have that job. I had nothing left to lose. I wasn’t like any of them. I sucked on my bottom lip then asked, “So you are all telling me this because if I love Johnny, then I shouldn’t seek to change him or change something in myself? And if it’s me, I don’t know what I have left to give up. I need to find a new job.”

  “No!” Georgie said. “That’s a bad idea.”

  Indigo reached out and took my hand. “You can always work for me.”

  PR wasn’t my thing, and I had no interest in the financial world. She was the whiz kid, not me. I smiled and said, “You’d be a hard boss, Indigo. I’ll be okay.”

  Stephanie poured more wine for everyone and said, “You will be. I know from experience.”

  For one second, I stopped thinking about Johnny and asked, “Stephanie?”

  She returned everyone’s glasses. “Look, my fiancé cheated on me with my roommate. I still want to destroy them both half the time, and I get so sad.”

  Ridley asked, “I thought you were moving on.”

  Stephanie stared right into my soul as she said, “It’s impossible. I’m trying, but if he says he can’t love you… believe him.”

  My heart twisted. My anger had blocked me from asking the right questions. She was probably right about saving myself, but my heart whispered that I’d probably blown my shot at happiness. I sipped my wine and said, “I guess.”

  Then our conversation turned more pleasant, and catching up was fun, but my skin still craved Johnny’s touch. And I would never get to tuck Bradley in and read him a book again. But I kept those thoughts to myself.

  I yawned. “Look, I’m tired. I’m going to go home.”

  I
ndigo asked in a stern tone, like my life was a boardroom discussion, “Are you going to see him again?”

  “I don’t know. Probably not. Definitely not tonight.”

  I wobbled a little as I stood, having had a bit too much to drink, so I grabbed my coat and phone and decided to use a car service app.

  As I woke up my phone to find a ride, it beeped with a message. It was from Bradley. I’m coming over.

  Ridley called, “What happened? Did Johnny text?”

  My mind raced, and I massaged my temples. “It was his son, Bradley.” It was like I couldn’t move for a moment. Then I took a deep breath and said, “I think… Bradley’s run away.”

  Right. I opened my app and ordered a car as Ridley asked, “How can we help?”

  None of them even knew Bradley. “He’s messaged me. I have to tell Johnny.”

  Georgie tapped everyone’s shoulders and said, “We’ll help.”

  “Thanks. I need to get home fast in case he’s already there.”

  “Take my car. I was hoping you’d ask.”

  “No, thanks. Too many of us might scare a kid.”

  Nicole walked with me out the door.

  Georgie called, “Good luck. We’ll be right behind you.”

  I guessed I needed to work on asking for help still and not just taking care of myself. Maybe that was how I’d lost Johnny. I was too full of pride. I slipped into the ride and forwarded the message from Bradley. Then I wrote, Johnny, check on Bradley. He texted me he’s going to my apartment. Please text me he’s safe.

  Once I hit send, the driver stepped on it to get me there fast. Hopefully we would find Bradley quickly, then I would get one more face-to-face with Johnny. I wasn’t sure what I would say, though, and my skin had goosebumps at the thought.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Johnny

  Adrenaline coursed through my blood, and my heart raced. The second Olivia had texted me, I’d rushed into an empty bedroom. My son had left. His phone had a tracker, so I saw that he was on the move, and I ran out of my house without even grabbing a pair of shoes or a shirt.