But not even that worked today.
“Ah, really?” Murphy scratches his chin. “How come?”
“The diamonds didn’t work their charm as I’d hoped,” I admit bitterly.
Nor had the I’m-sincerely-sorry face I’d practiced in front of the mirror. Mostly because as soon as I laid eyes on Eva, all the phrases and tactics I’d planned to use diffused into thin air. I’d revealed to Eva the whole story about how and why I bought the earrings, instead of just showing up at her doorstep and handing her the gift with a cool, “These reminded me of the beauty of your eyes,” I’d originally envisioned.
I still don’t get why it’s so darned hard to stick to my strategy when I’m around her.
Murphy chuckles. “Is that a Nathan-code for Eva sent you on your way once more?”
I probably shouldn’t have bragged to Murphy about what a great ploy I’d come up with after my failure in the Desert Rose. But the temptation to foreshadow my victory to him was too strong. Of course, I didn’t expect my meeting with Eva to go as badly as it did.
Murphy’s laugh makes my blood boil, but I’m not going to show him that I feel unsure about our bet. “She is just playing hard to get, you know? It’s a basic strategy in any business negotiation. She’s probably waiting for me to up my game.”
There were a few moments where I could have sworn that Eva looked intrigued by my visit. I’d even risk saying she was happy about it. But then…
The clank of the door comes back to me, and I wince inwardly.
“Ah, really? And do you have any idea how to do that?” Murphy asks, his face serious now.
I don’t. At least not yet. But I’m not going to share this information with Murphy, especially not when he’s staring at me with that weird somberness. “I’m still weighing my options,” I say carefully.
“Why don’t you just quit, Nate, and admit that your entire I-can-make-people-want-what-I-want boast isn’t working?”
“It’ll work. Just give it some time.”
Murphy puts up both his hands, showing the number six to me. “See this? This is the amount of time you have at your disposal. If you don’t manage by then, I’ll tell Mother that I find you unsuitable for leading the company and that Larry is the better choice.”
My shoulders tense. But before I can react, a shaky soprano interrupts us. “Boys, boys! Are you arguing?”
I whip around and my jaw goes slack as I see Aunt Marjorie, Mother’s only sister, shuffling toward us, leaning on her stick. My cook is following in her footsteps.
“I hope you don’t mind me dropping by, Nate. Tracy let me in.”
What is it today? Visiting day of random family members? When I called into the office this morning to announce that I’ll work from home, I didn’t expect to have to entertain guests.
Murphy chimes in before I can answer. “Of course he doesn’t, Marj. And for the record, Nate and I were just having a conversation. A slightly heated one, yes, but nothing for you to worry about.”
Marjorie lowers herself to a chair opposite us.
Tracy immediately inquires what she would like for breakfast.
“Just a coffee, please. I’m not hungry.”
“Are you sure?” I look at her narrow face, deeply creased cheeks, and thin neck. The last round of chemotherapy has left her almost like a skeleton. Thankfully it worked and she’s in full remission now. But she should be piling up some pounds to gain more strength.
“I’m sure, my boy, thanks.”
“Fine, but I’ll make you add an extra spoonful of sugar in your coffee then.” I wink at her and she smiles back.
“Agreed. I can always take more sweetness in my life.” Then she narrows her eyes at me. “So, Nate, I hear from Murphy that you’re facing quite a challenge.”
My stomach tightens.
Did Murphy tell our aunt about our agreement?
I can’t look into her eyes, so I pick up my fork and play with it.
Marjorie blinks at Murphy, a frown settling on her face. “How could you even come up with such a bet, Murphy? It makes me doubt whether you ever grew out of high school.”
Murphy raises his finger. “You’re wrong, Auntie. This is a perfect task for a mature man. I’m convinced it will teach Nathan a great deal about himself and let us unearth his true capabilities.” He actually sounds like he believes what he’s saying. Like he has no second thoughts about the appropriateness of this whole thing, or guilt that we dragged Eva into this without her permission.
What’s more, the conviction behind his words is so firm that even my aunt seems to sense that she has a lost battle with Murphy. She turns to me. “And you, Nathan? Why did you accept? Aren’t you afraid you’ll hurt that woman with your lies?”
A sense of shame settles in my chest.
I hate to feel my aunt’s disapproval. Marjorie is one of my favorite people in the world. She was there for me when Mother was too distracted raising Murphy and when she was organizing her new life with Malcom. She visited me regularly at my boarding school, and when she couldn’t come, she always sent me packages. I still recall the joy of receiving one of those during those empty Saturdays in St. James Academy.
“For that to happen, Eva would need to start to care about him,” Murphy adds coyly, but a look from our aunt silences him. Murphy stands up. “I need to go now. I have a patient with severe agoraphobia I need to visit.” He winks at Marjorie. “Auntie, while you’re addressing this topic, why don’t you give Nate some advice about women. I think he needs it.”
“Ha, ha, ha, so funny, Murph.” I growl, but Murphy only chuckles at my reaction.
He walks toward the exit and soon we hear a loud thump as he pulls the door shut behind himself.
After he disappears, Marjorie blinks back at me. Despite her fragile figure and pale complexion, her eyes bear a piercing intensity.
I shift on my chair. “Don’t judge me so harshly for agreeing to play along with Murphy. I did it because I didn’t see another way. Not when Mother entrusted him with so much power over my fate.”
She bobs her head from side to side. “Yes, I know. I still can’t figure why Holly did that. But, Nathan, to bet about a girl’s feelings? That’s not a joke.”
“I know that. And I’m not taking this bet lightly, either.”
Marjorie shakes her head. “That’s not what I meant.”
I’m aware that I’m moving in the moral grey area by pretending to like someone just to gain their trust. Even if, for now with Eva, I didn’t need to feign interest. It comes naturally for some weird reason.
I’m not comfortable admitting this to myself much less to my aunt, and at the same time, it’s hard to stand the condemning look on her face, so I reply, “Eva, this woman I’m supposed to, uhm, pursue, seems rather tough at giving her trust to men. I’m usually good at reading people, despite what Murphy likes to think.”
“I know you are, Nathan. And I think your brother knows it, too. But he believes that you’re wrong to refuse getting attached to anyone. To feel for anyone. Perhaps this bet is his attempt to teach you this?”
“No. This bet is his way of screwing with me. To take away what he knows I want most. As if I haven’t missed out on enough.”
The bitterness coloring my words must originate from some dark corner of my soul. It surprises me more than Marjorie.
She leans her face into her palm and sighs. “Oh, dear. I know you’ve endured so much. Your mother should have never sent you away. But it was hard for her too. You need to accept that my sister didn’t love your father. Her real soulmate is Malcom. That’s why she married him so soon after your father’s death. Murphy was just a baby, but you were already a boy. And you didn’t like Malcom.”
I still don’t.
This trip down memory lane isn’t doing me any good, so I clear my throat. “Anyway, back to Eva. As I said, she’s a smart woman. Even if she starts to take a fancy to me, she won’t go all in with her heart.”
“If you kn
ow this, then why bother wooing her, Nathan? You should just tell Murphy that—”
“But I don’t even need her to, Auntie. People often mistake a simple crush for love. I’m certain that even Murphy doesn’t really know the difference.”
I don’t either, to be fair. But at least I don’t go around claiming that I do.
Marjorie’s lips slowly curl up. “So you’re not planning on actually making this girl fall for you only to leave her high and dry?”
“No.” I shake my head. “I just want her to have a slight infatuation, enough to be gushy about me when she accompanies me to the fundraiser. That should do the trick with Murphy and win me the seat as CEO.”
Marjorie claps her hands. “That’s more the Nathan I like to see. I’ve always known that deep down you care about the feelings of others.” She grins and a mischievous glint invades her eyes. It makes her look almost as healthy as she was before her diagnosis. “Do you want me to tell you a secret about women, my son?”
“Will it help me to win the bet?”
“It might.”
“Then, I’m all ears.”
And I am. Even if I’ve put on a good show for Murphy, I’m at a bit of a loss when it comes to what my next step with Eva should be. Gifts are not her thing. Nor is a bold invitation. Even compliments didn’t go a long way. I’m not sure what I can still do…
Marjorie bends forward, squinting. “Here is the secret, Nathan. Women like men who show their soft sides. It doesn’t matter if you’re rough around the edges or cold on the surface. Your uncle Gerard was just the same. Still, he won me over. You know why? Because what really counts is whether you can be honest about your shortcomings. You need to be genuine. Show who you are.”
I furrow my brows at Marjorie.
I recall Eva’s smile as I told her the real story behind the earrings instead of keeping the facade of coolness. Maybe that was the time I had the feeling of being close to her, indeed.
Can it be this simple?
I’ve brainstormed complicated A,B,C—heck, even H scenarios—about how I should behave with her. I’ve written an entire page filled with elaborate schemes. I’ve looked at all different angles in my mind to pinpoint what the most successful tactic would look like…and now, Marjorie is suggesting that the foot-in-the-mouth way I behaved, when Eva’s presence messed with my brain, is the way to go?
But if it was, wouldn’t I be having a coffee with Eva instead of my aunt? I shake my head. “You know, Auntie, despite my best efforts, I did behave the way you’ve just described yesterday. Somehow, I just couldn’t hold up my act with Eva. She saw me and my actions for what they truly were. Still, she refused me.”
Marjorie scratches her temples pensively, and her fingernails leave three light white lines on her skin. “Maybe she did. But I’m sure she’s built up some curiosity about you. We women just can’t help it. I think the third time will be your charm.”
Marjorie’s warm smile and encouraging words nurse back my confidence. A small flicker of hope invades my chest. Perhaps I can still win this bet.
At the same time, an eager anticipation settles in my limbs about seeing Eva again. I interpret this as a good sign. It means I’m fully dedicated to my task. “Okay, Auntie, I might test your hypothesis then.”
Yes, I’ll meet Eva one more time and count on my luck and honesty. I just have to decide how best to go about it. I need to come up with a plan about how to stay spontaneous…a contradiction in its root.
But if this is what it takes to get what I want, I’ll do this and more…
Chapter 9
(Eva - Day 3)
“Ouch!”
A cry escapes from my throat, and I yank my hand back. Too late. A tiny wound has already formed on my ring finger, and a fat drop of blood is oozing out of it.
It’s early afternoon, and I’m in my florist friend Cathy’s large backyard. I came over to buy some plants to cheer up our little garden. Only my mind doesn’t seem to be cooperating and it keeps wandering. With clearly disastrous consequences.
I suck on my finger to diminish the scathing sensation.
Am I going crazy or what? Why did I need to caress this rose at all?
And if I did, then at least I shouldn’t have compared the tickling smoothness of the velvety hairs with the sensation I got touching Nathan’s skin. That’s what must have messed with my brain enough to ignore the thorn.
On second thought, maybe I do deserve this wound. It will teach me not to revisit that nonsense memory.
It. Didn’t. Mean. Anything.
Except some insane part of my brain is obviously convinced that it did. And it tries to derail my thoughts at every possible occasion. Like this morning when Abuelita asked if I had time to pop over to Cathy’s and, for some obscure reason, I thought it was a great opportunity to fantasize about how Nathan’s eye color resembles the shade of a silvery scrambling shrub I once saw in my friend’s store.
“Is everything okay, Eva?” Cathy’s blond head appears at the garden door.
Was my squeak that loud? “I’m fine, Cathy. Don’t worry. I just got a nasty thorn snagged on my finger. But these roses are beautiful.”
“Did you see the begonias yet? Those are the ones your grandmother admired the other day.” She points to some vibrantly colored plants.
The magnificent hues catch my eye immediately, and I step away from the roses I was considering buying. “Oh, these look fantastic. They could cheer up our lousy garden. Ever since Ale hasn’t been around to help, the state of our lawn has degraded. Juan isn’t cutting it regularly like he promised.”
“When is Ale getting out?”
“Only two more weeks,” I sigh.
Cathy wrinkles her nose, which shifts her otherwise almond eyes into two curvy lines. “You don’t sound enthusiastic about his release.”
I study Cathy’s concerned expression. Isn’t it crazy how people we’ve known since childhood can tune in with our moods? Cathy and I didn’t keep in touch while I lived in Silver Hills, and we only reconnected recently after I moved home. Still, she picks up on my mixed feelings. “It’s not that simple, Cathy. Of course I’m thrilled that Ale will be back with us, but I’m also worried how I’ll keep him out of trouble.”
I don’t want to see my brother locked up and in those hideous orange clothes. They make him look like a real criminal and bonier than he actually is. At the same time, I know that with his liberty, other issues will arise. Like finding him a job he likes. Or, perhaps, any employment at all. With his criminal record, it won’t be easy. Abuelita has been searching for work opportunities for him these past few weeks, but for now, she’s come up empty-handed. I’m worried that if Ale has too much free time, he might begin to hang out with the wrong people once more.
Cathy gives me a warm smile. “Ale is a smart kid. He won’t do anything stupid once he’s out. He must have learned his lesson.”
“I hope you’re right, Cathy.”
But even if she isn’t, I’ll make sure my brother stays out of harm’s way. And, more specifically, that his path never again crosses my delinquent ex-boyfriend’s.
Cathy smacks her lips. “Anyway, back to your lawn. It’s not just about mowing. If you’re not watering the grass at least twice—never during the hottest hours, though, otherwise it’ll burn—you’ll end up with a despicable yellow, no matter what.”
“Okay, I’ll take note of that.” I smile.
“If you get those begonias and plant them now, they’ll brighten your garden for months. I promise you that.”
A ring interrupts us.
I wave to Cathy. “Go take care of your other customers. I’ll choose the plants in the meanwhile. I’ll need to come back to pick them up later anyway, because I don’t have Abuelita’s car with me.”
Cathy gives me a thumbs up. “No problem. I’ll keep them for you.” She turns and disappears behind the glass door of her shop.
I kneel down next to the begonias to examine them. The lazy orange
sunbeams make the narrow shop garden glimmer like an enchanted forest and reflect on the begonias. There are red, pink, and lilac shades, each more beautiful than the last. I’ll have a hard time deciding which ones will look best against our house’s decaying yellow wall and the scruffy fence I’ve been meaning to re-paint.
As I lean closer to compare two similar tones of purple, a male baritone startles me. Its playful but self-assured cadence makes the small hairs on my neck rise at once.
“If you aren’t a sight for sore eyes among these flowers.”
I jump up and whip around. When I see who interrupted me, a bewildered gasp leaves my lips, and my jaw almost lands on the ground.
What in Pete’s name is Nathan doing in Cathy’s shop?
Nathan stands a few feet away from me. One hand is hooked in the pocket of his black jeans while, with the other, he does a relaxed two-finger wave as our glances cross. His hot-boy gesture and his delightfully tousled hair make him look like the male protagonist from one of those romance books Abuelita swears she never reads but I know she hides in her nightstand.
The tall, dark, handsome stranger who appears and sweeps the heroine off her feet.
No, no, this is all wrong! Nobody is sweeping anything anywhere. Why do I have to conjure such rubbish? I kick myself inwardly about my roving mind.
“Nathan,” I say, hoping that moving my mouth will help to fire up some much needed neuronal connections. “Funny bumping into each other here. I’ve never seen you in Cathy’s shop before.”
Stating the obvious isn’t the best way to hide my embarrassment, but since nothing else comes into my deserted brain, I’ll just have to roll with it.
Nathan’s lips curl up. “That’s because I’ve never been here before.”
“Oh? Then what are you doing here? Need flowers? Cathy’s got some amazing ones.”
Stop, blabbering. Just stop.
“Nope.” His smile doesn’t waver. “I was looking for you.”
My eyes widen and my cheeks warm up so much that I feel like fanning myself with both hands. Dang it, his words have spoiled my chances of coming across as cool and composed. Surely enough, my voice comes out as a high-pitched squeak. “For me? Why?”
Law #1: Never Bet on Love: A Sweet Billionaire Love Story (Laws of Love) Page 7
