Law #1: Never Bet on Love: A Sweet Billionaire Love Story (Laws of Love)

by Agnes Canestri

  Laia shakes her head. “To the press? You mean San Sebastian’s local newspaper?”

  “No, I mean some other magazine. AMEA is a huge deal, and learning that its CEO earned his place by playing with a poor girl’s heart would be bad for their reputation, right?”

  “Eva, you aren’t seriously considering…?” My cousin grabs my hand.

  “What? No! Are you nuts?” I snap back. “I would never go to the tabloids. That’s why it’s even more infuriating that Nathan feels he has to bribe me to keep quiet.”

  Ale chews his lip. “So it means I’m not part of the Fresh Start program?”

  My heart sinks as I hear the mix of disappointment and frustration in his voice. My brother spent his last week in the prison sending out application letters but most employers didn’t even bother answering him. “I don’t think so, Ale,” I mumble.

  I expect him to get upset with me for crushing his first glimmer of hope at a better future, but instead he sighs. “Okay, it sounded too good to be true anyway.” He blinks at Juan and Espie. “Shall we continue making the strawberry shake we started?”

  The three of them trudge to the kitchen.

  His resignation hurts me almost more than if he had gotten angry. It’s a sign that Ale is starting to accept that his life can’t turn around. That bad luck will always follow him.

  Abuelita stares at me with disapproval.

  “What?” I snap. “Nathan is offering him some fake job. That isn’t going to help my brother.” The last thing Ale needs is false hope or bogus traineeships that won’t deliver on promises.

  “You don’t know this for sure, Eva. You can’t just dismiss Nathan’s offer without knowing more details. I haven’t found any employment for Alejandro yet. Neither have you. This would be a golden opportunity for him. And for you. You could meet with him again and—”

  “Stop, Abuelita. Just stop.”

  Even if…Abuelita could be right. It is an opportunity for me. To go and tell Nathan that he needs to disappear from our life for good. I can’t start fresh if Nathan keeps invading my space, and that of my family, with random guilt-flowers and pity-handout job offers.

  I turn to Abuelita and Laia, with a determination settling in my heart. “I’m going to meet Nathan.”

  “Now?” Laia squeaks. Her voice is less condemning than this morning, but I dismiss it. I don’t want to obsess about whether my cousin is crossing over to my grandmother’s side. I need to keep my head focused on my mission—eradicating Nathan’s presence from my life.

  “Yes. I’m going to his office. And…” I lift the card and take the flowers from Laia. “Bring these back to him.”

  “You need to change then,” Abuelita says in an excited voice.

  I glance at my V-neck blouse and blue jeans that Laia picked for me this morning. “Why would I do that?”

  “You know, the guards might not let you pass in a pair of jeans. It’s AMEA, hijita!” But the blush on her face tells me she just wants me to pretty up some more so that her idealistic rekindling fantasy between me and Nathan might happen more easily.

  No, no. If I had time, I’d rather change back to sweatpants. But I can’t stop for that now. If I don’t keep rolling with my current state of spirit, I’ll begin to question whether seeing the man who still fills my dreams but shattered my heart is a sane choice or not.

  “Huh, I’d like to see them try to stop me,” I growl, grabbing my bag.

  I put the card inside, shoulder it, and tighten my grip on the daffodils. I tromp to the door.

  outside, I pause for a second to inhale and considering if I’m truly ready to face Nathan. Only a week has passed since the ball but each memory is still painfully clear and raw.

  I shake my head and sprint to our sedan.

  No, I must do this. I can do this.

  Chapter 38

  (Eva)

  My car engine dies with a miserable thump as I turn off the ignition. I jump out with more moxie than I actually feel, and grab the daffodils from the passenger seat, along with my bag.

  The ride to AMEA was long enough for doubts to infiltrate the back of my mind, and I can feel those insidious little voices getting to work. By the time I’m thirty feet from the building’s glimmering surface and well-designed curtain walls, which create the illusion of the massive structure floating, my stomach is burning as if I just fed on Tia Maria’s seasoned chili peppers. A whole jar at least.

  But I keep my chin high and force some extra sass into my steps. I don’t want to give the impression of a lost Latina girl who doesn’t know how she ended up in the office district.

  The sliding doors spring open and my gaze falls on the metal detector and the two impeccably-dressed security guards. Perhaps I shouldn’t have dismissed Abuelita’s advice to dress up. No, I’ll just say I’m a delivery girl from a florist shop. That might be enough to make them disregard my casual clothes.

  The two bulky men call out to me in almost perfect unison. “Good morning, Miss Flores.”

  I miss my step and almost tumble to the floor from the surprise.

  What? How do they even know my name?

  Then I recall the eerily similar experience at Nathan’s house. So it’s proven. The Montgregors employ help only after they make them memorize a stash of pictures and names of possible visitors. Including all loosely tied acquaintances of the family probably.

  As the word “acquaintance” pops into my mind, a cynical voice in my ear screeches.

  Huh, isn’t that swell? First strangers, then friends, then hope-to-be soulmates and now acquaintances? As long as you keep looking for terms that describe your relationship with Nathan, you’re still a slave to him…and I will come each night and claim your heart…

  I swallow and plaster on a smile. I can’t let a mythical creature’s gloating cause me to lose my manners. “Good morning. I’m here to see—”

  The older one give me a polite smirk. “Mr. Nathan Montgregor. Yes, we’re aware of that.” He steps over to me and holds out a paper where all my details, even my address, have been filled in. I only need to sign and I’m apparently good to enter.

  I take the pen and write down my name, while an odd sensation washes over me. These two guards are either the most prepared security officers I’ve ever seen or someone must have anticipated my arrival. Could it be Nathan?

  Before I can follow this line of thought, the younger guard, who has an asymmetrical blondish haircut that makes him look like a grown-up version of Peter Pan, points at the elevators. “Would you like me to accompany you or do you prefer to take the lift alone?”

  “Alone, please,” I mumble. I definitely don’t want any company while I’m rehearsing my first verbal attack on their CEO.

  Also I may or may not intend to comb my hair if the elevator has a mirror. Not because I want to look my best for Nathan. Only to honor Laia’s hard work with my knots this morning. She would be furious if I return home with messy tresses.

  “Very well.” Peter Pan beams at me. “It’s floor twenty, then.”

  “Nah, it’s twenty-three. Mr. Montgregor is on that floor now,” the older one corrects his colleague promptly.

  Right. There need to be at least three floors between an executive director and a CEO for sure. Nathan must’ve gotten the upgrade after his promotion went through.

  I keep myself from saying my cynical comments out loud and march to the elevator. I think I hear the older guard whisper, “Huh, I just saved your butt, Bob…” but I don’t care enough to turn and see if I imagined it.

  My head is already occupied with how I’ll address Nathan when I step into his office. Would “Mr. CEO” be sardonic enough? Or shall I just go with, “Hi, Nathan! Here are your flowers…”?

  Whatever I say, I definitely mustn’t call out in that husky, trembling voice that I felt bubbling up when the guards pronounced his name. If I can avoid that, the rest should be fine.

  Chapter 39

  (Nathan)

  “Thank you, B
ob,” I say into the phone before cutting the line.

  So it worked. Eva is here. Heaven help me.

  I don’t even have time to turn before her soft soprano jingles from behind me. “Hi…uhm…hi, Nathan. These are for you.”

  I whip around.

  Eva stands at the doorway, clasping the bouquet of daffodils I ordered for her brother. Her brows are set in the adorable wrinkle that makes scorn look almost as attractive on her as a dashing smile. Her lean legs are in a pair of curve-hugging jeans and she’s wearing a V-neck blouse. The neckline accentuates her delicate collarbones, drawing attention to the little hollow between them. It’s beating with a fast throb, which makes me assume that Eva is either very nervous or very angry. Possibly both.

  “I sent those for Alejandro,” I say in a soothing tone.

  “Well, he doesn’t need them,” Eva snaps and holds out the flowers. “So please take them.”

  I walk over and reach for the daffodils, but I make sure to touch her fingers as I take the bouquet. I ignore the sizzles rushing up my own arm. I already know how my body, mind, and heart react to Eva. I don’t need more confirmation to know she’s the woman I want to be with. What I’m interested in is seeing how Eva reacts.

  Her breath hitches as my thumb brushes over her skin. She drops her glance to her purse and rummages in it. After a second, she gives me back my card. “Here’s this too. I’m not sure why you felt obliged to make such a bogus offer to my brother. Wasn’t it enough that you tricked one of us?”

  I expected that my invitation for Alejandro would prompt Eva to seek me out. She couldn’t possibly accept a chance like this from a man she believed to be more of a jerk than her biological father. But I didn’t think she’d doubt the legitimacy of my proposition. The palpable pain behind Eva’s last words is a strong kick to my stomach. I knew that I hurt her, but seeing just how profoundly my lie has wounded her, makes me almost unable to breathe.

  Will everything I’ve done be enough to mend this? Will she ever be able to trust me again?

  Well, Nathan, you first need to show her why she should, right?

  I clear my voice. “It’s not a phony offer, Eva. It’s a legitimate traineeship position. If Alejandro decides to take it, he’ll be one of the first young candidates to participate in AMEA’s brand new Fresh Start program. I’d personally mentor him if he joins us.”

  Eva snorts. “What is this, some new propaganda for your CEO position? A leader who cares for the youngsters?”

  Oh, goodness! She doesn’t know…

  When I sent the flowers, I assumed Eva would be aware that I’m not the chosen CEO. But now that I think of it, it was an entirely foolish assumption. How is she even supposed to know? Mother only just communicated Larry’s promotion to the press at lunchtime.

  I capture her gaze. I suppress the warmth inundating my chest at the sight of her familiar charcoal irises that, even with their frustrated glint, are the most precious things I’ve ever seen. “Eva, I didn’t become CEO.”

  Her eyes widen. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean that I didn’t. I’m not going to lead my family’s company. At least, not in the next five years anyway.”

  “But then why do you have a new office?”

  It’s my turn to arch my brows. “Why would you think it’s a new office?”

  It’s Eva’s first time in the building, so I can’t fathom how she’d be aware that I traded offices with Erica for a less attractive view but a larger sitting area to allow me to hold meetings with the traineeship participants.

  Eva’s eyes flick to my comfy executive chair. “I remember you mentioning that you had some historic beast as a seating device.”

  “You remember that?”

  I can’t hold the giddiness in my voice under control. I did include in my bargain with Erica keeping Mother’s horrendous throne as a non-negotiable condition. If Eva recalls this tiny detail that I’d mentioned to her when we planted her begonias, then the change in her breathing might have the significance I wish it would.

  Eva purses her lips. “Yeah. I’m not a complete nitwit, though it might be hard to tell, given that I fell for your act.” She sniffs. “Anyway, your guards told me you’re on a new floor, so it wasn’t hard to guess.”

  “I have never thought you were a nitwit. Never.”

  Eva shrugs. “It doesn’t matter.” She blinks back at me. “So, despite your new office, your bet didn’t go as planned. I’m sorry to hear.” She sounds everything but sorry. “Was it my disappearance from the party that ruined your promotion?”

  “No, Eva it wasn’t. For better or worse, Murphy thought you fell in love with me.”

  A muscle ticks on Eva’s right cheek, just beneath her eye. She presses her lips into a hard line. It’s obvious she doesn’t want to hear this and won’t comment.

  But I don’t need her to. The only thing I need is for her to listen to me.

  “It wasn’t your fault. Not becoming CEO is my own doing.” One of her brows arches, making me hope she’s interested to learn why, so I continue, “There are two reasons why I wasn’t promoted. First, because I haven’t won the bet. I failed at it. Badly.” Eva’s nostrils flair, but before she can insert a sassy snap, I add, “I failed because I fell in love with you.”

  A myriad of emotions swims across her face in a split second, but her final expression settles on cynical bitterness. “Huh, you claimed this once already, Nathan.”

  “I know I did, Eva. And you have every reason to believe I’ve lied to you, but I did not. I fell so unexpectedly and deeply for you that, in the beginning, I couldn’t even see what was happening. I started this whole bet with one thing in mind—to gain what was rightfully mine. But as the days went on, and I got to know you better…well, I think I changed. You made me change.”

  Eva tilts her head, her expression less stony and more reasonable than before. Her arms move across her chest. She hugs herself as if she’s trying to build up a shield against my truth, but in her eyes, I see that she can’t. My words are getting through her barrier all the same.

  That’s when I know that I need to keep going and not stop till I’ve told her everything. Till I make her interested enough to know what I did for her and for me. For us.

  Because I’m letting myself hope there might be an us.

  Chapter 40

  (Eva)

  My heart is beating in my throat as I stare into Nathan’s grey gaze. I’m confused and don’t know what to feel or believe. Could this be true? Could Nathan love me? The honest glint in his eyes and the throaty fervor in his voice speak to this truth. But so did many of his previous gestures before I discovered he had been betting about me with his brother.

  Nathan draws in a sharp breath. “There’s still something else you need to know. I didn’t just fail the bet. I consciously decided that I wanted something more than the original prize.”

  He bends closer and the weak barrier of my crossed arms isn’t enough to keep my hammering chest at bay. When I feel the heat emanating from him, I lick my lips. “And what is it that you want more?”

  “The thing I want, not more, but the most in this world, is you, Eva. I want you to be happy, and if possible, I want your happiness to be shared with me.”

  My lower lip twitches and I gasp. “Nathan…I can’t…you hurt me so much…I can’t…”

  But the protest I manage to utter is partly a charade. A part of me, the larger chunk unfortunately, is already hopping in a celebratory dance at Nathan’s words.

  Nathan must’ve decided to take no prisoners, because he continues to reveal his motivations. Each word bores into my already staggering protection. “Thanks to you, Eva, I realized that becoming leader of the family’s company right now would turn me into a man like my father was. He always cared more about the company than about anyone around him. I used to believe that this made him strong and focused. A real businessman. But I was wrong, Eva. So very wrong.”

  He reaches out and brushes back my ha
ir.

  I know I should move back, but I can’t seem to. It’s not possible to curb my primordial instinct to respond to Nathan any longer. My arms move on their own without permission from my cautious brain. My hands seize his, and I lock my gaze with his. “Nathan, are you sure of all this? A man with your ambitious drive stepping back from a promotion you spent years chasing?”

  Nathan smiles and inches even closer. His breath caresses my cheeks. “That’s the thing, Eva. I don’t feel like I’m stepping back. I feel like a chrysalis who always believed he was destined to be a bee but through love discovered he is a butterfly.”

  A bemused snort escapes my throat. “This is a metaphor worthy of Pablo Neruda. But I believe it should be a caterpillar.”

  “Probably.” He grins. “I’m a bad poet. But it’s true. This trainee program I invited Alejandro to participate in is my idea. It’s a great opportunity for AMEA, but it’s also a chance for me to bring together a long-forgotten passion I had about becoming a teacher while staying with what I know best, which is our business.”

  “Teaching?” I recall mentioning this career path to Nathan after he molded Juan’s resistance and him laughing at me.

  “Yes.” He winks. “You see, you recognized things about me sooner than I, myself, did.”

  “So, does this mean that Fresh Start actually exists?”

  “Of course. And Alejandro will be in it, if he wants it. And if you allow him to.”

  I can’t wrap my head around it all. I came here determined to extinguish Nathan from my heart. But whatever is happening here, is having the exact opposite effect. My body is numb except those few patches of skin where our fingers touch. As if all my other sensory receptors shut down to focus only on him. His words, his eyes, his breath…