Possessive Fake Husband

by B. B. Hamel

She gives me a flat stare and for a second, I can understand why Maggie’s acting so meek around her. This woman is intense and the head of a wealthy and powerful family. I know she can make my life very difficult if she wants to, and can probably make sure this deal doesn’t go through.

  Instead, she only nods and stands. “I see,” she says.

  “Aunt Sylvia.” Maggie hesitates. “I hope you understand. This is important to both of us. It’s important to our family, too.”

  “I want you both to think about this,” she says. “Think about whether this is worth embarrassing yourselves over. And think hard about whether you want to drag the Lofthouse family name down with you.”

  “It isn’t our intention to embarrass anyone,” I say, standing to see her out. “But it is my intention to win.”

  She gives me an appraising look, nods once, and walks to the door. I follow her and hold it open as she walks down the stoop. She doesn’t glance back or say goodbye as she walks down the sidewalk.

  I shut the door and turn to Maggie. She’s sitting at the table, staring into space. I can see the anxiety all over her. “Hey,” I say.

  She looks at me. “Hey.” She forces herself to smile. “That sucked.”

  “Yeah.” I walk over and sit next to her. I pull her over and hold her against me. “It’ll be okay.”

  “I don’t think you get what just happened,” she says and pulls away. “Sylvia Lofthouse just told us to stop what we’re doing… and you told her to fuck off.”

  “I didn’t say it that way,” I muse. “But more or less, yeah, you’re right.”

  “That doesn’t happen.” She laughs. “You don’t tell Sylvia she can’t have what she wants. That never goes well.”

  “I hear you,” I say. “But what do we have to lose? If we defy her and she ruins this deal, then it’s done. If we listen, the deal’s done, too. The only chance we have of getting what we want is to move forward and hope that your aunt backs off.”

  She takes a deep breath and lets it out, closing her eyes. “I know that’s true. I just hate it.”

  “I know. She’s only doing what she thinks is right for her family, and we have to do the same.”

  She gives me a long look. “Our family?”

  I smile a little. “You know. Me and you.”

  She laughs. “Sounds like you forgot that this little marriage is a sham.”

  “Oh, I haven’t forgotten. But I’m starting to get used to you.”

  Her smile wanes and she gets up. “I’m heading upstairs,” she says. “I need to think a little bit.”

  “Okay.” I watch her go. I want to follow her, kiss her, tell her it’ll all be okay, but she says she needs alone time right now, so I won’t press.

  Still, I won’t back down, either. I feel anger shift through me all over again. That woman thinks she can stroll in here and tell me what to do with my own company, but it’s not happening. She’s not getting in my way, and neither is the board.

  I’m going to convince them. I’m going to get my way. This merger will happen, sooner or later.

  And as for Maggie…

  She’s going to be mine.

  There’s no turning away from this. I’m on course to get what I need, and she’s coming with me, one way or another.

  17

  Maggie

  I take a night to think about that meeting with Aunt Sylvia, my brain running a mile a minute.

  Growing up, I only spent a little time with the Lofthouse family. Even though she’s my father’s sister, we still didn’t see her much. When she married into the Lofthouses, she disappeared, or at least that’s how my dad describes it. One day, she was herself, and the next, she was an entirely different person.

  In the morning, I call him up. I need to talk to someone about what happened, and he’s the only person I trust right now. “Hey, Dad,” I say.

  “Good morning,” he says. “How are you? How’s Josh?”

  “We’re good,” I say. “He’s good.”

  “He being good to you?” He always asks that, and I can’t help but smile.

  “He’s being good,” I say. “That’s not why I called.”

  “It’s early,” he says, and his voice sounds a little bit deeper than usual.

  “Did I wake you up?”

  “No, no, I was getting up anyway.” He sighs. “What time is it?”

  “A little past nine.”

  “Right.” He grunts and I think he’s getting out of bed. “So what’s up, honey?”

  “Your sister stopped by last night. Aunt Sylvia.”

  He’s quiet for a long moment, but I can hear him breathing. “What did she want?” she asks.

  “She all but told Josh to stop pursuing the merger.”

  He lets out a breath. “Really?”

  “She says he’s embarrassing her. Have you…. Heard anything?”

  “Only what you’ve told me,” he says. “The car washing stuff isn’t great, but I fail to see how that’s embarrassing her.”

  “Doesn’t matter. Apparently someone is spreading rumors about what we’re doing. I think it’s one of the guys on the board, this man named Seb. He’s trying to sabotage us.”

  “And now Sylvia is in on the game.” He laughs. “You know it’s bad when the Lofthouse Queen steps down off her throne.”

  I smile a little. That’s how Dad talks about his sister what he’s annoyed with her. I have to admit, I’ve heard him call her that more than a few times.

  “Yeah, well, now I’m trying to figure out what to do,” I admit. “She can ruin all of this if she wants to.”

  “She probably could,” he agrees. “But do you really want to give in to her demands like that?”

  “No,” I say. “Of course not. But you know what she’s like.”

  He laughs again, softer this time. “I do,” he says. “But she wasn’t always. I remember her when she was still just Sylvia Fyall. She was a talkative girl and she drove you grandparents nuts. Did you know that?”

  “No, you never told me that.”

  “Oh, god. They used to yell at her all the time. ‘Sylvia! Watch your mouth! Can you just be quiet for ten seconds?’ My mom would tell at her all the time. And Sylvia would just laugh and keep on talking like anyone cared what she said.”

  “How long did that last?” I ask, smiling a little at the thought of serious, intense Aunt Sylvia getting yelled at by her mother.

  “Oh, years,” he says. “But she stopped eventually. Got old enough to realize nobody cared what she had to say and sort of started to bottle it up, I guess.”

  “That’s almost sad,” I admit.

  “No, it’s not. You wouldn’t think it was sad if you had it sit through one of her incessant ramblings.”

  I laugh a little. “Okay, fair enough.”

  “Before marrying your uncle, she was much more… Reserved. Laidback, even. She was always really smart, don’t get me wrong. Top of her class in high school and all that. But she never took herself too seriously until that family came along.”

  “Now she’s different,” I say.

  “Now she’s very different.”

  “Do you and her get along?”

  “Not really,” he admits. “We don’t talk much though. I try to keep things civil but she seems to have lost interest in reaching out, which suits me fine enough most days.”

  “But back then, were you friends?”

  “Oh, yeah,” he says with a laugh. “We were close. It was always the two of us against our parents. At least until we both grew up a little bit and grew apart. But it wasn’t until she married that we really stopped being friends.”

  I frown and look down at the floorboards. I can imagine how talkative but smart Sylvia could go from a lovable, normal girl to what she is now. It’s not impossible to see it, the way my dad talks about her. It’s almost sad to think about what she gave up and what she lost by joining that family

  But I don’t have time to pity her.

  “What sho
uld I do, Dad?” I ask him.

  “Stay the course,” he says. “Is that what Josh said?”

  I laugh. “He told her he wouldn’t do what she wants straight out to her face.”

  Dad whistles. “I like that guy. I would’ve loved to see that.”

  “It was terrifying.”

  “I bet it was. She’s not used to that sort of thing anymore.”

  “Josh figured, we’re screwed either way, so we might as well keep trying.”

  “He’s right.” Dad laughs again. “Listen to him. Keep going. I’ll try to talk to my sister, see what I can do.”

  “Thanks, but don’t get yourself in trouble.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m not afraid of little Sylvie. Like I said, she wasn’t always so scary, and I remember those days.”

  “Thanks, Dad. I appreciate it.”

  “Sure. And hey, if you’re still worried, call one of your cousins. They’re good kids. They might help.”

  I smile a little. “That’s a good idea. I’ll try Lora. We always got along.”

  “Good thinking. Good luck, kiddo. Keep me updated. I’m ready to merge whenever Josh gets the green light.”

  “Bye, Dad.”

  I hang up the phone and flop back in bed for a long moment. I close my eyes and try to picture Aunt Sylvia as a little girl, precocious and talkative. I can almost see it, can almost picture her parents yelling at her for talking too much. But the image drifts away.

  I sit up and head downstairs. I make some coffee and find a note from Josh. At the office. I have something for you later. -J

  I smile and slip it into my pocket. I don’t know why I do it, but there’s something sweet about having a guy that leaves me notes. Whatever relationship is building between us feels good, and I’m actively trying not to think too much about it. I do what I like, I touch him, I kiss him, I keep moving forward. I don’t know what else I could do.

  I sip my coffee and walk out into the backyard. There’s a small metal table under a little tree, and the shade from the branches is nice as I sit on the hard chair and kick my feet up on the other chair across from me. I swipe through my phone, find my cousin’s number, and call her up.

  She answers after a few rings, right when I think she’s about to let it go to voicemail. “Hey, Mags!”

  “Hi, Lora,” I say. “How’s it going?”

  “Oh, you know, pretty good. Hey, sorry, hold on one second, okay?” I hear some muffled noises, some voices, some movement. Then she comes back on. “Okay, sorry about that.”

  “Is this a bad time?” I ask.

  “Not at all.” She laughs a little. “That was just Dean being an asshole.”

  “Tell him I said hello.”

  She says something away from the receiver. “He says what’s up. Hey, how are you? I’m happy you called. I was just thinking about you.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, I want to come visit you in a few months. I haven’t been to Philly in a while. And I hear you got married.”

  “I did,” I say, laughing. “You’ll like Josh. He’s a good guy.”

  “Better be, if he married my cousin. And don’t worry, I’m not bitter at all that I wasn’t invited.”

  “Nobody was, if it makes you feel any better. Except for your mom, but, you know…”

  “Can’t snub Sylvia Lofthouse.” Lora sighs dramatically. “I wouldn’t want you to get in serious trouble.”

  “I actually just saw your mom last night, you know.”

  She’s quiet for a second. “Huh. I was wondering where she was.”

  “Are you guys staying at the manor right now?”

  “Have been for a little bit. It’s weird living with your parents, but the fact that we never actually see them makes it easier.”

  I laugh a little. “Well, she was here, all right.”

  “What happened?”

  I hesitate. “That’s sort of why I called.”

  “Go ahead, spill it. If there’s one thing I’m an expert on, it’s all things Sylvia.”

  “Josh and I are trying to convince his board to allow his company to merge with my dad’s company,” I say, giving her the quick story. “But it hasn’t been easy. We’ve had to do some… things.”

  “Sexual things?”

  “Lora!”

  “I’m just asking. The way you said that made it sound like you had to do some really dark, twisted shit.”

  “No,” I say, laughing. “We had to wash one guy’s cars. One guy wanted money. Another wanted us to get his nephew a job. That sort of stuff.”

  “Okay, so not too twisted. Unfortunately.”

  “Your mom came here to tell us to stop,” I say.

  “Really?” She sounds mildly surprised. “I didn’t know she cared about anything but her own business.”

  “I think she sees this as her business,” I say. “I think in her mind, this is all tangled up with what she does.”

  “In what way?”

  “Well, since I’m her niece, whatever I do reflects on her.” I hesitate, not sure how much information Lora needs or cares to hear. “There’s a guy on the board that’s trying to sabotage us, and I think he’s spreading rumors.”

  “Rumors, huh?” Lora sighs. “Rumors are basically crack for bored, rich people. They can’t help themselves. Any hint of scandal gets them all worked up.”

  “You’re a bored rich person, you know that, right?”

  “Sure, but I’m a lovely person.”

  I laugh. “That’s true.”

  “I take it my mother doesn’t like these rumors, and wants them to stop. In order to make them stop, she needs you both to back off your plan. Is that it more or less?”

  “That’s it,” I confirm, staring up at the tree, squinting at the morning sky. The breeze feels good, and a bit of my anxiety is slowly starting to dissipate as I talk to Lora. Just hearing the way she talks about her mother and that whole world puts me at ease a little bit.

  “Listen, my mother, she has her priorities all fucked up.”

  “Seems like your family is her only priority.”

  “Right.” Lora sighs. “And that makes her dangerous. I mean, not dangerous, but, like… she goes overboard. She gets a little too intense. You know what I mean?”

  “Sure.” I laugh a little. “I’ve always been intimidated by her, you know? And her showing up like she did last night, I sort of just like…”

  “Crumbled?” Lora lets out a breath. “We’ve all been there, sweetie. I know I’ve done and said stupid stuff around my mother just because of the way she is.”

  “She has that intense presence, right?”

  “Exactly. Add that to the fact that she is pretty much the head of our household, since my dad is totally useless, and she’s intimidating. But she’s still just a person. You have to remember that.”

  “Wait, what do I do?” I ask. “I mean, we want this merger to happen. And to make it happen, we probably need to convince a few more board members.”

  “Which means more embarrassing hijinks.”

  “Right.”

  “The sort of things that my mother will not approve of.”

  “And even if it’s all totally innocent and fine or whatever, Seb will still be throwing rumors out there. It’ll be contentious no matter what.”

  “So my mother will be pissed.”

  “That’s my fear.”

  “Do it,” she says without hesitation.

  “Wait, what?”

  “You want it, right?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Then do it. Forget about my mother. Forget what she thinks. She’ll do whatever she’s going to do no matter what. She’ll steamroll whoever she wants to get it done. Try being like her.”

  I bite my lip. “That’s… good advice.”

  “Obviously. I’m amazing.”

  I smile a little and run my fingers along the metal table. “I have a feeling that if I keep doing this, your mother isn’t going to want you to visit me any
time soon.”

  “Who cares? She won’t do anything about it. She won’t kick you out of the family. And it’s not like it would mean anything if it did. Oh, darn, you can’t come to the manor the one time a year she lets you.”

  I grin a little. “That’s a good point. I wouldn’t lose much.”

  “Look, my mom has her priorities or whatever, and they’re not going to change. I don’t think you should change your own for her. She’d never do that for you.”

  “Thanks for talking to me,” I say. “I feel a lot better.”

  “Any time. And good luck. I really hope you guys keep going and it all works out.”

  “Me too. I’m not so confident, but I’m hopeful anyway.”

  We chat a little more about her life with Dean, which sounds really good, and hang up. I sit outside for a few minutes before a noise over near the door surprises me. I look over and Josh is standing there, head tilted.

  “Hey,” he says.

  “Hey.” I stand up. “I thought you were at the office.”

  “I was. But I wanted to come home and see you.”

  I cock my head. “You said you have something for me.” I grin a little bit. “I like surprise presents, you know.”

  “Good.” He grins right back. “Come in here.”

  He disappears inside and I follow him into the kitchen. He picks up a small box from the counter and hands it to me.

  “I know it’s nothing special,” he says as I open the box. “I was just passing this thrift store and saw it in the window. I don’t know why, but I thought of you, so I bought it on a total whim.”

  I take out a necklace and suck in a sharp breath. It’s clearly old, two layers of pearls draped above each other, fastened on the right with a small diamond broach. “Oh my god,” I say.

  “You like it?”

  I hold it up to the light. The diamonds sparkle and the pearls still have an amazing luster. “It’s beautiful. I can’t take this.”

  He laughs. “Come on.”

  “It’s too much.”

  “It’s not.” He steps closer. “I want you to know that you matter to me.”

  “I know I do,” I say, shaking my head. I put it back into the box, trying to be gentle. It has to be at least fifty years old, probably older, just based on the style alone. “We’re helping each other.”