She stuck her hand out to me, and I shook it politely. “It’s very nice to meet you, ma’am.”
“Oh, it’s ma’am now, is it?” she said as she withdrew her fingers from mine. “If you really wanted to give me a sign of respect, you wouldn’t have asked my daughter to marry you without even meeting me first. Call me Moira.”
Keira held my arm tighter. “Don’t try to make this awkward, Mom. You’re meeting him now and I told you we’re going to have a long engagement. You’ll have more than enough time to get to know him before we actually get married.”
It was news to me that we were supposedly having a long engagement. It made sense, though. Since we weren’t actually getting married, she wouldn’t want her mom to waste her time starting to plan a wedding that wasn’t going to happen.
I flashed Moira my most charming smile, sliding my arm around Keira’s shoulders as I held her close to my side. “I’m sorry, Moira. It wasn’t my intention to make you feel like I don’t respect you. I should’ve waited, and I tried to, but I just couldn’t wait any longer. Your daughter means everything to me, and I wanted her to know that I’m committed to spending the rest of my life with her.”
Her features softened some and her gaze darted from mine, to Keira’s, and back again. “Is that true? Or are you just telling me what you think I want to hear so I won’t be upset with you?”
“It’s the absolute truth,” I said, glancing down at Keira with what I hoped was a dopey, loved-up expression. “From the first moment I met her, I knew she was different. I knew she was the only woman I wanted to be with, and I didn’t want to waste any time or beat around the bush. When you know, you know, and I knew.”
Moira pressed her palm to her chest, her eyes going glassy as she stared at us. “Well, you certainly know how to win a mother over. I’m so happy for both of you. Tell me about yourself, Harrison. I’d really like to get to know you if I’m gaining another son in the near future.”
Keira stood anxiously by my side while I spoke to her mother. She was so tense, I could practically feel it coming off her in waves, but she didn’t interrupt us.
Other wedding guests streamed into the tent from the garden while we talked. Soon, there was a line at the table where the snacks had been set out and people were clamoring around the bar.
Moira’s attention was only on me, however. She greeted some of the guests she knew when they passed her, but kept promising she’d catch up with them later.
Eventually, when she was satisfied with my answers and had been placated in terms of not having met me before, she opened her arms and pulled me into a hug. “I’m so glad Keira finally has someone she can introduce to us. She’s never introduced us to anyone before.”
I was surprised to hear it, but I didn’t say so. It seemed like something her fiancé would’ve known about her. “I’m just glad I’m the one who gets to be introduced to you.”
Moira grinned at me, swatting my arm playfully when she let go of me. “You’re such a charmer. I’ll see you both a little later.”
She didn’t make it very far before she was swept into another group’s conversation. Keira exhaled deeply at my side and held up her empty glass.
“Thank you so much for that,” she said. “You were great. Can I get you a refill? I think we both deserve a refill.”
As if the server had heard her, he appeared next to us with a tray of cocktails. Keira didn’t even ask what they were. She simply swiped two glasses from the tray and placed her empty glass down on it. We hadn’t even made it to the bar before Moira intercepted us, which meant our plan of getting spares had never happened.
Thankfully, the servers were circulating with the welcome drinks that had been on the counter when we’d walked in. When we were alone again, she took a long sip of her new drink and sighed happily.
“One good thing to be said for Nick and his pretentious friends is that they sure know the value of a good cocktail,” she said. “I prefer beer over cocktails any day of the week, but these aren’t as sweet as they can be.”
I took a tentative sip of the orange concoction she’d handed over to me, and smiled when I realized she was right. “These are actually quite bitter. It’s good. What’s it called?”
“More.” She winked before shrugging. “I don’t know what they’re actually called, but they taste like more to me.”
I laughed, but I kept a close eye on the people around us. One of the things I hadn’t taken into consideration was that I might know some of the guests at a wedding like this. I’d already spotted a few faces that looked vaguely familiar, but none of them had seen me yet.
Since it was still early, most people were in the process of greeting friends, getting food and drinks, and talking about the ceremony. It wouldn’t last long, though. Sooner or later, someone was going to recognize me.
At least I’d now met Keira’s mother. She’d seen me, believed us, and liked me. Which meant it was time to come clean before someone beat me to it.
As I took another big gulp of my cocktail, Keira rolled her eyes when some of the conversation of the group next to us became loud enough for us to hear it. “Are they seriously talking about investment opportunities in cryptocurrency right now? God, I’m so happy you’re not one of these pricks. I have no idea how Hailey’s going to tolerate them for the rest of her life.”
Yeah, that’s my cue… It was a good in, and one that I needed to take. I cleared my throat, taking her hand to lead her out of the fray a bit.
“I need to tell you something, Keira,” I said, bracing myself for what her reaction was going to be. Hopefully, she wouldn’t kick me out right off the bat.
She peered up at me with those big brown eyes filled with curiosity. A flurry of movement not too far away caught my eye, drawing my gaze away from hers.
As soon as I saw what the movement was about though, I wished I hadn’t looked. A man had made a grab for his friend’s arm, but the friend had shaken him off almost violently and was now storming over to us.
It was Bernard Hilton, and he looked furious. Gone was the meek and mild man who’d left my office with his lawyer last week. In his place was a haughty, pissed-off man who clearly had a bone to pick with me, and he was going to pick it right fucking now.
30
KEIRA
“I need to tell you something, Keira,” Harrison said.
There was something about the look in his eyes when he said it that I didn’t like, but then his gaze left mine and settled on something behind me. A soft sigh left him, and he closed his eyes for a second before opening them again.
Shifting on my feet, I let go of his hand to cross my arms. “Harrison? What is it? What’s wrong?”
A man I didn’t know suddenly joined us, his eyes narrowed as he poked Harrison in the chest. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
“I’m attending a wedding, Hilton,” he said calmly, but his gaze had turned to ice and his jaw to steel. “Same as you. Why don’t you walk away? Go get a drink and relax before you cause an incident on such a happy occasion.”
It didn’t sound like a question or a suggestion. Instead, it sounded very much like an order. The man, Hilton, didn’t take it, though.
He took a step closer to Harrison, his nostrils flaring as he poked him again. “No, I don’t think I will. See, I don’t have to take your bullshit orders anymore, boss.”
I frowned, but the man didn’t pay any attention to me. His attention was solely focused on Harrison, and it became clear very fast that he wasn’t going to back off until he’d said whatever it was he’d come over to say.
Harrison glanced at me with an apologetic look but didn’t attempt to explain what was going on before he turned back to Hilton. “You don’t want to do this here, Bernard. If you’ve got something to say to me, make an appointment next week. We can hash it out in private.”
Bernard—I was going to go ahead and assume his last name was Hilton—snarled at Harrison. “I made an appointment already, rem
ember? Load of good that did me. You’re a piece of shit for firing me the way you did, Hynes. If you think I’m just going to walk away now that it’s inconvenient for you to talk to me, you’ve got another thing coming.”
Okay, I’m lost. Their exchange was making less and less sense to me. Harrison fired this man? When? From where? He didn’t look like a farm worker to me.
Then again, in the suit he was wearing, Harrison didn’t look much like a farm worker either. I hadn’t really thought about it before, but he actually looked just like every other high-powered man in this place.
The wheels in my brain were turning slowly—too slowly. None of the conclusions I was drawing made any sense whatsoever.
Another man joined us out of the blue, and he spoke to Bernard in a harsh whisper that carried enough that I could hear what he was saying. “I know the bank was your life, and I know that he fucked you over, but today isn’t about you and Harrison Hynes. It’s about Nick. He said he might be able to help you. Don’t piss him off, man. Not today.”
Bernard was still glaring daggers at Harrison, but with a huff of air, he let his friend drag him away. Meanwhile, some of the things he’d said were starting to click into place in my mind.
Hynes. Harrison Hynes. Bank. The Hynes Group was one of the biggest financial institutions in the city. Hell, they were doing pretty well all over the country. The world even.
What the fuck is going on here?
My mother must’ve overheard some of what had been said because she suddenly appeared next to me. She nudged me in the side before flashing Harrison a wide—if confused—grin.
“Keira, honey,” she said, her hand resting on my forearm. “Why didn’t you tell me you were engaged to Harrison Hynes? That’s why he looked so familiar to me earlier. He’s the CEO of the Hynes Group. One of the richest men in New York, at that.”
She let out a high-pitched giggle as she addressed Harrison. “I know you like to stay out of the limelight, sweetheart, but surely, you could’ve told your future mother-in-law the truth. I read a feature on you recently. The picture was an old one, but I knew I’d seen you before somewhere.”
Harrison managed to give her a tight smile, but his gaze hardly left mine even though he was speaking to her. “It wasn’t my intention not to tell you who I was, Moira. It just didn’t come up and this is Hailey and Nick’s day, after all.”
“Of course.” She giggled again, then pursed her lips as she gave me a fond look. “I can’t believe you tried to make me think he was just a farmhand. You’re such a sweetheart for trying not to take the attention away from your sister today, honey. Such a sweetheart.”
She patted my arm before she let it go, then grinned at Harrison again. “Well, you have a lot of explaining to do, mister. You were right not to do it today, though. Let’s plan a lunch together soon, shall we?”
“Definitely,” he agreed, his hazel eyes still never leaving mine. “Would you excuse us a minute, please?”
“Sure thing,” she said. “Have fun, you two.”
Once my mom had flitted away to rejoin her friends, I arched a brow at Harrison with my heart pounding a mile a minute in my chest.
“We’re not talking here,” I said flatly. “I don’t want to make a scene at my sister’s wedding.”
“Of course.” He reached for my arm, but I held it close to my side. “Can we go for a walk?”
I nodded curtly, my mind still spinning from all those revelations. There were so many thoughts whizzing through my head that it was almost impossible to catch onto any of them.
Harrison Hynes. The Hynes Group. He’s a billionaire. He lied to me. Lied to me over and over again while also sleeping with me. I fucked him. More than once, and he lied to me.
In a daze as we walked out of the tent, I nearly crashed into at least four people before his hand finally came to rest on my lower back. He guided me the rest of the way out, but I was hardly aware of it.
I was hardly aware of anything going on around me. What else is he lying about? Why would he lie? Was it really just to get into my pants? That doesn’t even make any sense.
I pressed the heels of my hands to my temple when we finally made it outside, my breaths coming hard and fast. Harrison walked around me to stand in front of me, his hands on my shoulders as he stared down into my eyes.
“Breathe, Keira,” he said as calmly as ever. As if he hadn’t just been caught in one massive ass lie. “Just breathe, baby. In and out. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before that happened. I was just about to when Bernard showed up.”
His words sounded distant, like he was speaking from inside the bathroom while I was submerged in the tub. One thing that did break through the haze in my mind was what he’d called me, though.
“I’m not your fucking baby,” I whispered, my throat too tight to get my voice to work properly. “I’m not anything except the girl you lied to. Why would you let me think that you’re not rich when you’re one of the richest people in the city?”
“I didn’t mean to lie to you, Keira,” he said. “If you would just hear me out, I can explain everything.”
“I can’t,” I choked out. “I can’t hear you out right now. This is my sister’s wedding and I have to go take photos any minute. I can’t do this right now.”
“You said you had an hour before you had to go take pictures,” he reasoned. “It’s only been about half of that. If you’ll give me five minutes, I can explain. I promise.”
Tears welled up in my eyes, but at least my breathing was returning to normal. As I looked up at him, all I could think about was that I didn’t know him at all. Here I was, wearing his ring—even if it was for a fake engagement—but I didn’t have the first clue about who he really was.
All those times I’d thought it was so unbelievable that it could feel like I’d known him forever when I’d only known him a few weeks—it had been a lie. All of it. Everything.
What wasn’t a lie and never had been was that I’d spread my legs for him. My cheeks burst out in flames when I realized I could still feel him inside me when I didn’t even know who he was. God, he must’ve thought I was such an idiot.
Even just hours ago when he’d arrived at my apartment, I’d practically thrown myself at him when I’d opened the door in that robe. I wanted to cover my face completely with my hands and never look at anyone again. If the earth could’ve opened up a giant hole to swallow me, that would’ve been great too.
Why would he even have come to my crappy little apartment? He probably had mansions all over. Was he on some kind of bang-the-poor-girl kick? Did he get his rocks off by visiting all these shitty little apartments and then going home to his castle?
No, he’s not like that, a voice deep inside me whispered. Sure, he lied about not having money, but you’ve seen where he lives.
That part was true, too. Ashton. The farm. The horses. The rustic little house where the dresser is filled with his clothes and the kitchen with his food.
I screwed my eyes shut, unable to reconcile the life of the man I’d come to know with that of the reclusive billionaire I knew Harrison Hynes to be. Eventually, I turned away from him and stared off into the distance at where Hailey and Nick were taking pictures near the stables.
“I can’t talk to you about this right now,” I repeated my earlier statement. “It’s okay if you have to leave, but I need to go take some pictures.”
If they weren’t ready for me yet, I’d just hang out on the sidelines until they were. All I knew was that I couldn’t go back into the tent right now without him for fear that my mother would want to know where he’d gone. I also couldn’t go back in there with him. I couldn’t be around him at all right then.
I didn’t know what to think or how to feel. A part of me felt used, humiliated, and manipulated. Another part of me kept telling that part to calm down. That there had to be an explanation and that it probably wasn’t as bad as I thought it was.
Harrison’s gaze remained locked on mine, hi
s hands in the pockets of his pants as he swallowed and gave a nod. “Sure. I understand if you can’t talk to me right now. I’m going to go, but not because I don’t want to be here. I’m just trying to respect your wishes. Call me when you’re ready to talk, okay?”
“Okay,” I forced out, but I didn’t know if I would call him. Didn’t know if I’d ever be able to work up the courage. “Thank you for volunteering to come with me tonight, but you’re off the hook. I’ve got it from here.”
Without another word, I spun around and just about jogged away from him. It was almost like I could feel his gaze burning into me from behind, but I ignored it. I really couldn’t make a scene at my sister’s wedding, and if I tried to talk to him now, that was exactly what would happen.
The part of me that felt he would have an explanation wanted to run back into his arms and figure it all out right away, but I squashed the urge down. There would be no running into his arms tonight.
Tonight was about Hailey. Tonight was about dancing, and celebrating, and smiling with my sister. Tomorrow, I would try to make sense of all these thoughts racing through my head. Tomorrow, I would try to figure out how I’d managed to start falling for one of the richest men in the industry and not even know who he was.
Tomorrow was another day. I’d do it all tomorrow.
Right now, I pasted a smile on my face and went to my sister when she motioned me over. She hugged me, then gave me a worried look as she swept her gaze across my face.
“You okay?” she asked.
I nodded, taking a deep breath and willing what I was about to say to be true. “I’m fine. Let’s get these pictures taken, shall we? We have a party to get to.”
31
HARRISON
Sundays were always a good day to try to get some work done at my office. There was never a lot of people around and those that were tended to keep their heads down so they could get home as soon as possible.
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