For a moment, it was like the world had disappeared, and all that was left was the steady rhythm of his breath, the warmth of his body, and the way he wove our fingers together and then tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
It was fake. I knew that.
But it felt real.
And I couldn’t help but wonder if, for just a second, Topher felt it, too.
12
Today was the day:the one I’d been dreading.
We were decorating for Halloween. Abeach-themedHalloween because that’s what I’d blurted out to Gladys.
Naturally, Topher was nowhere to be found. When I woke up, he was already gone. For a brief, startling moment, I realized I missed him.
Not the arguing, not the workaholic intensity, but waking up and seeing him there. His hair slightly mussed, his breathing steady and soft. When he opened his eyes and caught me watching, he’d give me a quiet, sleepy smile.
Now, with him gone, the space felt too still. Too wide.
I didn’t have to wait long for an explanation. He came back just as I was finishing a late breakfast, carrying his laptop under one arm. When I asked where he’d been, he shrugged.
“Internet here’s too spotty. Had to go to my place in the Garden District. People are relying on me. I can’t just take off for a week.” There was something almost sincere in the way he said it. I still thought he was overdoing it, but I could see the weight of his responsibilities in his face.
“Don’t you trust the people working for you?” I asked.
Topher sighed, setting his laptop down and rubbing his temples like he always did when something frustrated him. “Some of the people I work with... they’re cutthroat. You give them an inch, and they’ll take your company. It’s not exactly a relaxing environment.”
Whoa.That was a side of him I hadn’t seen before.Just how bad were things behind the scenes?
“But”—Topher leaned casually against the doorframe—“I’m done working for the day. And now I’m ready to decorate this yard for Halloween like it’s never been decorated before.” There was a mischievous glint in his eye.
He disappeared into the bedroom, and when he came back, I nearly dropped the cup of coffee in my hands.
Topher Brodie—Mr. Buttoned-Up Billionaire—was wearing a Hawaiian shirt.
Well,barelywearing one.
The top half hung open, revealing part of his chest. I blinked. Was it hot in here? Had the air conditioning stopped working? Oh boy.
“What on earth are you wearing?” I asked, barely hiding my inner spiral.
He looked down, as if noticing the palm trees and flamingos splashed across the fabric. Then he looked back at me with a slow, smug grin. “It’s a beach-themed Halloween. Gotta commit, right?”
I raised an eyebrow, trying not to stare. I failed. “Whoareyou, and what have you done with Topher?”
He smirked. “Just go with it. It’s going to be a long day.”
He wasn’t wrong.
As soon as we stepped outside, Topher was in full-on “boss mode.” He waved his phone around like he was leading a battalion. “I’ve already called in my team.” He scrolled through an absurdly long list of Halloween items. “We’re getting everything delivered: haunted tiki bars, zombie surfers, skeleton lifeguards.”
His “team,” as I learned, was a mix of people from his mansion across town in the Garden District—gardeners, contractors, and his tech guy. Of course, these people weren’t just helping out because it was fun. They were the best money could buy, and it showed.
I raised an eyebrow. “How much are you spending on this?”
Topher shrugged, entirely unbothered. “Whatever it takes. No limits.”
Of course.Why would a billionaire have a budget for a Halloween beach display?
