“I don’t know.”
“Zero.” I fold my arms and lean forward. “My brother is gettingmarried. I have to go back to Coconut Beach for the wedding celebrations. This is my family. This is important. The company has always come first for me. The deal will not suffer. I will work from Coconut Beach. However, I cannot and will not miss this.”
“I didn’t even think you were close with your family,” he says, shaking his head.
He knows he can’t threaten me. That I’ll walk away. He also knows I’m the best guy he has working for him—probably even better than him. That if I walk now, the deal is definitely done.
“My family and I are as close as most families are. This is very important. I will be there.”
“So, you say it’s for two weeks?”
“Two weeks,” I say.
I know I should mention the third week. I need to get to Coconut Beach early so that Mia and I can discuss all the plans. But I also know that three weeks would be pushing it with Johnson—and also with the deal. I need to be hands-on. I need to find out what’s going on with Equinox. I’ll have to take some people out for lunch and dinner. I’ll have to get to the root of the issue.
I have to make sure that I do not lose this deal.
The one thing I have above my brother is the fact that I am making it on my own. I am making a name for myself. This isn’t just important for the hedge fund. This is important for me. This is important for me to show my family that I am a son worth paying attention to, that I am a son worth caring about and nurturing. Rex might have everything else, but I will not let him take this from me as well.
Jonathan stands up. “Fine. Two weeks. But I’m warning you, Haverbrook. If you have to get back here at midnight on a Wednesday, I don’t want any excuses. If you can’t catch a commercial flight then I want you chartering a plane.”
“Don’t worry. The flight is five hours. If you need me back here at the office for anything, I will be here. This deal means everything to me. I will always be accessible via email as well.” I offer him my hand. “I have to be there for family, but my job comes first, as it always has.”
“Good” he says, shaking my hand firmly. “Well, have fun, and let’s close the deal.”
“Done, sir.” I watch as he walks out, and I lean back in the chair.
Fuck, I think to myself.
I have no idea how I’m going to balance this merger with thewedding. I have no idea how I’m going to plan with Mia and make sure we’re both on the same page—and sell the fact that we’ve been in a relationship for the last year. Especially not after I just told her I would come to town early to make sure we could sell it. She’ll be mad at me, but she is my best friend. She, more than anyone, knows how important this deal is to me. She, more than anyone, will understand. I will just have to make it up to her when I get to town. I’ll buy her a necklace or another bracelet or something that will make her happy. And then we’ll sell our relationship, break up, and I can come back to New York and live my life the way I have been for the last few years.
I try not to think about the fact that I’ve missed Mia. I try not to think about the fact that I look forward to kissing her. That I’ve always wanted to kiss her.
I try not to think about the fact that a part of me, deep down inside, wishes that this weren’t a fake relationship. A part of me, deep down inside, wishes that we had truly fallen in love.
chapter six
Mia
It’s seven p.m., the sun has set, and I’m feeling slightly buzzed as I sip wine with my girlfriends. The night is still early, and we’re all at the apartment Juniper and I share, getting ready for the evening. Music plays through the small Bose speakers in the corner of the room, and I watch as my friends Summer and Silvie bop their heads to Bruno Mars. I’m so glad to see them with smiles on their faces, as they’ve both been through a rough time recently.
“Who wants another glass of wine?” Juniper holds up a bottle of cabernet sauvignon and looks around. She’s always a gracious host.
We all rush over to the kitchen with our glasses to get more wine.
“Thanks for inviting us tonight,” Wendy says gratefully. “I needed a girls’ night, where I could just decompress.” She runs her fingers through her dark hair and shakes her shoulders, as if shaking off her money woes.
“You’re telling me.” Summer lets out a light sigh. “I love Coconut Beach, and it’s been great being back, but renovating a house is not for the weakhearted.”
“I’m so glad you girls were able to rally with me tonight because I really needed girl time.” I look over at Juniper, Wendy, Josie, Summer, and Silvie and beam at them. “And doesn’t my new candle smell just like butter popcorn?”
“Yes, and it’s making me hungry.” Juniper fake growls at me, which delights Lani, who starts zooming back and forth on the rug. She loves it when we have company.
“She’s so cute.” Summer’s green eyes light up as she takes in Lani, who is now rolling on her back and yelping. “I love dogs.”
“She’s a keeper,” I agree and clear my throat. “Attention, everyone. I have an announcement. Most of you already know, but my best friend, Luke, and I are going to Rex Haverbrook’s wedding together, and we will be pretending that we are madly in love.”
“I don’t know that it’s the best idea you’ve ever had,” Juniper says, tilting her head to the side, “but I fully support you.” Her brown eyes shimmer under the glittery silver eye shadow she’s applied, and she looks absolutely gorgeous.
