“Oh, it involves money, just not mine.”
“Now we’re talking. Lay it on me.”
“It’s about Lucy Steele.”
“Ah, the girl you got engaged to just to give Mom a heart attack. Please tell me you didn’t, like, secretly marry her without a prenup. I don’t do divorce law, but I could give you a name.”
“No, I didn’t marry her. But we are still engaged. Sort of.” Edward explained his long and complicated history with Lucy, which Robert found wildly hilarious.
“Lucy sounds like a real peach. I want to meet her.”
“She’s all yours,” Edward said, rubbing his temples. His brother wouldn’t set foot in Datefield, but it was a nice thought.
“So, the book comes out in a week,” Robert said thoughtfully. He began frantically typing, with the occasional hmm. “And you said if it doesn’t sell well, she won’t get another book deal.”
“Yep.”
“But she has her ridiculous advance already. I guarantee you it’s been paid in full. The rest is not your problem. Move on with the woman you haven’t mentioned and let the scandal push Lucy’s book into the public eye. You’ll be doing Lucy a favor. Early reviews are calling her book raw, honest, and bitingly funny. They will read the book whether her nice guy turned out to be nice or not. Probably more so if you jilt her.”
Edward had purposely left Elinor out of his story, but Robert wasn’t a top lawyer for nothing. He was excellent at reading between the lines. Unfortunately, hearing that Lucy’s book would sell better with a scandal was not exactly good news. “Lucy will drag this other person through the mud. Out her publicly as the woman who stole her fiancé. Maybe even write a follow-up book about her.”
Robbie sighed. “Well, how much is her honor and reputation worth? That, my friend, is something the two of you will have to decide together. Let me guess, you did the noble thing and decided for her? Bad decision. Make a better one. Now, if we continue this little conversation, I will actually have to charge you per hour, and you can’t afford me. Bye now.”
And that was that. Robert made it sound so simple, but Edward was left to wonder what Elinor would think about offering up her reputation on a platter in exchange for the chance to be with him. He was afraid to ask. She might not choose him, and he wouldn’t blame her. After all, she probably thought he hadn’t chosen her.
He hadn’t chosen her.
The words sank deep, assuring him of their truth. Assuring him he’d been a complete, risk-adverse idiot.
He picked up his phone and dialed Rosa’s extension. “When Elinor comes in, will you send her in here? It’s urgent.”
***
Being the understanding sister had sapped all of Elinor’s energy, and by the time she said goodbye to Marianne and walked into work, all she wanted was to turn right around and walk home. But instead, she tromped to her desk and turned on her computer.
“Edward wants to see you first thing.”
Elinor’s shoulders dropped. “Why?” She didn’t think she had it in her to hold her tongue and say the right things anymore. Marianne had, in painstaking detail, outlined her last few conversations with Will, and then wanted Elinor to analyze them with her. Which meant Elinor had to come up with the non-judgmental version of her analysis and only share that. It had been the longest walk of her life.
Rosa shooed her off towards Edward’s door. “The sooner you go, the sooner you can come back.”
“Fine.” Elinor got up, stalked to his door, twisted his door-knob, and pushed it open like the strong, confident woman she was. Maybe too confident. The door slammed against the wall, startling them both.
“Sorry.” Elinor caught the door on its way back and gave it a pat before closing it behind her.
Edward’s eyes twinkled. “Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“Yes and no.” Right now was the worst time for a battle, when she was exhausted and frazzled, and yet, she was also itching for one. “What did you mean about protecting me? What are you protecting me from? Because this just feels like a slow walk toward death.” She couldn’t believe that last part had come out of her mouth. This was exactly why she needed to go back to her desk and regroup.
Edward got up from his desk and circled it. “I feel the same way.” He was coming towards her.
“What are you doing? We’re talking here, mister.” She took a step back towards the wall, pretending the thrill of the hunt she saw in his eyes didn’t send the same thrill through her.
“I hate this, too. Not being with you. And I hate what I’m about to say, but it’s only fair you know. Lucy threatened you, and all I have to do to keep you safe is do a better job of being a fake fiancé, and of course, to stay away from you. Newsflash, I find you irresistible.”
Elinor put her palm against his chest, keeping him back. She couldn’t quite think when he said things like that. This was the ardent Edward, the buttoned-up man when he’d finally lost his buttons.
“Threatened me how?” Elinor let out an incredulous laugh. “I have nothing left she can take away. What, is she going to threaten my mom’s job at the factory? Good. I’ve been trying to get Mom to work somewhere else. Her feet hurt from standing all day.”
