“So why are you ending it? You two seem like a nice couple.”
While Nolan and I were close, we were never close enough for me to tell him everything in my life. In fact, I don’t think there was anyone who could understand the yolk my own father had put on me. Nolan had his demons when it came to the man, Ivy too for that matter, but my case always felt, special. His ambitions for me were tenfold whatever he put on them. They could never understand. Also, my pride wouldn’t let me. There was no way in hell I was going to tell anyone that my father tricked me into marrying Thalia.
“Not everything is as what it seems.”
He cocked his eyebrows. “Care to tell me what’s going on?” The compassion in his voice was oddly sweet. It made me feel like the little brother that I am and want to tell him everything. Swallow my pride just this once. But I am a coward.
“People make up and break up,” I said instead. “That’s all there is. You’re going to have to glaze the Bardwells on your own.”
Nolan closed his eyes, scrounging his forehead. He rubbed his temples then said, “Can you postpone your divorce? Can’t you just pretend you two are still together? Arther and Mae love you two together, I hear.”
“Hell no.”
He leaned forward and stared directly into my eyes. “The entire merger is riding on this. The company is riding on this.”
“A company I don’t work for.”
“But one you own shares in and is the biggest client of your law firm.” His gaze darted around the office. “Hawthorne practically pays for this really nice place.”
“Careful,” my voice lowered, “you’re starting to sound like father.”
“I’m not threatening you,” he leaned back in the chair and clasped his hands, “I am just pointing out that you have as much at stake in this deal succeeding as any of us.”
“You definitely sound like father.”
“Oh, stop it. How hard can it be? Just pretend you love each other for two more weeks.”
“Two weeks!” I thought it was going to be a weekend. The thought of pretending to be in love with Thalia for that long made my gut twist. But then there was another emotion below the surface. A need for her that was never fully satisfied making itself known. The feel of her lips on mine, and how long it had been, filled my thoughts. I wanted to feel their pillowy softness again, I realized. I shook my head. “No.”
“Think about it. You’ll not only be doing it for me, but for the family.”
Chapter 28
Thalia
“WE HAVE TOstay together for a few more weeks,” Carey announced at supper. We haven't done something like this in a long while. Eat together in private. It was always at a restaurant and in full view of the public. But tonight Carey had the private chef cook us a Michelin star level meal and left as soon as she was done. Carey was the one who served the meal while I sat at the table wondering what the reason for the fuss could be.
“We have to?” I knew he was going to find some way to sabotage the proceedings. He hated that I was the one who ditched him first and not the other way round. He has been extra salty ever since I presented the divorce papers.
Carey stabbed his fork into the circle shaped lamb chop on his plate. “Trust me, I don’t want this any more than you do, but we have to do it.” He took a sip of his wine as though the next words he was about to say were difficult. Every time I noticed his disdain for me, my path for divorce becomes more clear. “Nolan wants us to convince the Bardwells to sell their business to Hawthorne.”
“Arther and Mae want to sell their company? What’s that got to do with me?”
“Well,” he exhaled, “Mae and Arther are coming to New York and we’re supposed to entertain them. Make them happy, make them want to sell the company at the end of it.”
A few more weeks of pretending to be in love with Carey? It was a bad idea. The first time we had to do this was with that same couple. They were a sweet couple and were nice enough to keep in touch with us for the next years. Mae and I developed a good friendship and we would communicate a lot on the socials. Pretending once more to be in love wasn’t as appealing as it used to be. At least then I thought I loved Carey and I would use the pretense to fool myself into a make believe world that doesn’t exist. One were I loved him and he loved me back. That’s what made it tolerable. But I was not in love with him anymore. Any play pretend would be horrible to endure.
“I can’t. Can’t you entertain them on your own?”
“Nolan wants a couple, I am afraid.”
“Why don’t you ask Gemma,” I blurted out and immediately regretted it. I’ve never revealed that I knew about his mistress and now I felt like I had lost a valuable card.
He frowned. “Well, Gemma is not my wife, and she doesn’t have a relationship with Mae.”
“I’m sorry but I can’t do it.”
Carey's cutlery cluttered onto the plate. “Do you think I want this? I’ve been itching to be out of this relationship just as much as you. Can we at least do this thing and then we could finally be on our way? I am not holding the divorce above your head. I want it too. Will you please do this for me?”
