“Being engaged to Ethan for six months won’t be that hard, Keelani,” Mitchell’s irritated voice ground out over the phone.
I’d planned to disappear into my hotel room and curl up with a good book, but my manager called to lecture me. So I sat at the penny slot machine, instead, as I listened to him.
“So, you need to do it.”
He hadn’t called to ask how the performance went. He hadn’t congratulated me on getting through it either. He’d started the conversation with business, as always, and his business was mostly telling me what to do.
“I think me getting this deal with the casino is good enough for PR. Ethan and I don’t need any more publicity.”
“Yes, you do. And the label needs it too. We’ll get sponsorships and news articles. It will boost both of your sales. And I’ll remind you that you need to look your best right now. Your friend is helping you out by letting you sing in his resort.”
I closed my eyes tight for a second, trying my best to listen to his reasoning after how much that performance emotionally drained me. He was right. Dimitri had gotten me this deal, and even if I didn’t want it, it was the thing that would get me out from under the record label’s thumb once and for all. My manager didn’t know that, but he knew Dimitri was a friend—my best friend—and I didn’t want to let him down.
Only six months.
Still, bile rose in my throat. Neither Ethan nor I wanted this. It was the last thing we wanted. “He’ll say no. He’s got other plans.”
“He’s already said yes.”
Motherfucker. “What? Why?” I whispered out, thinking of the late nights I’d had with my friend over the past few months. We purposely hadn’t been seen together. People speculated we’d already broken up. We were going to let the relationship fade to black.
“Because no one says no to opportunities of a lifetime, Kee.”
I rolled my eyes and stared at the machine. No matches across any lines. Typical. I hit the button again. “I’m saying no.”
“Record label says yes, and you’ve got six months. Plus, your dad already agreed. I just sent you the screenshot of how happy he is about this. I included extra care for your family while you’re at the casino and then making appearances with Ethan.”
My phone pinged, and I saw my dad’s texts to Mitchell. I hated that he hadn’t asked me, hated even more that his paragraphs to Mitchell were so genuine and heartfelt that I felt slighted.
Still, it was my family.
My mother.
I sighed. “Send me the addendum then. We’ll need to get Black Diamond to sign off on this too.”
“Yes, yes. Do that for me tonight. Tell Dimitri this is needed and you want it. Ethan will be there within an hour.” He hung up.
Then my phone pinged with a contract listing out all the public events I would now have to make with a new fiancé.
I couldn’t bring myself to go back to the Hardy wedding, even if Dimitri said he’d stand near me the whole time. I sat at the penny machine for nearly an hour instead trying to win money. If I did, I’d at least think my luck was changing. And I needed a change.
But I didn’t win one single time.
Ethan showed up with his wavy blond hair and lanky frame and stupid perfect smile on his face. I’d hoped no one would pay attention, but he’d brought a literal cameraman with him. He pulled me in for a hug and said, “Mitchell called him. It’s go time, babe.” Then, he kissed me so theatrically, I was surprised the paps even took a photo.
All for show. All a facade. Still, I smiled and said quietly through clenched teeth, “I’ll cut your balls off if you do that again. I’m saying yes, but I’m freaking mad at you, Ethan.”
His eyes widened, and he chuckled before he got down on one knee.
Was this how women felt during a proposal? Like their life flashed before their eyes? Like, how had I gotten here, and how the hell could I get out? It’s how I knew I wasn’t meant for love, for forevers, and for marriage. I was abnormally sickened by this charade.
“My love for you has been the biggest secret to have to keep from the world, Keelani.”
What a lie. We hadn’t been seen together these past few months because we’d planned to let the relationship fizzle into the wind. Now, he was claiming we were in love in secret.
“Marry me and make me the happiest man alive? I want to share with the world how well we harmonize together.”
Was he for real? That was so cheesy, especially when I knew his biggest secret wasn’t that. Yet I worked up tears, and my chin wobbled before I whispered, “Yes.” Honestly, the tears might have been a bit real since I’d agreed to marry a man I didn’t love.
There was no kiss after the proposal, and the cameraman thanked us before he left like he was on a deadline. Most likely, he wanted to get that picture everywhere quick.
Ethan murmured apologies in my ear while a few people came up to congratulate us, but none of them were people I knew. The people I knew stood back watching. Dimitri had that look in his eye, and Olive shoved at his shoulder. They were disappointed. I knew they were going to give me hell. And the cherry on top was seeing Dex across the casino floor, standing there with a beautiful woman on his arm. His date was tall, stoic, and fit next to him perfectly as she turned to him to whisper something in his ear.
My gut shouldn’t have twisted in pain, but it did. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes before I whispered to Ethan, “You can go home now. Show’s over, right? I’m going back to my room.”
“You okay?” He frowned at me, but what could I say?
I combed a hand through my hair, and he touched one strand of it. “I like your hair by the way. New look?”
“It doesn’t matter,” I sighed, looking back to where Dex had been standing and not seeing him there anymore. “I guess our teams will be in touch about the news, right?”
He nodded and straightened his black tie. He looked the part tonight with his hair slicked back, and I could tell he’d even had his eyebrows plucked like he knew the cameras would be capturing the moment. “Yeah. Maybe I should come up there and—”
“Not happening.” It wasn’t my voice but Dex’s, from behind me, that cut through Ethan’s proposition.
I whipped around, surprised to see him standing before us with a scowl on his face.
“Keelani, we have business to discuss.”
His date was gone, but mine didn’t get lost so easily.
“It’s almost midnight,” Ethan retorted.
“And she’s still working. She’s contracted for this wedding.”
At that point, Dimitri made his way over. “I’ll take Keelani back to her room.”
“Nope.” Dex shook his head. “Kee’s coming with me.”
“Dex—”
“Dimitri, I’m this close.” His voice shook, full of emotion. I didn’t know if it was anger or disgust.
How could I when I didn’t know anything about him anymore? Yet, Dimitri glanced at me like he was asking my permission, like he knew his brother well enough to give him this. When he searched my face to see if I could handle it, I nodded. This wasn’t my place to make a scene. I had too much respect for the Hardys.
“Tonight is about Dom and Clara. Your older brother just got married. So, let’s not have a therapy session during his reception, guys. Ethan, go home. I’ll call you tomorrow. Dimitri, I’ll call you later. Dex, is business necessary at eleven o’clock at night?”
He crossed his arms. “I don’t wait to talk business with anyone, Kee. Especially not you.”
I scoffed but wasn’t surprised. A lifetime ago, this man may have appeased me, but that had changed. Now, I was sure he wanted to make my life hell.
“I need to change, then. This dress is a lot.”
He eyed it once, then twice for good measure. My stupid body tensed the whole time. “I expect you down here in twenty minutes.”
“I’ll meet you by the penny slots. You should play a few. They’re fun and you look like you need a bit of that in your life,” I said as I pushed past him.
I left them all there. Those men wanted to control the narrative, and tonight, I couldn’t be bothered with much more of it. I was getting engaged to a man I didn’t want after years of acting like I did just because a record label told me to. I felt stuck, caged, bound up. Most of all, I felt like a fraud. How had I let things go for so long?
I called home, and the phone rang twice before my father answered. “What’s wrong, Keelani?” He didn’t sound sleepy at all.
“I’m sorry to be calling so late.”
“Ah, you know how it is. I’m up anyway.” He sighed into the phone. “What’s going on? You at the casino tonight?”
My father knew about the casino deal. Well, he knew what the money meant for our family, and he’d agreed to this phony engagement now too. I wanted to scream at him for it, accuse him of pushing me into something I didn’t want, but then I thought of him with my mother.
He cared for her, loved her, would do anything in his power for her.
“I just needed to check in. How’s Mom?”
He sighed. “Oh, she’s good, honey. She got on the new medication last week, you know? And having a nurse around is helping. The addendum to your contract will help too.”
I sighed. It was his way of smoothing the waters. “I didn’t want to agree to that. You’re supposed to call me and discuss these things with me.”
“Ach. You know I’m not good at that. But it’ll be fine, honey. You don’t have to marry him. Just be seen a few more places with him.”
I nodded. He was right. I didn’t say that, though. He wouldn’t get an affirmation from me tonight. The wound was too fresh. So, I changed the subject. “Mom awake with you?”
“Yeah…she’s here with me. We’re watching television.”
I had to hold back from asking to talk to her. “Did she have a good day?”
“Yeah, the new nurse is great. Her name’s Maggie. She understands your mom probably better than I can.”
Tears sprang to my eyes. “That’s good to hear.”
“It is. You did that with this Vegas thing, honey. You did great work.” He cleared his throat. “Maybe I can come visit you there for a day or two, and—”
“That’s not a good idea.”
“I’ve been good with the money, Keelani. A few slots here and there aren’t going to—”
“Mom needs you,” I reminded him.
“Right.” He sighed like he knew it was best. “She’s doing well. I want you to know that.”
I needed those words at that moment, and I blinked once as a tear ran down my face. “Can you tell her something for me so I can hear her voice, Dad?”
He cleared his throat and then I heard, “Keelani’s sleeping at her friend’s tonight, love.”
“Hm. She staying at Gabriella’s or she sneaking off to hang out with those Hardy boys?”
“Well, there’s no telling.” My father chuckled. “Want her to come home?”
“They’re all good boys. Let her live.” Her words were like a knife to my heart because she didn’t remember much further, didn’t remember the turmoil we all endured, didn’t remember me past that point. There was silence for a minute and then, “Who are you on the phone with? It’s too late.”
“Just Keelani. She’s sleeping at a friend’s.” My mother just hummed that time. “She’s back to watching the television, Keelani.”
“Good,” I whispered out. “Good. I might not be able to call for a few days, but hug her for me, okay?”
“Of course I will. Get some rest, sweetie.”
I sat on that bed for way too long, staring at the wall. Missing her. Longing for a mom who hadn’t been lost in the same memories for ages now.
I took my time peeling off my dress, getting rid of my makeup, and throwing my hair up. I contemplated standing him up and staying in to read. I’d found my safe escape for years with the books I could download and get lost in. Yet tonight, I knew even they couldn’t save me. I’d have to face Dex sooner or later. So, I slipped on a maxi dress and a baseball cap before going to meet him.
I was armed now. Ready to endure whatever I needed to for the sake of my family.
