We shower together in silence. I want to speak, but don’t know what to say.
How do you tell the stranger you married for his money that he’s becoming your center of gravity? That his magnetic field is so strong, the compass needle in your heart is swinging around to point to him as true north?
It feels like a fairy tale.
What worries me is that the flip side of every sweet fairy tale reveals something much darker lurking underneath.
After the shower, Callum dresses, kisses me goodbye, and leaves for work. I linger over the breakfast which has grown cold, attempting to reorient my balance to this strange new landscape I find myself in.
I didn’t want an emotional connection with him. I didn’t want to feel anything for him at all. But he’s so much more than I expected. More sensitive and thoughtful. More generous and kind. There’s a depth to him that has me enamored.
And as a lover, he’s unmatched. He makes my previous partners look like bumbling amateurs. No one has ever had the effect on me that he does.
Resolving to let it be whatever it is and not overthink things for once, I finish breakfast and dress, looking forward to the day. For now at least, everything seems right with the world.
Then the housekeepers arrive and knock me askew again.
I’m in the kitchen with Arlo when the first one walks in. Young, brunette, and curvy, she smiles at me and says hello.
“Hi. I’m Emery.”
“Pleased to meet you.”
“Sarah, this is Mr. McCord’s wife,” says Arlo, looking up from the newspaper he’s reading at the big center island. “They were recently married.”
“Oh, congratulations!” says Sarah warmly.
“Thank you.”
My reply is less than enthusiastic, because two more young women have walked into the kitchen to join us. They’re all dressed in white, carrying bags of cleaning supplies as Sarah is, a trio of lovely brunettes who all look just like me.
Right down to the red lipstick.
Sarah says, “This is Kelly and Michelle.” The two murmur demure hellos.
After a moment, I manage to reply, “Hi there.”
“Do you have any areas in particular you’d like us to focus on today?”
They stare at me with an air of professional expectation. I realize I’m supposed to provide them with some sort of instruction. Never having had to direct domestic workers before, I find myself at a loss.
I don’t even know where the washing machine is in this place, for fuck’s sake.
“Maybe just do the usual?”
“Of course.” Sarah, who apparently is the leader, turns to the other ladies and says, “Let’s get started.” They nod and set about bustling around the kitchen, their movements quick and efficient.
In addition to feeling unsettled, I also feel in the way. So I say goodbye to everyone and head to the garage, where I stand staring at the rows of luxury cars for several long minutes in a daze, questioning my own sanity.
It can’t be a coincidence that we all look alike, can it?
And Callum’s secretary too?
Frustrated with myself, I shake my head to clear it.
Of course it’s a coincidence. I’m being ridiculous. I’m letting the emotion from this morning go to my head. There are millions of short brunettes in this city. Literally millions. I’m acting like I’m an eight foot tall redhead with a rainbow unicorn horn for a nose.
Besides, Konrad said his son had a preference for blondes. If anything, I should be worried if all his employees looked like Sabine.
By the time I arrive at work, I’ve gaslighted myself into believing it.
When I hear the knock on my office door, I look up from the computer. “Hi, Murph.”
He stands in the doorway, jerking his thumb toward the front of the store. “There’s a young man here to see you. Says his name is Cole.”
Oh God. It’s Callum’s crabby brother. My stomach drops. “Does he look angry?”
“Not at all. Seems a friendly sort. Should I tell him you’re unavailable?”
I rise, smoothing my hands down the front of my skirt. “No, send him back, please.”
I force myself to take a few deep breaths to calm my jittery nerves. I have no idea why Cole would want to see me, but I can’t help but think this unexpected visit won’t be good.
Then he walks through the door, and I rethink it.
He’s not wearing the glower from his family photo, nor does he have the dark, crackling intensity he had the day in Callum’s office. Dressed in black slacks and a white dress shirt, he looks serious but not severe.
He walks toward me, extending his hand.
“Hello, Emery. I’m sorry I didn’t call first. Is this a good time?”
I shake his hand, trying not to wince when he crushes all the little bones in mine. The man has the grip of a hydraulic press. “This is fine. Though I have to admit, it’s unexpected. Is something wrong?”
My question makes him smile. Well, not smile exactly, but his lips do something that look as if they’d curve up if only they weren’t afraid he’d rip them off for the audacity.
“You sound like me.”
“Oh? How so?”
“Your first thought is always a negative one.”
I’m not sure how to take that, so I bypass it. “Would you like to have a seat?”
“No, no, I won’t take up too much of your time. I just wanted to talk to you about Callum.”
His expression makes me get nervous all over again. “Does he know you’re here?”
“No. And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell him I was.”
We stand in uncomfortable silence for a moment, until I say, “I don’t want to be rude, but you’re putting me in kind of a bad spot by asking that.”
“I’m not asking you to lie. Just don’t offer the information.”
“Is there some reason you don’t want me to tell him I saw you?”
He gazes at me for a beat, his dark eyes assessing and his handsome face somber. “May I be blunt with you?”
“I prefer if you are.”
“My brother…” Glancing away, Cole clears his throat as if he might choke on whatever it is he’s about to say. His voice an octave lower, he says, “This is hard for me to tell you.”
I sink into my desk chair and pass a shaky hand over my face. “Please don’t say he has a secret family somewhere.”
Cole looks back at me with an expression of horror. “No. Jesus, of course not. Why would you think that?”
I close my eyes and sigh. “Because I’m the queen of awfulizing, that’s why. Here’s where I’d like to throw myself out the window, except we’re on the first floor.” I open my eyes and meet his startled gaze. “Sorry. You were saying?”
It takes him a moment to regroup from being hit over the head by the blunt force of my stupidity. Then he says, “What I was going to say is that my brother and I aren’t close.”
When he doesn’t continue and only stands there in obvious discomfort, I try a gentle prompt to get him talking. “He hasn’t mentioned that to me, but it did seem like there was some tension between the two of you the day we met.”
“He didn’t tell you we don’t get along?”
He seems surprised by that. I can’t help but wonder what’s behind it.
“No. To be honest, Cole, he hasn’t told me much about your family at all. Though he’s tight-lipped about pretty much everything, including himself. I wouldn’t have known if you two were best friends or complete enemies. He acts like his personal life is a government secret.”
It takes him a good thirty seconds of inspecting my face with narrowed eyes to decide how to respond. Then he sinks into the chair across from my desk, drags his hands through his hair, and sighs.
“I thought for sure he’d told you what an idiot he thinks I am.”
I startle him again when I laugh. He looks up at me in confusion.
“I apologize for laughing. It’s just that he thinks everyone is an idiot but him. I wouldn’t take it personally if I were you. He’s got the ego of a Rothschild.”
Cole frowns. “We’re richer than the Rothschilds.”
This is what happens when a poor person tries to make rich person jokes.
Seeing my crestfallen face, Cole tries to be helpful. “Maybe you meant the Waltons?”
“Who are they?”
“The family who owns WalMart.”
“They’re richer than your family?”
“No.”
“Then why did you offer them as an example?”
“I didn’t think you’d ask.”
I’m beginning to see why Callum might have a problem with his brother. “Maybe you should just tell me what this is all about.”
He sits back in his chair and levels me with a steely look, then says ominously, “You’re in for a lot with him.”
I wait, knowing there will be more, but I’m not expecting what he comes out with.
“If you want the truth, he’s an asshole.”
Irritated, I hold up a hand to cut him off. “Let me stop you right there. I have no idea what your beef is with him, and to be honest, it’s none of my business. But what I do know is that I’m married to him, asshole or not, and I won’t sit here and let you talk shit about my husband.”
Apparently unprepared for the force with which I delivered that speech, Cole stares at me in open surprise.
When he recovers, he says, “I wasn’t finished. What I was leading up to is that he’s an asshole, but I’m glad he found someone who could put up with him. I didn’t get a chance to say it at the office, but I hope you’ll be very happy together.”
“Oh.” I feel silly that I scolded him for all of one second, then I’m irritated with him again. “Why didn’t you say that in the first place?”
His glower is even worse than Callum’s, if that’s possible. “You didn’t give me a chance.”
I swear to God, these McCord men could give a woman a stroke.
“Is there some reason you wouldn’t want me to tell Callum you came by to say something so supportive?”
He chuffs out a dark little grunt. “Because he’d blow a goddamn gasket if he knew we were in a room alone together. After you left that day at the office, we got into our usual bullshit. I won’t go into all the details, but I said I was surprised someone so nice would go for a dick like him, and he almost killed me.”
I say drily, “Gee, I wonder why he’d be offended by such a lovely compliment?”
“Probably because I didn’t say nice. I said sexy.”
Heat rises in my cheeks, but I sit there like it’s no big deal.
He can tell I’m mortified, because he says, “I promise I’m not trying to hit on you.”
“That’s good. It’s maybe the only way this conversation could get more awkward. Can we please get to the part where you tell me why you don’t want him to know you were here?”
“My point is that I’ve never seen him jealous over a woman before. Hell, I’ve never seen him exhibit any emotion toward the women he’s dated before you. But I said you were sexy and he had me up against the wall with his hand curled around my throat before I could even blink, spitting death threats into my face like a crazy man.”
I know I should probably make a sound of disapproval or produce some kind of supportive comment about how horrible that was of Callum, but I find myself curiously pleased.
I really do need to book that therapist.
Lacking even a marginally coherent response, I simply say, “Oh.”
“Yeah.”
“In that case, I won’t tell him.”
His mouth does that almost-smile thing again. “I appreciate it.”
“Since I’ve got you here, would you mind if I asked you a personal question? And you don’t have to answer. I won’t be offended.”
Looking curious, he says, “Go ahead.”
“It’s about your family’s business.”
I was expecting him to tense up or look guarded the way Callum would, but he simply waits for me to continue with no change of expression. Encouraged, I continue. “Is everything okay with that?”
The question earns me a frown. “How do you mean?”
“I mean is there ever any danger involved in what you do?”
He couldn’t look more baffled if he tried. “Danger? Of course not. What would make you think that?”
“Just something Callum said. Maybe I misinterpreted it.”
“You must have. The only thing dangerous in the media business is that you might die of boredom. I spend all day behind a desk, shuffling paperwork. It’s hell.”
That makes me smile. “If you’re looking for a career change, I could put you to work here cleaning cat boxes.”
A faint look of disgust crosses his handsome features.
“That was a joke.”
Judging by his expression, he’s unfamiliar with the word.
He rescues us from more scintillating back and forth by rising and saying he has to go. I walk him to the door, second-guessing myself about that conversation I overheard with Callum and his father in the kitchen. I can tell Cole’s confused reaction to my question was genuine, which means either I didn’t hear what I thought I heard or Konrad and his eldest son are up to something Cole doesn’t know about.
He pauses on his way out the door to shake my hand again.
“Hopefully, you’ll be able to convince Callum to have dinner at my parent’s house soon. My mother is dying to meet you. With three sons, she’s thrilled to have another female in the family.”
That gives me the warm and fuzzies. I had no idea what to expect from my new mother-in-law, but from the sound of it, we might get along.
“That’s a relief,” I say softly.
Cole cocks his head, frowning. “What do you mean? Are you worried she wouldn’t like you for some reason?”
My laugh is self-conscious. “I mean, it’s an unusual situation.”
“She’s not a snob about things like that.”
“Things like what?”
“You being in a different social circle.”
Me being poor, he means. What an elegant way to put it. I suppose having billions means having to learn genteel ways of insulting the unmoneyed population of the planet.
“No, I meant because of why Callum had to get married.”
He stares at me as if I’m speaking Dutch. “Had to? What do you mean had to?” His gaze drops to my stomach, and he blanches. “Oh God. You’re pregnant.”
It’s plain as day that Cole doesn’t know anything about his father’s ultimatum to Callum that he had to marry or lose his inheritance.
I’ve just stuck my foot in my big stupid mouth.
Trying to backpedal, I laugh and hope it sounds authentic. “No! God, no, I’m not pregnant. I just meant that he had to get married…so quickly…because he was…I mean we were—are—so in love!”
He buys my act, brushing it off with a dismissive wave of his hand. “My parents knew each other two weeks before they eloped. Stupidly, love at first sight runs in the family.”
I almost collapse at his feet in relief. I can imagine how Callum would react if he found out I’d spilled the beans on something so important. It wouldn’t be pretty.
Then I find myself backpedaling again, but this time it’s to something Cole just said. “Love at first sight? Is that how Callum described it?”
Cole studies me for a moment, hesitating. “Not exactly.”
“Now you’ve got me curious. What did he say? I promise I won’t repeat it.”
With obvious scorn at the sentiment, he says, “He said he saw his whole future the first time he looked into your eyes.”
My breath whooshes out of me with such unexpected force, I lift a hand to cover my mouth. Overwhelmed, I stare at Cole, my eyes beginning to water.
“I wouldn’t have believed it if I didn’t hear it with my own ears,” he says, shaking his head. “But good for you guys. Like I said, I’m happy for you.”
“Thank you,” I say, my voice shaky. To cover my sudden onslaught of emotion, I force a smile. “Let me walk you out.”
We head to the front of the shop together with me in a daze, thinking that maybe everything bad that ever happened to me had been leading up to this.
“He said he saw his whole future the first time he looked into your eyes.”
Not even Jamie Fraser could compete with that.
I’m all misty-eyed and sentimental until Cole and I reach the front door of the store. That’s when he looks out the window to the view of the shopping center beyond and sticks a pin into my happy little bubble, popping it to smithereens.
Gesturing toward ValUBooks, he says, “I’ll never know why we opened a location here instead of downtown.”
We?
Opened a location?
Feeling as if he just kicked me in the gut, I manage to croak, “What?”
“We acquired them a few years ago. Overpaid, if you ask me, but Callum insisted it was a good addition to the portfolio. It was all supposed to be a big secret for some reason I could never figure out.” He glances at me. “Has it affected your business much, having such a big competitor right next door?”
I want to answer, but I can’t. My mouth is unable to form words because my mind has gone blank.
McCord Media owns ValUBooks.
They acquired the company a few years ago.
It was supposed to be a secret.
My husband insisted they buy it.
My husband insisted they buy it.
My stomach turns over. I’m sure I’m about to be sick.
“No,” I whisper, feeling everything inside me begin to give way like the unstable edge of a cliff right before it crumbles and turns into a landslide.
“No, it hasn’t affected us at all.”
