“Okay. Later, Max.”

  “Later.” He disconnected the call.

  Setting her phone back on the couch cushion, she got up from her comfy seat. Heading into the kitchen, she made herself a cup of herbal tea. The blend she preferred usually went a long way toward calming her nerves, and after Kelsey’s call, she needed it.

  * * *

  Monday morning, Bryan found himself back in Alexis’s office, sitting across from her again. She’d summoned him there to give him her decision on the possibility of Royal Textiles manufacturing her new clothing line.

  Today, she wore a black button-down blouse and a white pencil skirt. Black-and-white striped pumps on her feet capped her long bronze legs. Silver hoops hung in her ears, and her hair was pinned back from her face with two bedazzled bobby pins. He loved the way the hairstyle left the elegant lines of her face and the hollow of her throat unobstructed from his view.

  Aware that they were not alone, he swung his gaze away from Alexis to settle on the face of her partner, Sydney Greer. She sat in an armchair against the wall of the office, adjacent to Alexis, her ankles crossed. Sydney’s black jumpsuit looked as if it had been chosen to coordinate with Alexis’s outfit.

  Alexis’s cherry-red lips parted as she spoke again. “Sydney and I read through all the material you left with us last week, and we discussed the feasibility of having your company make our clothing line.”

  “I appreciate your careful consideration of my offer.” He couldn’t read anything from her expression or her body language. She’s got a mean poker face. He braced himself for rejection, in case that was where the conversation was headed.

  She shifted in her seat, lifting one leg and crossing it over the other.

  He sensed the gesture was force of habit, but he noticed it nonetheless. She was the picture of elegance, and he felt fortunate to be in her presence.

  “We’ve decided to go ahead and sign on with Royal. Sydney and I agree that it will be a good fit.”

  A smile tilted his lips. Her approval meant a lot to him, and not just because it meant he would meet his goal of securing a contract from her.

  Sydney nodded. “Yes. Having a local company handle our manufacturing will allow us to be involved in the process, from beginning to end.”

  Alexis spoke again. “It’s important to us that all our pieces be made in America and with the highest of environmental standards. I also demand a safe and comfortable workplace for the people who’ll be making my clothes. I know that textile manufacturing overseas can be pretty dicey, and I want to make sure that the production of my line is good for the environment and for your employees. Can you guarantee me that?”

  “Yes, I can.” Yet again, she’d impressed him. Her concerns seemed to reach everyone and everything involved in the process, and that stood out. He’d met many a designer whose only concern was how much money they’d make off the final product.

  “Good.” She sat back in her seat. “I’ll come by to inspect your facilities, of course. But I think we’re all set.”

  “Thank you, ladies. I promise Royal will produce your line to the high standards your designs demand.” He stood and reached across to shake Sydney’s hand, and the contact remained very brief, cordial, and professional. When he clasped Alexis’s hand, he felt a charge the moment his skin touched hers. He released her hand, stepped back, and returned to his seat.

  Sydney stood. “Alexis, I’m going to look over the last few samples Pam has sewn.” She looked his way. “Welcome aboard, Mr. James.”

  “Thanks again.” He gave her a nod as she passed him and left the office.

  “I’ll take a look at the paperwork now.” Alexis leaned forward in her seat, lacing her fingers together.

  “Here you go.” He opened his briefcase to retrieve the papers, then handed them over the desktop to her.

  She took them, immediately set them down. “Before I sign these, there is one more thing I want to request from you.”

  Meeting her gaze, he asked, “What can I do for you?”

  “Funny you should pose that question. I’ll warn you, what I’m about to ask is very unorthodox.”

  His brow hitched. “I see the immense value in this account, Ms. Devers, and I plan to do whatever you require in order to gain your business.” He used that line often when a new account was on the line, but he didn’t remember ever meaning it as sincerely as he did at the present moment.

  She smiled, gave a small chuckle. “I’m about to test that. Call me Alexis.”

  “Okay, Alexis.” He settled in, giving her his full attention. “Let’s hear it.”

  “When my partner was out drumming up retailer interest in our fashion line, she told one reporter that I was engaged to be married. For some reason, that made the line more saleable. Sydney’s little falsehood is now part of the public discourse, because the reporter mentioned it on television.”

  He could feel his brow scrunch with confusion. “That’s an odd way to go about it, but whatever works. Though I’m not sure what this has to do with me.”

  Another soft chuckle. “I’ll just ask you straight out, then. Would you be willing to pose as my fiancé? At least until the line gets off the ground and becomes well-established?”

  He blinked several times. Did she just say what I think she said? “I’m sorry, what?”

  “I told you it was unorthodox. I need a wealthy, handsome fiancé on my arm, and my cursory research tells me you fit the bill. So will you do it?”

  “You researched me?”

  She shrugged, her expression remaining casual. “All it took was a little bit of digging online to find out a few things about you. I also looked into Royal’s company history, and based on that and your illustrious educational and professional background, I’d wager you are financially set.”

  He blinked a few times, unable to disagree with her assessment. “Okay, then.”

  “And as far as the other thing, I’m not blind.” She fixed him with an appreciative stare. “You’re very easy on the eyes.”

  His pulse quickened, his throat becoming dry as his body reacted to her words and her tone of voice. “You were right. This is the first time I’ve had a request like this.”

  She said nothing but kept her eyes on him.

  He met her gaze, arrested by the dark pools of her eyes, framed by a thick fringe of black lashes. “And what exactly would I have to do as your faux fiancé?”

  “It depends on whether the line catches on. You have to be seen in public with me. We’d need to appear affectionate toward each other, of course.”

  “I can handle that. Is there more?”

  “If things go well, there will probably be television interviews and press. So you may have to appear affectionate in front of cameras. I won’t ask much else of you.”

  He cupped his chin, thought about what she was asking him to do. He couldn’t deny that it appealed to him. “Is this strictly a business offer? Or is there more to it?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, I’m sure you could ask someone else, but you asked me. So what does that mean? How should I take that?” He searched her face, attempting to gauge her motivation.

  She pursed her lips momentarily before answering. “I’m attracted to you; I can admit that. The way I see it, that will only make this easier. Our engagement will look like the real deal.”

  She just admitted that she’s attracted to me. He’d thought as much, but to hear her say it was the best kind of confirmation. He quieted as he let the satisfaction of her admission sink in for a few moments.

  “I apologize if you think I’m out of line or if I made you uncomfortable. If you’d like to think about it, I understand, and I can wait a few—”

  “I’ll do it.”

  Now she appeared surprised. “Really? Just like that?”

  “I’m attracted to you as well. But I think you know that.”

  She broke eye contact for the first time in several minutes, and a hint of redness crept into her cheeks. “I know.”

  “And since I’m marriage agnostic, I don’t have any qualms about the whole fake engagement thing.”

  One arched brow lifted. “Marriage agnostic?”

  “I don’t have any strong feelings about the institution, one way or the other.”

  “Hmm.” She seemed to turn that over in her mind for a moment. “So you’re sure you want to do this?”

  “Why not? The two of us can have fun, at least until this little arrangement has served its purpose.”

  She said nothing, watching him intently.

  “You need a manufacturer as well as a fiancé. I need this contract. I’d say this is a pretty good way for us both to get what we want.” He nodded as he thought about it further, because he planned to make full use of his time as Alexis’s intended, fake or otherwise. “Whose brilliant idea was this, by the way?”

  The blush in her cheeks deepened. “Mine. I haven’t even told Sydney about it. You may think it’s brilliant, but she’d probably think I was nuts.”

  “She got you into this mess. Now you’re getting yourself out.” He grinned. “So now that we’re agreed, are you ready for the paperwork?”

  She nodded. “I’ll take care of it right now.”

  He watched as her graceful fingers wrapped around a silver-plated pen, extracting it from a small mesh cup full of writing implements. She buzzed Sydney back into the office, and together, they spent time reading through the contract. Bryan answered their questions and explained the finer points of the agreement. He tried to be attentive to both of them, but as always, his eyes were drawn back to Alexis. Again, he was refreshed by her savvy. Her business acumen was as good as that of any man he knew. Yet Alexis was so undeniably feminine, it took his breath away.

  When everything was signed and initialed properly, Sydney slipped out and returned to her own office. Alexis slid the stack of papers toward him. “Anything else?”

  He shook his head. “No. We’re good. Although…”

  “Yes?”

  “If we’re going to carry on a decent fake engagement, I really think we should sit down and iron out our story. You know, get our facts straight. Maybe over dinner.”

  She appeared amused. “Are you asking me out on a date?”

  He gave her his best and brightest smile. “I guess you could say that.”

  “Why don’t we start with coffee?”

  “I’ll take it.”

  “Here.” She held her hand out. “Give me your phone, and I’ll put my number in.”

  He took the phone from his pocket, unlocked it, and slid it across to her. Watching her tap her number into the phone’s memory, he noticed the way her lips flexed as she completed the task. Did she always do that when she was thinking about something? Soon, he would know, because he’d be learning all her quirks if he had his way.

  “There.” She slid the phone back to him. “You can call me and we’ll pick a time and place.”

  “Sounds good.” He tucked the phone away again, then stood, briefcase in hand. “I don’t want to take up your whole day.”

  “I don’t want to monopolize your whole day either. Have a good afternoon, Bryan.”

  “You, too, Alexis.” And as he turned and left the office, he thought about the interesting and wholly welcome turn the day had taken.

  Chapter 7

  After Bryan left, Alexis sat at her desk for a few silent moments, reliving their interaction. Did he really just agree to be my pretend fiancé? Just like that? She’d expected to have to do some cajoling, but he’d been much more receptive than she would have guessed he’d be. She didn’t know how to take that, but she supposed it didn’t matter. After all, they’d come to an agreement that would be mutually beneficial. Now she just needed to apprise other people of the situation, and since Sydney was her partner, she figured that would be the place to start. Using the intercom system, she summoned Sydney to her office.

  When Sydney appeared in the doorway, Alexis beckoned her inside. “Come on in, Syd.”

  Easing into the chair on the other side of the desk, Sydney fixed her with a questioning stare. “So, what were y’all talking about in here? Bryan stayed for a good little while after I left.”

  “How do you know that?”

  She scoffed. “Girl, please. We all know every move of any rooster that visits this hen house. Besides, he passed by my office door when he left about fifteen minutes ago.”

  Alexis giggled, shaking her head. “You’re a mess. Anyway, my conversation with Bryan is why I called you in here. Bryan has agreed to be my fake fiancé.” She left out the whole discussion of their mutual physical attraction to each other; as far as she was concerned, Sydney didn’t need to know that.

  Sydney’s eyes widened with shock. “What? You didn’t tell me you were going to—”

  Alexis pursed her lips. “You mean, like you didn’t tell me you were going to invent a man for me?”

  Sydney sighed, letting her gaze drop as if she were ashamed. “Yeah, okay. You got me there.”

  “As I was saying, I asked Bryan if he would fill the role, and we came to an agreement. I’m telling you first, because you’re going to have to help us maintain the ruse.”

  Sydney nodded. “Okay. And just how long do you think this is going to continue?”

  Alexis shrugged. “I don’t know. But he agreed to keep up appearances until I feel the line has a stable footing.”

  Sydney’s eyes narrowed, and she appeared to study her friend’s face. “And what happens after that?”

  Alexis remembered then that they hadn’t discussed the end game of their little deception. “We never talked about that. But I guess we’ll come up with some statement about how we love each other deeply but have decided to go our separate ways. You know, the whole damage control, we’ll-always-be-friends narrative.”

  “Sounds like you two have it all figured out.”

  “You didn’t really give me much choice, Syd. I had to do something.”

  Sydney leaned back in her chair, crossed her legs. “Y’all obviously hashed out a lot of the details, but I think there are two important factors you haven’t considered.”

  Leaning in, Alexis asked, “And what are they?”

  “First of all, you need a history as a couple. How you met, how he proposed, and everything in between. I know y’all haven’t worked that out. He wasn’t in here long enough.”

  She smiled, struck by how often she and Sydney thought alike. “I’m way ahead of you. We’re going to set up a date and come up with our origin story then.”

  Sydney nodded to express her approval. “Okay, okay. That sounds good. Make sure to write it down, and get me a copy.”

  Alexis chuckled. “Sure. Now what’s the other thing we need to address?”

  “Maxwell.” Sydney fixed her with a knowing look.

  “Shit.” She’d been so busy working out the details with Bryan that she hadn’t even considered her older brother.

  “You’ve got that right.” Sydney shook her head. “When Maxwell finds out, he’s going to lose his entire mind. He’s going to freak the hell out, and we both know it.”

  Alexis groaned. She could clearly recall the dirty looks Maxwell had given her just for talking to Bryan. He would definitely not approve of them dating; he’d made that clear. Once he discovered their so-called engagement, Maxwell’s head was liable to explode. “You’re right, Syd. What am I going to do about Maxwell? And my mom and dad?”

  Sydney shrugged. “Girl, I wish I could tell you. But I don’t know if there’s anything you can do to smooth this over.”

  “I don’t suppose you can go back to Maria and admit you were lying?”

  “Now, after it’s been on TV?” Sydney shook her head. “No, boo. We’re way past the point of no return. We’re just going to have to make the best of it.”

  Alexis nodded, resigned. If Sydney went back on her story, they’d likely only generate more press, but not the positive kind they were seeking. With their fledgling fashion collection at stake, they couldn’t afford to bear that potential loss.

  “I know I said it before, but I’m really sorry about all of this. I never expected it to blow up in my face this way.” Sydney looked genuinely remorseful.

  “I know. But it’s like you said. We’ll just have to make the best of it.”

  “I’m just thinking out loud here, but maybe this will go over better with your families if they never know it’s fake.”

  Alexis felt her brow hitch. “How do we pull that off?”

  “Tell them you’ve been spending time together since you ran into each other at the step show. That it was love at first sight, and you just couldn’t help yourself.” Sydney tapped her chin with her index finger. “I think they might buy it.”

  Alexis thought back on that afternoon at Central. She’d definitely felt something when she first laid eyes on Bryan’s tall, muscular frame. But what she’d felt would come under the heading of lust, plain and simple. She’d watched him, even ogled him at times. Hell, she couldn’t help herself. He was super easy on the eyes, and it had been a long time since she’d encountered such a handsome man. But love? “Maybe.” Her skepticism seeped into her tone.

  “Well, unless you’re itching to tell them you’re faking this whole thing, I don’t think you have much choice. When it comes to family, y’all better make it look real.”

  Alexis let her head fall back on the headrest of her chair until her gaze raked over the ceiling above her. This was a fine kettle of fish. She’d have to convince her family and the entire world that she and Bryan were a love match, brought together by fate and hit by the thunderbolt of true love the very moment they met. She let her mouth fall open into an O shape, exhaling in a whoosh.

  Sydney chuckled. “I’ll leave you to think about how you’re going to play this game. I’ll come back at lunchtime.” She rose from the chair and slipped out.

 

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