The Accidental Engagement (4 page)

When she looked back he was holding up a contract and a pen. “If you’ll just sign here, our deal will be official.”

Ivy’s stomach churned as she took the paper and pen from his hands. She sank back into her seat to read the fine print. Once she signed there would be no backing out. No exit strategy. She would be a stranger’s fiancée and this man’s pawn. She swallowed thickly and tried to focus on the words before her.

She looked up in alarm at one clause. “I can’t even tell my family the truth?” It was spelled out on the paper but she had to say it aloud.

She couldn’t do it. She pictured her parents, her brothers, her sister Holly—she had never lied to them. Ever. They were the people she trusted most in the world and they trusted her. Could she really go weeks letting them believe she was in love and marrying a man they’d never even met? Alarm was turning to panic. Ivy forced herself to take a deep breath reminding herself, in through the nose, out through the mouth. She kept going until her eyes could once again focus on the words in front of her.

She would have to lie to the people she loved most. She tried to think about it rationally but guilt and fear made it difficult to concentrate. She couldn’t go through with it. She would be hurting them. But then again, after it was all said and done, she would be able to help her family. Wasn’t that worth it?

Daniel was watching her like he was ready to pounce; he would do whatever it took to get her to sign that paper. He was still playing good cop but bad cop was ready to come out at any moment.

“I’m afraid we must insist on absolute confidentiality,” Daniel said. “You, me, Jack, and Franklin are the only people who know what really happened yesterday and we need to keep it that way.”

“My parents wouldn’t tell anyone,” Ivy started to protest.

“We can’t take that risk. Besides, this announcement will put you and your family in the limelight. It will be easier for them if they don’t have to lie.”

Ivy bit her lip but she had to agree with that last statement. Her parents were honest people. She would hate to put them in a position where they had to lie for her, even if their lies meant that their house would be saved from foreclosure. No, this was her decision. She would not drag them into this any more than she had to. She straightened her spine and took a deep breath. She had to be strong if she was going to save her parents and herself.

With that thought in mind, she picked up the pen from the desk and signed the contract with one swift, bold movement. There was no turning back now.

Things happened quickly after that. Franklin was called back into the office and, after a brief aside with Daniel, led her from the room and into a private suite on the top floor that had the most magnificent view of the city Ivy had ever seen.

“Just wait right here,” Franklin said, bustling about the room out of habit, making sure everything was placed just right. “Mr. Gladwell doesn’t want you to speak with anyone just yet.” He turned and smiled at her, a rare and awkward gesture that revealed far more teeth than necessary.

“So am I imprisoned here or something?” The room was spacious and beautiful but it was disconcerting to know that she wasn’t allowed to leave.

Franklin let out a booming laugh. “No, no, of course not. Mr. Gladwell just thinks it’s best for you if you are out of sight. The press have been staking out the hotel and until you and Mr. Everett work out your, uh….”

Your lie.
Franklin was too diplomatic to say it but the unspoken words reverberated in Ivy’s skull.

“Our story?” she supplied.

“Yes, yes, your story. Once you’ve worked out your story, you’re free to come and go as you please. And in the meantime, Mr. Gladwell wants you to be as comfortable as possible.”

There was a moment of agonizing discomfort as Ivy watched her arrogant employer attempt to wait on her. He fussed with his tie and cleared his throat before the words came out. “Is there—uh—is there anything you’d like? Some tea or coffee perhaps?”

Ivy took pity on the man. “I’m fine, thank you Mr. Webster.”

He sniffed a bit as though allergic to kind interactions. “Yes, well, you know how to get ahold of the front desk if you change your mind.” He paused at the door. “Oh, and Ivy….”

“Yes?”

The old man opened and closed his mouth before finally saying, “Good luck.”

She spent nearly two hours alone in the suite, pacing back and forth. She’d tried to watch TV and listen to the radio but nothing could distract her from the monumental lie she was about to tell the world. But it wasn’t the world at large that she cared about—it was her family. She’d never lied to her parents or her siblings before and now she was going to tell a doozy of a lie. She wondered if they’d even believe her.

Ivy had dated several men since she’d moved to the city but no one worth mentioning—and certainly no one she cared enough about to bring home. Her family knew that she was old-fashioned. She believed in love and marriage and kids, the whole package. Would they really believe that she’d fallen head over heels overnight and agreed to marry the man without even getting to know him first? Everyone teased her for being a romantic, but she wasn’t exactly impetuous or daring. That had always been Holly’s role. No one would bat an eyelash if Holly got engaged on a whim, but Ivy was the stable one. Ivy was the one who had career ambitions and a life plan. No one had ever described her as impulsive. And a whirlwind engagement to a famous tech genius? Well, that definitely classified as impulsive.

* * * *

Daniel checked his watch before calling for Franklin who was hovering outside of the office door.

“Yes, sir?” Franklin said. The manager had the sort of sycophant demeanor that made Daniel’s skin crawl. The numbers showed that the hotel was running smoothly but he made a mental note to dig into the manager’s methods. In Daniel’s experience, men like Franklin Webster couldn’t command respect so they led through fear or manipulation.

Like blackmailing an honest young woman into faking a romance to seal a business deal?

Daniel shoved the thought aside. That was different. It was a one-time situation and it couldn’t be helped. Besides, she would be comfortably wealthy at the end of it all. Ivy’s indignant protests had grown quiet after seeing the large sum she’d earn.

Franklin hovered in front of the desk uncertainly. “Any word from Jack?” Daniel asked.

Franklin shook his head with a look of regret. “It seems Mr. Everett is running late, Mr. Gladwell.”

Of course he was. Jack was always late. He might be a genius in the world of technology but apparently setting an alarm clock was too difficult for him. Daniel shoved the chair back so he could move about the room. What he really needed was to go for a run. Or swim some laps. He needed to do something physical to shake off this terrible day. But instead, he was trapped in this tiny room with Franklin hovering around him like a gnat. All so Daniel could clean up the mess that Jack had created.

Patience had never been Daniel’s virtue and on a day like today, he had none to spare. Guilt gnawed at him and no amount of pacing could put him at ease. He’d just strong-armed a seemingly sweet, innocent young woman. Not his finest hour.

A corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily at the memory of Ivy sitting across from him, every emotion playing across her face for the world to see. She was open and honest—an anomaly in the world Daniel came from.

And she’d stood up to him. That never happened these days. Even the most hardened business opponents cowered before him. He’d made a name for himself by being ruthless and he couldn’t remember the last time someone had the courage to challenge him to his face.

It was sexy.
Nope. No. That was a road he could not go down. She was a part of the Brunelli deal now, which meant she was off-limits.

She was attractive to him because she was an anomaly, that was all. He’d never met a woman like her. She’d surprised him but he respected it. He respected her. A smile tugged at his lips when he thought of her standing up to him—she was surprisingly strong underneath that soft, lovely exterior.

But then he’d played his hand and threatened her job, squelching her arguments swiftly and without mercy. The smile died on his lips as guilt reared its ugly head once again. He’d watched pride war with desperation as she’d weighed her options. The anger and frustration she felt when she realized that she didn’t have any options—she might as well have screamed out loud, it was that obvious. He’d done his homework, he’d had his investigators pull her record, do a little digging—Ivy was one paycheck away from broke. She knew it. He knew it. And he’d used that knowledge to his advantage.

Daniel heard Jack’s laughter followed by the echoing chorus of female giggles coming down the hallway long before Franklin announced his arrival. When Jack made an entrance, it was with all the fanfare of a mariachi band.

Daniel shooed Franklin away with a wave as Jack plopped down into the seat that Ivy had recently vacated. He wore a pleading look that must have earned him extra dessert with dinner as a little boy. But Jack wasn’t a kid anymore and it was time he took some responsibility for his actions.

“Do we really have to go through with this?” Jack asked.

“Yes.” Daniel snapped his briefcase shut and made a move to stand. “Are you ready to meet your fiancée?”

“Danny,” Jack started. Daniel flinched at the sound of his childhood nickname. He’d told Jack countless times he hated that name.

“Daniel,” he corrected. Daniel motioned for him to get on with it.

“Let’s talk about this for a minute,” Jack continued, leaning forward in the chair. “This is a bit extreme, even for you, don’t you think?”

The look of panic on Jack’s face was almost comical. Almost. Of course he was panicking, the younger man lived for flings and excitement. The prospect of an engagement was the sort of thing that made men like Jack break out into a cold sweat.

Daniel leaned over the desk and stared down his partner. “This is not a request, Jack. This is an order. When I agreed to invest in you and your start-up, you agreed to do whatever was necessary to succeed, to make
this
business a success.”

He saw Jack wince at the reminder of his failed attempts to run a business in the past. It was a low blow but it was a reminder Jack needed.

Daniel watched Jack swallow a protest. Jack knew he was right—there was a signed contract in Daniel’s briefcase, ready to be brandished at a moment’s notice.

“But, this girl—”

“Ivy,” Daniel interrupted.

“Ivy didn’t sign up for this. She seems like a sweet kid you can’t drag her into…” Jack’s voice trailed off as Daniel held up Ivy’s contract.

“As a matter of fact, she did sign up for this. She may be a sweet kid, but she’s not an idiot. She knows a good deal when she sees one.”

Jack slouched down in his chair and raised an eyebrow, looking from Daniel to the contract and back again. He clearly thought Daniel was going too far. Jack seemed to be the only person in the world who didn’t realize that Daniel would do whatever it took to make a deal succeed. That’s why he was the best. That’s why people like Jack needed people like him. They needed someone else to do their dirty work.

Daniel placed the contract back in the briefcase and stood so he was towering over Jack. “Now, if you’re done complaining, are you ready to officially meet your fiancée?”

Daniel laughed at Jack’s look of horror at the word fiancée. “Relax, Casanova. This is what you’ve been training for your entire adult life.”

Jack let out a dramatic sigh but he followed Daniel to the door. “At least she’s attractive.”

That was the understatement of the year—the woman was hot as hell—but he let it slide.

Jack hesitated when they were just outside the suite where Ivy was holed away. “You’re sure she’s okay with this?”

Daniel considered his answer. “She agreed to go along with it but she’s going to need your help to sell it.”

Daniel opened the door and let Jack lead the way. If there was anything Jack Everett excelled at, it was making an entrance. "Hello, my darling,” he called out as he strode into Ivy’s suite. Daniel followed behind him and Franklin brought up the rear, though their entrance was overshadowed by Jack’s brazen behavior.

Jack strode right up to Ivy, who had jumped up off the couch at the sound of the door opening, swept her into his arms, and dipped her as though they were doing the tango. When he righted her, Ivy spluttered a bit and pulled down her silky top, which had ridden up. Daniel smothered a groan. Was Jack completely incapable of making a normal introduction?

“Hello, my adorable little dummy bride,” Jack said.

Open-mouthed, Ivy looked from Jack to Daniel and back again. “Your what?”

Daniel cut in before Jack could cause any more offense. “He means ‘dummy’ as in ‘dummy corporation,’” he said. Ivy turned to him in confusion. “As in fake bride. He’s saying you’re—”

She threw up a hand to stop him from going any further. “Yeah, I got it.”

Ivy scowled at him, apparently annoyed that he’d doubted her intelligence. She turned back to the tornado called Jack that had quite literally swept her off her feet. Even wearing the stunned expression that typically struck women when they were in the same room with Jack Everett, Ivy was gorgeous. Brunelli would take one look at her and have no problem believing that Jack had fallen head over heels.

Brunelli was a hopeless romantic, which meant he was a sucker for a good love story. The fact that he believed in love at all meant he was a sucker.

As long as Daniel kept his happy couple in check, this should be an easy sell.

* * * *

Ivy was in over her head. For what felt like the millionth time that day, she considered running away. Would anyone chase her down if she bolted? She glanced over at Franklin, who was tidying up the suite’s already spotless kitchen. He seemed to be making an effort to avoid staring at the famous playboy.

Daniel was watching everything with that hawk-like stare. Including her. When their eyes met, he graced her with a hint of a smile, and Ivy felt a sudden and overwhelming case of nerves. She smoothed her shirt again to give her restless hands something to do.