Happily Ever After: A Contemporary Romance Boxed Set

by Piper Rayne

  One hassle after another. If that picture was indeed Ms. Lewis, then I know for sure she isn't even a good artist. I wonder how she got hired with no degree and experience. How am I going to convince her to design a wedding gown?

  With no choice left, Stacey got up from the bed and picked up the phone. She had to get this task done, no matter how awkward she had to be to persuade their perpetrator. Hearing rumors that Ms. Lewis was a stubborn and sly woman, she hoped the accomplice would fall for her tricks.

  Recalling the work number on the screen, Stacey dialed the phone. It rang for a few seconds before the other side picked up the call. Stacey spoke in a clear and firm voice without showing her fear.

  “Hello! Is this Ms. Lewis,” Stacey asked, sitting down on the bed. “I’m calling you to let you know that you were selected to be the designer to draw a sketch for the business deal with Williams Shopping Mall. I hope you can submit a design in the next three days.”

  Ivy Lewis paused before speaking in a suspicious tone. “Are you sure? Why hasn’t I heard this from the higher up? This sounds like a joke.”

  “I’m being serious. I’m the secretary that works for Mr. McGuire.” Stacey stood up from the bed, picked up her binder off the table, and flipped through the papers. “Searching through all the previous art projects, Mr. McGuire told me that you had quite the art skills. This isn’t a prank. After acquiring the signed contract from the CEO of Williams Shopping Mall, we plan to have a conference to discuss the next project.”

  Ms. Lewis didn’t speak for a few minutes and Stacey wondered if the line had been disconnected. Ivy finally spoke in a demanding tone. “When do you need the design? How much would I get paid?”

  “Mr. McGuire’s son and I will be back in three days. We hope to have the conference in five days. So, I was hoping you could create something in four days.” Stacey placed the papers on the table and sat back down on the bed. “Mr. Williams says this is an important project for his mother, so he’ll pay one hundred million for the project. If you succeed, I suppose you can earn thirty to fifty percent of that. Are you still interested, or should I call another designer?”

  Ms. Lewis became excited. “I’ll take the job. With my skills, I can create anything in a day. I’ll do my best to send my design before the conference.”

  “Okay then. Thanks for understanding,” Stacey replied, putting more binders on the table. “Sorry for the noise. I have to create more schedules and process documents for Mr. McGuire. Goodbye.”

  Stacey placed her phone on the nightstand. Sitting back on the bed, she relaxed for a moment. She hadn’t had decent sleep since she’d discovered the embezzlement. She checked her watch and realized it was already two in the afternoon. Deciding to catch up on her sleep, she was about to close her eyes before her phone rang again. Hissing in frustration, she picked it up and noticed an unknown number on the caller ID. She didn’t answer the call until the fourth ring.

  “Who’s this?” Stacey demanded. “If this is a sales call, then I’m not interested. Stop calling me! I don’t have time right now.”

  Tanner chuckled. “Chill out. It’s me. I hope I didn’t disturb any of your work. I just want to call and ask if you know the title and author of the romance book our client is promoting.”

  Stacey was startled, realizing the call from Tanner. “How did you get my number? I don’t recall leaving my phone number anywhere. Anyway, I heard from the client’s secretary that the book’s title is called Once More and written by Sophia A. Belina.”

  Tanner ignored her probing questions. “I had to call Hudson to get your phone number. Since you told me what I needed to know, I’ll hang up now.”

  Stacey still had more questions, but Tanner had already ended the call. Blinking in confusion, she sighed and placed her phone back on the nightstand. Finally, in peace and quiet, she laid back on the bed and relaxed her mind, falling into a deep slumber until the alarm woke her up at six. She rubbed her eyes and sat into a seating position.

  Finally! Time to get this meeting over with. I already revised my preparations several times so I hoped I could convince Mr. Williams to sign the deal.

  5

  Stacey

  Turning off her alarm, she headed to the restroom to wash up. She opened her suitcase to pull out several outfits. Recalling their earlier conversations, she set aside the black business outfit and picked out a red dress. Never fond of makeup, she still brought several brands and dabbed a bit on her face. After curling her hair, she looked in the mirror and was shocked at her reflection. She hadn't done makeup in a long time because of her sensitive skin so she wasn’t used to it.

  It was five minutes to eight, so she packed up her things and set them in the corner. She brought her purse and went to knock on Tanner’s door. She paced around the hallway for a few minutes until she heard a click behind her. Turning around, she saw Tanner wearing a dark blue suit with white and black stripes. He also carried a white plastic bag in one hand.

  Tanner paused at the entryway and his mouth fell open. “You’re gorgeous!” Glancing around, he smiled at her. “Is this Ms. Nelson, or am I meeting the wrong person?”

  “No need for flattery. Save that sweet talk for the meeting.” Stacey blushed. “Are you ready? By the way, what's in the bag?”

  Tanner nodded. “I’m all set." Glancing at his arm, he avoided the question. "It's nothing. Let’s get going now.”

  Following the four bodyguards, Tanner and Stacey headed to the elevator and rode down to the underground parking lot. They walked toward a black van and sat in the back. The four bodyguards sat in the front, and one of them steered the vehicle toward Caesar Palace.

  Once they arrived at their destination, Stacey and Tanner got out of the car and followed the bodyguards to the elevator. They rode to the top floor. At the far table, a lady in an emerald dress stood up and waved to them. Stacey assumed the woman was the secretary she’d talked to on the phone.

  "I think the man sitting over there is our client." Stacey pointed to the table. "Let's head over there now."

  Nodding his head, Tanner walked alongside Stacey as they approached the table. Four water glasses were set at each chair, but no foods had been brought to the table. Tanner and Stacey nodded at the woman. A man in a black suit with a white and gray tie closed the newspaper and stood up to shake their hands.

  "We're happy to meet you here. The man next to me is my fiancée, Tanner McGuire." Stacey stated, glancing around. "Tanner, these two are our client and his secretary, Daniel Williams and Natalia Jones."

  The client just nodded. The secretary answered. "Nice to meet you two. We just got here ten minutes ago and haven't ordered anything. Let's start looking at the menu."

  Tanner pulled out a chair for Stacey before sitting in his own seat. Everybody looked through the menu for a few minutes before calling for the waiter. The secretary ordered a salad for herself and a sirloin steak for Mr. Williams.

  "How about you order for us, Stacey?" Tanner flashed a smile at her and set the menu down. "I'm okay with anything you select tonight. Just be sure to add whiskey too."

  Raising her eyebrows, she nodded. "Okay. I want two ribeye steaks with vegetables and mashed potatoes. Please bring two whiskey bottles and four glasses for everyone."

  The waiter wrote down their orders, took the menus, and left their table. Stacey peeked around the surroundings. The wind blew noisily outside. Customers chatted, laughed, and ate with their loved ones.

  This location is crowded and noisy. Is this even a good place to have a business meeting? Why did the client ask us to meet them here? Stacey wondered.

  “Mr. Williams, I heard from my fiancée that you want to talk with a family man,” Tanner started talking, finally putting an end to the silence. “Do you have a loved one and plan to get married soon? I can help you win the woman of your dreams.”

  Daniel was startled at the request. “You’re wrong. I’m more interested in you answering my questions. What’s the most importa
nt element in a husband and wife’s relationship?” Mr. Williams picked up the newspaper and started reading the front page without sparing them a glance. “My mother kept asking me this question. It’s been three years now. No matter how much I avoided it or gave her a simple answer, she won’t stop bothering me with her nonsense. Since I don’t have a significant other, I had hoped you could help me.”

  Stacey stared at the client, who was rudely ignoring them. She didn’t know what they had done wrong and couldn't differentiate Mr. Williams' personality. Turning to Tanner, his face showed an indescribable expression.

  "No worries. That question wasn't hard at all," Tanner replied, smirking at Daniel. "From what I’ve read, I assume children matter most. I guess your mother wanted a grandchild. Do you want me to help you look for a woman? I have plenty of numbers."

  Daniel slammed the newspaper on the table and snarled. "Mr. McGuire, I would really appreciate it if you didn't provoke me. If you don't know the answer, then you better keep your mouth shut."

  "Let's calm down," Stacey interrupted, hugging Tanner's arm and pinching him. Hearing a hiss, she glanced toward Mr. Williams. "I saw the waiter bringing our food. Let's eat first and then we'll continue with the discussion."

  Three people approached their table, set the food and whiskey down, and left the four of them to enjoy their meal. As all of them lifted their utensils, Stacey felt the air was still tense so she poured whiskey into four glasses and encouraged them to drink. After eating most of her steak, she shot Tanner a glare to warn him to watch his tongue. He paid no mind as he ate his meal.

  Fearing that Tanner might ruin the discussion, Stacey kept pouring whiskey. "Come on, keep drinking. I heard this is the best alcohol in Caesar’s Palace. We shouldn't waste it."

  The three people didn't know how to respond as Stacey kept filling glass after glass. As all four of them drank for the next hour, Stacey felt herself becoming drunk. The three people around her appeared in doubles or triples.

  "Mr. Williams, I heard you're promoting your mother's romance book. You must be a reader and enjoy her novels a lot," Stacey stammered, trying to shake off the dizziness. "Can you tell more about the novel you're promoting? What did you love about the book?"

  Daniel took a few seconds to respond. "I hate reading romance novels. I’ve never read any of my mother's books. They're too cheesy for my taste. I prefer nonfiction books that help me earn money." Hiccupping, Daniel mumbled, "If both of you are really engaged, then where are your rings?"

  Stacey was shocked at his honesty and couldn't believe that she didn’t think of putting on a ring. She wasn't sure what to do next, so she blurted out an unbelievable statement.

  "We were almost late, so I forgot to put my ring back on." Stacey mumbled and tried to look for another plausible answer. "I mean…I was getting ready earlier and misplaced my ring. I hope you're not offended."

  Daniel glared at them as he threw his napkin on the table. "Stop with the excuses. I already saw through your acting from the beginning. I really hate liars and refuse to work with you." Looking at his secretary, he motioned for her to get up. "Since I never planned to work on this book promotion, then let's go on our way."

  Standing from their chairs, Mr. Williams and Ms. Jones only took a few steps before Stacey stood up to stop them. The client's secretary shook her head as Mr. Williams tried to walk around Stacey, avoiding her.

  "I admit that we're at fault for faking our relationship, but you’re wrong on one thing,” Tanner hiccupped, staring at Daniel with disappointment. “The plain girl next to me was my father’s secretary and also stood by my parents’ side. She watches and takes care of them when I’m not around. My parents trusted her, unlike the woman I dated eight years ago. My ex-girlfriend didn’t even care if my parents breathed. Even now, I don’t qualify to give Ms. Nelson a ring, but I’m willing to give her my heart and my life, rather than having a fiancée that my parents forced on me.”

  Stacey stared at Tanner’s crimson face. “Oh lord, are you drunk? What’s with all the rubbish you’re spouting now? You better cut it out. Do you hear me?”

  Ignoring her demands, Tanner continued and stopped Mr. Williams and Ms. Jones again. “But I’m also disappointed in you too. Daniel, was it? Do you realize that both of us don’t deserve our parents?”

  Daniel turned around and snapped. “What do you mean by that? Look here, Mr. McGuire. I’m not really here looking for a fight, so I’ll warn you again to watch what you’re saying.”

  “Am I wrong?” Tanner laughed out loud, earning himself a few stares. Stacey moved to stop him, but Tanner pushed her aside and continued with his rambling. “You’re just like me. Eight years ago, I was a fool that fell in love with a gorgeous woman. Not only did she sell the company secrets to another conglomerate, she also cheated on me. Now I see why you’re deeply in love with a woman too.”

  Daniel strode forward, grabbed Tanner’s collar, and snarled in his face. “You better watch your tongue. My secretary is like my own sister. I don’t have any feelings toward her. Keep talking nonsense, and I’ll sue you for defamation.”

  Stacey and Natalia sighed as they jumped into the middle and pried the two men apart. Stacey held onto Tanner’s back while Samantha held onto Daniel’s arm, preventing him from moving.

  “Control your temper, Mr. Williams,” Ms. Jones told Daniel as she glanced around the room. “We’re attracting an audience now. Are you drunk? If not, then please behave. What do we do if news spread online that you got in a fight with a dishonorable man? Please think of your reputation.”

  “Is that so? I guess it’s true after all,” Tanner laughed as he slumped into his chair, almost causing Stacey to topple over him. “When I was in the hospital due to my suicide attempt, I regretted that I didn’t trust my parents’ words that my gorgeous girlfriend was an evil woman. She was my first love and also my childhood friend, so I was shocked at her betrayal. She used my name to sell our company secrets to earn money for herself. I’m really a dishonorable son, and so are you, Mr. Williams.”

  Daniel tried to shove Natalia aside as he strode forward, but Stacey blocked his path. “I’m sorry, Mr. Williams. My fiancée had a little too much to drink so he’s not in his right mind now. Please reschedule another meeting when we’re all sober. I promise not to let you down.”

  Staring at Tanner, Daniel sneered at him. “Explain your reasoning. Why do you call me dishonorable? I don’t understand your gibberish. If you’re not making sense, then don’t bother rescheduling for another meeting. I don’t want to see the both of you again.”

  Tanner crouched down to pick up the plastic bag. He pulled two books out of it and shoved one of them toward Daniel. “I do agree that your mother's novels are cheesy and even have too many sex scenes. But, do you know the importance of this book? The mother in the novel wants her son's attention because she's a widow, same as your mother."

  Daniel stepped forward to pick up the book and glanced at the cover. "How did you make the connection? Don't tell me that you researched my background?"

  Shaking his head, Tanner took out his wallet, pulled out a card, and shoved it toward Daniel. "I didn't. My friend, Devon Sinclair, researched your past for me. He's the president of The Heartthrob Billionaire Alliance and I'm the vice president. The motive of our group is to help resolve inquiries from other people about their education, romantic relationships, health, or anything the clients desire."

  Daniel snapped. "How is any of that related to me?"

  Tanner frowned, blinking at Mr. Williams. "You still don't understand. I guess you really did mean it when you said that you never read your mother's book. I'll give you a free service." Pointing to the book, Tanner explained. "In the plot, the hero was a workaholic that worked in another country for a long time. He didn't even know his father had passed away. The only way to reach her son was for the mother to hire the heroine to seduce and bring him home. At last, she not only earned her son's attention but also his hatred because he
finds out about the deception. What I mentioned earlier was not your secretary, but your company."

  "You don't mean—" Daniel started, but Tanner interrupted him.

  "The marriage vows you mentioned a while ago from your mother indicated the last part that says 'Till Death Do Us Part'. I guessed she had been lonely ever since your father passed away three years ago. She wants your love, attention, and support to help her escape her depression. But you always turned a blind eye and became deaf to her calls. To escape her suffering, she poured her feelings to write her novels. Thanks to her hard work and good luck, she has finally become a bestselling author. If you don't believe me, then open to the back of that book. She leaves more information about her desires to become an author."

  Daniel thought for a few minutes and then opened the book for the first time in his life. Reading the questionnaires about his mother, he stumbled to his feet. In the process, the book slipped from his hands and landed on the floor. Samantha had to help back him up after Daniel slumped to the ground.

  Tanner sniffed, pulling a napkin from the table. "I really pitied both of them. In the novel, the hero's mother chooses death to escape loneliness and regrets. Your mother chooses to write books to escape depression, but she'll be sad forever after she discovers her only child doesn’t read her novels. Do you know why she wants you to help promote her book?"

  Stacey noticed people staring at them. Her faces flushed as she tried to stop Tanner. His words had really touched her heart, but it wasn’t proper for them to discuss personal matters here. She covered Tanner's mouth to stop the rambling, but he shoved her away and continued.

  "Since you haven't answered me, I guess you really don't know. Your mother wants to show off that she has become successful. To you, the cheesy novels and the author title mean nothing. But to your mother, both of those are worth a lot to her." Tanner stood up, swaying a bit. He grabbed the book off the ground and set it next to his business card. "I recommend you read the novel and think about your actions. Will you help promote her book and accept all the hardships your mother raised you? Or, would you prefer to be like the hero in the book, who waited until his mother died in his arms before he patched things up with her?"