Madison groaned, knowing this was all her fault for not looking at the phone. She truly deserved this.
“Mother.”
“Don’t say Mother in that tone. I have a proposition for you.”
“I’m still dealing with your last one,” she said, tired. She pinched the bridge of her nose.
“Tone.”
“You work on yours first,” Madison said, proud of herself.
“The proposition, like I said. You’ll come to your father’s retreat at the lodge. No excuses. Bring Aaron. And if I approve, I’ll call Guy off. But you better do well.”
“Mom, no. I have a life. I have to work. Aaron has to work. We can’t just drop everything and come to the lodge.” She hated the lodge. It was always full of people who wanted something from her family, and therefore, tried to get it from her. She wasn’t about to throw Aaron to those wolves. And she knew they would want him there. He was an up-and-coming artist, and his family was connected to certain circles that they would want to be a part of. No, she wouldn’t do that.
“I don’t care,” her mom said.
“Mother.”
“Do this, and we’ll stop. We’ll let you be. Do this now, or we’ll never quit. We just want what’s best for you.”
Madison closed her eyes and counted to five, trying to breathe. She would have counted to ten, but she knew her mother would never let her have that time. At least it sounded like her mom that sometimes Maeve stepped over the line. Did Madison believe it would change anything?
She wasn’t sure.
If Madison and Aaron pulled the whole fake engagement off, would her mother truly back off? Madison wanted to think so, but she didn’t know for sure.
“Just this once,” Madison said, hating herself. “If Aaron can take time away from his project, and if I can get Brynn and my staff to work my shifts, I will come.”
“You’re the boss, and he’s an artist. You can both do whatever you need to.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Your best better be good enough.”
Her mother hung up and didn’t bother to say anything else before she did, not even goodbye. Certainly not an I love you.
Madison sighed and set the phone down, rubbing her temples as the headache worsened.
She could do this. She would go to the retreat, but she wouldn’t do it like her mother wanted. If Aaron wanted to come, she would bring him. If not, maybe she would still go because she needed to do this one last thing. She needed to show them who she was and not back down. Because that was what this fake thing was all about. Giving her time to stand up for herself. And that’s what she was going to do. To her mother’s face. And if it coincided with the fact that her mom would stop her nonsense? Then that’s what she would do.
She wouldn’t roll over ever again.
Even if it broke her.
Chapter 11
“Thank you again. Seriously. I’m honestly surprised you said yes. I owe you so much.”
Aaron looked over at Madison as she continued rambling her thanks. He shook his head, taking the turn up the mountain road to where the lodge was located.
“You really need to stop thanking me,” he said, a smile playing on his lips. “I mean, unless you want to thank me in sexual favors. Then we can make that work.”
He didn’t need to look at her than to know that she was blushing all the way to the tips of her ears.
“Aaron Montgomery.”
“That’s my name. Pretty sure you said that last night.”
She shoved at his knee lightly. He just grinned.
“You don’t have to thank me for this. I get to stay at a fancy lodge, one that I’ve always wanted to stay at since I’ve heard great things about the views. And we never stay at them.”
“Because Liam has his own mountain lodge,” Madison said with a laugh.
“I think it’s more of a cabin in the woods. A cabin-mansion, if you will. He lets some of the other cousins borrow it sometimes. And we stayed up there recently for our guys’ weekend.”
“I remember. I’m still kind of jealous I haven’t stayed there.” She winked, and Aaron smiled anew.
“I’m sure we could make that happen.” He paused. “You know, for a huge family thing or something.”
He said it quickly, immediately feeling awkward. He knew she felt it, too. Because going away for a weekend together, just the two of them? That wouldn’t be very fake, would it? Or were they really seeing each other now?
Having a real conversation about it would’ve been nice, would have made things simple for them. But there was nothing simple about what they were to each other or what they were doing. Because as soon as they talked it over, they would likely walk away. He knew it. And he didn’t want her to walk away from him. He didn’t know what he wanted exactly, but he knew it wasn’t that. So they would play things by ear and hope to hell they did it right.
Even though he knew they weren’t.
“Maybe. Okay, so today is lodge day. It’s going to be a lot of my father’s investors, and even more people he wants to invest in him. Plus, men who just like money and pretty much roll around in it when no one’s looking. Or maybe when people are looking. I don’t really know the rules.”
Aaron snorted and took the next turn. He wasn’t a huge fan of this road. It was narrow, and they could probably fall off the cliff at any moment. He needed to pay attention to what he was doing, rather than driving them off the mountain. However, that might be preferable to what their weekend could hold.
Not that he would ever do anything to harm Madison. That was the whole point of this ruse, wasn’t it?
“So, am I supposed to schmooze people or just hang out with you?” Aaron asked, keeping both hands on the steering wheel, gripping it for dear life.
“I have no idea. I’d really prefer you just standing by me the whole time so we’re not alone in this. I cannot believe I said yes.”
“I believe it,” he grumbled.
“Because I can’t stand up for myself?” she asked, her tone sounding a little hurt.
Thankful that they were on a straight part of the road, he reached over and gripped her hand, squeezing it. “That’s not what I meant. I believe that you’re doing this, and you told me you were doing it because you were standing up to your mother and planned to be yourself this weekend. I’m all for that. And if we get to have a couple of nice meals and maybe a little vacation in the middle of it, why not?”
“But you said you had a meeting with a big client. Now, you’re missing it.”
He shook his head, taking his hand back so he could pay attention to the road better.
“It was always a phone conversation. They live in New York and can’t fly down all the time. They just want to talk about a few things. Not even over video. Should make it interesting for my art, right?”
“I cannot believe you can create with your hands the way you do. It’s insane. I’ve always wanted to do something like that, but the best I can do is what I do with my cupcakes.”
“First off, you know exactly what I can do with my hands,” he purred.
“Aaron.”
“I’m just saying. If you’re going to leave a hook for a dirty joke like that, you’ll just have to deal with the ramifications.”
“Just don’t make those kinds of jokes in front of my parents.”
“What kind of guy do you take me for?” he asked, oddly a little affronted.
“You’re right. I’m just overthinking everything and am nervous.”
“I’ll be honest and say I’m a little nervous, too. Probably not for the same reasons you are, though.”
The lodge was just around the bend, and he was grateful for that because he wanted to be able to look at her when he spoke. And that wasn’t easy when he was trying not to fall off the mountain.
“Why would you be nervous? And why would it be different than my nerves?”
“First, I’m nervous that I’m going to do something that’s go
ing to make your mother hate me and ruin the whole thing we’re doing here.” It was bound to happen since he wasn’t sure of Maeve’s intentions.
“My mother will only hate you if she doesn’t feel like she has a hand in orchestrating all of this.”
“Uh-huh,” he said, not sure what else to say because he hated that they were in this situation to begin with. He loathed how her mother treated Madison. But they were trying to change that, or at least how Madison reacted to it. And that was the main reason he was here. Not because he wanted to be near Madison even more.
No, not that at all.
“So, is that all you’re nervous about? Because that’s sort of what I’m nervous about, too. Only me messing things up. Because I need to stand up to her, and I’m doing it. I’m not doing what she wants, other than coming to this.”
“It’s hard to stand up to her if you’re not in front of her to do so,” he said honestly. “I guess that sort of makes sense.”
“Maybe a little,” she said.
He smiled at her for a second before turning his attention back to the road.
She smiled over at him. “What else are you nervous about?”
“Mostly that.” He wasn’t sure he should say anything else, but he was already halfway there, so he might as well take the leap.
“Anything else that I need to know?”
“Not really. Just the normal guy meeting the parents thing.” As if there was anything normal about what he was feeling and what they were doing.
“I see.” She was silent for a moment as if going over her thoughts. “Though you have already met them.”
“You’re right. So, I’m not nervous at all.” He let out a laugh. “Okay, fine, I’m nervous because this is for a lot longer than a dinner, but we can do this. We’re already doing it.”
Madison snorted, and he went over his words in his head.
“I meant this whole engagement thing. Though we’re already doing that, too.”
“Thanks for the laugh,” she said, snorting.
“Wait, are you laughing about my performance? Because I will pull over right now and show you exactly what I mean.”
He looked over as she bit her lip and he held back a groan.
“No, Aaron. No car sex while we’re headed to meet my parents.”
He nodded. “So, does that mean we can have car sex at other times?”
She shook her head, laughing, looking far happier than she had when they’d started the drive. He’d done that. Somehow, he’d made her feel lighter. And if he could find a way to keep doing it, he’d put everything he had into it. He was just afraid he might not be enough.
He pushed those thoughts from his mind as he pulled up to the building at the end of the winding road. “Okay, wow. This place is bigger than it looks on the internet.”
Madison sighed, looking out the window. “My dad loves the lodge. Likes the fact that he sounds like a big wheeler and dealer while he’s here. But it’s a nice place, and the food’s great. I should get over my personal feelings about it. You’re going to be pampered, you’re also probably going to get asked if you want to invest in something, or they’re going to want to get into your inner circle to say that they know the famous Montgomerys.”
“Sounds like fun,” he said through gritted teeth.
“We can turn around right now if you want,” she whispered.
“You know, I was thinking the same thing for you. We can go away, have a vacation of our own.”
“I only got time off because I’m trying to prove to my mother that I can have happiness without her orchestrating it. And I know it seems like I’m doing the opposite with being here when she wants me to be, but she needs to see me happy, you know?”
“I do. That’s why I’m here with you. So, let’s do this, fiancée of mine.”
She smiled.
The valet opened the door without Aaron asking, and suddenly, they were in the middle of it all. Just like they had been at her parents’ house. People taking their bags, handing over a valet ticket on a very nice, crisp piece of paper, and ushering them to the front of the lodge.
Madison’s mother was there, talking to a couple of women wearing pearls and nice dresses, so Aaron plastered on a smile and put his arm around Madison’s waist.
She looked up at him but didn’t startle.
That had to be a good sign, an indication that they were getting used to each other.
Or maybe it meant they were getting too used to each other, and it would hurt each of them even more in the end.
He should be afraid that he was getting so used to having her by his side. Because when they walked away from this, he wasn’t sure how he would feel about it. Hell, he didn’t know what he felt now. But that didn’t matter at the moment because he had a part to play: the doting fiancé. He needed to get Madison through this. Because she could. He knew it, her cousin knew it, the Montgomerys knew it. Now, she just needed to realize it.
“Madison, darling,” Maeve McClard said, walking forward on tall heels that made even his ankles hurt.
“Mother,” Madison said, leaning forward for a kiss on the cheek.
It seemed these people were the ones that Maeve McClard wanted to impress. Therefore, she was on her best motherly behavior.
This weekend would be interesting.
“Ah. Joyce, Miranda, this is my daughter, Madison, whom I’m sure you remember. And this is her fiancé, Aaron Montgomery.”
“The Aaron Montgomery?” either Joyce or Miranda asked.
Aaron wasn’t really sure he liked how this weekend was starting out. Madison leaned into him slightly as if to give him support when it should’ve been the other way around. Crap.
“Yes, that Aaron Montgomery. His brother is Liam Montgomery. You know, the author? That former model who just came out to the world regarding what he’s been writing under his pen name. We’re so very grateful for the people in Madison’s life. Oh, he also has a sister, Bristol Montgomery. You’ve been to her concert, I believe. We went there last year when we summered in the Hamptons. Don’t you remember, darling?” Maeve asked Madison. Madison just blinked as if stunned that Maeve was namedropping as much as she was.
Hell, Aaron was a little stunned, too.
“My family is quite talented. However, I had to deal with them fighting over who got to sit in the front seat when we were younger, way before the idea of booster seats. So I don’t always think of them the same as most people do.”
The women tittered, though Maeve narrowed her eyes a fraction as if not happy with Aaron’s humor.
Was he going to be better at it? Maybe. Would he tell the woman to go fuck herself by the end of the weekend? Most likely.
It really was going to be a long damn weekend.
“It was so nice to meet you all. Mother, we need to go check into our rooms.”
“We got you one room, darling. You’re engaged, after all. And we’re not so old-fashioned.” Her mother winked, and Aaron just blinked a couple of times, wondering where the hell this conversation was heading and exactly what he was supposed to say or do.
“Mother,” Madison chided, sounding so much like Maeve it made him blink. Madison must have realized it too because she leaned back and swallowed hard. “Anyway, thanks. You know having to sneak into each other’s rooms in the middle of the night probably wouldn’t be too good.” The other women laughed, while Maeve just narrowed her eyes more.
“Like I’d make you do the walk of shame,” Aaron said, laughing and being truthful. “I’d be the one doing it, of course. But I probably shouldn’t forget my key like that last time I was in my towel in the hallway. That was embarrassing.”
“At least your towel didn’t fall again,” Madison said, grinning. He leaned down and brushed a kiss on her temple, not caring that they had an audience. However, the fact that they had an audience was exactly why he should’ve done it in the first place. Right?
Jesus, he wasn’t doing this right. He was probably going t
o make mistake after mistake, but they would get through this. Because Madison was showing who she was—the humor and the fiery temptation.
He could do this.
“Go check in. Get settled. And perhaps freshen up.”
“Thanks for that,” Madison said dryly.
Aaron just ignored the barb. He was getting used to them. Sadly.
“Your father and I have already checked you in. He has the key. Why don’t you check with him and make sure you’re ready to go? He’s actually off with the husbands, Joyce’s and Miranda’s. They’re somewhere on the other side of the inn. You’ll love them, Aaron. They have a few matters they would like to talk to you about. I know that you’re young now, but soon, you’ll be thinking about full-time investing, and they’re exactly who you need to talk with.” Joyce and Miranda nodded as Maeve struck. “After all, it’s time to make sure you’re on the right path and up to scratch, if you’re going to be marrying my baby girl.” She grinned like a piranha with sharp teeth. He just rolled his shoulders back and grinned his most swoon-worthy smile. Both Joyce and Miranda seemed to notice because he saw their lips part ever so slightly.
Yeah, he knew what he was doing. And he didn’t really give a flying fuck.
“Sure, sounds like an interesting weekend,” he said dryly.
“We’ll see if we have time for all that, Mother,” Miranda said, tugging on his arm. “Thanks for checking us in and lessening our load.”
“No problem, darling. Oh, I almost forgot. Guy will be here this weekend. Make sure you spend some time with him. We don’t want him to feel unwanted.”
Of course, Guy would be here.
It only made sense.
“I’m sure Guy can take care of himself, Mother. He’s a big boy.”
“You never want to be rude, darling.”
“No, we wouldn’t, would we, Mother?”
Aaron held back a chuckle and squeezed Madison’s hip. “On that note, let’s go get our key and go check out our room. This place is gorgeous. I can’t wait to see the rest of it.” He nodded at the others. “Ladies.”
He pulled Madison away, keeping his laughter at bay.
“She is shameless,” she whispered beneath her breath.
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