Bought And Paid For: The Billionaire's Girlfriend

by Lara Hunter

  I looked down at my other phone, the one Harvey had given me, and I debated trying to call him. When he’d dropped me at my doorstep two nights ago, my instinct had told me that he needed space to cool down and think things over, but now I felt myself doubting it. Maybe I could talk to him, convince him that I’d take more direction from him in the future.

  I’d just decided that I would call him when I heard a knock at the door. I looked through the peephole and saw Harvey standing outside the door. He held a huge bouquet of flowers.

  Confused, I opened the door.

  He smiled when he saw me, but it wasn’t the polished, practiced grin I’d seen him use in public or with his staff. He seemed almost sheepish as he handed me the flowers.

  “Thank you,” I said. “Come in.”

  Unsure of what else I should do, I went into the kitchen and looked for a vase. There wasn’t one, but there was a glass pitcher that would do the job. I trimmed the stems of the flowers, put them into the pitcher and filled the pitcher halfway with water. I put the arrangement on the dining room table, then came back out into the living room. Harvey was standing near the door; he looked uncomfortable.

  “Do you want to sit down?” I asked, when I couldn’t stand the silence any longer.

  “Yes, thank you,” he said. He sat down on the couch. I took a chair across from him.

  “Alice…” he began, then paused. He let out a big breath. “I owe you an apology.”

  I blinked at him, utterly surprised. On the list of things I couldn’t imagine Harvey Pace doing, apologizing was near the top.

  “The other night,” he said. “I was angry because things hadn’t gone as I’d expected. I don’t handle surprises well, Alice. And I’m used to people following my instructions, particularly when it comes to important matters. There is nothing more important to me right now than how our arrangement plays out in the business world and in the press.”

  “I understand,” I said. “I thought I was making the best choice for the part you asked me to play, but I was wrong to ignore your instructions.”

  “No, you weren’t wrong,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m afraid your instincts were right on. My associates loved you. No one was suspicious. And have you seen any of the news from that night?”

  “Not really,” I said. “I was afraid to look.”

  “Well, I couldn’t have written it up better if I’d done it myself. The headlines were all along the lines of, ‘Has Harvey Found the One?’ and ‘Billionaire Has Found Love at Last.’ They’re seeing us as a serious couple, and, better still, they like it. They like you, Alice.”

  “Oh,” I said. “Wow.”

  “So, once again, I apologize,” he said. He reached over and took my hand. The feeling of his warm skin against mine gave me a little jolt. “You were right, and I’m glad you didn’t listen to me, at least not about this one thing.”

  I smiled at him as relief flooded me.

  “So I’m not fired?” I asked.

  “You’re very not fired, Alice,” he said. “Can you accept my apology?”

  “Of course,” I said, squeezing his hand. “Thank you.”

  He let go of my hand and stood up.

  “And now, I’d really like to take you to dinner to make this up to you,” he said. “No press, just us.”

  “You don’t have to do that,” I said.

  “I insist,” he said.

  “Okay, then,” I said. “Do I need to change?” I was wearing slacks and a simple silk blouse, and I’d need to put on something else if we were going somewhere formal again.

  “No, you’re perfect,” he said. “Just grab a jacket and we’ll go.”

  Harvey took me to a seafood place with a view of the water. We took a table outside. The sun wasn’t quite setting; a cool, late summer breeze had picked up, but I was comfortable in my jacket. Unexpectedly, I found myself relaxing.

  “These are my favorite nights,” I said, closing my eyes and breathing in deeply. “When it’s still summer, but there’s that hint of change that reminds you to stop and enjoy it before it’s gone for the year.”

  “I’ll have to get you out on the boat before the season’s over,” he said, picking up a menu.

  I watched his face, trying to guess what he was thinking. I usually thought of myself as someone who understands people pretty well, but Harvey Pace still puzzled me in so many ways. A week ago, I’d hated him. Two nights ago, I’d rested my head against his chest and slow danced with him. Yesterday, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever see him again. And now he seemed happy, at ease, and glad to be around me.

  We ordered food (crab legs and good beer) and enjoyed our meal as the sky turned purple over the water in the bay. As we ate, our conversation turned toward the events of two nights ago.

  “You said before that people think we’re serious together?” I said.

  Harvey nodded. “They do.”

  “Already? That seems fast for them to make that assumption.”

  “Well, they’ve known me, on some level or another, for years,” he said. “Public romance isn’t usual for me. Plus I’ve dropped some hints in recent weeks, alluded to a special new relationship. It seems to have worked.”

  “What do your friends think about this? You suddenly having a strange new woman in your life?”

  He shrugged.

  “I’m too busy for much in the way of friendship,” he said.

  “But you must have some friends.”

  “Of course I have friends, Alice,” he said defensively. “But they’re old friends, people I haven’t seen much since I left school. And my life now is very different than it was back then. I’m friendly with some of my colleagues and their families, and there are a few others in these circles I see socially when I have the time and inclination, but…” he sighed, and his brow furrowed. “My position, and my money… It all complicates things like friendship, or…” he trailed off.

  “Or romance?” I offered.

  “Yes, definitely,” he said. He sipped his drink and looked out over the water. “I’ve always figured that I’ll eventually form new friendships, maybe even date someone seriously, but as time passes, it hasn’t gotten any easier.” He looked back at me, and seemed almost surprised that I was there. “Hmm,” he said with a short laugh. “Why do I always say more than I intended to with you?”

  “You have to say it to someone,” I said.

  “If you say so.”

  He paid the check, and we left together. When we got back to the street, Ted was waiting with the car. Instead of getting in, Harvey turned to me.

  “Would you like to walk with me for a bit, Alice?” he asked.

  His request took me off guard, but I nodded.

  “Sure, that would be nice,” I said.

  We walked along the boardwalk, not speaking at first. He didn’t try to hold my hand; oddly, I wasn’t sure if I was disappointed or relieved.

  “What is it that you want the most, Alice?” he asked suddenly.

  “What do you mean?”

  “From life. From the choices you make every day. What do you hope to achieve with them?”

  I looked at him suspiciously.

  “Why do you want to know?”

  “Because it’s important information to have,” he said. “About anyone. Once you know what they really want, then you understand them, and you know what to expect from them.”

  “Hmm. I suppose that’s true,” I said, hoping to avoid answering him. He wasn’t so easily deterred, though.

  “So tell me,” he said. “What is it that drives Alice Brennan?”

  I thought for a long moment. At first I wasn’t sure of how much of the truth to share with him, and then I wasn’t even sure what the truth was anymore. Did I want revenge? Money? Fame? Just a hot shower and a strong cup of coffee in the morning?

  “I want to be a part of beauty in the world,” I said at last. “I want to make something, or help someone make something, that brings people to a pl
ace beyond our day to day survival, beyond all of the struggle and necessity of life. That… specialness. I want to help make that.” I felt my face flush. “I probably sound like an idiot to you.”

  “You don’t,” he said seriously. “And I think I understand what you mean. Is that why you chose acting?”

  “That was part of it,” I said. “There are these moments, when everything is working and you really understand the character and the world you’re in, and it’s extraordinary. I love that.”

  “What’s the other part?”

  “No, you’ll think it’s stupid,” I said looking at him sideways.

  “Try me,” he said.

  “It’s… I love how scary it is,” I said. “It’s such a dangerous feeling, having the nerve to just be that other person, forget about how silly you might look and just go for it. It’s terrifying, and it’s my absolute favorite thing.”

  “Now that is something that I understand completely,” he said.

  I nodded; I believed him. Everything I knew about his history with his company told me that Harvey Pace was a man who was very comfortable with big risks. For him, they had paid off.

  “Is that why you decided to take this job?” he asked.

  I stiffened and looked away.

  “I’ve just been wondering,” he said. “Was it just for the money? Or is this actually interesting for you? I know that this isn’t exactly King Lear.”

  “It’s still useful experience, though,” I said carefully. “I suppose I wasn’t sure what to expect when I took the job, and in a lot of ways I still don’t, but it did seem like a risk worth taking.”

  He stopped walking and turned to me. He put his hands on my shoulders and looked me in the face.

  “I know that this isn’t an easy thing for you to do, Alice,” he said. “But, I want you to know, I mean, if it matters to you at all...”

  “What is it, Harvey?” I asked.

  “I’m grateful to you,” he said. “I haven’t said that to you yet, and I should have. Thank you, Alice.”

  I wondered if he would kiss me then, but he didn’t. He just looked at me with that same odd, intent expression. A moment later, his hands dropped away from me, and he led me back to where we’d left Ted with the car.

  “It’s getting late,” he said. “I’d better get you home.”

  When we were in the car together, I remembered something I’d meant to ask him.

  “When should I be ready for our next appearance?” I asked.

  “Thank you for reminding me,” he said. “Jenson Pace has a scholarship foundation, and the annual dinner for the scholarship winners is Saturday. It will be formal again, some press, not so intense as the product launch was, though.”

  “Not so intense, as in, I get to do my own hair?”

  “Nice try, but no,” he said. “Susan will get in touch tomorrow for all that.”

  I sighed. “All right, then. Anything else I need to know?”

  “Just that the Laytons, the owners of the steel corporation, will be there.”

  “So, you probably want me to tone things down,” I said, forcing a smile. “I… can try.”

  “No, I want you to use your instincts.” He patted my hand where it rested on the car seat between us. “I trust you, Alice.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Now that I knew what to expect, the pre-event preparation was a little easier to bear. Susan sent over a new gown, a simple red dress that fell just to the knee. Astra smoothed my hair completely straight, and the salon’s makeup artist highlighted my features in a way that somehow was both glamorous and subtle. When I was finished being styled, painted, and manicured, Susan dropped me back at my apartment, where I dressed and waited for Harvey to arrive to take me to the dinner.

  I was surprised, then, when the person knocking at my door at half past six was not Harvey but Mick.

  “Oh, hello,” I said, almost forgetting to use my accent.

  “Mister Pace sends his apologies,” Mick said. “He had some last minute business to handle. He’ll be meeting you at the dinner.”

  “Oh, all right then,” I said, retrieving my purse and wrap.

  Mick brought his car up to my building, and I rode in the back seat. At first we didn’t speak, but then curiosity got the better of me. I hadn’t been alone with Mick since I’d been hired, and I decided to take the opportunity to try to learn a little more about Harvey.

  “Harvey said that you’ve worked for him for a long time,” I began.

  “Yes, miss,” he replied. “Almost ten years now. I came on after his father passed.”

  “He really trusts you,” I said.

  Mick shrugged and didn’t respond. I tried a different tactic.

  “Did you work for his father as well?”

  “Not exactly,” Mick said. “The company I was contracted with overseas, we did some security for Jenson Pace. Things sometimes got rough, and there was an incident with the Paces, you know, the children and everyone. I was the one who was around, and I was able to help. Nothing special, but Mr. Pace – Harvey’s father, that is – he asked me to come on to do security for the family full-time. It was a tempting offer.”

  “But you didn’t take it?”

  “No, not then,” he said. “I was a young man still, and the idea of guarding a rich American family didn’t overly thrill me. But Mr. Pace kept in touch, and I worked with the family on a few short-term assignments, when they were overseas on trips and needed some added security.”

  “You watched Harvey and Susan grow up,” I said.

  “I did,” he said. “When Mr. Pace passed on, Harvey contacted me, and I traveled over for the funeral. When it was over, he made me a job offer. I never went back after that.”

  “Hmm,” I said. “Why did you say yes this time?”

  “Hard to say,” he said. “Maybe I was just getting too old to be spending every day worrying about roadside bombs and assassins. But, honestly, I really liked Mr. Pace – Harvey’s dad, I mean. He was a good man, a kind man. He loved his family. And even though Susan and Harvey were grown, I know that Mr. Pace would want someone to look out for them. If it was me, and they were my kids, I would want that.”

  “I’m sure he would be grateful,” I said. I watched his profile, as impassive as ever, and wondered at how much else I didn’t know about these people that my life was currently built around.

  Mick shrugged. “I have a good deal here. Nobody owes me anything.”

  We rode in silence for a few minutes before something else occurred to me.

  “You knew Harvey when he was just a boy,” I said. “What was he like?”

  Mick smiled, a rare sight.

  “He was a terror,” he said. “Always running off, trying to slip his detail. Kid was fearless, even after—” He glanced at me sidelong and stopped short. “Nothing scared him, I mean.”

  I wondered at what he was about to say, but decided to let it pass. I was surprised Mick had told me as much as he had.

  “I believe it,” I said.

  “Here we are, Miss Alice,” Mick said, pulling the car to the curb.

  Mick let me out at the door and left to park the car. I drew a deep breath as I walked in, mentally shifting into my role as Harvey’s happy, confident, British girlfriend. I smiled and chatted with the coat check girl as I gave her my wrap. I peeked quickly into the main dining hall, but didn’t see Harvey anywhere.

  The dinner was being held at a large country club. The crowd was a good deal smaller than the one that had been in attendance at the product launch last week, but there was no less attention paid to the details in the décor of the room. The guests were dressed a shade less formally than they had at the last event. Instead of tuxedos, the men wore expensive suits and ties. Rather than floor-length ball gowns, the women wore cocktail dresses. I gave a little sigh of relief; once again, Susan’s style choices had been spot-on. I would fit in perfectly, at least as far as my clothing went.

  Rather than go int
o the dining hall by myself, I decided to kill some time by visiting the powder room. My makeup hadn’t had time to fade, but I dabbed some more lipstick and powder on anyway. When I couldn’t delay any longer, I came out of the powder room and headed for the dining hall. As I turned a corner, I almost walked into someone familiar.

  “The lovely lady Alice!” Phil Mercer boomed when he saw me. “Wonderful to see you again, my dear.”

  I smiled with as much friendliness as I could muster. I tried to offer my hand to shake, but he moved swiftly and embraced me, kissing me damply on my cheek. I laughed nervously as I stiffened and tried to back away from him.

  “Harvey certainly is a lucky man,” Phil said in a low voice in my ear. “I’ve seen him with a lot of women, but none that have tempted this married man the way you have.”

  “That’s very nice of you to say,” I said, feeling panic trying to rise up in me. I put my hands against Phil’s chest and tried to push him away gently, but he held onto my upper arms with surprising strength.