Why in the world did that make me feel warm inside?
Chapter 15
Jameson
I was still riding the high from the gala on Friday night. I was pleasantly surprised with Paislee’s knowledge of art. She knew more than I did—a lot more than I did. A lot more than most of the people at the gala. She was able to have lengthy conversations with the collectors and experts. I was damn proud of her.
The men that fawned all over her at the gala were a different story. I should have known she was going to be the belle of the ball. Everyone was impressed with her and not just because she was the most beautiful woman in the room.
She smiled and chatted with everyone. She’d been so nervous around me but watching her Friday night had been like watching a butterfly coming out of its cocoon. She was born for schmoozing and mingling.
I stepped out of the shower, grabbed a towel, and started shaving. My phone rang. It was Ashton. Only Ashton called me early on a Sunday morning. I turned the phone on speaker. “What’s up?” I asked without stopping shaving.
“Why are you up so early?”
“If you didn’t think I was up, why did you call?”
“Because I was going to leave a voicemail. I got that thing you wanted.”
“Can you bring it by?”
“I’m already on my way.”
“You’re the man. Remind me to give you one hell of a raise.”
“Oh, trust me, I will not forget.”
“I’ll see you soon.”
I finished shaving and dressed in my Sunday casual clothes. Basically, it was a dressed-down version of what I wore every other day of the week. Black slacks with a white shirt. I told Paislee to go casual, but she was stressing about it. She’d texted three times last night asking what casual meant. I felt a little guilty about stressing her out.
This was the day she would meet my family. As expected, my mother got wind of my date at the gala. She called me first thing Saturday morning and demanded details. The plan worked perfectly. It was a way to ease my family into the idea of me having a girlfriend.
I was going to have to be on guard. I didn’t want my mom grilling Paislee too badly. The poor girl could not possibly be prepared for what my mother was likely to dish out.
I heard the door buzz and went to answer it. Of course, I didn’t need to. Ashton was just walking in. “What the hell is this?” he asked and held out the box. “What are you doing?”
“I’m going to breakfast at my parents’ house, just like I do almost every Sunday.”
“Did you buy your mother an engagement ring?” he asked.
“You looked?”
“It was shown to me to make sure it was the right ring. Yes, I looked. Who in the hell is the ring for?”
I was going to have to come clean. Ashton was my other half. He handled all my private and professional business. This was bound to come out. I wanted him to know up front that he should not take any of it seriously. “It’s for Paislee.”
He raised an eyebrow. “What is going on there? First the dress and now a ring?”
“Remember when you told me she couldn’t afford to pay her medical bill or the bill for the Lambo?”
He nodded with a skeptical look on his face. “What did you do?”
“And you know how my mom has been on my ass about settling down?”
His eyes narrowed and his brows practically joined together across the bridge of his nose. “I don’t think I want to know. I know you didn’t fall in love with this woman.”
“She has agreed to be my fiancée for a few months in exchange for me forgetting about her debt.”
“You blackmailed the woman?”
“I didn’t blackmail her. I offered her a deal, and she took it.”
“What is she getting out of this?”
I threw up my hands. “I just told you. She doesn’t have any debt from the accident. I won’t report it to my insurance. And I’ll pay her medical bills.”
He slapped a hand to his forehead. “I cannot believe you blackmailed the woman.”
“I didn’t blackmail her,” I insisted. “This was a mutually beneficial arrangement. She is okay with it. She gets to keep the dress.”
“And the ring?”
“It was just a ring from the store. It’s only two carats, nothing fancy.”
He groaned and shook his head. “Two carats is nothing fancy in your world, but in her world, it is.”
“So, you think I should let her keep it?”
“I think you should drop the whole farce altogether.”
“Can’t do that.”
He tossed the box at me. “If you hurt her, I’m quitting.”
“She is going to be fine. We’ve already discussed the ending of this sham engagement. It’s going to be a messy breakup. She knows that.”
“Fine.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I told him as he walked out.
I knew he would not approve, but it wasn’t up to him to approve or disapprove. This was between Paislee and me. I slipped the box into my pocket and grabbed the keys to my Beamer. I was stuck driving it with my Lambo in the shop.
I headed over to Paislee’s house. It was a bit of a drive, but I didn’t want her to take a bunch of buses to get to my place. I got to her place and headed up the four flights to knock on her door. Her roommate answered the door with a grin.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
“I’m Bella.”
I nodded. “We’ve kind of met. I’m Jay.”
“I know.”
“Is Paislee here?”
She was grinning and nodding. “She’s just finishing getting ready.”
Paislee stepped out of what I assumed was her bedroom. She was wearing a pretty black dress with tiny white polka dots with a wide white belt. It looked very fifties and very chic. Her hair was left down and her makeup was minimal. “Is it too much? Too little?”
“It’s perfect.”
“Told you,” Bella said.
“Are you ready to go?” I asked her.
“Yes.”
When we got into the car, I pulled the box from my pocket and opened it. “Hand please?”
“What?”
I grabbed her left hand and slipped the ring on. She stared down at her hand. “What is this?”
“It’s a ring. We’re going to my parents’ house and we’ll need to sell it.”
“Oh.”
She looked at the ring again. I couldn’t resist. I leaned across the console, gently grabbed her chin, and kissed her.
She froze and stiffened. I pulled away and started the engine.
“What was that?” she asked.
“It’s called a kiss. You said you were a virgin, but please tell me you’ve been kissed before.”
“I have, but I thought we had a very clear understanding about what this was and what it wasn’t.”
“We did. We do. It was a kiss. I need you to be comfortable with me kissing you or touching you. No one is ever going to believe we are engaged if we don’t touch.”
“Oh,” she murmured and looked at the ring. “This is gorgeous. Did you pick it out?”
“Yes, it was something they had available.”
“It’s very pretty. I’ll make sure to take care of it.”
I headed out toward the family estate. I felt like I needed to prepare her for what we were going into. It was normal for me, but this was not her usual Sunday morning. “Just so you know, we’ll be meeting my parents and my sister.”
“How old is your sister?”
“Your age, twenty-six.”
“Oh, cool. Does she live at home?”
“No and yes. She has her own penthouse in the city but she often stays at the house. We all travel a lot and sometimes it’s easier to just stay at the house.”
“Why do you travel so much?”
“We visit the hotels. We try and stay very hands-on. It’s much easier to catch problems if we see them. It’s somethi
ng my dad has always insisted on.”
“Is your dad the owner of the hotels?”
“Technically, he’s retired. I’m the CEO and handle the daily business. He still likes to be involved and will do surprise visits. I think it’s his way of staying involved while being able to enjoy the luxuries of each hotel.”
“I see.”
“Did you fill out that paperwork?” I asked her.
“For the passport?”
“Yes. We’ll likely need to travel. I can pull a lot of strings. I even have a few senators on speed dial, but foreign governments are less of a sure thing.”
She softly laughed. “There are limits to your reach.”
“Yes, there is. Anyway, I should tell you about the house.”
“What do you mean? Is it haunted?”
“No, but it is a little pretentious.”
“Like big?”
“Yes, big.”
She cocked her head to the side. “How big? Like six bedrooms?”
I was almost embarrassed to tell her. “Little bigger.”
“How many?”
“Twelve.”
Her mouth dropped. “How many square feet is this place?”
I shrugged. “Like twenty, twenty-five.”
“Twenty or twenty-five? There’s a huge difference between the two. How many bathrooms?”
I had to think about it. I wasn’t entirely sure. “I think like twenty or something.”
“You don’t know?”
“It’s a big house. I haven’t spent a lot of time counting the bathrooms.”
“Does it have tennis courts and a movie room?”
“Yes, it has a theater. Two pools, a bowling alley, a game room, a ballroom. It’s big. It’s old, but my parents have dumped millions into renovating it.”
“Holy shit!” she burst out. “I didn’t understand your wealth. You are like stupid rich, aren’t you?”
I never really counted the dollars in the bank, but I knew we had enough money to keep several generations living well. “My dad is a very smart man. He knows his business. He inherited a hotel from his father and turned it into an empire. He changed the direction of the hotel to meet the demands of the wealthy.”
“So, the hotels are super luxe?”
I smiled. “You could say that. I’d like to give you a tour next time we’re in one and not attending a function.”
“I would like that.”
“My mom,” I said in a warning tone. “I need to warn you about her.”
“You always talk about her like she is the devil.”
“She isn’t mean. She’s overbearing. She loves me. I have no doubt in my mind she loves me and wants the best for me. It’s just she can come off very strong. She intimidates people, but she is all bark and no bite.”
“You’re close?”
“Yes, we are. We fight like crazy, but we also spend a lot of time together. It’s weird.”
“Do you think she’s going to be judge-y? I’m not who she would want for her son.”
“How do you know that?”
“I’m not rich or pedigreed. Your family is wealthy. Very wealthy. I can’t even begin to imagine your wealth.”
“She doesn’t expect me to find someone wealthy or pedigreed. She’s just picky in general.”
“You’re not making me want to do this. If this is your pep talk, you need to work on it.”
“Sorry. I just wanted to get it all out now before we get there. We’re supposed to be engaged, which means you would know about the family wealth and where I’m from.”
“Thank you. I will do my best not to embarrass you.”
“You won’t embarrass me. Just try and relax.”
Chapter 16
Paislee
Never let them see you sweat. I didn’t know where I heard that, but I was using it. I was trying my best to stay calm. It was strange to be engaged to a man I didn’t know.
And I definitely did not know him. I was glad to have at least a little information about his background.
When he turned onto a street lined with perfectly trimmed trees and not a single scrap of trash, I knew I was not in Kansas anymore. The street oozed wealth. We passed a Ferrari which said everything about the neighborhood. Jay stopped at a guard booth and exchanged a few words before the gate was opened.
Again, I found my mouth hanging open at just the immaculate grounds. Each driveway we passed was gated as well. Most of the houses were behind fences that looked like they belonged around prisons but with class. They weren’t ugly fences but fences that meant business. I caught a glimpse of one of the houses. It was a huge Tudor style with front doors that looked like they belonged on an actual castle.
“Here we are,” Jay said and entered a code into a black box.
A heavy black iron gate slowly rolled back, disappearing into thick hedges. He pushed the gas, and I was immediately blown away. We circled around a wide driveway with an actual fountain in the center. It looked like we were pulling up to a hotel rather than someone’s home.
“This is insane,” I breathed.
He chuckled and put the car in park. “Home sweet home.”
“Did you live here?”
“My parents bought the place shortly after Julia was born. We only lived in one wing for the first two years while the house was completely gutted and renovated, but yes, I lived here. It’s always changing though. My mother tends to get bored easily and there are always contractors here bending to her whims. We tease her about singlehandedly keeping the construction business alive and well.”
I could not believe I, Paislee Jolly, was going to have breakfast in a mansion. Me, the little orphan girl who never had new clothes or nice things. If the nuns could see me now.
“I’m so nervous,” I said when he came around the car and took my hand.
“Don’t be. It’s breakfast. I know the house is overwhelming, but trust me, they are just normal people.”
I snorted. “Easy for you to say.”
We walked into the house. I couldn’t call it a house. It was a mansion. It was massive.
I couldn’t even judge how big it was from the front view. We stepped into a foyer with ceilings that felt like they were at least two stories high. A massive chandelier hung over the space. There was a round table in the center of the space with fresh flowers perfectly arranged. The place smelled rich.
“They’re probably in the sitting room,” he said.
“The sitting room,” I repeated. “Of course. Is there a standing room too? Maybe a lying down room? Well, I guess that’s just a bedroom.”
He squeezed my hand, a little signal of reassurance before he led me down one of the corridors that led away from the foyer. I could hear voices and thought about turning around and running right back out the door.
“It’s going to be okay,” he whispered.
I wasn’t so sure about that. We walked into a room filled with natural light pouring in through long, narrow windows with gorgeous baby blue drapes pulled back. Sheer panels hung over the windows to soften the sunlight. It looked like a room fit for a queen.
Speaking of queens, a beautiful woman was sitting in a pale blue wingback chair with a magazine in her hand. She looked up, her eyes immediately locking on me. I felt her scanning me, like she was taking in every inch of my body and trying to see my soul.
“Ah, there you are,” an older man said from where he stood next to the fireplace that was not currently lit.
The woman with perfectly styled short brown hair and piercing brown eyes rose from her chair. “Jameson, I’m so glad you could come.”
“Mom, Dad, this is Paislee. Paislee, these are my parents, Jack and Sydney.”
I extended my right hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
I was relieved when they actually shook it. I was afraid they would turn their noses up at me and scold Jay for bringing home a stray. I wasn’t going to say the meeting was necessarily a success, but it wasn’t a failure.
<
br /> “It’s nice to meet you, Paislee,” Sydney said with a tight smile. “Shall we go have breakfast?”
I wasn’t sure if I was actually supposed to answer the question. I looked to Jay, who gave a slight nod. I followed them out of the room but not through the way we came in. It was another wide set of doors that led into a room with a long cherrywood table that shone in the bright sunlight. Again, a series of narrow, tall windows lined one wall. Sheer curtains muted the sunlight.
“I thought we’d take breakfast in here today,” Sydney announced. “The dining room is being deep cleaned.”
“Is this the breakfast room?” I muttered close behind Jay. He shook his head and his shoulders shook with silent laughter, which helped loosen me up a bit.
Jay pulled out a chair for me and I sat.
“Thank you,” I whispered to him. “It’s a lovely room,” I said more loudly. I had no idea where the word lovely came from. Three minutes in the mansion and I was talking like a rich person.
“Jameson, you didn’t tell us you were taking a date to the gala,” his mother said in an accusatory tone.
Jay shrugged. “You were supposed to be there.”
“Yes, well, imagine my surprise when I got numerous phone calls and emails from my friends about the woman my son was seeing.”
I looked at Jay and then her. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to say anything. Fortunately, a maid—if they were even called that—appeared with a pitcher of orange juice and a clear carafe of coffee that looked dark and rich and really expensive. It smelled amazing.
“Do you want coffee?” Jay asked me.
“Yes, please,” I said with just a little too much enthusiasm.
He poured me a cup before pouring some for himself. “Where’s Julia?” Jay asked.
“She’ll be in soon. She was tying up some loose ends with the Jamaica opening.”
Jay knew what that meant apparently and nodded once. A minute later, a parade of food came through the doors at the far end of the room. I was assuming those doors led to the kitchen. The breakfast room was filled with the usual breakfast aroma and an overpowering smell of bacon. My stomach growled and I hoped like hell no one else heard it.
Pay Up Hot Stuff: A Billionaire Fake Fiancée Romance Page 10