He could barely breathe. “You’re valuable to me.”
She shook her head. “You’ll find somebody else. Someone more convenient, who can give you the time you need and make you the priority you want to be in her life.”
“I want you.”
Her gaze locked on his. “Sometimes what we want isn’t what we need.”
His shoulders sagged. Logic told him to walk away because he’d lost.
“I understand.” Blaise wasn’t sure what he would say if he were standing in her shoes. “I won’t stop trying to save Matched by Lowell.”
Her face tightened, the lines around her mouth deepening. “Thank you.”
He hated how cold her voice sounded when she was so warm, caring, and emotional. But he’d hurt her and now she was afraid to show that side of herself.
“So I guess this is it.” Blaise spoke the words as much for his benefit as hers.
His heart was breaking because he’d imagined her in Portland with him. Not for a weekend or a week but for the rest of their lives. The three words “I love you” sat on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't say those words. He fought off every instinct telling him to stay and fight. He hated to lose, but he saw no way to win this one.
“Goodbye, Hadley.” He turned and left her office.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Goodbye Hadley.
Hadley held her breath. She sat frozen, waiting, each second passing as slow as a year. The click of the door closing sounded.
Silence.
Blaise was gone.
A jagged pain sliced through her. Her heart had been ripped from her chest, and each drop of blood squeezed out.
She couldn’t believe he’d done an interview, let alone with the reporter who’d caused him so much trouble. That must have been difficult for him and to get his two friends involved…
The office line rang again. She waited for the call to go to voice mail, but the ringing continued. Unable to take hearing the sound any longer, she snatched the receiver. “Hadley Lowell.”
“Hadley, it’s Simone Winterhaven.” The socialite’s voice was syrupy sweet. “You refunded my retainer earlier today, but there’s been a miscommunication. Perhaps your assistant misunderstood because I want to continue your services.”
No mistake. No misunderstanding. Hadley had heard Simone’s horrible message. The woman had threatened to condemn Matched by Lowell’s services publicly if she wasn’t refunded her money immediately.
What made Simone change her mind?
It made no sense.
And then the reason hit Hadley. “You saw Blaise’s interview.”
A beat passed. “I… Yes, I did.”
Anger flared but so did relief. As emotions piled on top of each other, Hadley’s control slipped. “I need to go. I’ll be in touch.”
She hung up before Simone could reply.
A sob welled deep inside Hadley. Blaise’s interview might have worked, but…
Hearing him out had been a mistake. Hadley wanted to believe Blaise. She wanted him the same way he said he wanted her, but she was afraid.
A part of her had wanted to tell him to stay, but she hadn’t. She couldn’t believe things would get better between them because they never had for her in the past. That wasn’t his fault or hers. It was just how her relationships turned out.
Letting him go this time hurt—oh, how it hurt—but the pain would be worse if they tried and then he left her again. And he would leave eventually because her other boyfriends had left after they’d gotten what they wanted.
Hot tears burned in her eyes.
She blinked once, twice, and then allowed the warm drops to fall down her cheeks. She covered her face with her hands and cried.
Yes, Hadley appreciated Blaise’s efforts to help her business. She hadn’t expected that, but…
Saying goodbye was the right choice.
The only option.
Doing the right thing sometimes hurt.
And this did.
As the tears flowed, she released the pain, the regret, and the memories. That would be the only way to push Blaise Mortenson from her mind and from her heart. At least she hoped that worked.
“Hadley?”
Her heart froze. Her breath stilled.
She lowered her hands to glance at the doorway.
Blaise stood with deep lines etched on his face. Worry clouded his gaze. Tears filled his eyes.
Oh, no. Her hands flailed, wiping the drops from her cheeks. If she’d known he was still here, she would’ve held herself together. She wouldn’t have let herself lose control.
He came toward her, his steps purposeful, his gaze focused on her.
She cleared her dry throat. “I thought you left.”
“I started to, but I couldn’t.”
“You hate losing.”
“True, and I know you want me to walk away, but I can’t. I won’t.” He went around the desk and stood next to her. “What we have is worth fighting for. I’ll do whatever it takes to show you how much you mean to me.”
She forced herself to breathe. “I…”
“Tell me what it’ll take. I’ll do anything.”
Hadley fought to control her ragged breathing. “That’s a dangerous thing to offer when you’re a billionaire.”
“Not when you’re all I want. Need.” He leaned against her desk, staring at her with an intensity that took her breath away. “I thought, if I won the bet, life would be perfect. I’d have more money, bragging rights, and be able to show everyone I belong. But nothing is perfect. Though, the two of us together comes close.”
Words were easy to say. Actions… She squared her shoulders. “Tomorrow, you could change your mind.”
“Not going to happen.” His voice was strong and firm. “You’re the only one for me. I’ll spend today, tomorrow, and every day after that trying to convince you it’s true.”
“I want to believe you.” Her voice cracked. “But I’m scared.”
“So am I, sweetheart,” he admitted. “I’m terrified. But you’re worth feeling this way.”
“Am I? Because I hate it.” Hadley trembled, struggling for how to put her conflicting emotions into words. “I trusted you. Believed in you. In us. Now all I am is hurt and afraid.”
He reached for her. “I’m…”
She shrugged off his hand. “I need to get this out.”
Blaise nodded.
“Even if I forgive you and we make up, how do I know it won’t happen again?” She sniffled, trying to hold herself together. “You hurt me. But what happened between us should have been a private moment. It wasn’t. And that video is still out there. The person who filmed it is, too. There could be others waiting for the chance to do that. With you or us. And the thought of being exposed this way again…”
Her hands shook. She struggled to breathe.
“I can’t change what I did or what the person with the camera did. I can’t tell you someone else isn’t out there lurking in the shadows. If I could, I would.” His shoulders curled over his chest, but his gaze never wavered. “But I can promise you this. I will do better. I never want to hurt you again. I want to protect you. I want to do what’s best for you. Because when you walked away on Friday, you took my heart with you. I love you, Hadley.”
She sucked in a breath, not sure she heard him correctly. “You love me?”
“I love you. You have no idea how much.” He touched her shoulder only, this time she didn’t shrug off his hand. “I don’t want to live without you. Please give me a second chance. Let me show you how much you mean to me.”
His words filled her with longing, but she still had doubts. “You and me. It’s so complicated. We live in different states. Our businesses—”
“Aren’t as important as us being together.” He cupped her face. “I never thought I’d say that, let alone believe it, but you showed me it’s true. You know my past. You know me. I’ve never wanted a family. Never thought I needed one. But that wa
s the little boy who didn’t want to deal with the reality of being abandoned again. What you have with Fallon and the kids… It’s like a modern-day sitcom. Not perfect. But you love each other. Care about each other. I want to be a part of it with you and them.”
Hadley fought the urge to lean into his touch. Heaven help her, but she wanted him to be a part of their family, too.
His Adam’s apple bobbed. “If you tell me to go, I will, but you will remain in my heart forever, and I have a feeling I’ll be in yours for at least a little longer.”
The choice was hers. None of her planning or processes would help her. That meant doing the one thing she never thought she could do again—trust her heart.
Deep down, she knew, if she didn’t give Blaise a second chance, she would regret it. Possibly for the rest of her life.
Being without him was difficult. A piece of her felt as if it had died on Friday night. But, if things ended between them again, at least Hadley would know she’d done everything in her power to be with him.
“I don’t want you to go.” She lowered his hand from her face, but laced her fingers with his. “I want you to stay with me.”
“Always. We just need to work out the logistics.”
“Shhh. Not now.” She stood and kissed him on the lips. “We’ll figure this out later.”
“‘This’ meaning us?”
Joy overflowed from her heart. “Yes, us. I love you.”
“I love you.” Blaise flashed her a billion-dollar smile before releasing her hand. He removed something from his pocket and then knelt on one knee.
Her heart slammed against her rib cage. She covered her mouth with her hands.
“We haven’t known each other long, but I want you to know I’m one hundred percent committed to you. To us. Once I realized that, waiting made no sense. There’s no reason for us not to be together.”
He opened the black velvet case and showed her the exquisite diamond, a big one, in a shiny platinum setting.
“Hadley Lowell, you match couples and help them find their happy endings. You are my perfect match. I want to spend every morning waking up to you and every night kissing you and dreaming about you. Will you marry me and live happily ever after?”
Tears of happiness filled her eyes. Her pulse raced, and she struggled to breathe. This was the last thing she expected, but it felt right.
“Yes!” Her voice cracked. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
He kissed her hard on the lips, taking her breath away.
She leaned back. “But what about the bet?”
Blaise slid the ring onto her finger. “I don’t care about the bet. Wes and Dash can battle it out. You’re all I need. All I want.” Blaise kissed her hand. “Hearing you say yes. Seeing my ring on your finger. That’s all I need. I won something more valuable than the fund or the bragging rights. I get a future with you at my side. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
EPILOGUE
November
Standing with the other wedding guests, Wes watched Blaise and Hadley dance for the first time as husband and wife. Joy radiated from their faces, a captivating mix of happiness and love with a dash of giddiness thrown in.
Ignoring the burning in his chest, Wes sipped from his champagne flute. He no longer drank much, but a wedding was a time of celebration—a time to splurge. Something he’d once done famously. Now…
He took another drink.
The bubbles tickled but in a good way. Excellent brand. It went down smoothly. Wes would need another glass. Maybe a few more.
Tonight would be a long one.
Not that he wanted to leave.
He couldn’t imagine being anywhere else—wouldn’t want to be.
Being Blaise’s best man came with certain responsibilities, including making a thoughtful and funny toast, which he had, and not losing the rings before the ceremony, which he hadn’t.
Except…
He was envious.
Jealous.
And it was eating him up inside.
Oh, he was on a first-name basis with those feelings in a way he’d never imagined being. And as friends do, they mocked and teased, poked and prodded, before laughing in your face.
Blaise kissed his pretty bride, and the crowd cheered.
Once upon a time, Wes believed he’d lived a charmed life. Everything he wanted had come to him ridiculously easy.
And then he got sick.
Suddenly all the things, the houses, and the unique, expensive toys didn’t matter. His money could provide him with the finest medical care, but a six-billion-dollar net worth couldn’t make him better. He’d been so jealous of his friends, healthy and happy and carefree, the way he’d once been. He would have traded places with them in an instant.
If only for a day.
And he shouldn’t have felt that way.
Not when his friends had supported Wes in ways he never imagined, putting their lives and work on hold for him. But the bottom line had remained the same. He would have given up everything he owned, all the money in his bank accounts and investment portfolio, to be healthy—cancer-free.
Wondering if he would die before turning forty or even thirty-five sucked.
And cancer…
Remission.
You didn’t win, sucker.
He downed his champagne before glancing around for the server carrying a tray of filled flutes.
“They look good together.” Henry raised his glass in the bride and groom’s direction and then took a sip. He’d paired an orange brocade tuxedo jacket with traditional black pants. On anyone else, the outfit would have been outrageous, but Henry easily pulled off the “seasonal color combination” as he called it. “Just as I thought they would.”
Blaise spun Hadley, her white gown billowing, and then he dipped her. He brushed his lips over hers before continuing the dance.
Impressive. Wes had no idea Blaise could dance like that. But then again, Wes hadn’t known everything he thought he knew about his friend. “Thought they would what?”
“Fall in love and get married. Though I pictured a Christmas or winter wedding, not an autumn-themed one, so my timing was off by a month or two. But I understand with her sister and the kids moving to Portland why they married so quickly.” Henry watched the pair. “It’s a good thing I don’t want a job or I could give Hadley a run for her money with my mad matchmaking skills.”
The man was too much.
Wes laughed. “Are you seriously taking credit for Blaise and Hadley getting together?”
“I am.” Henry eyed Wes over the rim of his glass. “Blaise called her on my recommendation.”
“To find me and Dash wives.”
“That’s what Blaise thought he was doing, but Hadley was what he needed in more ways than one.” Mischief gleamed in Henry’s eyes. “As we’re seeing today.”
Wes didn’t like Henry’s smugness. “How did you know what Blaise needed?”
“For a bunch of tech geniuses, you know little about people. Weren’t you ever curious about his never mentioning his family or those bits and pieces of his past he told us?”
Not really, because Wes had been too busy living his own life. And that made him feel like a jerk. As Dash had said that night when Blaise told them about his past, this had been on them, too, for not being better friends.
Leave it to the bacchanalian billionaire, more of a man-child than the Wonderkid, to know what Blaise needed more than anyone else.
Wes sighed. “It won’t happen again.”
“Good.” Henry appeared to scan the crowd. “And even though you and Blaise are close, I will be their child’s godfather.”
The certainty in Henry’s voice made Wes laugh. “I suppose you had a role.”
“A starring role,” Henry reminded. “Though all of us played a part in their reconciliation.”
“We did.” Wes would never forget the eight of them in Blaise’s hotel suite, brainstorming ways to get Hadley back until the wee hours of Su
nday morning. Even Lex and Rizzo had taken part. After some sleep, they’d spent the day plotting and making contingency plans. Then, they’d gone ring shopping, which might have been funny if they hadn’t been so on edge. He’d done the interview with Blaise and Dash before they’d all flown to San Francisco.
“Look at that delicious morsel.” Henry winked at a beautiful woman with chestnut-colored curly hair standing on the opposite side of the dance floor. “I’ll be getting her number before the end of the reception.”
“Good luck.” Though Henry never had trouble finding dates. Women loved his charm and eccentricities even if the guy never appeared serious about anyone. “Too bad you didn’t join the bet or you could be in the running to win.”
Henry shook his head. “I only make bets when I’m guaranteed to win.”
Wes had heard about Henry rigging his birthday adventure that brought Brett and Laurel Matthews together. “You cheat to get the desired outcome.”
“Cheat is such a negative word.” Henry took another sip. “I prefer to say I enjoy giving fate a helping hand.”
Wes snagged a full glass of champagne off a passing tray. “Looks like I’ll be the one to win the bet. Dash brought Raina as his plus-one today.”
Glancing at Dash and his date, Henry shook his head. “Spending time together doesn’t guarantee falling in love. They get along well, but Dash will never propose to Raina. She invited herself to today’s nuptials.”
Wes stared at Henry in disbelief. “How do you know that?”
“I asked.” A smug expression settled on Henry’s face. “If I were a betting man, which I’m not, my money would be on Dash being the last man standing. No offense.”
“None taken, but why?”
“It’s simple,” Henry said in a matter-of-fact tone. “Our beloved geek avoids conflict. He also hates change, so whatever woman hangs in there and asks him to marry her will end up his wife. But whoever that poor girl turns out to be, she’ll need the patience of a saint to last that long.”
Wes laughed. Henry’s insight was on point. “That’s why Dash is called Mr. Status Quo.”
“Fits perfectly.” Henry’s gaze darkened. “So are you seeing any lovely lady or ladies?”
The Wife Finder Page 21