Scandalous Engagement

by Jules Bennett

  Her leaks. Right. She’d honestly forgotten about that particular mess. Pretty much everything pre-kiss had slipped from her mind. Though she really should try to get back to reality because none of this—not what she was feeling, not what they were pretending—was valid.

  Those few seconds of connection with Reese weren’t real. He didn’t want to build anything with her based on that kiss and he’d already told her this was all for show.

  Fine. She could deal with that, but she still didn’t know how all of this would work. She didn’t have another space filed away for him. He was her rock, her very best guy, the one she could go to for anything. Shifting him somewhere else in her life would only unsettle the solid structure she strived for.

  If she failed publicly at a relationship again, she worried how her reputation would hold up. She worried she’d let herself down, because she’d always prided herself on her independence and her control. Thanks to her military father and her regimented childhood, she knew no different.

  “I’m not worried about the leaks,” she assured him.

  Reese reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, then trailed his fingertips down her jawline. Had he always been this touchy? This affectionate? Was Reese’s interest recent or had she taken all of those innocent touches for granted before?

  “Is it the kiss?” he asked.

  Her heart caught in her throat. Leave it to him to draw out the awkwardness and make it bold and commanding.

  “We’re still friends,” he added. “That kiss didn’t have to mean anything.”

  Josie swallowed and went for full-on honesty as she looked him directly in his daring blue eyes. She was drowning and she had no clue how to save herself other than to just get out of the current situation.

  “But it did.”

  Before the moment could get any more awkward or before he replied that he didn’t feel anything, Josie turned and left the room. Maybe that made her a coward, but right now, she was afraid. Afraid for what would happen after two weeks of pretending, when she’d only been here two hours and already had stronger feelings than she should. The fear also stemmed from not knowing how much longer Reese could stay in that friend box she’d so carefully packed him in.

  But most of all, she worried that she would never be the same because now that she’d had a hint of what Reese could bring out in her...she wanted to experience even more and that revelation would certainly keep her awake all night.

  Five

  “Is everything okay, son?”

  Reese tightened his grip on the steering wheel as his father’s voice came over the speaker in his SUV.

  Son. The simplest endearment, one Reese had heard countless times over the years, yet the word only reminded him of all the lies he’d been living for nearly forty years.

  Reese turned into Conrad’s first location in Sandpiper Cove. This place was as old as he was and the most sought-out restaurant in the state. Many magazines and even television shows showcased Conrad’s and its specialty menus and fine dining experience.

  All of this belonged to Reese now because he was Martin Conrad’s son...or so he’d always believed.

  But even having this dynasty passed down to him, Reese wanted to build his own legacy, which was why he was getting the next phase going with his opening in New York.

  “I’m fine,” Reese replied, pulling into his parking spot. “I’m glad you and Mom are having a nice trip. You both deserve the getaway.”

  And they did. They had worked every single day for as long as Reese could remember, growing this dynasty from a meager savings account that they’d invested in an old shack. All of that blew up into something amazing and the shack remained, but took on renovation after renovation. Surrounding properties were purchased to accommodate the growth and it wasn’t long before they realized they should open another restaurant and then another.

  Reese was proud to be part of such a hardworking family; they had taught him so many of his core values. He’d always wanted a family of his own, children to pass this legacy down to someday.

  But now? Well, now he questioned everything.

  “We’re having the best time,” his father stated. “Wait... What, Laura?”

  Reese waited while his parents held their own conversation in the background. Despite everything he’d learned from that letter, and he was still questioning the validity of revelations from a woman he’d never met, Martin and Laura had raised him. They’d loved him and provided for him, so no matter the outcome of their eventual confrontation about his biological father, they were his parents. He just wished like hell they would’ve trusted him enough to tell him the truth—if there was a truth to tell.

  “Engaged?” his father exclaimed. “Reese, your mother says you’re engaged? She’s reading that blog she loves from Josie’s magazine. What, Laura? He’s engaged to Josie? Our Josie?”

  Josie had been part of his family for so long. When her father was out of town working or traveling, Josie tended to land at their house. Most holidays during their college days she had spent with them. She was like the daughter his parents never had.

  Reese raked a hand over the back of his neck. Yeah, he probably should have told them about this sooner, like last night, but his mind hadn’t been on the fake engagement; it had been on Josie and kissing her and her telling him that the encounter had been much more than a simple kiss. He’d wanted to know exactly what she meant by that.

  But she’d walked away.

  He’d stood in his theater room staring at the empty doorway long after she’d left. Obviously, he hadn’t been the only one affected by the kiss and now he had to figure out what to do with this information.

  Still, his parents deserved a heads-up. They truly loved Josie like their own...and they were clearly thrilled by this unexpected news.

  “Son, are you still there?”

  Reese pulled himself back to the call. “Yeah. I’m here. And I was going to tell you today, actually. This all happened so fast.”

  “Josie is such a wonderful girl,” his father boasted. “Hold on, your mother wants to talk to you.”

  Reese swallowed and listened to the static as the phone was passed around, then he was immediately greeted with his mother’s high-pitched squeal.

  “Darling,” she yelled. “I’m so happy for you guys, though I don’t know why I had to read about it online instead of hearing the news from my own son. We will discuss that later, but for now I want to know how you feel. Are you excited? How did you propose? I saw this coming years ago. I cannot wait to throw you guys a proper engagement party.”

  Reese’s mind whirled with one question and thought after another. His mother was always all-hands-on-deck. The woman was only “off” when she was asleep. There was no way he could let her start planning an engagement party. She would get way too wrapped up in this and right now, he couldn’t share that it was a sham.

  “Mom, let’s not order any party decorations just yet,” he stated. “Josie is swamped with work and I’m busy with the Manhattan opening. Let’s get on the other side of these two weeks and then we can talk. Okay?”

  Silence on the other end was all the warning he needed to know she did not like his idea.

  “I promise,” he quickly added. “You know how important this next opening is. I’m starting a new chapter and I need to focus solely on that. Josie completely understands.”

  “Of course she does,” his mom agreed. “That’s why the two of you are so perfect for each other. You’re both workaholics.”

  Well, that was definitely true. Reese took after his father—well, after Martin. He devoted nearly every moment to making sure their upscale restaurants maintained the highest prestige and top-notch reputation people had come to appreciate from them.

  “I’ve asked Josie to cover the event, too,” he quickly told her, turning the conversation toward
business. “I figure since she’s going as my date, and there’s no one else I’d rather give an inside scoop to, this would be a win-win for everyone.”

  “I can’t wait to see you guys,” she exclaimed. “You give Josie a big hug and kiss from me.”

  A hug and a kiss? Sure, no problem. Everything else that came to mind? Yeah, that was the problem.

  “We will see you at the opening,” she told him. “Love you, Reese.”

  Emotions threatened to overtake him, but he tamped them down. His mother did love him, that was never in question. But at some point, he’d have to find the right words and the right time to question them.

  “I love you, Mom. See you in two weeks.”

  After Reese hung up, he sat alone with his guilt and tried to tell himself this situation wouldn’t last long. Two weeks and he and Josie would go back to being friends. Nobody had to know this had all been a sham, not even his parents.

  But he would know.

  Every part of him wondered how the hell he could go back to never touching her, never kissing her the way he truly wanted.

  And he knew she was affected, too. He’d seen that flare in her eyes and heard that swift intake of breath.

  Reese’s cell chimed in his hand before he could exit his SUV. He glanced down to the screen to see a message from Josie.

  Melissa wants a photo shoot along with the Q&A. She has it all scheduled for tomorrow morning at nine and is hoping to use Conrad’s as the backdrop. Want me to make an excuse to postpone?

  Reese stared at the message. If they kept pushing forward, how much damage would be done in the end?

  But, really, what would a few pictures hurt? The Q&A wouldn’t be a big deal. They knew each other better than they knew themselves at times. And the coverage might be good for his new opening, too.

  No big deal. We can all meet at the restaurant.

  She instantly replied back.

  I’m sorry about all of this.

  He blew out a sigh and hit Reply.

  I’m sorry, too. We’ll get through this together.

  There was only one thing in his entire life he was afraid of and that was losing Josie forever. Even with everything going on around him, he couldn’t lose her. The risk of seeking something more with her terrified him, but he was starting to believe that if he never tried, that would terrify him more.

  What if he didn’t lose her friendship? What if something magical developed? If he didn’t test these new feelings, his fear of the unknown could rob him of the chance at something good.

  But... Having a committed relationship really wasn’t something he had the time for right now. He was just getting started on this new chapter in his career, and he needed to devote every bit of energy and time to making this next phase a success.

  Not only did he demand that of himself, he also didn’t want to let his parents down. They’d entrusted their dynasty to him and he’d be damned if he’d get sidetracked.

  Reese shot off another reply to Josie.

  See you at home tonight.

  The message went before he realized how familial that sounded. He certainly wasn’t ready for all of that. Maybe someday, but not now. He was too slammed with work and the fact that his personal life from all angles had taken drastic turns.

  Yet he couldn’t deny he liked knowing Josie would be at his house waiting on him. He’d already asked his chef to prepare Josie’s favorite meal and dessert. There was a bottle of her favorite wine chilling and he intended to make this very stressful situation as relaxing as possible for both of them.

  Reese stepped from his car and into the hot summer sun that was already beating down. Every single day he came to Conrad’s when he was in town, but today he had the urge to blow off work and hit the beach like normal people. He wondered if Josie would ever consider doing something that spontaneous, that out of the ordinary, something that wasn’t already scheduled in her planner.

  Reese stepped in through the back door, disarmed the alarm and headed for the office he kept on the top floor. The second floor was for VIP guests only and that lounge area was consistently booked. But Reese kept his office on the top floor away from the noise and confusion where he could really work and continually design new ways to grow the company.

  As soon as he stepped off the elevator, he pulled up Josie’s text again and replied. Tomorrow was a special day and he didn’t want it marred by the black cloud of deceit hanging over their heads.

  Take the rest of tomorrow off after the Q&A and photo shoot. I have a surprise.

  He knew what her response would be. He knew exactly what she’d send back before he even glanced at his screen. So when the phone vibrated in his hand with a new message, he laughed.

  I hate surprises. I need to plan what I’m doing. It’s like you don’t know me.

  Oh, he knew her, which was exactly why he wanted to push her beyond her comfort zone, see her live a little. They were both stressed and a day off would do them good. No, he didn’t have the time to take off, but nothing was more important than Josie.

  Besides, tomorrow was her birthday and he would surprise her with whatever the hell he wanted.

  He didn’t respond to her message; he just decided to let her think about all the possibilities he might have in store. She’d mentioned working from home today, his home, not hers since there was a crew already at her place working on the damaged roof. He’d already told his chef, Frisco, to take extra special care of Josie and to make sure she was comfortable.

  Having her at his house seemed strange, yet right. Reese couldn’t help but wonder how she felt being there after last night.

  Reese planned on discussing that kiss with her again, finding out exactly how she felt...because he wanted more. More kisses, more touches...just more of Josie, and now that she was in his home, he had the opportunity...but should he take it?

  Six

  Josie finished her work, leaned back in the chair and stared at the screen. Something felt so off, but she just couldn’t put her finger on it. Having an empty wineglass wasn’t helping.

  It grated that her entire work mode could be tilted off-balance because she’d kissed her best friend. No, he’d kissed her...she’d just enjoyed the hell out of it and still felt the tingling on her lips.

  With a sigh, Josie came to her feet and closed her laptop. Thankfully, this piece on new summer cocktails wasn’t due for another week. She had all the makings for an amazing article. She even had inspiration photos from the art department with oversize martini glasses filled with pale pink drinks and floating flowers. The recipes shared from various coastal restaurants around the world were in, interviews with restaurant owners were done...but she couldn’t find that hook that made everything just come together in an article that didn’t sound like a rookie wrote it.

  Josie picked up her empty wineglass and left the office. Reese had three designated spots in his home for work and all of them faced the ocean, but she’d chosen the smallest because she preferred to be cozy and quaint...a tough feat in a house of this magnitude.

  The moment she hit the top of staircase, a delicious aroma wafted up from the first floor. The chef had only made his presence known once and that was to ask her what she wanted for her lunch. Josie was so used to making her own things or grabbing something from a seaside café that she might get spoiled if she hung around Reese’s house too long.

  Whatever Frisco had made for dinner smelled like it was going to be divine. The hint of something with peaches hit her as well. There was no way Josie could ever be that masterful in the kitchen; her skills were relegated to her keyboard.

  The second she reached the bottom of the steps, Reese walked in the front door. His eyes locked onto hers and Josie gripped the wineglass as she froze. She hadn’t seen him since last night, since she fled the room after he’d kissed her. Likely he wasn’t awake all night replaying t
hat moment; at least, he didn’t look haggard.

  That bright blue button-up, folded up on his forearms, showed off not only his tanned skin, but also that excellent muscle tone she knew he worked hard to maintain.

  Damn, that kiss had changed everything.

  “Looks like you need a refill.” Reese broke the silence as he nodded to her glass. “And dinner smells amazing, so this is perfect timing.”

  He closed the door and tossed his keys onto the accent table before crossing the foyer. Those cobalt-blue eyes locked onto hers and she would have sworn they were more intense than ever.

  Yes, that kiss had changed everything.

  She’d thought their dynamics had changed with his fake engagement, that first embrace at her door, but that was nothing compared to having his lips on hers. She couldn’t seem to put him back in the friends-only box.

  Josie had always noticed Reese’s striking features and the beauty of his gaze, but she’d never felt it before. Josie couldn’t begin to share with him what he was doing to her, not when she couldn’t even explain all of this to herself.

  “I just finished my article,” she told him, trying to have what should be a normal conversation. “It’s not where I want it, but I can’t think anymore today.”

  Reese reached for her glass. “Let’s go have dinner and you can bounce your problems off of me.”

  Her problems? That was quite laughable considering he was the problem. Well, not him physically. No, physically he was the answer, but that was the problem.

  Ugh. She was such a mess with her mixed emotions and wayward thoughts. She knew what she meant, but trying to categorize all of her views was proving to be impossible. Josie didn’t care for this out-of-control feeling or not being able to maintain some regulation over her own life.

  “I’d rather you tell me what’s going on tomorrow,” she countered, coming down off that last step.

  Reese laughed as he started guiding her toward the back of the house. That hand on the small of her back seemed too intimate, but just days ago that would’ve merely been his friendly gesture. Now she questioned everything...including these newfound emotions.