by L. P. Dover
I followed her into the kitchen and she pulled out a bottle of wine. “We should invite your brother and Meredith over for dinner tomorrow night. You haven’t seen him in a few days.”
That sounded like a good idea. I grabbed my phone out of my back pocket. “I’ll call him right up.” The phone rang and rang, and I was about to hang up when he finally answered.
“What’s up?”
“Hey, man. What are you doing tomorrow night? Ashley mentioned how it’d be nice to have you and Meredith come over for dinner.”
He huffed. “She left town today, Lucas. She went back home.” By the sound of his voice, he wasn’t too happy about it.
“I’m sorry, brother. Are you two going to keep in touch?”
“Nope. She said she wasn’t interested.” He groaned in frustration. “I don’t know what happened, man.”
Ashley stared at me curiously and opened her bottle of wine. “I guess I don’t know what to say.”
“Fuck it. Whatever,” he grumbled. “At least, you and Noah are happy.”
I felt bad for the guy. “I’m sorry,” I said again. “Why don’t you come over and hang out with us tonight?” I looked over at Ashley and she nodded in agreement.
Aiden sighed. “You sure? I could use a few drinks.”
“Come on over. We’ll see you in a few.” I hung up and Ashley joined me at the table, sipping her glass of white wine.
“What happened between him and Meredith?”
I shrugged. “She left town and said she didn’t want to see him anymore.”
Her brows furrowed. “I swear, she seemed so nice. Guess she had us fooled.”
“Guess so.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Ashley
Aiden stayed the night, and I crashed hours before he and Lucas did. I didn’t want to interfere with their brother bonding time. It was apparent that Aiden was upset over Meredith. They seemed so good together the night we hung out at the rooftop pool. I wondered what happened afterward to cause her to cut ties.
The guys were both still asleep when I got up and left for work. Cameron and Olivia had gotten back into town from their honeymoon and Cam was finally returning to work today. I was beyond excited to see him again.
When I arrived at the office, I saw his car in the parking lot, so I hurried inside. Olivia was there too, gushing to Karen and Britney about the honeymoon. Her eyes lit up when she saw me, and she held out her arms.
“Oh my God, there you are! I’ve been dying to talk to you the entire week.” She came around the desk and hugged me.
Giggling, I hugged her back. “Let me guess, it’s about Lucas?”
“Well, of course.” She let me go and bounced on her feet. “I heard he’s been staying with you.”
My cheeks blushed as I nodded. “It’s been interesting, but I wouldn’t change anything.”
“How exciting!” She squealed. “However, I know Rhett’s a little heartbroken over it all. He showed me the story about you two in that tabloid magazine. He thinks you’re probably mad at him.”
I waved her off. “It wasn’t his fault. Lucas warned me this stuff would happen. Please tell Rhett I’m not mad, and that I’m sorry he got dragged into this mess.”
She winked. “I will. As much as I wanted you two together, I think I like you better with Lucas.”
“So do I.” Cameron appeared around the corner and I rushed over and hugged him. “It’s about time you got back to work. Vacation’s over, bud.”
“I know,” he said, chuckling. “We had a blast in the Maldives though. I highly recommend going there.”
I scoffed. “Yeah, right. Spending thousands a night for one of those water bungalows isn’t exactly in my budget.”
Olivia put her arm around my shoulders. “Um, hello? That’s why you have a famous boyfriend to pay for it.”
“There’s no need to travel that far away for privacy,” I replied, grinning wide. “He bought us our own private island. We can go there anytime we want.”
Britney grabbed her chest and sighed. “God, I wish I could find someone like that. Does he have a brother?”
“He does, actually. And it just so happens he’s single,” I informed her. “I’m sure I can arrange for you two to meet.”
She squealed and jumped up and down. “Oh my God, are you serious? I can’t wait.”
Olivia cleared her throat and rubbed her nails on her shirt. “Just think, if it weren’t for me, you might not have ever met Lucas.”
Cameron nodded. “True. Got to hand it to my wife.”
Chuckling, I cut between them and wrapped my arms around their shoulders. “You’re right. I do owe it to Olivia and her over the top bachelorette week.”
Olivia smacked my arm. “Hey. We had fun.”
I turned to her and smiled. “Yes, we did. Thank you. My brother’s right though, I wouldn’t be with Lucas if I hadn’t been at the resort. That was all because of you.”
Her eyes watered and she hugged me again. “Thanks, Ashley. I’m glad I finally have a sister.”
“Me too.”
“Do you think it’s stupid for me to work here?” Olivia asked. She’d wanted me to eat lunch with her and I happily obliged. I enjoyed her company, when she wasn’t with her other friends.
I picked up one of the tiny grape tomatoes out of my salad and tossed it in my mouth. “Not at all. Now that my mother’s not here, it works out great. Besides, it’s about time you got a job.” I winked and she laughed.
She placed the plastic top over her large bowl of fettucine alfredo. My whole office smelled like garlic from the bread. We’d ordered it all from my favorite Italian restaurant down the road. “I know. I know. You think I’m a spoiled brat. I get it.”
“I did think that,” I corrected. “But you’ve proved me wrong.”
“I’m glad.” With a heavy sigh, she leaned back and rested her feet on my coffee table. “Sophia and Allie didn’t exactly help your impression of me, did they?”
I bit my lip. “Not really. Then again, I don’t always judge someone on the friends they have. For example, Harper and I are different. She’s more outspoken and wild.”
Olivia snickered. “That’s for damn sure. I used to be so jealous of Harper and Cameron’s relationship. She could always make him laugh.”
“She makes everyone laugh,” I added. “Besides, I know you make Cameron laugh as well.”
“I try.” She smiled, looking at me thoughtfully. “You look different, you know. Something’s changed, and I think I know why.”
I knew what she was referring to; I could feel it. My heart didn’t feel so guarded anymore. Plus, I felt sexier and more alive. “You’re right,” I agreed. “I’m much happier now. Lucas is so different from the men I’ve been with in the past. He’s not at all what you’d think he’d be like. Granted, he was an arrogant ass when we met, and he still can be, but it’s part of his charm.”
She burst out laughing. “Your brother is the same way.”
A knock sounded on the door and Britney stuck her head in. “Sorry to bother you, but there’s someone here to see you.”
“It’s not Rhett, is it?” Olivia asked, winking slyly at me.
I rolled my eyes at her. “Better not be.”
“It’s not,” Britney said. “It’s a woman.”
Brows furrowed, I stood and drank the last of my water. “Will you tell her I’ll be right there, please?”
She nodded. “Will do.”
Olivia glanced at her watch. “Once you’re done, I’ll show you the honeymoon pictures if we have time before your next patient.”
“Sounds good. We should have plenty of time. I don’t have anyone till two.”
I walked out of my office and went straight to the front desk, stopping dead in my tracks when I saw who waited for me. “Meredith,” I said, feeling confused. “I thought you left town.”
There was no smile on her face, nothing that reminded me of the woman I met a few nights ago. She cl
eared her throat, looking more uncomfortable by the second. “Not yet, but I’ll be heading out as soon as I leave here.”
“Okay. I heard last night that you’d already left.”
She nodded. “That’s what I told Aiden.” Her focus landed on Britney and Karen, who pretended to be occupied with something on the computer, even though I knew they were listening. “Do you mind if we talk outside, please?”
I motioned toward the door. “After you.” When we got outside, she leaned against the building and closed her eyes. “What’s going on? Why did you lie about leaving?”
She opened her eyes and sighed. “Because I wanted to be away from here when the shit hit the fan.”
Concern bloomed in the pit of my stomach. “What are you talking about?”
Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a magazine and held it in her hands. “I just want you to know that I had to do this. It’s my job.”
A sick feeling settled in my stomach. She handed me the magazine and on the cover was a picture of me and Lucas, kissing on the golf course, with the headline . . . “Guess who won the bet?”
“What the hell is this?” I flipped to the article, becoming more disgusted the further I read. “Who wrote this?” I snapped, feeling anger well in my chest.
“I did.” Meredith stepped forward. “I’m an undercover reporter. I was sent here to do a story on Lucas. Word got out he was in Myrtle Beach, so I scouted around until I found him.”
Crumpling up the magazine, I squeezed it so hard my hand shook. “Why would you do this? It’s all lies.” The story made it sound like my relationship with Lucas was a joke, that he’d bet his brother ten-thousand dollars, saying he could get me to fall in love with him. Who would even read that trash?
Her gaze saddened. “It’s true, Ashley. What’s crazy is that I didn’t have to make up a story at all. I heard it all from Aiden’s mouth. He’d been talking to Noah about it, and didn’t know I was there.”
Tears of rage spilled down my face. I’d never been so angry in my life—not even when I walked in on my ex having sex with another woman. “You’re such a liar,” I growled, tossing the magazine at her feet.
She picked it up and her eyes glistened. “I’m not, Ashley. And I’m so sorry to tell you like this. But I came here today so you’d find out before the magazines get put on shelves.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I glared at her. “And here I was, thinking you were a nice girl. Aiden came over last night, hurting, because you left and didn’t want to see him again. Imagine how he’s going to feel when he finds out you were using him for a story.”
Anger flashed on her face. “They placed a bet on you, Ashley. As a woman myself, I felt you should know the truth. I’m looking out for you. Believe it or not, it’s the truth.” Her lips quivered and she huffed. “I thought Aiden was a good guy. For a while there, I didn’t care if I got a story. Hell, I could almost say I was falling in love with him. It was amazing just being around him, and you, and Lucas. I felt like I belonged.”
She opened the magazine and shook her head. “Then I heard about the bet and it made me sick. I realized I didn’t want to be a part of his world. So, I wrote the story and sent it off to my editor.”
Turning away, I stared at nothing—anything but her. My hands felt numb from clenching them so hard.
“I’m so sorry. I really am.”
“You need to leave.” I didn’t even recognize the sound of my voice. At first, I didn’t think she’d go, but then she sniffled and walked toward a small, white sedan, but not before leaving the magazine on my car. She looked back at me once before getting in the car and driving away.
Olivia walked out the door, watching me cautiously. “What’s going on? Who was that?” She came all the way outside, and I huffed.
“Her name’s Meredith. She came to tell me about a story that’ll be in the tabloids tomorrow.”
“Uh-oh. What’s it about?”
I was so angry, I couldn’t even see straight. Clenching my teeth, I closed my eyes. “She said she heard Lucas’ brother talk about a bet they placed on me.”
Her voice lowered. “What kind of bet?”
My chest hurt and I could barely breathe. “Lucas bet he could get me to fall in love with him. Just a friendly bet between two brothers for ten-thousand dollars.”
She held up her hands. “Whoa, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you pissed before. Do you believe her story?”
“Hell no,” I snapped.
Her gaze softened. “Then why are you so angry?”
I threw my hands in the air. “Oh, I don’t know . . . because tomorrow morning people are going to be reading a story about me. It makes me look stupid.”
“This happens a lot to celebrities, and they find ways to get past it. Although, it took a lot of balls for this woman to tell you this in person. Might want to talk to Lucas about it.”
Sucking in a breath, I slapped a hand over my mouth, hoping I didn’t puke up my lunch. She was right. Meredith did have a lot of guts to confront me, especially knowing I’d be furious. That alone gave her story some possible merit.
Chest tightening, I leaned against the building. “What if it’s true, Olivia?”
She placed her hands on my shoulders. “You need to talk to him. There’s still time before your next patient. Find him and get this handled.”
“Don’t tell Cameron,” I warned her. “He’ll lose his shit.”
She laughed but there was no humor in it. “I don’t plan on it. He’s protective of the women in his life, especially you.”
Hurrying inside, I grabbed my purse and keys, then raced out of there before anyone could ask questions. I flung the magazine into my car and headed on my way. My throat was so thick, I didn’t think I could talk, but I called Lucas anyway.
“Hey, sunshine,” he answered. “On lunch break?”
I swallowed hard, hoping like hell my voice didn’t crack. “I am. Where are you?”
“At your house. Everything okay?”
Tears fell down my cheeks. “I’ll be right there.”
There was no way our relationship was based off a bet. I refused to believe it. This was exactly what he’d warned me about, and I was already failing at keeping my cool. Taking a deep breath, I let it out slow, then continued with that for the rest of my ride home.
He was outside when I arrived, just like I knew he would be. When he opened my door, I jumped out and threw my arms around him.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
I breathed him in. “We’re about to be in a mess tomorrow.”
Grabbing my arms, he pulled me away. “How’s that?”
Looking into his eyes, there was no way he’d betray me. I knew Lucas Montgomery. He was a jackass, yes, but he was funny and considerate . . . and he loved me. “Meredith came to see me today.”
His eyes widened in shock. “Aiden’s Meredith?”
I nodded. “She’s an undercover reporter, Lucas. She was sent to find you.”
Groaning, he leaned against my car. “Are you fucking serious? What the hell did she say?”
Shaking my head, I fetched the magazine out of my car and tossed it to him. “It’s not what she said, it’s what she showed me.” The anger came back, so I turned my back on him, fisting my hands in my hair. “I got so angry. All I wanted to do was yell and scream and hit something.”
“What all did she say, Ashley?” he asked, sounding nervous. I could hear the pages flip behind me.
I jerked around and stared at him. The look on his face didn’t look right. He looked almost nervous, like he was filled with . . . regret. “She said she overheard Aiden talking to Noah about a bet you guys made, that you could get me to fall in love with you.” When he didn’t say anything, my heart stopped. “Please, Lucas. Please tell me it’s not true.”
He ran a hand through his hair and made eye contact. It slammed into me. Guilt. He was guilty. Shaking my head, I stepped back.
“Wait. You have to let me
explain.”
I swayed on my feet. “Oh, my God.” The magazine fell to the ground and he tried to grab my arms, but I moved away. “Don’t.”
“It’s not what you think, Ashley. Yes, we made a bet, but it was the night I first met you. It was stupid. I don’t even care about that.”
Grabbing my stomach, I felt like I was going to be sick. Anger. Betrayal. Lies. It all flashed through my mind. All our little moments. I couldn’t take it anymore. With tears streaming down my face, I turned away from him. I felt like the biggest idiot on the planet, and I didn’t want him to see the embarrassment on my face, or how exposed I felt.
I got back in my car and tried to shut the door, but he blocked it.
“I’m not letting you leave like this. You haven’t heard my side of the story.”
“Let me go, Lucas,” I pleaded, at the end of my rope. “I have to get back to work. You need to give me space.”
“I can’t. Not until you listen to what I have to say.”
I shook my head and grabbed the door, glaring at him to move out of the way. When he didn’t, I broke down crying. “When you made that bet, did you for once think about what would happen to me? How my heart would be broken when I found out it was all just a game? Some fucking bet for your amusement?”
His eyes glistened, and I couldn’t bear to look at him anymore. “I love you, Ashley. I made that bet because I wanted you so damn bad and you hated me. I planned on doing anything I could to make you fall in love with me.”
“Well, congratulations. You’re ten thousand dollars richer,” I snapped. “And starting tomorrow morning, the whole country’s going to see what a joke I am. Hope you’re happy.”
He grabbed my arm when I tried to pull the door shut again. “How can I make this right? You know I love you. Surely, you can feel that.”
I had no doubt he did, but I needed some time to deal. “I know you do,” I murmured, avoiding his stare. “And I love you too. But right now, I need to figure out how I’m going to deal with all of this. A part of me wonders if I even know you at all.”