She pursed her lips like she didn’t believe me.
“You’re putting me in a difficult situation, Hallie. I can prove to you that I find you attractive, but I’d end up breaking my rule of no seducing women who work for me.”
She studied me, “You will have had to have broken that rule to pull off this ruse.”
Good point. “Remember, you said you wanted proof.”
She nodded.
I grappled with the best way to show her my proof. Instead of pulling her flush against my body, I took her hand and pressed it over my semi-erect cock, “You do that to me.”
Her eyes were full again, but I didn’t sense she was offended.
I released her head and stepped back, “I’m desperate, Hallie. You are the only that is right for this, for me.”
She laughed, “It’s ridiculous.”
“I know.” I inhaled a deep breath, “Hallie, will you be my wife?”
One Crazy Scheme
Chapter Four: One Crazy Scheme
Hallie
My boss had lost his mind. It had been weird enough when he introduced me as his wife to Janine Madison, but now he wanted me to continue the ruse? It was ridiculous. I couldn’t see how we’d pull it off. Even more so, I didn’t think anyone would buy it. I wasn’t ugly, but I knew I wasn’t his type.
I see a beautiful woman with sexy curves. If you weren’t my assistant, I’d have definitely hit on you.
I wasn’t sure I believed that, but it did make my heart do a little flip to hear it. And then he put my hand on his dick, and two things flashed in my mind; 1) God had been good to him in that department, and 2) Would this fake marriage let me see more? I immediately pushed that second question out of my head. This idea was nuts, and I should have turned him down right then and there.
It was his offer to rebuild my home that had me thinking about agreeing to this nutty idea. When he said he’d do something for me in return, my first thought was to ask for a raise to help me pay for my house. But he said he’d rebuild it, which was even better. It was also crazy expensive. He had to know that and yet didn’t flinch at the potential cost. Yes, he was rich, but still. Paying to rebuild a home? He really was desperate, which proved how much this IPO meant to him. And he was right, more money in the company meant more resources for research into diseases and development of treatments. My mother could benefit from his work.
Even with all that, I was a little stunned when I said, “Yes, Mr. Sloane, I’ll be your wife.”
He let out a relieved breath, “Thank God. You can start by calling me Nate.”
“Yes, sir.”
He laughed, “Christ, Hallie, you kill me with that.”
“I know, sir.”
“Come on, let’s go schmooze for money a little more. We can sort out the details of this marriage later.”
His large warm hand took mine as he led me back to the ballroom. I had definitely entered the Twilight Zone, but if it involved holding hands with Nate Sloane and getting my house prepared for my parents, it wasn’t going to be all that bad.
Later that night, we sat in an all-night diner negotiating our arrangement.
“So, at work, we act the same, but when we travel for the dog and pony show, you’re my wife.”
I nodded.
“You’ll need to move in with me.”
“What?” I stopped mid-bite of a French fry.
“It won’t look right if we live apart.”
“Who will know if we’re only pretending during your presentations?”
“Some of these investors are local, and I might have them for dinner. They might even have me followed.”
“Followed?”
“Just to see if I’m telling the truth. Investors take risks, but only informed and calculated risks. Besides, you said your house burned down. It will give you a place to stay.”
“I’m living at my parents’ home now.”
“I love my mother to death, but you couldn’t pay me to move back home,” he shivered.
He wasn’t wrong with that sentiment. I loved my parents, but it was weird to be back in my bedroom that was still decorated with rock star posters over pink polka dot wallpaper left over from my childhood. At least when I rebuilt my home, I’d have grown-up space.
“Will you make my lunch? My mother makes my lunch.”
He laughed, “If that’s what it takes, Hallie, I’ll do it.”
I leaned forward, “How far does this go, Mr.---Nate? This is pretend, you know.”
“I won’t touch you if that’s what you’re hinting at. I have a guest room with its own bathroom.”
That’s what I had meant. I was both relieved and disappointed that he wouldn’t touch me.
“You can move in tomorrow night. I’ll have a key for you and if there is something else you need, let me know, I’ll make sure you have it.”
“Where do you live?”
He told me the location, which strangely enough, wasn’t far from my or my parents’ homes. I’d have thought he’d be in a fancy gated community, but he had a house in a regular upper-middle-class neighborhood just outside my own more lower-middle-class one.
“Have you considered the fallout if people find out? I mean, what if they call you at work and ask about your wife, what are they going to say?”
He sat back, and it was clear he hadn’t thought this through, “I’ll figure that out.” After a moment he said, “We’ll tell people at work we’re married.”
I would have done a spit take if I’d been drinking something, “What?”
He nodded, “We’ll tell them we’ve been seeing each other since you started working for me and got married recently. Who’s to say we’re not on a flight to Vegas getting married right now?”
“What about the rule of never having a relationship with someone at work?”
He grinned, “We’ll just say I couldn’t resist you.”
“Who’s going to believe that, Nate?”
He frowned, “Everyone. I thought I proved that.”
I made a ffttt sound, “Maybe that Janine had just gotten you riled up.”
He looked out the window for a moment, and I got the feeling he was trying to decide what to say next. He turned back to me and said, “First of all, that’s not accurate. Janine Madison didn’t rile me up. Second, when you walked into the ballroom tonight, you took my breath away.”
I shook my head, but the fierceness in his eyes had me stopping mid-shake.
“I’m not shitting you, Hallie. And while you might sue me, it’s not the first time I’ve appreciated your assets. Added to that, you’re smart, funny, and…real.”
“Real? Like my assets are real?” Had he really checked out my assets?
He rolled his eyes, “No, like you’re an authentic person. You’re not putting on a façade to try and impress me. You’re not shy about calling me on my bullshit. I like that. If I were ever to really get married, that’s what I’d want in a woman. Not just sex, but a real person.”
“Oh.” It was stupid how warm and gooey his words made me feel. “What about our families? My parents won’t like it that I got married without them.”
“Yeah. My mom and brothers would flog me,” he took a moment to think, “we don’t tell them.”
“You’re not worried about it getting out?”
“I’m not a celebrity. No one is going to report on it. My family doesn’t talk to people in my business, so I don’t think they’d hear about it. What about you?”
“My parents’ world is very small. They won’t hear it unless it’s on the news or something.”
“Unless they watch business news, they probably won’t hear it then.”
I nodded, “I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this.”
He reached out across the table and took my hand, “I know it’s nuts, Hallie; I appreciate your willingness to go along with it.”
Distracted by his hand on mine, I simply nodded.
The next morning, I woke think
ing the night before had been a dream. I was disappointed that I hadn’t included some sort of sexual interlude because that would have made the dream better. But when I saw Nate’s text on my phone, I was jolted back to the reality that I’d agreed to pretend to be his wife over the next few months. I’d completely lost my mind.
Nate’s text said he’d be out for Sunday dinner with his family tonight, but that he’d be home by nine and ready to move me in. I took a deep breath and went to have breakfast with my parents.
My mother was at the table, while my father busily made pancakes.
“I made you one that looks like Mickey Mouse,” my father said as he put the plate of pancakes on the table.
I laughed, “You know I’m grown up now, right?”
“You’ll always be my princess,” he said as he kissed me on the head.
“It’s hard for parents to see their children all grown up,” my mother added, which was probably why she was making my lunch when I went to work.
I waited until they were both seated before attempting to tell them I was moving out.
“Listen, I want to thank you so much for letting me come home, but I’ve found another place to stay—”
“What? We like having you home, honey,” my mother said.
“I know, mom. I like being here, but this is closer to work and with a colleague. Plus, I don’t want to be a burden—”
“You’re never a burden,” my father grumbled.
But I knew my being home put more stress on them. They couldn’t help themselves when it came to wanting to take care of me. If I wasn’t home, my father wouldn’t be making pancakes. My mother wouldn’t constantly be trying to keep the house pristine, wearing herself down.
“I appreciate that.”
“We thought you’d stay until your house was ready,” my mother said.
“That’s going to be awhile.” Even with Nate’s money, it would take time to get the plans and find a contractor. I reached out and took one of their hands in each of mine, “I love you both, I really do, but I think this will be better.”
My mom nodded. When my father started to protest, she interrupted him, “She’s a grown woman, honey, who needs her space. She’s probably got friends and a man she’s not able to spend time with when she’s here. That’s probably who she was all dressed up for last night.”
That wasn’t quite true, but since she was making a case for me, I went with it.
“But you will come see us sometimes?” she finished.
“Yes, of course. Just like I did before.” Of course, I would because while they got along alright and their minds were good, my mother’s MS was getting progressively worse, and my father was beginning to slow down physically. Even when I lived in my house, I always stopped by a few times a week to check on them. I wouldn’t ever say that to them because they’d balk. They were fiercely independent.
With that taken care of, I went to my room to pack up the few things I had. What didn’t burn in the fire was ruined by smoke or water, so I didn’t have much. Once everything was packed into one suitcase and a duffle bag, I spent the rest of the day with my parents. I gardened with my mother, and when she took a nap, I played rummy with my father. Being with them made me feel better about this arrangement with Nate because I wasn’t sure how much longer my parents could go on living alone, which meant I needed to get my home rebuilt.
When they went to bed that evening, I prepared to head over to Nate’s, and my nerves kicked in. Nate was my boss, but that didn’t mean I really knew him. While I didn’t think he’d do anything nutty, like try to seduce me, it was going to be strange to see him and get to know him in a personal setting. I’d learn things like whether he put the toilet paper roll on with the paper over or under. Was he a morning person or a night owl? Did he wear boxers or briefs? Well, okay, I might not learn that. I should probably ask him though, in case someone at work asked. In fact, I’d need to be prepared for a deluge of questions from people at work. Crap. I hadn’t thought this thing all the way through. Nate and I would need to figure that out. I had to have answers for things like how we got together and when? How did he propose? The wedding. I’d have to make up answers to questions about his sexual prowess, but I figured I probably wouldn’t be lying if I said he rocked my world. Oh, and I could confirm that he looked magnificent in a tux.
As I put my bags in my car and made my way to Nate’s, I couldn’t help the feeling that this was all going to go badly. I should turn around and go home. He needed to find another fake wife.
But I didn’t turn around. It might all go to shit, but I had to do this for my parents’ sake. I parked in Nate’s driveway and prepared to become Mrs. Nathanial Sloane.
The Fakery Begins
Chapter Five: The Fakery Begins
Nate
If my family knew of my scheme to pretend to marry Hallie, they’d think I’d lost my mind. I wondered if I had as well. There was so much that could go wrong. In fact, I wondered if maybe we should have a real ceremony just so it was legal, but I was certain that was a step too far for Hallie. The fact that she was willing to go along with this crazy idea showed just how much she needed help on her house. How had I not known her house had burned down?
All this was swirling in my brain as I drove to my mother’s house for Sunday dinner. My brothers and I all did very well in our careers and financially and had offered to buy mom a home in a nicer location, such as along the river. But this was the home she had created her life and family with my father in and she wasn’t going to leave it. In some ways, I was glad. She was right that the home was filled with memories of our lives. Now that my father was gone, it was nice to go back and get wrapped up in those memories.
My brothers and I had Sunday dinner with my mother every week. Growing up, we were expected to be home and with the family on Sundays, but as we got older and into our own lives, that tradition had waned, even though most of us remained in northern Virginia. Only Gabe had left the area - moving to Florida to do a home improvement show for a network located there. But after my father’s unexpected death two years ago, we picked up the tradition again - even Gabe moved back to Virginia. Today, not only did all four of us go to Sunday dinner at my mother’s, but our family had expanded with Gabe’s marriage to Samantha.
I parked in front of the standard brick ranch house by my oldest brother Will’s Audi. I got out of the car and made my way up the freshly trimmed walkway to the front porch.
“Hello?” I opened the door and poked my head in.
“Oh Nate, you’re here,” my mother flowed into the room and gave me a hug. She always embraced us like she hadn't seen us in months instead of just a week. It was like she was savoring our time together, which I supposed she was. She knew from my father’s death how fleeting life could be. “Will is grilling tonight.”
I made a face, “He’s not very good at it.”
“I know it, but you’ll hold your tongue.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I said as I kissed her on the cheek. I followed her to the kitchen and got a beer from the fridge and then headed out to the deck. The smell of citronella from candles placed around the deck filled the air to keep the mosquitos away. It was followed by the scent of charred meat.
“Hey, Nate,” Will greeted me with a nod, as he took a sip of his beer and then went back to the burgers.
“Will,” I looked over the grill. “Any chance some of those will be rare?”
He smirked at me.
I patted his shoulder and sat at the table. I’d have offered to help my mom set it, but it was already set.
“How’s the IPO going?” Will asked, flipping a burger.
“So far, so good. I’ll be traveling the next few weeks to get initial investors.”
“Any idea how easy or hard that will be?”
I took another swig of my beer and then said, “I’m hoping easy. Many people like to invest in pharmaceuticals.”
“My brother, the drug dealer,” my youngest brot
her Gabe’s voice came from the screen door.
Not a visit went by that he didn’t call me a drug dealer. I supposed he was right. As wild as I’d been as a teenager, there were probably times my parents worried I might become one. That’s when I’d gotten most of my tattoos and started building my reputation with women, the same reputation that was potentially holding me back now. Even so, I’d always been serious about school, which is probably why my parents didn’t send me off to some military academy.
“Hey Gabe, where’s Sam?” I asked, looking behind him for his wife. None of us were particularly surprised he and Sam got married. While they’d had a serious break up when he’d taken his job to host his home renovation show in Florida, I think we’d all known, even if he didn’t, that she was the one for him. I was happy that they reconnected when he’d returned to Virginia, and now they were happily married. I’d hoped that his marriage would take the pressure off the rest of us, but it didn’t. Mom still frequently asked my other brothers’ and my marital prospects. I wondered what she’d say about my fake marriage.
“She’s helping mom,” Gabe sat next to me, leaned close. “Why is Will grilling?”
“Mitch isn’t here, I guess.” My other brother, Mitch, was between Gabe and me in our line of brothers. He’d made a fortune in a tech business, sold it, and now lived a bit like a recluse out in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Of all of us, he was the one I’d want around in an apocalypse as he knew how to survive in the wild, and he could grill.
“I’m here,” Mitch came through the sliding door. “Need help with that, Will?”
“Yes, please help Will,” Gabe said.
“Har har har,” Will said.
“Some things never change,” my mother said as she came out to the deck carrying fruit salad. Behind her, Samantha appeared with a plate full of ears of corn.
Her Hero Boss Page 3