by Lexy Timms
“It’s already arranged,” Liliana cut in, interrupting her. “The charity gala has been on the calendar for months. Dane was supposed to be going with Katherine Handel.”
“No, Mother, I wasn’t,” Dane bit out. “You wanted Katherine to be my date. I refused.”
“Anyway, we’ll be dining with the Handels,” his mother barreled on, ignoring her son. “I’m not going to lie to you two—this sudden matter of your marriage has been rather indelicate. The Handels aren’t going to be happy you tossed Katherine over for…Allyson, here.”
Allyson frowned. The way Liliana said her name made her stomach churn. Like it was a disappointment. It reminded her of the way her own mother said it sometimes. With an edge of bitterness. Barely- masked disdain. She knew now that the invitation to stay at Prescott Hill wasn’t a gesture of hospitality. Liliana hated having her here.
“Next week isn’t a good time,” Dane said.
“It’s already settled,” his mother said. “Now, before we have some refreshments, why don’t you boys leave Allyson and me alone together to discuss next week’s gala?”
Dane turned to Allyson, his eyes dark with worry. She could either cause a scene and raise suspicion, or she could go along with what his mother wanted and keep the peace. They’d deal with the fallout later. No use angering his mother before her contract was renegotiated.
“I’ll be fine, Dane. Go with your dad,” Allyson said breezily before she forced a smile.
“Come on, son. We can talk in my study.” His father rose.
Dane squeezed her hand reassuringly and followed his father out of the living room.
Allyson regarded Liliana warily. Tall, statuesque, with perfectly-coiffed pale blond hair, the fifty-something-year-old had always been a great beauty. She had been a debutante and socialite, one of the most eligible bachelorettes in America until Alfred Prescott, a philanthropist ten years her senior, had finally stopped his womanizing ways to wed her.
Two maids quietly entered the room to lay out refreshments on the low coffee table, and then swiftly departed.
Liliana motioned to the spread. “Please help yourself, dear.”
Allyson reached for a slim glass of lemonade and took a sip. Her throat was dry, but the cool lemonade helped. “You have a lovely home, Mrs. Prescott.”
“Liliana is fine.” Dane’s mother eyes narrowed. “I’m sure you’re wondering why I invited you here.”
“It’s only natural you’d want to see us,” Allyson said. “The marriage was so sudden.”
“Yes. So sudden that I can’t help but wonder…are you pregnant?”
Allyson nearly choked mid-sip. After she forced some more lemonade down, she set the glass down on the table. “No. Not pregnant.”
Liliana crossed her slender legs and threw her shoulders back. “Thank goodness! This will be far less complicated then.”
Allyson blinked. “Oh?”
“Honestly, honey, I’m amazed you haven’t managed to get yourself pregnant yet.”
Allyson gasped. “Excuse me? That’s—”
“Oh, don’t play innocent with me,” Liliana snapped sharply. “We both know what you’re here for. Three years with my son and you finally got your gold-digging claws into him. I have to admit you caught me by surprise. I knew you’d try something, but you’re a real crafty one to get a marriage out of him without my knowledge.”
Allyson’s breath hitched. Thoughts swirled in her head. Dane’s mother really thought she was a money-grubber? Considering how unscrupulous fortune hunters could be, Allyson didn’t blame Liliana for being suspicious. But she bristled at her character being called into question.
Yes, she’d made an absolute mess out of a lie she’d had no right to tell. But she’d never wanted Dane for his money. It didn’t matter how obsessed her parents were with wealth and success; to Allyson, all that mattered was happiness. And now that it was clear Dane had no real interest in her beyond a fling, happiness was a million miles out of her grasp.
“I know how things must look to you,” Allyson began carefully. “But I assure you, this isn’t what you think it is.”
“Like hell it isn’t,” Liliana snapped. “I’ve always been able to keep scheming gold-diggers like you at bay, and you aren’t going to be the one who foils me. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my only son.”
“Mrs. Prescott, please—”
“I invited you here so I could find out one thing.” Liliana pursed her lips. “How much money do I have to pay you to divorce Dane?”
* * *
Dane handed his father the snifter of brandy and sat in the antique chair across from him.
His father took a long sip, but said nothing.
The silence between them was usually easy. Since he was a boy, his father would invite him into his study to talk. Sometimes about serious things. At other times to talk about nothing at all. But he’d never had to talk about something as serious as having a wife.
It pained him to lie to his father. To keep up a charade about something so sacred. His parents’ marriage was a good one. A rarity in their social circle. Dane wanted what his parents had, though none of the heiresses ever made him want to settle down. Not even pretend settle down.
That thought unnerved him. The only woman he’d fake a marriage with was Allyson. That made him wonder if that meant his heart wanted the real thing with her, but his brain made him too cautious to pursue something so serious. Playing pretend came with all the benefits of being with someone as wonderful as her, but without the commitment.
“I must say, Dane, I’m surprised,” his father finally said.
“I know it’s sudden,” Dane murmured. “But we didn’t plan all this.” It hurt him deeply to have to lie to his father. He had to remind himself that all this was to protect Allyson. If he could protect her from further humiliation and save her job, then the lie would be worth it. His parents would understand someday. “She’s a good woman, Dad.”
“Does she make you happy?”
“More than any woman I’ve ever known.” That wasn’t a lie. It was the truth, plainly told. Nothing made his heart race the way it did every morning, right before he stepped into work, like the anticipation of seeing Allyson. Was that why he had loved work these past few years? Had it been her doing?
“I guess in the end, that’s all that counts.”
A knock on the study door caught their attention. His mother popped her head in.
“Boys, we’re done. Why don’t you take Addison up so she can freshen up a lot—I mean a bit.”
Dane sighed. He stood and set the glass down. “It’s Allyson, Mother.” He moved past her and took Allyson upstairs to change. This was going to be an exhausting next few days.
Upstairs they both changed into less formal outfits for dinner. She in a cotton sundress and he in a polo shirt and some khaki pants. Dinner was uneventful. Dane and his parents mostly talked about his childhood stories while Allyson listened attentively, her green eyes sparkling.
While the dinner table was being cleared, he took her hand and pulled her to him. “Want to talk a walk on the beach with me?” he whispered into her ear.
She gave him a small smile. “I’d like that.”
They stepped out the back door, hand in hand. He guided her away from the green lawns on the sprawling property until they reached the sandy beach.
“It’s so beautiful,” she said, excitement in her voice.
The moonlight illuminated her, giving her a soft glow. Making her look luminous, ethereal. Her hand slipped out of his as she raced to the gently rushing waves of the ocean. Quickly, she kicked off her shoes and let the waves wash over her feet.
She was so beautiful it took his breath away. It was remarkable the things that excited her. Not the private jet, or the enormous house behind them, but the sandy beach. Something so simple.
He kicked off his shoes, rolled up his pants, and followed her. The cold ocean water washing over his feet was refreshing, cooli
ng.
“Did you come here all the time as a kid?”
“Every holiday,” he replied. “I went to school in New York City, so Prescott Hill was for vacations.”
“Let me guess, you went to one of those prep schools.”
He nodded. “Yes. Why is that important?”
She shrugged. “It isn’t. It’s just a reminder is all.”
“A reminder of what?”
She lowered her eyes to stare down at the waves. “Nothing.”
He frowned, concern roiling through him. Something was wrong. Whatever it was, she seemed determined to want to keep it inside. It had to be something his mother had said to her. Allyson had wanted him to leave them alone together, but he was starting to wonder if that had been a good idea. His mother was a very intimidating woman, often said things that made people who weren’t ready uncomfortable. “My mother said something to you, didn’t she?” He placed his hands on her shoulders, determined to get the truth out of her. Her skin was covered in goose bumps, and she shivered beneath his touch. “You’re shivering, Ally.” He pulled her close, wrapped his arms around her, and rubbed her back to try to warm her.
“Your mother thinks I’m a gold-digger,” she blurted out.
“Of course she does,” he muttered. “She thinks anyone who doesn’t come from old money is.”
Allyson pulled away to look up at him. “We should tell her the truth.”
He frowned. “We will. Just not yet.”
She turned to start walking down the beach. He fell in step beside her. They’d covered quite a distance before Allyson sighed and began talking. “I don’t like lying to your parents.”
“I like it even less than you do,” he said flatly.
Even in the semi-darkness he could see how taken aback she looked. “Of course,” she said. “This must be much harder for you than it is for me. But I hate lying like this. I hate scheming. And all this for what? To get my contract renewed?”
“That’s why we’re doing this. You’re a good person, Allyson. You’ve spent a lot of time being my attack dog and fighting for me.”
She laughed softly. “Is that how you see me?” She snorted. “I kind of thought of your mother being your father’s attack dog.”
“You’re my beautiful attack dog. What more could a boss ask for?” He gave her a lopsided grin. “But it’s time someone fought for you. I’ve accomplished a hell of a lot with you by my side. Let me do this one thing for you.”
“So, what you’re really saying is that Prescott Global would fall apart without me,” she teased.
“What I’m saying is that I would fall apart without you.” Damn it, where had that come from? He was supposed to be pretending. Not confessing long-suppressed feelings to her. After all this madness blew over, they’d have to go back to being the professionals that they were. How he was going to let her go he didn’t know.
And if they didn’t pull this off—which was also a possibility—he’d lose her. Not just as an assistant either. He’d lose everything.
The thought terrified him more than anything else.
Chapter 12
His words were like a drug. They sent a thrill through her. Intoxicated her. Numbed her to good reason.
Allyson knew she should tell him. Let him know that his mother wanted to bribe her to dump him. When Liliana had offered to pay her millions to divorce Dane, she’d never been more shocked in her entire life. Liliana was willing to protect the Prescott’s multi-billion-dollar empire at an exorbitant cost. When Allyson heard the amount Dane’s mother offered, she nearly fainted. It was the kind of sum someone like her could retire on. If she was the kind of unscrupulous gold-digger Liliana believed she was she’d have taken the money and run, even if that divorce Liliana wanted would end up being a total fake.
But she’d never do such a thing. She didn’t come from a family of blue bloods, but she had pride and morals. Taking advantage of Dane and his family was unthinkable. Which was why she wanted to end this now. Keeping up this sham marriage for a contract negotiation seemed so wrong.
“You won’t fall apart without me,” she said finally. “You were fine before I started working for you.”
“Hardly.” Dane snorted. “I had only just become Prescott’s CEO when you first came aboard. The assistant I had before you was lousy, and it affected my work. My work, in turn, affected everyone else’s. But you and I make a good team—a great team.”
They did work well together, and the thought of never working with him again made her heart ache. Prescott Global was also a great company to work for. It might not have been impressive to her parents, but she enjoyed working there.
However, this weekend had complicated things in a way she’d never seen coming.
“Honesty is always the best policy,” she pointed out.
“And we’ll tell them,” he said. “After next week’s gala.”
She gasped. “Are you serious? We can’t keep this up for another week.”
“Why not?”
“Your mother isn’t going to like it.” She stopped walking to look at him.
He stopped in his tracks and stared back. “She isn’t going to like that I’ve lied. But I’ll get your contract renewed this week and we’ll keep up the charade for Mother’s benefit. The Handels will be at the gala, and if you and I charm them we can secure a deal next week. My mother will be so over the moon she won’t care about the lie. Hell, she might think the whole scheme was a stroke of genius.”
She mulled that over. It might end up being the best solution for everyone involved, considering the circumstances. “What if the press discovers the truth before then? Then what do we do?”
“It’s a risk we’ll have to take,” he replied. “Do you think your family can keep quiet for another week?”
She nodded. “I think so. They were really excited about all those frequent flyer miles and holiday packages you promised to get them. Plus, you promised them all that stuff only if the story stayed a secret. They’ll stay quiet until they get their reward.”
“And the staff at the Lodge and the Barn have been promised future business from me. Based on experience, the staff at the Greenville Lodge is incredibly discreet. We might be able to keep this going for another week.” He shoved his hands into his pockets, lost in thought. “I’ve been keeping an eye on the press. A few tabloid reporters have messaged me, asking about wedding details, but so far they don’t seem to have caught on to the truth yet.”
Allyson sighed. “Things have gotten so complicated so fast.”
“I know. But this’ll soon all be over, and I’ll have negotiated a better contract for you. Think of all the perks you’ll get after this blows over.”
“It wouldn’t hurt to have a bigger salary.” She laughed “And a few days a month to work from home might be good.”
“Can I come, too?” He grinned. “Okay. Point taken. More money. More free time. We can go over the details once we’re back in the house.”
“Thank you,” she breathed, “for everything you’ve done for me.”
“No problem. You deserve it.” He began walking again and when she followed, he asked, “So, what else did my mother say to you?”
She inhaled sharply. The payoff. His mother was willing to spend millions to keep a woman away from him. Which meant Liliana was capable of doing so much worse, and maybe already had. Telling him might make an absolute mess of his plans. After seeing him defend her honor with her family, she knew what a hot-head he could be.
“I know she can be intimidating,” he continued. “But everything she does is to protect her family. She’s not a bad person. In fact, she typically means well. Once we’ve charmed the Handels, you’ll be her new favorite person.”
It was evident that Dane adored his parents. No matter how they pressured him, he still managed to have a good relationship with them. Unlike her and her family. Destroying something pure like that wasn’t fair. He was risking so much for her job. She had to protec
t him now, no matter the cost.
“That’s all she said,” Allyson said smoothly, the lie twisting her insides into knots. “I think she’s just surprised you didn’t choose one of your blonde heiresses.”
“Surprised or disappointed. I know my mother. She can be tough. And for the record, those heiresses are more my mother’s doing than anything else.”
She raised an eyebrow, suddenly intrigued. “What do you mean?”
“My mother sets me up with them,” he replied with a shrug.
She frowned. “But I thought you said dating them was good for business.”
“My parents seem to think so,” he said stiffly. “I may be an adult, but I’m just a pawn in their business games, too. Plus, it’s easier to date this way. It’s tough to meet anyone when I’m so busy, so I let my mother do all the choosing. That’s probably why things don’t get serious with the women I date. All we have in common is that we’re from wealthy families, but outside of that we’re almost always incompatible.”
His confession surprised her. She had always thought he went for all those gorgeous, slender, rich women because those were the types of women he was genuinely interested in. But if that was all his mother’s doing…no. She didn’t dare hope. Even if all his relationships were set up by Liliana, those women understood Dane’s world in a way she never could. It was so obvious she was out of her depth, with Dane’s mother insisting she train her for the gala next week. “Well, at least that way you’ll know they’re not after you for your money.”
He chuckled. “Actually, I’m convinced rich people can be awfully obsessed with money. I mean, none of the heiresses are going to end up marrying the chauffer.”
“I see. Is money one of the things you look for when you’re dating?” She blurted the question before she had the good sense to stop herself. It was a very forward question to be asking her boss. Even more forward considering that the anticipation of his answer made her heart catch.
“No, but it’s what Mother looks for.”