“Trust me, it was a very long time ago, and it’s entirely in the past,” he clarified. “At least, it is for me. However, last night, Bianca indicated that she wanted to pick up where we left off.”
“Oh,” I said again. I wasn’t sure why I felt a stab of jealousy in my heart. Ryder had kissed me just once on impulse. I didn’t have a claim on him.
“Indeed,” he said. “Normally, I wouldn’t be concerned about the consequences of turning her down, but…”
“Bianca controls twenty council members,” I finished. The Russo voting block was a poorly kept secret. One only had to look at the records to see that a good portion of city council voted in lockstep with Bianca.
“Exactly.” He sounded admiring? “In any case, I did turn her down last night.” His dark eyes rested on mine, trapping me in his gaze. “To soften the blow, I told her I was about to propose to the woman I was in love with.”
It took me more than a few seconds to realize he meant me. “What?” I gasped when I connected the dots. “You’re joking.”
“I never joke about my work,” he replied, his voice curt. He exhaled. “Last night, you said you weren’t seeing anyone.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I guess I didn’t really think it through. In the town hall meeting, you seemed really passionate about the park. I thought that we could…”
“We could what? I’d marry you, and in return, you’d build a nicer playground?” This was insane.
“Like I said, it seemed to matter to you.”
“Not that much.” My head was spinning. A large part of me was still in shock. What Ryder was asking was insane. Crazy. Entirely unprecedented.
But a tiny part of me, the part that would do anything to help my grandmother, began to pay attention. I needed money. A lot of it. Desperately. And I couldn’t think of another way to get it. “I won’t do it for the park,” I said slowly. “But I will do it for money.” I swallowed. “Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”
He lifted his head and surveyed me in silence for a long time. “So money does really buy everything,” he said at last. “Ironic, after your protests to the contrary last night. I hadn’t pegged you for a greedy sort, Zoe.”
Neither had I. Funny the things I could manage to do when my back was up against the wall. But his words still stung. “You don’t know me, Ryder,” I snapped. “We owe the city two hundred thousand dollars in back taxes, and if we can’t pay it in eighty-two days, my grandmother’s going to get evicted. And the house is falling apart, and I need some cash for urgent repairs. You can call it greedy. I prefer to think of it as survival.”
He nodded, the expression in his eyes unreadable. “Fine,” he said. “You’ll do it, then?”
“How long would this marriage last?” I tried to conceal my nerves, keeping my fingers cupped around my cup of coffee so that Ryder couldn’t see my hands shake.
“The city council vote’s been delayed because of the addition of the park and the playground,” he said, his voice all business. “It’ll probably take six months to get the project approved. If you are on board, I’ll have my lawyer draw up a contract for a six-month marriage. The day you sign it, I’ll transfer two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to your account.”
“And I can clear the property tax debt.” A weight lifted off my shoulders. It sounded too good to be true. “Can I keep working?”
“No,” he said flatly. “Bianca recognized you from the town hall. I managed to divert her, but she’s still suspicious. You can’t do anything to make waves. Everyone has to believe that this is real. That we are in love with each other.” His voice turned arrogant. “My wife wouldn’t work as a receptionist.”
I snorted. “Elitist much?”
He looked uncompromising. “Quit your job, Zoe.”
I shook my head. If Ryder Drake thought I was going to do whatever he wanted like a mindless puppet, he was about to be very surprised. “What if I don’t find a job easily when our marriage ends?” I challenged. “No, I don’t think so.”
“Damn it.” He ran his hands through his hair once again in a gesture of frustration. “Surely there must be something you want to do that isn’t menial labor.”
Menial labor my ass. Some people were born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Ryder Drake was evidently born with a golden rod up his ass. But his words did make me think. “I’ve always wanted to go to college,” I confessed. “I just couldn’t afford it.”
“Perfect.” A satisfied smile flashed on his face as a solution to his problem suggested itself. “I’ll throw in college tuition as part of our deal.”
“Can I start college right away?” I bargained. I didn’t know why I was still negotiating. Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars and college tuition were more than a fair exchange for six months of marriage. “I can’t see myself as a socialite.”
“Neither can I,” he said dryly. “Sure. As long as you don’t schedule classes in the evening, that’s fine by me. I’ll be at work during the day anyway.” He looked up. “One more condition, and an important one. No one can know our marriage isn’t real. Not even your friend Brad.”
“Deal,” I agreed readily. “My grandmother can’t know either,” I stressed to Ryder. “She’ll never forgive me if she knew.”
His expression softened. “You love her very much,” he said quietly.
“I do.” I stared into my now-empty coffee cup, wondering how much of the truth I should tell Ryder. “My mother is an alcoholic. She took off to Vancouver shortly after I was born. I haven’t seen her since.” My mouth twisted, and I swallowed back the familiar lump in my throat. “Grandma took me in. Took care of me, brought me up. Kept me out of the foster system. She would have never fallen behind on her taxes if it hadn’t been for the burden of raising me.”
My entire body started to shake. I was in shock. I’d never been engaged; I’d never even come close. And now I was going to marry Ryder Drake in exchange for two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. I needed some time for it to sink in.
“Hey.” He moved quickly and sat next to me, pulling me into his arms. His voice was gentle. “I know this is unorthodox, but we aren’t hurting anyone.” He kissed my forehead. “You are a good person, Zoe Robinson.”
I sniffed, blinking back the tears that filled my eyes. “This is weird,” I confessed, with a shaky laugh. “I’ve never done something like this before.”
He chuckled. “Me neither,” he said, a pensive note in his voice. “But yet, here we are.” His fingers found my palm, and he brought his lips down to it. “Will you marry me, Zoe?”
Sensation filled my body at that kiss. An ache started at my core, threatening to consume me. The attraction I felt for him last night hadn’t gone away. If nothing, it was more powerful than before.
And because of how intense my need was, I knew I had to make one thing clear. I could cope with a fake marriage, but if I needed to protect my feelings, I couldn’t sleep with him. Even though I really wanted to. “No sex,” I whispered. “That will only complicate things.”
He stayed silent for a very long time. “Okay,” he said finally. “If that’s what you want.”
It wasn’t what I wanted at all. Not even close. But I nodded firmly and lied through my teeth. “It is.”
He rose to his feet. “I’ll have the contract drawn up,” he said. “In the meanwhile, why don’t you introduce me to your grandmother? I am joining the family, after all.”
7
Ryder
I usually spent a few hours in my office on Sunday, but the events of last night had thrown everything out of whack. At the moment, spending the morning at work was the last thing I wanted to do.
I had been stupidly impulsive last night to approach Zoe. Laurel’s investigators had compiled a pretty detailed dossier on Brad Wexley. From their report, I knew that Zoe was Wexley’s ex-girlfriend and that they were still close friends. Wexley definitely wanted Drake Towers to fail, and possibly, so did Zoe. I should have stayed awa
y from her.
I hadn’t. Worse, I’d dug myself into a deeper hole. If Zoe wanted to embarrass me, she had all the ammunition in the world now. The papers would lap the story up. I could see the headline now. Billionaire businessman proposes marriage of convenience in order to sway city council.
But I’d trusted Zoe to deal with me honestly. I’d told her the truth. I’d placed myself in a deeply vulnerable situation. Now, I had to hope that she never told Brad Wexley the truth. Because I was sure of one thing. If Wexley discovered the reason for our marriage, he would plaster it on the front pages of every paper in the city.
After calling my personal lawyer Ben to draw up the contract, I drove over to the Rosedale house where my half-sister Gigi lived. I was taking a chance that she was at home, but I really needed to talk to someone about the events of the last twenty-four hours.
Gigi answered the door herself, looking surprised to see me. “Ryder,” she smiled, standing on tiptoe to kiss my cheek. “You’re just the person I was thinking of.”
“Why?” I followed her to the living room, slumping on her couch. “Where’s Leo, by the way?”
“He’s playing golf with his buddies,” she replied. She looked amused. “I’m agog with curiosity about the girl you kissed at your party last night. You have no idea how many people have called me this morning with that little tidbit.”
I grimaced, massaging my forehead. “Great,” I muttered. I should have known I’d be the subject of gossip this morning. I really hadn’t been thinking when I kissed Zoe Robinson last night.
She chuckled. “Come on, Ryder, you had to know it would happen. You’re one of the most eligible bachelors in the city, and you guard your privacy with zeal.” Her voice turned teasing. “Spill.”
“Her name is Zoe, and I’m getting married to her.”
“What?” Gigi looked shocked. “Bullshit.”
“Nope,” I laughed at her expression, then I relented and told her the entire story. When I was done, I leaned forward. “Do you think I’m stupid?”
There was a peculiar look on Gigi’s face. “Not stupid at all,” she replied. “But why her? There are thousands of women in the city who would marry you.”
“I don’t know,” I said, wincing as I heard the defensive note in my voice. “When Bianca asked me if it was Zoe, I guess I just seized on it.”
“Really?” Gigi didn’t look convinced. “That’s uncharacteristically impulsive of you, Ryder, isn’t it? Maybe the reason you asked Zoe is because you like her.”
My sister Gigi was an incurable romantic. I had to quell this nonsense right away. “Nope,” I replied firmly. “I asked her to marry me because it was convenient, and we both want something from the deal. Something important. That’s all. Nothing else.”
“Okay.” Gigi’s eyes twinkled. “Sure thing, Ryder. So, what’s Zoe like? Is she nice?”
I thought back to this morning when I’d walked in on Zoe shingling the roof, though she was clearly terrified of heights. I remembered her concern for her grandmother, her distress at lying to the woman who raised her. If I closed my eyes, I could feel her in my arms, soft and warm, arousing protective feelings in me that I didn’t realize I had. “Yes,” I said, unwilling to share those memories with Gigi. “She’s nice. Give her a call, will you? She’s about to be dropped into our world, and you know what that feels like.”
Gigi nodded. “Oh, I do indeed,” she said wryly. “How can I forget the day when you called me out of the blue, told me you were my brother and then revealed that the father I didn’t know had left me half his fortune?” She shook her head. “I think I would have fallen apart without Leo. Yeah, Zoe’s going to need a friend.” She looked up at me. “When’s the wedding?”
“As soon as I can arrange it.” I frowned. “Zoe and I need to get our ‘how we met’ story straight. This wedding is going to be scrutinized. Both Bianca and Brad Wexley are bound to be suspicious, especially after the scene during the town hall meeting.”
“Indeed,” Gigi agreed. “Given all the complications, are you sure you want to do this? It’s not too late to pick another woman for this role. Just pay Zoe off and find someone else.”
“No.” My reply was immediate. “I’m not going to do that.”
Looking at Gigi’s smug expression, I realized I had walked into a trap. Confusion flooded through me. I didn’t actually have feelings for Zoe, did I?
No, I told myself. Zoe’s need to save her grandmother’s home would keep her cooperative for the next six months. She was the best person for the job. That was all.
Nothing more.
Which reminded me, I needed to send someone to fix her roof. The last thing I wanted to happen was Zoe tumbling to the ground and hurting herself. That would mess up all my plans.
8
Zoe
True to his word, Ryder sent someone to take care of the busted shingles on the roof. Not too long after he left, a bearded guy in faded overalls had shown up at the front door, announcing that he’d been sent by Mr. Drake.
I pointed him in the direction of the leak, and he’d set up his ladder and climbed up to take a look. When he saw the damage, he shook his head gloomily. “I can fix the torn shingles,” he said. “But the entire roof needs to be replaced.”
“I know,” I replied. “I can’t afford it yet. But give me a few weeks, and I’ll call to schedule the work?”
Thank heavens I’d bargained for the extra fifty grand. I’d known for a long time that our house was falling apart. I’d fixed things where I could, but I didn’t have the skills for most of the work that needed to be done.
Now, things would get better, and my grandmother could finally have the retirement she deserved.
Later that evening, I was at the library researching college admission guidelines when my phone rang. It was Ryder. “Did I disturb you?” he asked.
“No,” I replied, getting to my feet and making my way to the door before the other patrons could give me dirty looks for talking in a quiet space. “I’m at the library.”
“How come?”
“I’m using the computer here to research colleges.” I exhaled. “Also, if I’m not at home, my grandmother can’t give me the third degree about you.” Earlier that day, I’d introduced Ryder to my grandmother as a friend, ignoring my grandmother’s obvious curiosity. Now, I was hiding because I didn’t know how to answer her questions. “Someone dropped by to fix the roof. Thank you.”
“No problem,” he said. “I thought that the two of us should get our cover story straight. Your friends are bound to be curious about our sudden marriage. We should figure something out.”
“I don’t really have a lot of friends,” I mumbled. “Just Brad and my grandmother.”
I could hear the frown in his voice. “Why?”
I flushed, grateful he couldn’t see me. “It’s hard to stay connected to people when you can’t afford to do the things they can,” I said finally. I didn’t want to talk to Ryder about money. I didn’t want his pity.
“Oh.” He was silent for a few minutes. When he spoke again, he sounded uncomfortable, and I regretted saying anything. “So, the cover story. Shall we meet for dinner and come up with one?”
“Tonight?”
“The sooner, the better,” he replied. His voice had returned to normal. “I can pick you up at seven?”
I glanced at my phone. That gave me an hour to get home and get ready. “What should I wear?”
“Something dressy.” There was another slight hesitation. “I’ve asked my sister Gigi to take you clothes shopping next week. Do you need something to wear tonight?”
Should I have been insulted by his offer to buy me clothes? I wasn’t. I was actually kind of touched by the fact that he cared enough to ask. “I think I can manage,” I replied. Every birthday, my grandmother bought me a special piece of fabric to make myself something pretty. My closet was filled with dresses I never had an occasion to wear.
“Okay,” he agreed. “I�
�ll see you in an hour.”
To my everlasting confusion, he showed up with flowers. Of course, grandma was charmed. “How lovely, Ryder,” she said, giving me a meaningful look. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. She was clearly contrasting Ryder’s behavior with Brad’s and finding Brad lacking. If only she knew. Ryder wanted Drake Towers built, and he’d do whatever it took to achieve that. I needed to remember that the flowers, two dozen beautiful blush-pink roses, meant nothing.
I had to remind myself of that again once we got to Canoe, a restaurant that year after year, ranked among Canada’s best restaurants. Sitting at a corner table with Ryder, views of the city surrounding us, it was hard not to give in to the magic of the evening. Especially when he took my hand in his. “You look beautiful,” he said, his voice smooth as silk. “That is a lovely dress.”
“Thank you,” I muttered. “I made it.”
“You did?” He leaned forward, looking fascinated. “You shingle roofs, and you sew your own clothing? What a strange woman you are, Zoe Robinson.” He lifted my fingers to his lips, grazing the back of my palm with a soft kiss. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone like you before.”
My heart was racing in my chest. “Ryder,” I whispered weakly. Goosebumps rose on my skin at his touch, and my body ached for more. At that moment, I regretted adding a No-Sex clause to our agreement.
“Zoe.” He didn’t remove his eyes from mine. In his voice, I heard need, loud and clear, the same need that filled me.
Then our waiter approached with our drink orders, and Ryder let go of my palm. “Our cover story then?” he asked pleasantly once the waiter had left.
Just like that, our shared moment was over.
9
Ryder
What the fuck do you think you are doing, Drake?
I had no control. One look into her hazel eyes, one glance at her soft, pink-tinted lips, and I was lost. Her deep blue dress hugged every curve on her body, and I wanted to touch her, feel her, hold her against me. I wanted to immerse myself in her.
Temporary Wife : A Billionaire Fake Marriage Romance Page 3