“What?”
“You know how it is. There aren’t scholarships for grad school like undergrad, and she doesn’t want to get into debt and …” He blew out a breath, and Lexi was sure it killed him to admit it. “There’s an opening for a RN at the hospital right now, and between what you said you could send us per month and what Hannah can help with if she takes the job, we can pay for our portion of the surgery and the medications she’ll need after.”
Lexi couldn’t even imagine what it cost her dad to take their help. He’d always been so self-sufficient, but he’d caught his jacket in a grain auger last year and his left arm had been crushed. He was still far from healed, and without his ability to work hard, her mom not able to work at all, and Hannah and Lexi in school, the farm was suffering. There was just not enough money to pay the bills and hire the help they needed to keep the cows fed and milked and a hundred other jobs like planting, watering, harvesting, and dealing with calves and the sick herd.
“I can’t let Hannah quit school,” she said.
“I know, honey. But it’s the only way. If only I hadn’t been wearing that jacket.”
Lexi knew he blamed himself for the sleeve of his jacket getting caught. He’d dealt with some pretty severe depression this past year too. “Daddy, please don’t get into blaming yourself.”
“Don’t be the adult, Lex,” he said gruffly.
She almost smiled at the line he’d said to her a few times. He was the parent and he let her know it. “What about doing a fundraiser or asking the pastor? Wouldn’t Jamison or Daisy help?” Her cousin and his wife had money and were the most generous people she knew. Daisy had been a famous singer, but she’d suffered through throat cancer, so she understood how miserable health issues could be.
“I’m not taking handouts. You know that. Jamison tried to talk to me about it, and I told him in no uncertain terms we were fine.”
Lexi drew in a long breath and pushed it out. They were far from fine financially, but they loved each other and this conversation should be about celebrating. Her mom was being given another chance at life. Instead it was back to money, or their lack thereof.
It hit her like a freight train. Her dad didn’t know she’d lost her job. She knocked her head back against the bare wall. He and Mom were planning on her contribution. Oh, no.
“At least you and Hannah already have your plane tickets to come home for Christmas,” her dad said, changing the subject. “Your mama’s gonna be so happy. She’ll be frail for a while after the surgery, but you girls will be here to take care of her. They’ll do the surgery on Thursday and you’ll be home the twenty-second, right? So only a little over two weeks that she has to put up with me as her nurse. Well, she’ll be in the hospital between five and ten days, depending on how the recovery goes—”
“I lost my job.” The words ripped out of her and she had to squeeze her eyes shut to keep from crying. Her dad had been through so much already—losing his ability to work twelve-to-fourteen-hour days with his arm, losing his opportunity to provide for his family, and almost losing his beloved wife. “I’m so sorry, Daddy.”
“Oh, Lex. Oh, Lex.”
That was all he said. The silence was much worse than him yelling and screaming, but her dad would never yell and scream. He’d always been the most patient man. She didn’t deserve either of her parents.
Her mind scrambled for options, for some way to help. She wouldn’t have her master’s diploma until the end of the year, and it would be close to impossible to find a job like she’d been offered at Hawk Enterprises anywhere else this close to the holidays. She’d only gotten the one with Callum because of the lady going on bed rest. What could she do? She hated even thinking it, but she was the one who’d walked out on Callum Hawk.
Could she humble herself enough to go back and beg him to let her be his fake fiancée? Naming her price and securing herself a long-term marketing job for Hawk Enterprises sounded pretty brilliant at the moment. He’d promised he wouldn’t touch her. Which was almost too bad. It ticked her off to no end how much she’d liked his touch.
“I’ll figure something out, Dad. I will.”
“I hate this. I hate putting this on you.” He cursed under his breath. “Me and this stupid bum arm. I’d sell the farm if anybody was buying.”
“I know you would. You’d do anything to take care of all of us.” He’d had the farm for sale for months, but they’d gotten no offers. He’d sold off some of his cows, but if he let many more go, he’d lose all of his profit from milking.
Her parents had always supported her, always been there for her. She could never repay them, but in this critical moment, could she lower her pride enough to … tell Callum Hawk she’d consider his offer?
She gnawed at her lip, then said, “Daddy, I might be able to find the money, but … I wouldn’t be able to come home for Christmas.”
Silence stretched out on the line. Finally, her dad said, “It’d kill your mama not to have you home.”
“I know, but I could make … a lot of money if I take an opportunity that’s only available through the holidays.”
“I don’t like the sound of this, Lexi. Spell it out, girl.”
Could she tell her dad about Callum’s offer? Was the offer even still available? “It might not work out. Let me see, and then I’ll get back to you.”
“Lexi.” Her dad’s voice was steely and full of warning. “I don’t want you doing anything illegal.”
Lexi choked on a laugh. “When have I ever done anything illegal?”
“Immoral?”
“Dad!” But wasn’t lying that you were someone’s fiancée immoral? At least Callum had promised he wouldn’t touch her. Could she handle being around him for two weeks? She was attracted to him but more ticked off at him than anything. Yet what if her mom couldn’t get the transplant because they didn’t have the money for the surgery? Lexi could not allow something like that to happen.
“You’re not doing anything unless you spell it out to me,” her dad said.
“I’m an adult, Dad.”
“You’re still my little girl.”
Lexi rolled her eyes, but if she was going to do this, word might get back to her family. The Hawk family was high-profile and they might have media covering the wedding, and even if they didn’t, tourists or bystanders could take and post or sell pictures of them. “I’ve got an offer to help my new boss out as his …” She paused and drew in a breath for strength. Then there was nothing to do but push it out there: “Fake fiancée for his brother’s wedding.” She winced before he even responded, as if protecting herself.
The silence was almost unbearable. Then he grunted, “What boss?”
“Callum Hawk.”
“The Callum Hawk? The billionaire guy who’s always on magazines? Emmett Hawk’s brother?” His voice changed from disdain to surprise. Her dad loved the Texas Titans and especially Emmett.
“Yes.”
“Why would a guy like that need a fake fiancée?”
“He claims he doesn’t date and doesn’t want the drama. He’ll pay me whatever I ask and give me my choice of jobs if I pretend I’m engaged to him for two weeks in Cancun.”
“Whatever you ask? As in, you could pay for the surgery and medications?”
“Yes, sir, and probably pay off school debt and hire you some more help.” She hoped she wasn’t lying, but seventy thousand dollars meant nothing to the likes of Callum Hawk.
“Lexi.” His voice dropped, low and gravelly. “Is he paying you to …” He cleared his throat and didn’t finish.
Lexi’s neck got hot. “No,” she said sharply. “He promised me he wouldn’t touch me except for when we were around the family and were trying to look engaged.”
“And you believe him?”
Lexi thought about that. Did she believe Callum? Would he try to push her to do more? She’d been really ticked at him this morning, but he hadn’t done more than touch her hands. She sensed he was a good man, despite the way he�
�d phrased his proposal this morning. He’d seemed very repentant of his wording choices. “Yeah, I believe him. But I actually told him off and stormed out of his office. I don’t know if the offer’s still there.”
“Is this something you want to do?”
Did she want to pretend she was close to Callum Hawk? She didn’t know. But it could save her mom, her family’s livelihood, and her sister’s ability to finish her degree. She’d do it for them in a heartbeat. But she needed to convince her dad that it wouldn’t be a sacrifice for her. “It’s a two-week paid vacation to Cancun. Sounds great.”
“I don’t like it, Lex.”
“It would change our lives, Daddy.”
He pushed out a heavy breath. “There is that.”
“What are you worried about?” she threw back at him.
“What am I not worried about? I’m supposed to take care of you, not the other way around. How can I ask you to miss Christmas and pretend to be some billionaire’s fiancée? Just because he’s famous, and Emmett Hawk’s brother, doesn’t make him a good man.”
“He is a good man.” Lexi was surprised at her own conviction. Callum had ticked her off and said things wrong, but now, as she looked back, she could see that she’d overreacted. Even in the short time she’d been at Hawk Enterprises, she’d had many other employees welcome her and in the next breath tell her how great Callum was. “How can I not do it?”
He grunted in response. Callum’s money could truly change their lives, and they both knew it. “Your mama’s gonna be sad not to see you at Christmas.”
Lexi smiled. That was as close to permission as her dad was going to give. “If Callum still wants me, this has to stay between us. If anything got out about it being fake, it would ruin the whole deal.”
“You’re worried about me spouting off? I’ve spoken more words today than I have in a year.”
Lexi laughed. “You’re right.”
“I hate you doing this, but … I don’t see another option. Hannah can stay in school and we won’t have to be charity cases.”
Lexi couldn’t imagine how this was killing her dad. Pride was supposed to be a sin, but he’d been stripped of his so harshly it hurt to look at him sometimes.
“I’ll be praying for you, but you make sure you set the parameters, and if you think for one second he will try to take advantage of you, you cut tail and run. Got it?”
“Got it.”
“Are you sure about this, Lex?” His voice was gruff and full of concern. “Maybe there’s another way.”
“There’s not.” She didn’t want to debate how bad their situation was. “I’ll talk to Callum and let you know soon. Love you, Daddy. Give Mama a kiss for me.”
“Love you too. I’ll be praying.”
She hung up the phone but didn’t move from the couch, her mind whirling with the joy of her mom getting a kidney and the drain and stress of the money. Now she had to go with her tail between her legs and beg Callum Hawk to take her as his fiancée. Her stomach churned and she almost vomited. She’d rather go apply to be a showgirl. Sadly, showgirls didn’t make enough to cover thirty-seven grand for a kidney operation.
Chapter Five
Callum parked his bike outside Lexi’s apartment building, staring up at the tan brick building. It was a far cry from his Carnegie Hill penthouse. He climbed off his bike, put his helmet in the saddlebag, and pulled out her white jacket. At the entrance, he paused. There was no doorman or even a system to buzz a visitor in. He pushed on the wood-and-glass door, and it opened easily. Yikes. How did Lexi dare live in Queens with no way to prevent someone from getting right to her apartment door?
He strode to the elevator and pushed the button for the tenth floor. The elevator was there, but it ascended so slowly that he had far too much time to stew about what he should say. He needed to apologize, retract his fiancée offer, and ask her to come back to his marketing department. His attraction to Lexi and excitement to solve his own problem had blinded him to a young lady barely graduating college and getting her first job. He’d shattered all her dreams an hour ago. He felt like a piece of dirt. He didn’t want to imagine what his brothers or mom would say about this situation. His dad would be supremely disappointed, but that was no surprise. His dad had never once told him he was proud of him.
He shook off his issues. “Focus on Lexi,” he muttered as the elevator opened and he strode down the hall, stopping at 1021 and rapping his knuckles on the door. What would he do if she wasn’t here?
The door swung open. Lexi’s eyes were red-rimmed and her face was tight like she’d been crying. Ah, no.
“Callum?” Her eyes and mouth widened; then she grabbed his arm and yanked on his suit sleeve. “Get in here.”
Callum let her tug him into the threadbare apartment. He took in the dirty windows and lack of furniture. An old couch and a bed in the corner were all the studio apartment boasted. The inside of the apartment was spotless, but there was no way for her to clean the outside of windows that were ten stories up. He wanted to whisk her away from this.
She ran her fingers down his sleeve as if to unrumple him. He felt worse than rumpled today. “Sorry,” she explained. “I got too excited when I saw you.”
This was the complete opposite response he’d expected. “You did?”
“Yes!” She nodded vigorously. “I was going to come find you.”
Callum blinked at her. He handed over her jacket.
She took it. “Thanks.”
Silence fell for a few beats. Shirlene liked to tease him, but he truly wasn’t the type to apologize or grovel. He forced himself to spit it out: “I need to apologize.”
At the same time, he thought he heard her say, “I’ll be your fiancée.”
“What?” she said.
“What?” he asked.
Lexi pushed out a shaky laugh. “Do you want to sit down?”
He glanced at the couch and tried to hide a grimace. He didn’t want to sit down on that, but his suit was already dirty from the coffee spill. “Sure.” He waited for her to sit, then perched next to her.
“You go first,” she muttered.
“Ladies before gentlemen,” he said, then regretted the quip. Her blue eyes darkened, and he knew he had to apologize first. “Wait.” He held up a hand. “I’m very sorry. I was wrong to push my fake fiancée idea on you. You don’t need to deal with my mess. I want to offer you your job back and apologize for … ‘propositioning you.’”
Lexi studied him. “You’re a good man, aren’t you, Callum Hawk?”
His eyebrows arched up. “I hope so.”
She swallowed and looked at her hands. “Can I be honest with you?”
“I’d like that.” He was still so drawn to her it was taking every ounce of self-control not to reach for her hand or wrap his arm around her shoulders. What was happening to him? Maybe Creed and Emmett weren’t just going soft. The way his brothers always wanted to be close to Kiera and Cambree made him smile, as if they were amusing children. He hadn’t understood it … until now.
“I’ll try to condense the story.” She clenched her hands together, but her thumbs kept moving, rubbing over each other.
Callum took a deep breath and wrapped his palm around her joined hands. Warmth traced through him. Lexi let out a little gasp and looked up at him sharply. He pulled his hand back. He was still her boss, or hoping to be, and she wasn’t his fake fiancée. He shouldn’t be wanting to touch her so badly. “Sorry. I was just trying to … calm you.”
“There’s nothing calming about your touch,” she muttered.
Callum’s eyes widened. He didn’t know if that was a good or a bad thing. Probably bad, after her reaction to him in his office.
She shook her head and said, “My mom has kidney failure, but they found her a match today. My dad crushed his arm in an auger last year and can’t farm. My sister is going to have to drop out of PA school. I need your money and will be your fake fiancée.”
Callum didn’t ev
en know how to respond to that as he tried to process her too-fast info dump. “I’m sorry about your family’s trouble,” he finally managed.
She nodded, her thumbs going crazy again. “Me too. It’s been a rough few years. Will you take me?”
Callum couldn’t resist wrapping both of his hands around hers. She released her grip on her own hands and clung to his, staring up at him. She was so innocent and beautiful, he wanted nothing more than to take all her troubles away. “I was wrong to ask that of you, Lexi.”
She pulled in a quick breath and stared at him.
“If your family needs help financially, I’d be happy to set up a fund.”
“No!” She ripped her hands free and jumped to her feet, backing away from him. Callum stood to face her but let her have her space. “My family does not take charity.” She folded her arms across her chest, looking so stubborn and cute.
Callum held up his hands. “It’s not charity. I’d do something like that for any of my employees who needed help.”
“In case you didn’t notice, I quit an hour ago, so I am not your employee.” Her eyes narrowed. “And you told me when you offered the fake fiancée gig that you would give me anybody’s job except for Shirlene or Isabel. That’s not a great way to treat your employees, who all seem to think very highly of you.” She arched a challenging eyebrow at him.
“I wouldn’t have fired someone. I would’ve created a new position for you.”
She studied him as if gauging his sincerity. “I don’t need your charity.”
“But you’ll take my money to be my fake fiancée?”
She glanced down and her cheeks reddened becomingly. Callum regretted his words. He should be transferring at least a million dollars into her account, then grabbing her in his arms and practicing being engaged, not throwing jabs at her, but she riled him up. Nobody ever riled him up, except his brothers. He could negotiate a billion-dollar deal or spar with the best of the best at his gym and hardly break a sweat and never get upset. She brought out emotions he hadn’t known were buried inside him. He had to admit that he liked it.
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