The Billionaire’s Pretend Wife: Preston Billionaires Book One

by North, Leslie

  Collette pursed her lips, eyes narrowed. “I simply can’t understand why—”

  “Mom, Penny is wonderful at what she does. I’m lucky to have her. She’s got Logan sitting through meals and learning the alphabet. He’s happy. We’re all happy.”

  The pressure had built to an unsustainable level, and Penny stood up with a huge smile. “Excuse me for a minute.” Behind the sofa, she went up on tiptoe to kiss Drew’s cheek. “Where’s the restroom?”

  He pointed her down a hall.

  In the bathroom she splashed water on her face and took a series of deep, calming breaths. Collette was more than a little bitchy. And, yes, Penny was already on the defensive because she wasn’t working from a foundation of honesty.

  God, it sucked to feel that way. It literally drained the energy from her bones. Being peppered with questions by Collette gave her the same stomach-dropping sensation she’d had when her father called, bewildered, to say that he’d lost the company. He’d lost his retirement package. He’d lost everything.

  Jack and Lisa were selling their company to an honorable man. Her father had made the mistake of trusting someone who was far less than honorable. A man who had inflated his own worth. By the time her dad listened to her about her gut feeling that the guy was a swindler, it was too late. He’d signed on to a complicated sale agreement that resulted in the company being hacked up for parts. Her father’s good name had been part of the deal as well.

  “That’s not happening this time,” Penny said to herself in the mirror. “His mother is one of those protective grandmother types. You’re helping him do something good. Don’t lose your nerve.”

  She came quietly out of the bathroom to find that everyone had moved. Penny put on a happy face and followed the sound of their voices to a dining room off the kitchen.

  Charlie and Archer sat on one side of the big table, Logan between them. Archer was pointing out various dishes on the table.

  But Collette and Drew stood together at the doorway.

  “She’s hiding something,” she was saying, her voice pitched low, her words urgent. “Your father knew everyone in logistics. And she looked very cagey when she answered.”

  “I’ve got it, Mom.” Drew gave her a nod. “You know I’d protect Preston over everything. Everything except Logan.” His tone was almost…cold. They wanted success, the Prestons. She saw that clearly now.

  But he had defended her.

  And the way he acted when they were in bed together…

  Smile.

  She just had to smile and get through this dinner.

  Drew turned his head and saw her, and his face lit up. “Good. You’re back—we can eat. Come sit down.” He held out his hand until she twined her fingers through his.

  It couldn’t all be an act, could it?

  Could it?

  10

  In the days leading up to the gala, Drew caught Penny frowning into empty space more than once. It was like a cloud had descended over her mood. But she’d never admit to anything bothering her.

  One night as they lay in his bed, feet tangled together, he asked her point blank. “Did my mom say something to upset you? More than the obvious things. She was way out of line in a lot of her questions, but was it something specific?”

  Penny looked down, which only had the effect of drawing his attention to the way her breasts peeked above the sheet she’d pulled over her. “It chafes at me, sometimes.”

  “The sheets?” he joked, but she didn’t laugh.

  “The pretending.”

  It tore at his heart. “We’re not pretending this.”

  “Aren’t we?” Her eyes met his. “Fake marriage. Fake dating. We’re not actually dating, I don’t think. We’re only sleeping together.”

  “Only?”

  A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Fine,” she admitted. “It’s more than that. But it’s not quite dating.”

  “Do you have a problem with that?” His heart leaped up and hammered itself back down against his ribs. It felt like touching the third rail, coming this close to The Talk. It felt like the moment the electricity shorted out at a concert, leaving the audience in the lurch.

  “It’s not exactly that,” Penny said, worry clouding her eyes.

  “What is it, then?” Anguish and relief twined around each other, low in his belly. Making this official—making it real—would be a leap off a cliff without knowing how far down the ground was.

  “It’s nothing,” she said finally, then looked up at him through her lashes. “Maybe I just need your hands on me.”

  They hadn’t talked about it again over the course of the week and Drew had to admit that he was relieved. He needed to wrap up this business deal first; everything else was secondary and he wasn’t sure he could handle any discussions about making anything real until the contracts were signed. This was too important.

  On the way to the gala, which was a fundraiser for the local affordable housing coalition, Penny was quiet, looking out the window of the SUV. Drew reached across and took her hand, glad he’d gotten Mike to drive them. “You can always bail on this, if you’d rather not go.” He was prepared to give her an out even though it would look better if she attended.

  She gave him a tight-lipped smile that turned into a real one as he rubbed the pad of his thumb over the back of her hand. “Just a lot on my mind.”

  “We can drive around for another hour if you want to talk about it.”

  Penny laughed. “No way. This is your big night, isn’t it? The night that’s supposed to seal the deal?”

  “It sounds pretty dirty when you say it like that.” He leaned over and pressed a kiss to the delicate curve of her neck. “But it’s true. This is important to me. It’s my last date with Jack and Lisa before we close next week.”

  “We can do it,” said Penny.

  For a solid ten minutes, he believed her. It was easy enough, floating into such a beautiful space, to play the part. An art museum downtown was hosting the gala, and wide cloth banners in silver and deep plum arched down from the ceilings and back up again, transforming the space. Matching flower arrangements crowned tables with pure white tablecloths. Everyone who was anyone in the industry had come, giving the spacious room a hum of anticipation. Drew could feel the deals being made in the air.

  “The happy couple!” A man named Greg, who had been an investor in Preston Logistics when it was getting back on its feet, was the first to greet them. He thumped Drew on the back. “Why didn’t you tell me you were getting married, you dog?”

  Drew felt Penny lean into him. “Destination in Venice,” he said with a wink, at the same time Penny said, “I wanted a simple courthouse wedding.”

  Heat flooded Drew’s cheeks, but Greg burst into laughter and stuck out his hand for Penny to shake. “That’s hilarious. A courthouse wedding in Venice. This guy would fly you to Venice to get married. He’s got a big heart.” Greg waved to someone behind them, and Drew took the opportunity to steer Penny further into the ballroom.

  “Can’t slip up like that again,” he said, trying to swallow his own frustration and wishing they’d taken the time to figure out the types of questions people would ask and how to answer them. It was the kind of mistake they hadn’t made before but he wasn’t going to kick himself over it. One mistake didn’t mean the night was ruined. He stole a glance at Penny. Her jaw was set, no sign of a smile. “Hey.” When her eyes met his, he smiled. “I should have waited for you to pick the wedding venue.”

  “That’s right,” she said, an edge of irritation fading from her voice. What was it in her smile that was…off? It was as gorgeous as ever, but her eyes were guarded. That was it. And no wonder.

  It was smooth sailing at the open bar—champagne for Penny, whiskey for Drew. The first sip relaxed him, but they turned away from the bar and walked straight into Bob Jenkins, one of the board members at Preston. Drew’s father had done away with the CEO-as-king model during his time at the helm, and honestly, D
rew appreciated that some of the responsibility was divided among several people.

  “I owe you a wedding gift,” said Bob, by way of greeting. “Penny, I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself at the barbecue. Even from a distance I could tell that you’re wonderful with Logan. That boy put stars in your eyes!”

  Penny blushed. “Oh, thank you. That’s—”

  “I’m sure you’ll be adding to the family soon,” Bob said with a wink. “They’d be lucky kids, having a couple like you as parents.”

  “Oh, at least two,” Drew answered, Penny’s own reply hitting his ears as he spoke the words.

  “I’m not ready for children yet.”

  How were they screwing it up this badly? Bob looked between the two of them and opened his mouth, eyes twinkling, but someone called his name.

  Saved by the bell.

  “My fault,” Penny said as soon as Bob was gone. “I jumped in. I just—I’m too into the part, I guess.”

  “Maybe take a step back from the part, then,” Drew said. “Just be yourself.”

  Her tentative smile froze. “You know, if you had critiques, you should have told me before the event.”

  “There wasn’t a good time. It’s my fault for not coming up with questions that people might ask us so we could agree on them ahead of time. Besides, you’ve been in your head this week, and I didn’t want to push.”

  Penny glanced around them, her facsimile of a smile hardly convincing. “I work for you, Mr. Preston. I’m not going to talk through every thought that goes through my head.”

  “Some of those thoughts might have been pretty relevant to our situation now.”

  “What is our situation now?” Her dark eyes searched his. “You’re frustrated, and I’m…”

  “You have been everywhere.” Jack Holloway brought a hand down on Drew’s shoulder, and he felt himself slipping fully into business mode.

  The frustration he’d been simmering in—that was personal. This thing with Penny was personal. Something they should deal with behind closed doors. Should have already, but he was waiting. For what, he didn’t know. He shot her a look that he hoped said as much, then turned to shake Jack’s hand. “I have been everywhere,” Drew agreed. “Barbecues, salmon dinners…” He paused to greet Lisa, who was smiling by Jack’s side. “You look beautiful tonight.”

  “You’re too much,” she said, waving him off with color in her cheeks.

  “You’ve even been at fundraising galas.” Jack clicked his tongue. “And you still had time to plan that excellent presentation.” One of the knots in Drew’s chest uncoiled. “I’m looking forward to the closing next week, son. I thought I’d let you know.” He gave Drew a satisfied nod. “We’re going with Preston Logistics.”

  “That’s fantastic,” Drew said. The relief threatened to make him lightheaded. “That’s absolutely fantastic.” It was all he could do to let go of Jack’s hand and not stand there pumping in gratitude forever. “I bet you’re on the way to the bar. Let’s share a toast.”

  Now things would look up. Now, nothing could possibly go wrong.

  The older man struck up a conversation with the bartender, and Drew took the opportunity to check on Penny, who had stayed behind to talk with Lisa.

  She was utterly gorgeous.

  After the night they’d finally given in to desire in his office, they’d spent the following Saturday shopping for a gown. The red one he’d had tailored for her by one of the best designers in the city was worth every cent.

  The back dipped low, exposing the wings of her shoulder blades. She’d worn her hair swept back in a smooth chignon, which let the sweetheart neckline shine. It was her color. Against her tan skin and dark eyes, it was exquisite.

  She was exquisite. He’d been irritated because of stress, not because of a few minor slip-ups. She wouldn’t do it again, he was sure.

  Penny tipped back her head and laughed at something Lisa had said.

  Jack was saying something.

  Drew cleared his throat. “Sorry. What was that?”

  “I see you’re quite taken with your new bride. I can’t blame you for that.” Jack let out a chuckle. “I hope you two have some downtime planned soon. A lady like that deserves a nice vacation.”

  “Oh, yes. Aspen,” he said, choosing the first thing that came to mind. “A ski trip in a cozy lodge.”

  Jack guffawed. “Are you sure you won’t take her to a woodland castle? That would fit your fairy tale.”

  “We’ll see,” Drew hedged.

  They went back to their wives, and the illusion took his breath away for the second time that evening. Penny’s fake wedding band and engagement ring glittered on her fingers. And he felt the way she leaned into him, as if on instinct, when he curved his hand over her hipbone. Was it so fake that she was struggling to keep up appearances?

  “You’re back,” Penny said. “And you brought champagne.”

  They handed off drinks to Lisa and Penny, and Jack took his place next to his wife. “Drew was just telling me about your upcoming trip to Aspen. Skiing is the most refreshing mountain pastime,” he said with a wink.

  Beside him, Lisa raised her eyebrows. “Oh, you have that wrong, Jack. Penny told me they’re going to Hawaii.”

  He felt her tense under his hand. “Oh,” Penny said, a false note ringing in her voice. “He always teases me about that. He knows I don’t ski. I’d end up spending more time falling down than actually standing on skis.”

  Jack looked from Penny to Drew, the awkwardness filling the air between the foursome like a bad smell.

  “Excuse us a minute.” Drew steered Penny away, and she looked up at him, stone-faced. “Okay, what was that?” he asked.

  “I was just trying to cover. And it’s true: I don’t ski. I don’t know why everything has to be a lie.” So this was it. This was what had been nagging at her all this time. “Isn’t it ever enough for you? Honestly, I’ve been having second thoughts since that dinner at your mother’s house. Lying to her made me realize how far we’ve gone down this road. How much we’ve been lying. It’s a lot.”

  “It’s temporary.”

  “It’s too much.”

  “You’re deciding this now?” He had to keep his voice in check so that this disaster didn’t get any larger. “This is a means to an end, and now we might not get to the end. Don’t forget, I gave you an out. More than one, but you said you were ready for this. Is this what you meant?” He looked over Penny’s head and saw Jack considering them with narrowed eyes. “Jack’s on to us.”

  “Well, I’m sorry.” Penny’s shoulders slumped. “I didn’t mean to screw everything up. When it’s just us, it isn’t so overwhelming, but here, with all these people? It’s like I’m two people and the real me is screaming to get out. So I went with my own truth. I’d rather go to Hawaii. We’re both screwing up here.”

  He bit back a retort and managed to keep his voice level. “I didn’t know anyone was going to bring up fake vacation plans. It’s hard to anticipate every possible pretend scenario.”

  “That’s the thing, Drew.” Penny’s voice trembled. “Some parts of our relationship—of…being your wife…do seem real. And maybe it’s my fault for not having the courage to talk to you about it, but maybe you’re too blinded by your own business goals to see it.”

  “Blinded by my business goals?” He clenched his jaw. “This is my family business, Penny. This is a future for my son. This isn’t just about business.”

  She rolled her eyes. “So it’s only separate from your personal life when you want it to be. It’s good of you to admit that now, but maybe you should have come clean about it when you asked me to pretend to be your wife.”

  Her voice rose until the last word.

  Jack stepped up beside them. It was an effort to draw any breath into his lungs, but Drew forced himself to put on a smile. “What can I do for you, Mr. Holloway?”

  Jack’s face did not feature his usual jovial expression. “I’m certain I wasn�
�t supposed to hear what I just did. Just to confirm: you’re not married?”

  “No, we’re not.” Drew resisted the urge to hang his head. This had been a disastrous idea from the start, and now he was reaping what he’d sown. “I’m sorry.”

  Jack stuck his hands in his pockets. “Me, too.”

  Then he turned and walked away.

  There was a long silence between Drew and Penny, every moment filled with chatter from the gala around them.

  “I’m going to go,” she said finally. “I’ll see you in the morning.” Her voice held a hint of a question, but he didn’t have an answer.

  “That’s probably for the best. I have a call to make.”

  Before she could be the one who left, he pulled out his phone and strode away.

  11

  Tessa opened the door and her jaw dropped. “Oh, my god. That is a dress. I was not expecting this based on your text.”

  Penny’s text had read, “Coming back from an event and I need ice cream. Can I come over?”

  “I know.” Penny looked down and shrugged her shoulders. When she looked back up, Tessa was giving her the world’s most skeptical glare.

  “You’re just going to shrug and say ‘I know’? Where did you get that?”

  “My…” She didn’t even know what to call Drew in this moment. “My boyfriend? My boss? He’s some combination of those things, and he’s wealthy. Really, really wealthy.” Her throat tightened. “He bought it for me, because we had a gala to attend tonight.”

  “Girl.” Tessa reached out and pulled Penny inside her apartment by the wrist. “You have left a lot out during class. I knew you had a new job, but the boyfriend thing?”

  “It’s actually a husband thing.”

  Tessa pressed her lips together. “Couch. Now. I’ll get the ice cream and wine, and you can tell me everything.”

  Penny had bottled it up too long, and it came out in a rush over chocolate ice cream and white wine. Tessa already knew about the nanny job—they’d had enough yoga classes together to talk about that—but as Penny brought her friend up to speed on the fake marriage, she realized it had been a disaster waiting to happen.