Black Ties and White Lies(79)

“Don’t say it,” I hiss before thinking better of it. I’m tired of her calling it fake, even though that’s exactly what it is. I knead my fingers into my temple, trying to stifle the headache that’s come out of nowhere. “Sorry, I think I’m just tired. I actually figured we could tell my family tomorrow night. My dad called when you were asleep on the plane. They’re going to be in the city for business and want to have dinner to celebrate an early Thanksgiving. If that’s okay with you, I figured we could just tell them then. And anyone else you want to tell after.”

She thinks through my words for a moment, twirling the noodles with her chopsticks. “Yeah, that sounds good. I’ll tell my friends around then too.” Her voice sounds uneasy, the pitch changing from the beginning of her sentence to the end.

I slide the box of food away from me, reaching out to move her hair from her face. “You okay?” I ask. Hopefully she isn’t having second thoughts about our arrangement. In my mind I have a year with her. I’m not ready to give her up just yet. I won’t ever be ready, but I’m certainly not ready now.

She mimics my motion, moving the food from in front of her. Her fingers wrap around the crystal glass I’d placed in front of her. My heart beats erratically as she takes a long gulp of water, my mind racing with what she’s going to say.

I’m preparing myself for the worst—that she no longer wants to tell people we’re engaged. I’m already thinking about what I’ll do if she slides that ring off her finger without even wearing it for twelve hours when she looks up at me, her green eyes roaming my face. “I’m fine. I’m just a little nervous about what your mom and dad will think of me knowing I’m with you after dating your brother.”

“They aren’t going to think ill of you, Margo. They’re aware of how much Carter fucked up. Truthfully, I think they’ll be thrilled to see you again.”

“Will Carter be there?”

“Doubtful.” He hasn’t faltered in telling me how he still wants Margo back. I’d rather keep him far away from her. Not that I think she’d ever do it. But I’d rather not even test it. I’m fucked up enough that I’d actually love for him to see her with me now. For him to know he has no chance with ever getting back with her. She’s mine just as much as I am hers.

I watch her face carefully, trying to read her facial expression and body language for any hints on how she feels about the situation. Even if Carter isn’t at the dinner, Mom and Dad will most likely tell him of the engagement right after. If she’s regretting the entire plan, she doesn’t give any indication.

“I was also thinking we could do an engagement party. You haven’t seen your friends in a while, so we could fly them in for it. Your family, too. Really whoever you want. It’s how we could announce to the rest of New York society our intentions to marry.”

Her eyes light up. “Really? I’d love that. A fancy Manhattan event all about me? Sign me up.”

I chuckle. This woman. I love how she’s not afraid to say exactly what’s on her mind. “I’ll look over my calendar to pick a date.”

When she looks up at me, her large eyes filled with excitement, I can almost trick myself into thinking she actually wants to marry me. Almost. Her smile is wide and bright and so fucking beautiful it makes my heart hammer in my chest. “I’ll be there.”





“I think I’m going to go to bed,” I announce, fighting a yawn as I push the knit blanket from my lap. Beck and I had settled in to watch some TV and relax after a busy day of getting back to Manhattan. Well, I relaxed, spacing off while sketching in my notebook while the TV played in the background. Beck however worked on his laptop and phone the entire time. I’d tried telling him he could go to his office to work, but he’d insisted on staying in the living room with me. Not that I’d put up much of an argument after that.

Beck’s thumb brushes over the inside of my ankle as his eyes stay scanning whatever is on his laptop. During one of his business calls he’d grabbed my feet that’d been resting against his thigh and began to rub them, all while his phone was on speaker and he talked business with one of his investors.

I don’t think he even realized how tender the moment was, how much it meant to me.

“I was wondering if you were going to doze off on me,” Beck responds, looking at me from over his laptop screen. I carefully set my sketchbook between us. For the last thirty minutes I hadn’t drawn a thing because the feeling of his strong thumbs pushing into the soles of my feet was enough to almost put me to sleep.

“I was definitely close.”

"I’ll probably head to bed soon, too.” His laptop snaps shut as he stands up, stretching his arms above his head. A small amount of skin peeks out from above the waistband of his joggers, giving me a glimpse of his hardened oblique muscles I’m so damn turned on by.

I stand up, neatly folding the blanket I’d been using even though I know the house cleaning staff will redo it tomorrow. “Thank you for you know, hanging out,” I get out awkwardly.

Hanging out? What the hell is wrong with me? Beck isn’t the type of man to ever use the word hanging out.

I’m even more mortified by my words when he doesn’t respond at all. Sheepishly, cursing myself for my juvenile choice of words, I swipe my sketchbook from the kitchen and beeline for the stairs. “Goodnight!” I yell, not bothering to look behind me. All I want to do is go to sleep and pretend I didn’t thank the man for hanging out with me like we were making friendship bracelets or gossiping away like a group of teenage girls.