it to friends. No big shows on the company’s dime,” Ward barks back.
I gaze out at the sea of people we’re lying to and try to force a smile that looks halfway natural.
Nope. Not happening.
They’re supporting us, grateful for some good news, and we’re lying to their faces.
Ugh.
I visualize the three-hundred-thousand-dollar check I’ll deposit before the end of the day. That helps flog my lips to curve up a little.
“How’d you guys keep it a secret this whole time?” Andrew the marketer says.
I look at Ward, fluttering my lashes with a loopy grin.
“Yeah, Ward, how did we keep this a secret? It wasn’t easy hiding how madly in love we are, right?”
Those eyes are a turquoise dagger, flaying me open.
“Great question. I’m glad you asked, because I wanted to talk about that too. You all know me well enough to understand my personal life doesn’t affect my work.” He shrugs. “Hell, I rarely have a personal life. Working with a beautiful woman hasn’t changed that. Miss Holly and I fell in love over memos and planning sessions. Simple as that. She’s still the executive assistant. I’m the CEO. That hasn’t changed one bit, and we’d ask that you respect our privacy when we’re off the clock.”
The room quiets.
Everyone looks on expectantly while I pray for a hole to open up under me.
“That’s it. You guys can go,” Ward says.
People start filing out.
Chelsea from earlier shuffles up to me. “Sooo, how long have you been a couple? Since the first day when he chased the weird guy off?”
“Uh, kinda,” I lie. “It wasn’t official or anything but...yeah, sure. He’s such a charmer. How could I resist?”
Ward’s gaze attacks me again.
I can’t decide whether I want to laugh my head off or be vaporized.
She pats my arm. “That’s so adorable. I’ll catch you later. Let’s do lunch sometime, Paige!”
“Of course,” I say.
Eventually, it’s just the three of us, my tomato of a head next to two sullen Brandt boys’ long faces.
“Holy shit, you guys.” Nick stands, adjusting his tie. “Holy shit, no. If this is going to work, you two have to do a hell of a lot better than that.”
“Come again?” Ward snaps, his brows slamming down.
“Act like you’re in love,” Nick strangles out. “You two look like you’re ready to tear each other’s throats out. You’re always arguing. Flirt a little. Be cute.”
“We don’t flirt,” I say, wincing. “We just—”
Ward cuts in with, “Great advice. Because my deranged little brother knows everything about being madly in love.”
Nick stares at Ward, his eyes half lidded.
“Call it what you want. It doesn’t look anything like whatever the hell that was. And ‘don’t ask about our personal lives?’ You’re paying her so people will ask.”
“I’m paying to close the Winthrope deal,” Ward says sharply.
“Which we won’t do if no one believes this is real,” Nick says.
I bite my lip. “He’s right.”
They both look at me.
“Who?” They say together.
I laugh. “The way you guys argue makes me wish I spent more time with my sister. Nick’s right.”
“Bam!” Nick says, gunning up his fingers.
Not amused, Ward’s raised brow screams.
“Do I even want to know?” he asks.
“We argue a lot, Ward, but I’m usually more comfortable with you than I was lying to a room full of people. We have to work on that.” I sigh and my shoulders slump.
Ward’s face is tight before he says, “There’s room for improvement, I’ll admit.”
“So, will you two let go of your egos and act like you’re in love?” Nick asks.
“I’ll try,” I say.
Love is hard to fake. Then there’s the fear that faking it might lead to not faking it, and this sham has a ninety-day deadline.
“We’ll make the best of it,” Ward promises.
“You guys better figure it out fast. We can’t afford to lose this deal,” Nick reminds us, wagging a finger.
He isn’t wrong.
To make this look real, we have to convince ourselves first, I realize.
Can we feed our hearts the biggest lie ever without inflicting permanent damage?
Reese drops us at the curb, and I follow Ward into his building, a sleek luxury condo stabbing at the sky like a middle finger.
“This is my working residence. I stay here during the week because it’s so close to the office. If you don’t like it, we could stay somewhere else over the weekend.”
It’s instant shock and awe even though it’s not the first time I’ve been here.
The floor is marble. Glass elevators circle a fishpond with a cascading waterfall. Gold trim gleams from every corner.