“If it wasn’t for me, we’d have made millions.”
Katie shook her head. “That was just business.”
“You’re
“He could have had our loan called and cut us out completely.”
“Or he could have been
“He was honest. He gave us the choice between a hostile takeover or a merger. We took the merger.”
A merger? That’s all it was to Katie?
Then Emma forced herself to regroup.
Yes, that’s all it was to Katie.
Katie didn’t know about Kayven Island. She didn’t know that Alex had tried to seal the deal by pretending to fall for her. She didn’t know that he’d been willing to coerce some friendly sex out of his bride of convenience before they got down to the business of flipping her resort for half a billion bucks.
Alex Garrison in love with Emma McKinley.
If anyone had told her two months ago she’d have dared to even think that phrase, she’d have laughed them out of the room. But she’d not only thought it. For a moment in time, she’d believed it. On that faraway beach, she’d believed it with all her heart. And he heart was what she’d given to Alex. And her heart is what he’d crushed with his bare hands.
He’d wanted her hotel, and she’d been stupid enough to hand him that and more on a silver platter.
Katie looked aghast. “How will I ever trust my own judgment again?”
It was Emma’s judgment that needed remedial attention.
“I asked…” Katie tapped her fingertips against her mouth. “I asked Alex if he’d host our wedding someday.” Then she have a helpless laugh. “What a fool I was.”
“Katie, please-”
The office door opened. “Emma,” said Alex. “We have to do this.”
Emma looked at Katie. “You ready?”
She gave a shaky nod. “Yeah.”
By 8:30 a.m., ten cups of coffee to the good, Alex was ready to jump out of his skin waiting for the sheriff to show.
“Screw it,” he growled to Ryan who was sitting across the boardroom table, tapping a pen against the polished, inlay pattern.
Ryan’s brow jerked into a furrow. “Screw what?”
Alex slid the manila envelope into his palm. “I’m delivering them myself.”
Ryan stood up, pushing the chair back behind him. “Whoa there, Alex. I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”
“Why not?” He couldn’t stand sitting there another second. And at least he’d know it was done right.
“Because we don’t want to have to waste our lawyer’s time clearing you of assault charges.”
“David won’t even be there.”
“Murdoch will.”
“Murdoch’s too old to defend himself.”
“My point, exactly.”
Alex snorted as he stood. “Right. Like I’m going to assault an old man.” But he did want to see Murdoch’s face when they presented the documents that would undo what he’d done.
The negotiations had moved far enough, with David legally entitled to conduct them, that backing out now could get dicey. Their lawyers had advised the most expedient way out was for Alex’s company to present an outrageous counteroffer so that Murdoch would be forced to withdraw. Quick and neat, and Alex was at the helm. First things first though, they had to deal with that proxy.
“It’s not like there’s anything to negotiate with him,” said Ryan. “You don’t even have to have a conversation.”
“I just want to see his face.” Alex was still doing a slow burn. “I told him
“You sure it’s not Emma that makes it personal?”
Alex slid a glance Ryan’s way.
“How was the honeymoon?” Ryan asked mildly.
“Short,” said Alex.
“You didn’t call in yesterday. Not once. Not to anyone.”
Alex retrieved his briefcase and placed the envelope inside. “No cell service.”
“No phones in the hotel.”
“We were busy.”
Ryan grinned. “It went well?”
Alex snapped the case shut. “I guess that’s irrelevant now that she knows about Kayven.”
Ryan sobered. “Yeah. I guess it is.”
“Yeah,” Alex agreed, trying very hard not to care.
Sure, Emma was upset. But she’d get over it. And he had what he wanted. He had what they’d all wanted: a ring on her finger and a fifty-percent share in McKinley Inns.
And…He scooped the briefcase from the table and headed for the door. He was about to rescue the jewel in the McKinley crown and visit revenge on an annoying rival.
“You okay?” Emma whispered, walking up behind Katie and stroking the back of her soft blond hair.
Her sister was sitting on the bench seat in the bay window of the penthouse dining room, staring at the wispy clouds on the eastern horizon. The coffeemaker dripped and hissed on the countertop.
Katie nodded. “What about you?” They’d sat up most of the night talking, so Katie knew all about Alex and the honeymoon.
Emma took the other end of the bench seat, curling her legs under her robe. “My stomach aches, but I think it’s embarrassment more than anything else.”
At least that’s what she was telling herself.
She closed her eyes and sighed. Alex and Ryan and Nathaniel must all be having a good laugh at her expense. She’d fallen for his act hook, line and sinker.
“They must have been afraid I’d back out,” she whispered, leaning one elbow on the white windowsill, supported the weight of her achy, sleep-deprived head.
Thinking about it, she realized her decreasing objections to the marriage correlated to when Alex started acting as though he liked her. He’d obviously figured out really quick that she was a desperate, lonely, plain-Jane woman, ripe to fall for pretty much anybody.
And he’d used that as a way to control her. Who knew if he even wanted sex with her. Maybe he just thought she wanted sex with him. And he was willing to play the gigolo, if it meant sealing the deal.
The pretty one. He’d actually hinted she was prettier than Katie. What’s more, she’d actually started to believe him.
Alex had earned his millions through acting alone.
Katie squeezed her shoulder. “It’s going to be okay.” But her voice was too hollow to be convincing.
“I can’t divorce him,” said Emma. “I’d lose a fortune.”
“Then we’ll go away. We’ll go on a very long vacation.”
Emma nodded. She’d promised to live with Alex and hang on his arm like some kind of accessory. But that part wasn’t in writing. So he’d just have to learn to live with the disappointment.
She only hoped she could learn to live with it. Despite her resistance, she’d started to like the life he’d made up. She’d even started looking forward to that goofy McKinley-Garrison office party. And redecorating his main floor. It would have been fun to redecorate his main floor. Even if it was only temporary.
A tear slipped out of the corner of her eye.
Who was she kidding?
She’d stopped thinking about it as temporary somewhere on the hot beach at Kayven Island, along about the time Alex pretended he loved her, and she realized she loved him right back.
She inhaled a shuddering sob.
