Page 27 of Bridesmaid By Chance
She gets off the ground and sits back on the couch. She straightens her clothes while I try to comprehend what the hell is happening this morning. This is why I need more coffee in the morning. Forget the green drink, I need a twenty-ounce cup of pure, unfiltered coffee, straight from the goddamn bean.
“I’ll lay it out for you: you need a wife, and I’m the one for the job.”
“I fail to see how I need a wife.”
“Are you really that dense?” she asks.
“Uh, are you really this delusional?” I counter.
Another roll of the eyes. “Jesus, Hudson. You need to impress Archie’s father-in-law, right? What’s one way to do that? Slip into the Mayfair Club. And what is one of the requirements to get into the club? You must be married.” She holds out her hand and points to her empty ring finger. “All you’ve got to do is put a ring on it.”
Wow.
Okay.
She’s lost it.
I think the conversation I need to have with Jude is going to veer in a different direction than I’d thought. More likeI think your sister might need some help.
“You know, not really in the market for a wife at the moment, but thanks for the offer. Now, I think it’s time that you leave.”
She shrugs. “Suit yourself.” She stands and starts heading toward the door. “By the way, your father called this morning. I took a message for you because I thought I might be helpful despite being fired. He said to tell you that he still plans on suing you, but he’s currently working on another investment, so he might be held up at the moment.”
And then she heads out of my office, leaving my skin prickling with irritation.
What the fuck just happened?
New day.
New start.
Today will be better than yesterday because yesterday was an absolute shit show.
After I was proposed to—still trying to understand that entiresituation—Sloane told me about my dad and well, that sent me into a tailspin. He knew exactly what he was doing making that phone call. He found out that I was interested in the Wimbach property, which would give us the chance to expand the affordable housing market in the UK, and he’s showing me that he has no problem stealing it away.
A part of me believes that Sloane knew exactly what she was doing by telling me about his message because last night, all I could think was,What if I said yes to her proposal?
Stupid, I know. There is no way I would say yes to marrying Jude’s sister. That is just asking for trouble.
Which is why I’m walking into the office today with a freshly brewed cup of coffee, my head on straight, and?—
“I thought I told you that brown suit is hideous,” Sloane says as I walk into my office.
“Jesus Christ, Sloane,” I say, nearly having a heart attack from her surprise appearance. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Just came to see how you were. I could sense your tension yesterday, and I think you know how I’d help relieve it.” She wiggles her eyebrows, and I swear on my right nut, it takes everything in me to look away and not think aboutthattype of relief.
“I think you should leave.” I move over to my desk, set my coffee down, and take a seat only to be greeted with a photoshopped picture of me and her in front of an altar. She’s in a dress, I’m in a tux, and we’re holding hands. I pick up the frame and flash it to her. “What the hell is this?”
“A subtle reminder of what could be.”
I shove the picture into my desk drawer and say, “No reminder needed.”
“Are you sure?” She walks up to my desk and takes a seat. Today she’s wearing another power suit, but this time it’s a short skirt instead of pants, and I’m pretty sure there’s no shirt under that blazer, just like yesterday. “I could be a good wife, Hudson.” She nudges me with her toe.
I turn toward her, my head tilted. “Why the hell would you want to marry me?”
Because that’s the question I’ve been asking myself on repeat.
