Chapter 5

Mia

My fingers toyed with my hair as I listened to my mom chattering at the other end of the line. I loved her, but even at this distance, I could feel her worrying about me.

A mother’s curse, she’d once told me.

“Honey? Are you there?”

“I’m here, Mom. I’m fine, just distracted. Work has been crazy.” It was a lie, but she didn’t have to know exactly how crazy things were yet. Maybe there was no need for her or the rest of my family to ever know what I was considering doing.

“That’s to be expected. You’re so busy nowadays.” Her tone made my heart bleed with guilt.

“I’m not too busy, Mom. What’s up?” I rubbed my tired eyes. Most people my age were probably heading to clubs or bars, but I had no desire to be a part of that crowd.

Twenty-four-years-old and I felt like an old lady, way too tired and stressed to even think about having any kind of social life. I’d actually been excited to get home, pull on my pajamas, and collapse on my couch with Netflix and takeout food.

The thought was comforting and depressing at the same time. My mom tipped the scales to depressing almost immediately. “I just worry about you, baby. You’re out there in the big wide world, and we only get to speak once or twice a week...” Her voice trailed off. I kept quiet, not wanting to interrupt her. She needed to get whatever it was off her chest. “I just feel like we’re growing apart.”

I sighed. “We’re not, Mom. I promise. I just have no news other than what is happening at work, and you know all about that.”

“Okay. You just seem, I don’t know, a little off. I won’t pressure you to tell us what’s going on with you. You know we’re here for you when you’re ready.”

I closed my eyes, letting the guilt of what was really going on wash over me.

“Of course, Mom. What’s on your mind?” I scanned my small apartment, drinking in the bright colors in which I’d decorated it, and let the fact that it was mine because of my job at BC Records ease some of the guilt.

“Well, your father is retiring next week. I’m planning a surprise party for him. You’ll be home for it, of course.”

“Sure, Mom, I didn’t realize Dad’s retirement was coming up so fast. I’ll be there. I’ll just need to make arrangements at work. I’ll let you know when I’ll be in as soon as I know.”

That was the problem with having such a close-knit family. It didn’t matter the distance that separated you. You never really escaped.

The truth was, I loved it. As crazy and overbearing as my family could be, I loved them all. They were one of the major reasons I was so hesitant to accept Hudson’s proposal. It would kill them if I got married and they weren’t there to witness it, or if they weren’t able to help plan the wedding.

And I couldn’t tell them I was suddenly engaged to Hudson Blake, the boss I complained about on a fairly regular basis. They’d be shocked to hear I was in a relationship with him. The idea I planned to marry him would be too much. Then there were the expectations I was about to face.

Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Still, I had to be there for the party. It was a big deal for my parents. I would just have to work it out with Hudson. “I have to get to work, Mom. I’ll talk to you soon, okay?”

“Okay, sweetheart. Please talk to your boss today about taking next week off, and let me know what time you’ll be in.”

My stomach twisted at her mention of Hudson. “I will. Love you.”

“I love you too, baby. I can’t wait for you to get here!”

***

I marched straight to Hudson’s office when I arrived at work. He wasn’t going to be happy about me taking the whole week off on such short notice, but he’d have to deal with it.

At least I was sure he wouldn’t fire me the way he had the other girl who’d had to go take care of her family, not if he needed me to agree to his proposal. Which, of course, he did.

A little rush of power surged through my veins. It was kind of cool to have him needing something only I could give him.

His office walls were clear again, giving me a nice view of his muscular body stretched out behind his desk. His hand gestured animatedly as he spoke into his phone.

Even from a distance, it was clear he was a man who exuded power and control. I realized there was no way he was going to let me say no to him. He was right the day before. It was a done deal. Simply because he wanted it. And Hudson Blake always got what he wanted.

Well, I wanted something as well. The next week off to break the news to my family I was getting married, and attend my father’s retirement party. I wasn’t taking no for an answer, either.

I didn’t wait for Jenny to announce me. If Hudson was going to be my husband, fake or not, I figured I had the right to speak to him when I needed to. Especially if people were going to buy into this ridiculous charade.

To my surprise, he didn’t raise a brow when I stepped into his office. Instead, his expression softened and a slow, relieved grin spread on his lips.

Holy mother of pearl. He really was a stunner. And he was about to be all mine. For a little while, anyway.

He held up a finger to indicate he would be another minute and gestured for me to take a seat. That wasn’t his usual behavior at all.

“Let’s wrap this up, Paul,” he barked into the phone. “My fiancée just walked in.”

What? I hadn’t agreed to anything yet. I shook my head at him, but his grin just spread wider.

Hudson finished up his phone call and leaned forward, placing his elbows on the polished surface of his desk, and laced his fingers together. I was fascinated by the way he moved for a second. Even the miniscule movements seemed so effortlessly graceful.

He cleared his throat, an amused glint in his eyes as he caught me staring. My cheeks flushed, but I met his gaze stubbornly.

“I haven’t agreed to anything yet,” I protested. “You can’t just go around telling people I’m your fiancée.” I knew full well it was way too late for objections, but he didn’t have to know that.

“It’s written all over your face, Mia. You’re here to agree, and to ask for something more in return.” He leaned back, his cocky smirk firmly in place.

Damnit, why was he so good at reading people?

I sighed. “I need to take next week off.”

“No,” he answered without hesitation.

“No?” I tilted my head at him, trying to get a read on what he was thinking. His expression was still softer than normal, but his face remained impassive.

“This isn’t a good time, Mia,” he replied firmly. “And it’s very short notice.”

“I know it’s short notice, but you know I’ve never let you down. I’ll take my laptop with me, be available on my cell, and arrange for someone to fill in for me. It’s just a week, Hudson. The ship isn’t going to go down without me here for one week.”

“That may be so, but you also have a wedding to plan, since you don’t want to simply get married in front of a justice of the peace. We also need to establish a public relationship and kick start the office rumor mill.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

“You do realize I haven’t said yes, right?”

“Are you honestly going to tell me you weren’t coming in here to say yes?”

“No, I mean yes.” I sucked in a deep breath. I needed to compose myself. I couldn’t get intimidated by him anymore. Not now. Especially since he needed me more than I needed him. “I was coming in here to say yes, but I have a few terms of my own. One of which is being off next week.”

“You’re making your leave next week a formal term of your acceptance of our agreement?”

“Yes, I am. Among a few other things.”

“Such as?”

“While we’re in a relationship, however fake it may be, I will not tolerate being cheated on. I will not be that girl.” I was proud of the fact I’d managed to sound calm, confident even.

“You expect me to be faithful to you?” he asked, his voice turning incredulous.

“Yes, in public. I don’t care what you do in private, obviously. Just be discreet about it. I will not be the poor wife who has no idea her husband is screwing around on her.” That was a no-go for me.

“So, public faithfulness and next week off. Is that it?” He lifted a brow and leaned back in his chair.

“The big things, aside from what we spoke about yesterday, of course,” I reminded him.

He nodded. “Of course. Okay, I can agree to that. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m very private about my personal life in any event. So that stipulation really doesn’t change much for me. As for the week off, what’s so important you have to skip town at the last minute?”

“It’s hardly the last minute, Hudson. I have the whole day to do what needs to be done and get things in order before I leave.” He waited for me to continue. “Fine, if you must know, my father is retiring next week, and my mother is having a surprise party for him. I have to be there.”

His eyes turned contemplative as he mulled over my explanation. “Okay, you can have the week off.”

“Yeah?” It felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

“Yeah. It would be a great opportunity for your family to get to know me.”

My eyes widened. “What?”

“I thought it would be obvious. I’m coming with you. It’s inevitable I’d have to meet your family, if you’re that close to them you’re flying home for a week for a retirement party.”

“But—” I protested.

“The authorities would never believe our marriage is real if they interviewed your family, and they hadn’t so much as met me.” He wasn’t wrong.

The blood rushed from my face. Logically, I knew he was right, but it didn’t lessen the shock any. Hudson meeting my parents, my brother? My heart sank as reality set in.

“You can meet them some other time. I need some time to prepare them for this—to prepare myself.

“There’s no time like the present, wouldn’t you agree?” He arched an eyebrow at me again. It was infuriating how arrogant the man was.

“No,” I insisted stubbornly.

“I’m not asking, Mia. This is part of the deal. Take it or leave it.” His tone booked no argument. My shoulders sagged in defeat.

Hudson read me like an open book, as he did most people, because his next words cemented my fate. “So, it’s settled then. Have Jenny take care of the flight.”

Hudson Blake was going to meet my family. He was coming home with me. To tell them we were getting married.

Fuck.