Page 103 of The Exception

“Let’s do a test run. Go over some of the questions they might ask you,” Jasper said.

Sloan nodded. I grunted. That sounded like fucking torture.

“How long have you been together?” Jasper asked.

“Long enough.” When he glared at me, I said, “It feels like forever and a moment.”

Sloan wore a soft smile. Okay. Clearly a good answer. Vague but romantic. I’d try to stick to that.

Sloan asked another question, then another, alternating with Jasper as they continued their rapid-fire interrogation. Asking me about Lily’s favorite color. The reason we were splitting our time between France and LA. On and on and fucking on it went.

I knew they were doing this to help me prepare, but I also suspected they were secretly curious about my relationship with Lily. Myfeelingsfor her.

“What do you love about Lily?” Sloan asked.

“Everything,” I snapped, unable to take it anymore.

“Graham.” Sloan narrowed her eyes at me, but I realized it was true.

Lily was smart and passionate and tenacious, and I admired her. There weren’t many people I’d say that about, but that didn’t mean I lovedher. I couldn’t. Could I?

“That answer isn’t going to cut it,” Sloan continued. “You have to know that.”

“What I know—” I gnashed my teeth “—is that I’m married, and the board can’t do jack shit about it.” So what if there’d been rumors? Reporters? It wasn’t ideal, but it would blow over.

“Actually…” Sloan grimaced. “They can. And they are.”

I gripped the phone so hard I thought the screen might crack. “What are you talking about?”

“Some of the board members hired an attorney to contest the marriage provision of the will.”

“Good luck to them. We all know that provision was valid.”

“Yes, but we also know what they’ll come after next.” Jasper gave me a meaningful look.

Lily.My stomach clenched with dread, but I had to project strength. Certainty. My siblings looked to me for leadership and guidance, and I would not—could not—let them down.

If my siblings weren’t convinced, the board wouldn’t be either. I needed to put a stop to this now. If not for me, then for Lily. I refused to see her torn apart in the board’s quest to take me out. It was not happening. I wouldn’t allow it.

“Let them come,” I said with more confidence than I felt. “I’ve got nothing to hide.”

“Maybe not, but you need to be prepared. No one even knew you were dating Lily, let alone seriously. And now you’re conveniently married six months before the deadline to inherit the shares. If we’re asking these questions, everyone else is too.”

“She’s right,” Jasper said. “You always talk about how important family is, but then you go off and get married in secret. It looks odd.”

Ouch.I’d underestimated how upset my siblings would be about my surprise marriage. I felt bad, but I reminded myself that I was doing this for them. For my grandparents too. And now, for Lily and the château.

Sloan met my eyes, her expression solemn. “I know you think you’re the big brother and you have to do this all on your own, but you don’t.”

Did she know the truth about my marriage with Lily?If nothing else, she certainly had her suspicions.

“She’s right,” Jasper said. “We’re a team.”

I was tempted to confess, but I couldn’t. I would never put my siblings in that position.

“And, Graham,” Sloan said. “You know this has nothing to do with Lily, right? She’s lovely. And if you’re happy, we’re happy. Yes, we’re pushing you, but we see how much you care about Lily. I mean—” She blew out a breath. “The fact that you left LA. That you’re shifting your schedule so dramatically every month so you can be with Lily at the château speaks volumes.”

Spending time away from LA certainly hadn’t been the hardship I’d feared. In fact, I found that the more time we spent at the château, the more I dreaded returning to LA. I was growing more invested—not just in the project, but in Lily.

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