Page 31 of The Exception

“Okay.” His tone betrayed his skepticism. “I hope you’re right.”

I frowned. “What are you not telling me? Are you concerned I won’t be able to pull this off?”

His silence had my gut churning. If Pierce didn’t think it was possible, then I wasn’t sure it was worth the effort to try. He knew me better than almost anyone.

“I probably shouldn’t tell you this. I’ve never told anyone this, and absolutely no one can know,” Pierce said, and I arched my eyebrow, intrigued. “Nate and Emerson’s engagement was fake at first. And they couldn’t stand each other. But if they could convince everyone they were in love, so can you.”

I remembered the tension between them. But also, the attraction. It had been obvious from the start. I’d always figured that was why they couldn’t stand each other—because they couldn’t have each other.

But a fake engagement? I would’ve believed it of Nate but not Emerson. Plus, Nate was an actor. He had lots of experience playing pretend. Whereas I… I blew out a breath. I hated small talk. I struggled with romantic relationships. And now, I was going to ask everyone to believe I was madly in love? With my former assistant?

Even so, I found myself asking, “You’re serious?”

“One hundred percent.” Pierce’s expression didn’t change. He wasn’t joking. “And look how well that turned out.”

I didn’t ask for details, and he didn’t offer any. Nate was happy, and that was all that mattered. He and Emerson were a good fit, and Emerson was great with Nate’s daughter, Brooklyn. Nothing like his greedy ex-wife.

“I’m just relieved we’re finally rid of Trinity.”

“Thanks to you,” Pierce said.

I shrugged. I was happy I could help in some small way.

Trinity had gotten what she deserved, and Nate no longer had to worry about her manipulative bullshit. Brooklyn—and Nate—had deserved so much better than that toxic, selfish woman.

“Whatever you decide—” Pierce clapped a hand on my shoulder “—I’ll support you. Just remember, things don’t always go according to plan.”

CHAPTEREIGHT

When my alarm went off, I stretched and climbed out of bed. After Pierce had left, I’d stayed up most of the night poring over information Liliana had sent me about the château and the scope of the project. The likelihood of success. If I was going to put my money where my mouth was, I needed to do my due diligence first.

Twenty million wasn’t an insubstantial amount by any means, but after reading through everything, I was confident I’d recoup my investment. As long as Lily had the right teams in place—both during the restoration and after—I had a feeling it would do quite well.

And she was smart. Business-savvy. I wanted to take some credit for that, but I knew a lot of it was just her. She’d seen so much during her travels for her blog; reading her posts, I could see how her experiences had honed her instincts.

I checked in with my dog sitter back in LA, pleased to see that she’d taken Prince Albert and Queen V for a walk and to a local dog park. There was an image of them with puppuccinos, and I thanked her before gently reminding her that too many treats were not good for their health.

I loved spoiling them, but I also wanted them to live long, healthy lives. Irish Wolfhounds had a relatively short life expectancy of only six to eight years, and they were my constant companions. Since this was such a short trip, I’d opted not to bring them with me. But I missed them and their calming presence.

My dogs had always been happy to see Lily in the past. Another tick in her favor.

My gut instinct had been to propose without fully considering the ramifications, but now that I’d done some research and spent some time in quiet contemplation, I felt even better about my decision.

Yes, the château restoration was a good investment, which was a relief. But marrying her had so many additional benefits.

We could easily come up with a backstory. I knew we could work well together, especially when united for a common goal. And she understood me. She would never…expect anything from me. At least not in the way of comfort or emotional support.

Which was why this plan with Liliana was perfect. She knew me, and she understood what this was.

I wouldn’t have to worry about where we stood or how she felt about me. We were in a mutually beneficial relationship that wasn’t about love or emotion. We were united in our sense of purpose. A sense of finality and rightness settled over me.

With my decision made, I pulled on some athletic shorts and switched on the TV. The hotel had a huge selection of on-demand workouts that could be done from the suite. It had been one of Jasper’s ideas, and I was grateful not to have to use the fitness facility. As nice as our amenities were, I craved alone time to recharge. I was surrounded by people most of the day, and this gave me a chance to work out in private without interruptions, without feeling like I was being observed.

I scanned the newer options, many of them led by famous athletes like Nate’s wife, Emerson. Her workouts were some of my favorites. She had a good energy—offering positive encouragement without being saccharine. And her exercises were intense.

But after scrolling through some of the options, I realized I wasn’t in the mood to stay inside, not when I knew the rest of the day would likely be spent in meetings. I’d always felt the most restored and relaxed after spending time in nature, and I knew of a quiet, unmarked route that led through the trees.

As I walked down the dirt path with the ocean just beyond the trees, I could finally feel myself relax a little. Some of the tension left me, the ocean breeze cool and refreshing. But then I heard a strange noise that sounded almost like the labored clucking of a chicken.

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