Page 59 of An Inconvenient Plan
She finally found her voice, took note of all the witnesses, and said cordially, “Phillip, this is so sudden. Can I think about it?”
He rose to his feet in one fluid motion and motioned the photographer away. “I need an answer before I return to Villroy in five days. I need to make arrangements. There’s a lot of official appearances coming up, and I’d really like to have you at my side as my intended.”
“Okay, thank you for understanding.”
He kissed both her cheeks, smiled tenderly, turned, and left.
She rushed back inside, trembling in the aftermath of the bizarre scene. Her first-ever proposal shocked the hell out of her. She hurried to the sanctuary of her office, shut the door, and set Rose on the floor. The roses fell from her hands as she stood there, staring at nothing. She hadn’t even kissed Phillip. Why had he proposed? Was he just using her for the good press? Would he lock her away in his castle while he took on a mistress?
Why were men so damn confusing?
16
Josh was in a foul mood. It had been almost a week since he’d told Hailey to let him know when she figured out which guy was for her—me, dammit—and he hadn’t heard a peep out of her until today. And it was about her mom! What the hell kind of relationship was this? Was he supposed to keep dating her like everything was normal while she kept throwing the playboy prince in his face? He believed her when she said they were just friends, as in they hadn’t hooked up, but he also thought the prince was turning her head with his glamorous jet-setting life. Josh didn’t want to be in a competition, especially when he couldn’t possibly match the lifestyle the prince could offer. He wanted her to choose him definitively once and for all. Speak of the devil.
Hailey walked into Garner’s, talking to Rose earnestly, holding the dog against her chest like a baby. She looked like a crazy woman, confiding in her dog as if she might get an answer. Maybe she was crazy. That would explain a lot.
She crossed to the bar and squeezed herself through the crowd. “Josh, can you take a break?”
Maybe she was finally ready to concede she belonged with him and no one else. “Gimme a few minutes.”
She nodded solemnly, her brows drawn together. Shit. Maybe it was bad news. Maybe her aunt Jane had died.
He pulled out his phone and called for someone to take his place for a half hour. Hailey might be upset enough to cry, and that could take a while. He braced himself for the excruciation of watching her suffer. He wanted to protect her at all costs, but sometimes death won. A few moments later, he gestured for her to follow him into his office. He pulled out the rope toy with beef scent he’d gotten Rose before and tossed it in the corner. Rose took off after it and chewed happily.
Hailey stood stiffly in front of his desk, eyes shiny, lips pressed in a tight line like she was trying not to cry.
His gut clenched. He walked around the desk and pulled her into his arms, hugging her. She gave him a small squeeze in return and stepped back. Her eyes watered as she looked up at him.
“What happened?” he managed over the lump in his throat. If her aunt died, he’d go to the funeral with her, even though he hated funerals.
“I just need to know where I stand…” Her voice choked and she cleared her throat. “Because Philip proposed and he wants me to help save an entire kingdom.”
He went cold. “You told him no.”
“He brought violinists, a photographer, all those security guards. I said I’d think about it. I couldn’t humiliate him like that.”
“Fuck, Hailey! I can’t believe you. This is bullshit. You know what? Go to him. Have a great life.”
“N-no.” Her voice quavered like she was definitely going to cry. His chest clutched. Shit. He’d been too harsh.
He reached out to stroke her hair. She jerked away, her eyes flashing at him, giving him a visceral jolt of lust. He must be the crazy one, turned on by their battles. Deep down he knew the problem—their fighting was exactly what had hooked him in the first place. Here was his equal, battling with him. Who would win this war? And how could they establish peacetime?
She glared at him. “I’m here with you, Josh. Why do you think that is?”
“I don’t know. All I’m hearing is prince this, prince that.”
“I’m trying to figure out whatever this tangled mess is between us.” She shook her head sadly, mumbling, “Maybe it’s just sex.”
“Just sex,” he echoed.
She threw her hands up. “I don’t know! With Phillip it’s roses and diamonds. With you it’s fights and sex!”
“Fuck Phillip! I’m working! I’m trying to build something here, something lasting.”
She held up a palm. “I can’t keep fighting with you. It hurts too much.” She frowned and that gave him hope because she never frowned. She was being real with him in a way she wasn’t with anyone else.
He took her outstretched palm and entwined his fingers with hers. “Hailey.” He pulled her palm to his chest, drawing her close. She didn’t pull away, just stared at his chest.
