Chapter 38

Birthday countdown: 20 days

Since meeting her: 26 days

Company takeover: 27 days

Married: 7 days

When I walk into my office, Weston enters. He had a meeting in Los Angeles this morning and arrived in the city while I was having Lexi for lunch.

He sits in front of my desk, wearing a shit-eating grin, and then he glances down at the wedding ring on my finger.

“I heard you were given an applause that rocked the building when you entered the office this morning.”

I smirk. “Ah, yeah. Sad you missed it.”

“I knew you were going,” he tells me. “As soon as I got notification of your flight plan, I tipped off the paps.”

My smile fades. “Weston.”

“I apologize. And whether you believe this or not, the photos of you two in Fiji were essential.”

My anger level climbs. “What photos?”

From the moment I walked into the office this morning until now, I’ve been bombarded. After being on vacation without interruptions, that was to be expected. I’ve set no personal time aside to look up anything, and I was on a call during the drive to and from seeing Lexi.

He shakes his head, but his smile doesn’t falter. However, I can see how fucking serious he is. “Before you get too pissed, I’m protecting what’s ours. Know that. I’m as invested in this as you. Accept my apology because you know you’d have done it if the roles were reversed.”

“You’re right. I would have,” I admit.

The fog I was in from being with Lexi fades away.

“Now, it’s time to polish your crown, brother. Let’s fucking rule this.” Weston stands and gives me a handshake. “Congratulations. I’m happy for you.”

“Thank you,” I tell him. “You know it’s real, right?”

“Oh, I’m aware. No one on the planet can deny how you feel about one another. It’s obvious. It’s been obvious.”

Weston leaves me to my thoughts.

After three consecutive afternoon meetings, where my stomach growls through each one, my father calls me into his office.

I sit before him at the desk that will be mine. The wedding ring on my finger confirms it.

The Calloway logo is eloquently carved into a dark wood that’s so precious that it can’t be exported out of the United States. This is the same desk my grandfather and my father have sat behind, and soon, I will too.

My dad glances down at my hands, and I didn’t notice I was twisting the ring. It feels foreign on my finger, but I enjoy it. I enjoy knowing Lexi picked this out for me and that I won’t take it off anytime soon.

“Congratulations,” he says. “I like her. You two seem like a perfect match.”

“Thank you. I believe we are.”

He stares at me like he’s waiting for a confession.

“Are you happy?” he finally asks.

“Very. I didn’t imagine it could be like this.” A smile threatens to take over.

“And the promise you made to yourself?”

I know what he’s asking—if I married for love. He’s allowing me the opportunity to reveal my lies. I don’t have any.

Memories of our adventures play through my mind like a motion picture. There is no one else I could’ve ever imagined marrying. Lexi is it—the endgame.

“Fulfilled,” I confirm.

My father stands and gives me a tight hug. “Love is always on time,” he tells me.

“It is,” I say, releasing him. “I understand the marriage clause now. Grandfather knew that if we were married, we’d force ourselves to have work-life balance.”

My father grins and nods. “Yes. Something only a man in love would say.”

I clear my throat. “When you married Mom, did you love her?”

It’s not a conversation the two of us have ever had, but it’s something I’ve always wondered. After becoming an adult and knowing how difficult it’s been to navigate my personal life, I wonder if my father was in the same predicament as me—needing to fulfill a contract.

“I did at one time,” he says. “Your mother was my everything until she wasn’t. Son, it wasn’t anything either of us did. Sometimes, you wake up and realize you’re living a lie and going through the motions of life. We both agreed to see other people, but to stay married. It didn’t work out, so we divorced.”

I contemplate that for a few seconds. “You had an open marriage? I thought that was a rumor.”

“All rumors begin from a spark of truth. Don’t forget that. Now, I want to discuss something else, but we might need five minutes.”

He glances at his watch, and as if he summoned Weston, he enters.

My brother takes the chair next to me. We look at each other, trying to read each other’s mind. Neither of us knows why we’re here. It’s been a while since we were randomly called to my father’s office. All meetings, even personal ones regarding family, must be on his calendar.

I don’t want to turn into him.

“I need you both to fly to South Africa in the morning. You’ll be there for two weeks. A few mines are being sold and we’ve been offered acquisition before the sale goes public,” he explains. “It’s an incredible opportunity for us. I’m sending a team of geologists and surveyors to join you. Purchase it cheaper than the original offer by at least twenty percent. Oh, and, Easton, leave your wife at home. I need your head in the game without any distraction.”

My jaw clenches tight and Weston glances at me. The two of us hold a silent conversation.

“What time is the flight tomorrow?” Weston asks.

“Be at the airport at four in the morning,” he confirms.

Both of us stand, and neither of us says anything else.

When we’re in the hallway, Weston meets my gaze.

“I’m fucking livid.”

“They say distance makes the heart grow fonder.” He pats my shoulder, but I brush him off.

“I’m going home,” I say, not caring what time it is or what else is on my agenda. If I’m leaving in twelve hours, I will spend every spare second I have with my wife.

“See ya bright and early.” Weston turns and walks in the opposite direction.

My driver waits for me outside and so does Brody. The drive to the Park Tower takes too long.

When I finally arrive at the diamond in the sky, Lexi is on the couch, reading a book: Screenwriting for Dummies.

“You’re home early.” She sits up, grinning.

She meets me at the door, wrapping her arms around my waist.

“What’s wrong?”

She does see me.

“I have to leave in the morning. I’m being sent to South Africa for two weeks for a mine acquisition. I’m sorry, darling, but you can’t join me. My father … made it a goddamn point to say so.”

Her brows furrow, but she forces a smile. “It’s fine. Not a big deal. I have a lot of shit I need to take care of anyway, like changing my name.”

I hold her tighter against me. “Alexis Calloway. Love the sound of it.”

“Maybe I’ll be your cam girl while you’re gone. Give you something to look forward to.”

I capture her mouth. “I’ll miss you.”

“What did you say to me … enjoy the moments while we have them? Let’s do that because I can see that you’re counting down the hours in your head.”

“You’re right, and we have less than twelve hours before I have to leave.”

Of course I’m counting.

She wraps her arms around my neck and I rest my hands on her waist. “I guess you’ll sleep on the plane because I’m not wasting another second.”

“It’s like you’re reading my mind, Lexi.”

“I am,” she confirms.

It’s nearly three in the morning, and we’re lying on our backs, staring at the ceiling, our bodies covered in sweat from rolling with each other all night.

This woman is my weakness.

My alarm will sound in ten minutes, then I’ll leave for the airport. My body begs for sleep, and I’ll find it as soon as I board.

“I’ll call you every day, and we’ll FaceTime.”

She holds me tighter. “Deal. I’ll make it worth your while.”

“Music to my goddamn ears,” I say.

Her breathing calms as her arm hangs over my stomach. I draw circles on her arm as her eyes close. She lets out a sigh, and I love us like this.

Lexi’s the calm in my storm, and I don’t know how I’ll survive two weeks without her.

“I’m going to miss you,” she admits. “In case I haven’t told you.”

“I know, darling. I can tell. This feels like goodbye, and I fucking hate it.”

She smiles. “Good news is when you come home to me, we’ll know if we were temporarily under each other’s spell. It’s a great experiment.”

“Doesn’t mean I have to like it,” I tell her, tucking hair behind her ear.

The alarm goes off, informing us that it’s time for me to leave. She grabs me tight before releasing me. I slide out of bed, slip on my boxers, bend over, and kiss her sweetly before getting dressed.

“It’s not goodbye,” she whispers.

“There will never be a goodbye, Lexi. That’s a promise.”