Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 77309 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77309 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
I shift in my seat. “Isabel’s fine.”
“You look uncomfortable.” Shan’s eyebrows raise and I can feel Conlan staring at me.
I open my mouth to say, I’m covering for an asshole! We’re lying to you! And to top it all off, I’m stupid and jealous!
Instead, I tell her, “This is a lot, that’s all. I don’t like that my husband’s good name is being dragged through this mess, much less poor General Leyland and his daughter. Allison’s not perfect, but she’s a good person at heart.”
The interview goes better from there. Shan asks more questions and we bullshit our way through it. But the whole time I can’t shake the queasy, terrible jealousy stuff in my chest, like vines wrapped around my heart and won’t let go.
“That’ll work,” Shan says after about a half hour. “We’ll edit that down to something manageable then release it as needed. With your approval, of course.”
“Fine,” Conlan says, standing. “We’re done here?”
“We’ll pack and be on our way.”
“Great.” He walks out of there.
“Uh, thanks,” I say, hurrying after him. Out in the hall, once we’re a distance away from the conference room, I grab his wrist. “Hey, hold on a second. Are you okay?”
“No, I’m not okay.” His teeth are crammed together. “I hate doing shit like that.”
“You’ve given fake interviews before?”
“Public appearances. My family doesn’t do public appearances.”
“Right. Since you’re criminals.”
He cocks his head, moving closer to me, his voice lowering. “That’s right, we are. You think this hotel is my entire job?”
I chew on my lip. My heart’s going wild. “I mean, I knew you did other stuff, it’s just—”
“You ignored it. Pretended like it didn’t exist.”
“Yes,” I admit, because it’s true. There are aspects of his life that I’d rather not know about, so I don’t let myself.
“And you call yourself my wife.” His expression softens. “You did good in there.”
“I hated it too.”
“Why? I thought you held your own.”
“I don’t like lying.”
“It’s a white lie, and you’re getting adequately compensated. Don’t let it bother you.”
“It’s also just—you did it, right? You really slept with her.”
He doesn’t answer right away. I shouldn’t be saying this. It’s getting dangerously close to how I really feel, and that’s a problem.
“You’re right. I made a mistake.”
“Forget it, I’m just flustered.”
“No, go ahead. Tell me what’s on your mind. You think I’m wrong for what I did, and for what it’s worth, I agree with you. I never should’ve gotten anywhere near that girl. She’s way too young.”
“Why does the age thing bother you so much? Seriously, Conlan. What’s the deal?”
He tightens his jaw. “It’s nothing.”
“It’s something. Adler seems to know why.”
“You don’t need to dig up my past. You won’t like what you find.”
“Conlan—”
“Drop it.” He turns away.
“I was jealous.” I blurt it out before I can stop myself. I’m not sure what I’m thinking. Maybe if I share a something embarrassing about myself, he won’t shut down and pull away. Maybe I’m just desperate to keep him close. I don’t really know. But once the words are out, I regret them.
He looks back and seems surprised. “You were?”
“I don’t know why, I just started to feel it as we kept talking about her.”
“Of all the women I’ve been with, she bothers you?”
“She’s still around. All the other women were a single night and gone, but Allison’s still here.”
“Wife,” he says. “You don’t have to worry about her. There’s nobody for me but you.”
And for a second, I believe him. For only a second, I can imagine that this is real, that we have something solid and dependable, but this is only a game, and he’s only playing.
“I’m just being stupid, okay? The lights and the camera have me all mixed up. Forget I said anything.”
“I won’t bring it up again if you don’t want me to.”
Which is a surprisingly mature thing to say. “Thank you.”
“But I just need you to hear this.” He shifts closer, voice dropping lower. “I wish I had made that mistake with you that night. This fake marriage is the only good thing to have come out of that horrible decision. Hell, it’s the only decent thing I’ve had in a while. You have nothing to be jealous about.”
I don’t know what to say. This is good? He likes this? But before I can process, he’s walking away.
“Hold on,” I tell him. “Wait, you don’t get to drop a bomb like that then storm off.”
“I don’t feel like talking anymore, and you’re needed out by the pool.”
“Excuse me, for what?”
“Babysitting duty. You’re still my assistant until you find a replacement.”
And just like that, my jealousy is gone, and he steps onto the elevator.
Chapter 22
Isabel
I crack open a bottle of wine that night and sit on the front porch. It’s a cool evening, the sunset turns the sky pink, and I enjoy the quiet for all of five minutes before Conlan joins me.