Page 4 of His Weekend Wife

“I’m being silly?” he growled. “What game are you playing, Lucy? He’ll know the truth when I fail to produce a wife.” He gritted his teeth. “Spouses don’t grow on trees for most of us,” he snarled.

“You producing a wife is easy compared to signing with Hannigan,” she shot back. “That’s going to be the hardest hurdle. He’ll meet you and a lovely little lady and he will see Knight Corp is the way to go.”

“Oh, really? This’ll be real interesting when I don’t have a wife to introduce him to because, well, wouldn’t you know there isn’t one.” At least one that wanted to see him again. He clenched his hands into fists. “So not only will I look immature and incompetent, but I’ll also be pegged as a liar.”

“We all have to lie in business, Declan. It’s the way of the land.”

“I knew I should have prevented you from being a part of this project.”

“That’s not fair. If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have gotten a foot in the door. It was my connection with Mick that got us this far. Trust me, if I didn’t come up with this little white lie Knight Corp would be out of luck. We need this merger. This will take the company to an entirely different level.” Her eyes lit up and he swore he saw dollar signs for irises.

“You mean you stand to gain money from this merge.”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I mean.” She brought her chin up proudly.

“Come on, Lucy, what will you do with all of the money? You can’t take it to the grave with you.”

“Do you think your father gave me a share of this company because I’d weaken in the time of need? He knew I’d do anything to push this company further, just as he would have if he was still here. Now you tell me, Declan, what are you willing to do to secure Knight Corps place where it belongs? I’ve done my part, now will you?” She cut him a severing glare. “Knight Sporting Goods is your baby. None of your brothers control the company. None of them understand the guts and glory.”

He blinked. “Maybe you can pass along a special place in this fantasy world of yours where a man can pick up a pretend spouse because it appears you’re a pro on the subject.” He knew once the words were out that they were harsh and unneeded. He could be an ass, but he had never said he was proud of himself. A familiar heaviness weighed on him, remembering how his father could knock a person’s feet out from under them with his cutting words. Declan shoved the emotion down and watched her expression change.

More wrinkles appeared around her cold, surprised gaze. “I see that this is too much of a travesty for you.” She took her jacket from the couch and hung it over the crook of her arm. “I’ll call Mick and explain that I was mistaken. The marriage never happened because there was a falling out. I guess Mick was right. There’s concern if you truly have what it takes to lead this company forward.”

He gritted his teeth. He wanted this merger. Wanted it more than he needed his next breath. The money didn’t matter, at least not for him. One thing his aunt did have right was that the company was his baby. He wanted to prove to himself, as well as to everyone else, that his father had made the right decision in making Declan CEO of the company. “Don’t make the call.” He caught her before she stepped through the doors.

An expression of triumph slid over her features. She thought she’d won and maybe she had on a smaller scale. “Don’t look so glum.” She came back and tapped him lightly on the cheek. “You can gather yourself a wife in no time. All those pretty ladies who swarm around you. I’m sure one wouldn’t mind becoming Mrs. Declan Knight.”

“This is pretend, remember? You’re insane if you think I’d truly marry someone for a business deal. Marriage isn’t a revolving door to me,” he murmured. Her eyes widened. “I’ll take care of my side of things, but understand, from this point on don’t you ever speak for me, and never, ever drag me into your manipulative games.” He did his best to keep his voice calm.

A long second passed. “You’ll thank me in the end. Then I’ll accept your apology. In the meantime, find a wife, pretend or not.” She left him alone, her shoes clacking until fading away. Thunder sounded in the distance. He stepped over to the window, looking out into the sea of mystical, twinkling lights. A lightning bolt slashed the purplish sky and momentarily made him see spots. It could also be his high blood pressure causing problems with his vision. His aunt seemed to always reach in and twist his innards with her clawed clutch.

Declan went to the caramel leather couch and sat down, his eyes automatically going to the sealed envelope on the table. His name was scrawled across the front in Angelina’s neat penmanship. He picked it up and stared at it for the longest time. The glass doors slid open. “Lucy, I’m warning you. I’ve had enough of the bullshit for one evening,” he snapped.

“Sir?”

Declan brought up his chin, finding his assistant standing in the doorway. “Sorry, Todd. You just missed Lucy.”

“Oh, darn. That really saddens me.” The seasoned gentleman stepped into the great room, straightening his suit jacket and pretending to pluck off a piece of lint.

“I don’t know how you missed her really. When I say she just left, you two should have passed as she was heading downstairs.”

“I have a radar that picks up on the slithering of her scales. The clanking of those hideous shoes helps. I dashed behind an artificial plant in the hallway. I knew it would come in handy one day.”

“Smart man.”

“The last thing I wanted this evening is to hear your aunt’s commentary on why men should dye their hair.” He sniffed. “I happen to like my silver hair. Indeed, just the other day, a lovely woman complimented it. So, I take it you two didn’t have an enjoyable visit? Surprised, I am.”

“Have a seat, Todd. This could take a while.”

He took the slim chair on the other side of the table.

Declan eyed the other man. Todd had worked for Theobald Knight for over twenty years. He started as a mail boy, working his way up until his innovative ideas and organizational skills stood out to Theobald, who saw the man’s worth and hired him as an assistant. When Theobald died, and Declan took over as CEO, he kept Todd on. After all these years, he was more of a friend than an employee, although he kept up appearances and continued to call Declan, and his brothers, in formal greeting.

“If I may be as bold as to make a suggestion, maybe you should open the letter and read it.” He pointed to the envelope Declan still held. “Miss Angelina has been gone for a bit now and I’m sure she didn’t write the letter for you to keep it like an artifact at the Smithsonian.”

Declan lowered his gaze to the item of interest. The envelope was the color of sandstone and the edges were wrinkled from where he’d handled it many times with the intention of opening it and reading. “You might just be right.”

“She was a wonderful woman, sir. We all lost her and we all feel the void, I assure you. I certainly miss her smile and her cheerful attitude. And those magnificent eclairs she would bring me every time she visited.”

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