The Real McCoy_A Fake Boyfriend Secret Baby Romance Page 7

  A low rap on his office door pulled him from his thoughts, and he called out, “Come in if you’re Mr. Byrne.”

  “And if I wasn’t Mr. Byrne?” Jeff gave him a partially amused smile as he opened the door and stepped inside. He was wearing, Harrison noted, probably his best business suit and freshly polished shoes. More than most, he could appreciate the effort.

  “You don’t want to know.” He smirked and clicked his tongue. “Anyway, you’re right on time. I’ve got some papers for you to sign and then we can discuss our arrangement if you have anything to add or have questions to ask, that sort of thing.”

  “Of course. Think you have anything that will keep the press’s filthy talons off my daughter? They put way too much pressure on her these days, and it’s... well, to be honest it’s kind of hurting business.”

  Harrison was both surprised and intrigued by Jeff’s confession; this could be one hell of a good opportunity. “I’m not quite sure what you mean. Are you talking about the pictures with Brad or the ones with me?”

  “Both, if I’ll be honest. She has this crazy reputation for being what people call a ‘serial dater,’ but did you know she hasn’t dated anyone in over a year? Anyway, sorry. I’m getting way off track and too personal.” The big man grumbled as he looked over the papers that had been discussed last meeting and signed where he needed to.

  “Not at all. In fact, I may have a way to help the both of us.”

  Jeff paused and then straightened to look at the younger man. “Do tell.”

  “Hear me out.” He stepped closer to Jeff. “If I pretend to date Riley, it will rid her of this insane reputation that she’s been unfairly saddled with. Not only that, but it will be a solid win for both of us by not only taking the media’s pressure away from you and your family, but also creating a solid link between the McCoy family and the Byrne family; it will be amazing for business from every angle. And if the media do come sniffing around, chances are it will be purely positive.”

  “Hmm...” Jeff scraped fingers against the stubble of his jaw and nodded slowly. “That’s actually not a bad plan, McCoy. Not bad at all. The only hitch I see would be Riley’s agreement in the whole thing. Considering what she’s been through, I’d imagine she’ll be pretty stubborn.”

  Harrison didn’t comment or inquire about the ‘what Riley’s been through’ statement, but it did pique his interest even more. “Well, how about you ask her instead of me? She’ll probably be a lot more amiable toward you and will know it’s a legitimate business plan rather than a pathetic attempt by me to go steady with her.”

  Jeff chuckled and inclined his head in a nod. “All right, you have yourself two deals today instead of just one. And all of these are signed. I trust you’ll send me copies via fax once you get them all sorted out?”

  “Absolutely.” With a half-smile, he offered his right hand to Jeff. “Let me know what Riley says about this whole deal. Can’t wait to see how she takes it.”

  “I will. Take care, Harrison.” He shook Harrison’s hand in return, and walked out. The door closed gently behind him.

  Harrison waited several heartbeats until he was certain that he could no longer hear Jeff’s footfalls moving down the hallway; once he was certain, he allowed a tick of a smile to cross his mouth. That smile gradually became more of a grin as he made his way to the window and clasped his hands behind his back. This, he determined, was going to be exceptional payback.

  The way Riley had treated him after their explosive sex had been, to say the least, humiliating. He couldn’t recall a time where a woman had rushed out on him with such determination. Usually it was him striving to leave as quickly as possible when the women he’d bedded became too clingy or too annoying. And as much as he struggled to figure out what had gone wrong, he just couldn’t put his finger on it.

  Unfortunately, there was only one person he could really call for advice about this unusual situation. Lips pressed together, he looked up Brad’s number and called it.

  “Yo, dude, it’s you!” Brad’s voice cut through Harrison like a most uncomfortable knife, but he steeled himself against it and took on the most polite tone that he could muster.

  “Yes, it is me. Do you have time for coffee?”

  HARRISON WAS GETTING impatient; Brad had told him he would be at the Laddie Luck Irish Café at 7pm, and he was now ten minutes late. While this was no business deal, he did always expect people he was meeting –for any reason– to be on time.

  It was nearly quarter after seven by the time Brad arrived. He was wearing low-slung blue jeans, a backwards ball cap, and some kind of jersey with a sport’s team Harrison didn’t recognize. As annoyed as he was with the other man, he plastered on a polite smile and stood up. What a pair they must have looked like, with Harrison dressed in a business suit and Brad looking like an overgrown teenager without a lick of style to speak of.

  “I was beginning to wonder if I’d been stood up.” Harrison retained that polite demeanor despite Brad’s cavalier laughter sending a surge of irritation down his spine; no wonder Riley had been so determined to ditch this guy.

  “Naw, man, I was just checking out one of my buddy’s new bikes. You should come see it some time. It’s badass!”

  “I’ll pass, thank you.” His politeness was starting to become more akin to tolerance.

  “Hey, your loss. Anyway.” Brad slid into a seat across from Harrison. “What did you call me down here for?”

  There was a brief pause as he carefully thought over his words. How was he going to say this without sounding desperate or stalker-ish? Truth be told, the more Harrison struggled, the more he realized he was going to appear like one or the other no matter what avenue he took. May as well just take the plunge and get it over with.

  “I have some questions about Riley actually...and I was hoping you would be able to answer them for me.”

  “Riley? Really?” Brad scoffed. “Did you know that bitch took over a year to call me back after our last date? So fucking rude, I swear I have no idea why I even like her still. Maybe it’s the body or the celeb aspect. Something. But seriously, man, what did you want to know?”

  It was nearly impossible for Harrison to stop the growl from rolling out his throat, but he managed to cover it up with a low cough. Playing the part, he picked up the glass of water that a server had left for him while he’d been waiting and had a sip. A few heartbeats later, he felt composed enough to speak in such a way that it wouldn’t leave Brad in pieces across the café; this was all about information gathering, not payback.

  “I spent the night with her–”

  “Wow. So it is true? Seriously, man? How could you do that to me? I had all kinds of shit figured out with Riley, and then you had to show up on your high as fuck horse and ruin it all. Just like that, a snap of my fingers, and you took her from me. I didn’t wanna come here, man, but I did because I needed to know.”

  “I’m sorry?” Harrison, of course, knew exactly what Brad was talking about. The best play now, though, was pretending that he had no idea.

  “That ‘date night’ that you went on with her? Trying to cover up what she and I had for like ever?”

  “Well...” He leaned back into his chair and felt a smirk crawl across his mouth. “According to Riley, you went out with her a mere few times and then she dumped you. That was, what? A year ago? Tell me, how is it that you and Riley were going out ‘forever’ again? Please remind me, I must have missed something.”

  Brad’s entire face turned a fantastic shade of red, all the way to his ears and down his neck. He bared his teeth and leaned across the table, standing up and slamming his hands down on it; the glasses clattered and several startled people looked their way. Then, without another word, he slammed his hands on the table again and charged out of the café.

  “It’s all right. I’m okay.” Harrison lifted up a hand and smiled at the people who were still watching him from their tables.

  As counter-productive as that had seemed,
he’d gotten all the information that he’d wanted from Brad. Knowing Riley as he did now, he knew that there was absolutely no way that she would have put up with that boy for a year. He hated to assume, but he felt safe enough to conclude that she’d been abused one way or another. And considering Brad’s temper, there was always the possible that it had gotten physical; that thought alone made Harrison’s blood boil, and he took in a deep breath to calm himself against the notion. He couldn’t say why he felt so protective over Riley, but she was unlike anyone he had ever met before.

  “No one else is going to hurt you, Riley,” he murmured under his breath.

  Now, more than ever, he was glad he’d made that deal with Mr. Byrne. When he’d presented the idea, he’d wanted little more than to get his revenge on her for leaving him in the dust, but now there was just...more. So much more that he was even afraid to admit it to himself.

  Chapter Nine

  THE COFFEE SHOP WAS one of those cute, charming little places that always seemed to be bustling with energy. It had high ceilings, a lot of seating, and tight aisle ways that were hard to push through even when quiet. Thankfully, today there weren’t a lot of people there, which gave Riley and the woman she’d met on Instagram plenty of privacy.

  She’d met the woman by chance as she cruised through Harrison’s online information. Researching him had almost been too easy, so much so that she was wary about believing everything she read. Still, when Melissa’s name had popped up on one of his old photos, Riley had decided to take the plunge and ask her out for coffee. She still had yet to tell her exactly why, too embarrassed really to tell her until now.

  “So... I have to explain something to you, Melissa. And I know this is so...weird.” She laughed nervously.

  “A little, yeah.” Melissa smiled and clasped her hands on the top of the table. Long, straight black hair fell just to the small of her back, and it was so glossy that Riley had a hard time looking away from it. “I figure it’s gotta have something to do with Harrison, though...doesn’t it?”

  “Yes...” She cleared her throat. “Actually, it has everything to do with Harrison. I’ve been... I mean...” She took a deep breath. “Okay, let me start again: I’ve been out with him a few times, and he seems almost too nice. He never really talks to me about his past or anything. He’s like this strange mystery man who is way too good to be true; does that make any sense?”

  “Listen.” The black-haired woman reached across and gently placed one of her hands over Riley’s, her eyes serious. “Harrison is a bang ‘em and leave ‘em kind of guy. He’s charming because it gets him what he wants, which is in your pants. And once he’s had it, good luck trying to get his attention again. He’s not into commitment, no idea why, and even though he’s amazing in bed, he’ll break your heart into so many pieces, you’ll never be able to put it all back together again. So my advice to you would be to walk away. Seriously, Riley, just walk away and don’t look back because he’s absolutely not worth it.”

  “Wow...” She blinked a few times and sat back in her chair. “I kind of suspected he was like that, but I wasn’t sure. He’s really difficult to read most of the time... super frustrating. It’s like he doesn’t know what he wants.”

  “I know, believe me. I tried to have a relationship with him a few years ago, and he broke my heart the first chance he got. I caught him sleeping with three other girls and ended it right then and there; he didn’t seem to care, didn’t try and explain himself, didn’t try to get me back. Nothing. He really doesn’t care about you or who you are. He just wants to fuck you and that’s it.”

  “That’s... I don’t even have the words.”

  “Bullshit is what I’d call it. And if you think I’m the only one, I’m absolutely not. One of my friends had the exact same experience a few months ago. She woke up one morning after having sex with him, and he was gone. No note, no nothing, just gone. She tried calling him a few times after that, but got nowhere; he still hasn’t returned her calls.”

  “Oh...” was all she managed to say, her throat shifting with her swallow.

  “I know, honey... it sucks. Especially since Harrison is such a good catch on the outside: charming, powerful, practically a celebrity, lots of money. He’s great at pretending that he cares, too. But... he’s a heartbreaker, the kind you’re best just to stay away from. I’m sorry... I wish I could have told you something more positive and uplifting.”

  “No, it’s okay. I asked, and I’m adult enough to know not everything is sunshine and roses. It’d be nice, though, if just once in a while...” She shrugged and gave the other woman a small, helpless shrug.

  “Oh yeah, I’m with you on that one. And listen, if you want to talk to my friend, I’d be happy to give you her number.”

  Riley looked thoughtful and chewed softly on her bottom lip. Then she nodded. “Sure, the more information the better, right?”

  “Exactly! Here, hold on.” Melissa jotted her friend’s name and number down on the back of a gas receipt and pushed it across the table toward her. “I wish I could stick around longer, but I have some commitments I agreed to weeks ago. But maybe we can catch up again some other time?”

  “Sure.” Riley’s mind was still running at Mach fifty, but she still managed to give her a polite smile and a wave.

  As soon as Melissa was gone, Riley lowered her head and pushed fingers back through her brown hair. She tugged on it and closed her eyes, elbows bracing against the top of the table. What she was hearing from Melissa and what she had already experienced with Harrison seemed inconsistent. What if he’d changed? What right did she have to completely take the side of someone she barely knew without getting his side of the story first? She would talk to him, she decided; she would talk to him and get the real truth.

  She had no time to finish her rain of irritated thoughts before her phone rang; interestingly enough, her father’s number appeared on the Caller ID. Hopefully he had more to say than his usual nagging.

  “Hello?”

  “Riley? It’s your dad. Do you have time for coffee today?”

  She was instantly suspicious; her father almost never wanted to spend time with her just for the sake of it, which meant that behind the word ‘coffee’ was something more important. Curiosity was quickly getting the better of her, and after a brief moment of thought, she said, “Sure. I’m at that Irish café downtown right now actually... I’ll just wait for you here.”

  “I know the one. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

  Great, she thought as she hung up the phone. First this news about Harrison and now my father wants something. It had better be good.

  LESS THAN TEN MINUTES later, Jeff arrived in his brand new pick-up truck that growled and grumbled when it ran; Riley always knew when he was coming, since almost no one else had a truck quite like it.

  “Hey, Dad.” She gave him a small smile and stood up to greet him, but she didn’t hug him; honestly, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d hugged her father, mostly because he still made her feel as though she was still a little kid. How many times had she told him that she was almost thirty? At least her mother had the common sense and respect to actually treat her like the adult that she was.

  “Hey, honey.” He gave her a quick smile and sat down next to her chair. “I have a proposition for you.”

  So typical of him, really. No ‘how are you?’ or ‘what have you been up to?’ Just straight to the business end. Fine. “What kind of proposition?” She decided to play ball, curiosity mixing lazily with annoyance.

  “I’ve been in discussions with Harrison about–”

  “No. No way. No thanks, I’ll pass. I’m done with that guy. For real.”

  He held up his hands and pressed his lips together. “Riley, just hear me out.”

  She folded her arms across her chest and slowly sat down. “Fine. Go on.”

  “Harrison suggested that you and he enter into a fake relationship. Before you say anything at all, let me explain: Th
is move will ensure that your reputation as a ‘serial dater’ is squashed while also helping my business and investments flourish. It’s not the perfect solution for anything, I know that, but it could have some benefits in the end, and maybe even along the way. I think it will be good for all of us, I really do. You know my investments have been hurting a little, but ever since I managed to get Harrison into my pocket, things have started looking up again. I’d like that to continue, for all of our sakes.”

  Riley worked her jaw back and forth a little, nostrils flaring in a low huff. She considered that option and ran fingers through her hair, as she sometimes did when she was nervous or uncertain. As awful as the idea seemed to her, she could also see the value in it. Besides which, helping her family was, and had always been, at the very top of her list; nothing else was above it.

  “Well... I guess I can see the advantages in it. But I’m telling you, the moment he’s a jerk to me, you’re going to have to figure out some other solution. I’m serious, Dad.”

  “I hear you, you’re serious.” He seemed to be barely containing his joy as he stretched his right hand out toward her. “So we have a deal then?”

  With minimal hesitation, she took his much larger hand and shook it while also giving a strong squeeze. Jeff had always appreciated a solid handshake, and so had she. To her, it was all about confidence and showing the other party that she believed in the deal even if she really didn’t.

  “So... can I ask how all of this came about now that we have a deal?”

  “I’d rather not; at least not in public.”

  Riley let out a sharp giggle. “Dad... you just made a deal with me for a fake relationship and mentioned that your daughter was seen as a ‘serial dater,’ I’m pretty sure whatever story brought this whole thing on will fit right into the theme.”

  He cleared his throat and glanced away, barely audible muttering coming from his lips. She found herself grinning despite herself, and a low chuckle escaped her. “Fine, fine. Can I at least ask when and where the ‘first date’ will be? Well, second... you know what I mean.”