I feel my face redden. This whole fake fiancée plan was such a bad idea. Landon’s parents are kind, generous people. They truly believe in love and honor and family ... yet I have allowed myself to deceive them.
My stomach rolls, knowing I’m being a complete fake to people who have welcomed me into their inner circle, their judgment-free zone.
I’m bursting with shame. I need to tell them the truth. Then I can pack my things and go. I don’t care anymore about his parents seeing me as a fraud, how Emmy or Tess and Ace’s perceptions of me will shift. I can be better than this.
I want to be better than this. Helen and Arthur deserve that.
“So the money—my allowance, my dividends from The King’s diamond—it’s all going to go?” Landon asks, arms crossed.
I frown at Landon’s words. Is he seriously asking about the money he isn’t even working for? At a time like this?
It’s clear his parents are just in a shambles over this announcement; they must be so sad to learn everything they wanted for their family is gone. Sure, they’re still crazy wealthy ... but everything they worked for is in the past.
“Landon, don’t,” I whisper, tugging on his arm. “Not now.”
“Of course that’s what you’re concerned about,” Geoffrey scoffs. “Grow up, Landon.”
“Fuck off, Geoffrey.” Landon shakes his head. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“You keep saying that, but the thing is, I think I do.” Geoffrey raises his eyebrows at us. “In fact, I think I know a hell of a lot about you both.”
“Stop, Geoffrey, please,” I beg him, suddenly frightened. I want to tell everyone that we aren’t really engaged, but I panic, realizing Geoffrey must know my ugliest secret of all.
And if he exposes it, I won’t have just let down Helen and Arthur ... I’ll have let down Landon.
And why do I care about how Landon sees me?
I don’t know exactly ... but maybe deep down I know I do love him. Love the man he could be if he wasn’t so freaking stupid all the time.
But if Geoffrey keeps talking, then the truth I’ve buried for so long is going to come to the light.
“Don’t,” I say again, this time more quietly.
“Look,” Geoffrey says, seeming to change his tone after hearing my hushed word. “I don’t want any more trouble in this family. We all know there’s plenty as it is. Which is why I haven’t said anything earlier. Not even to Fiona. But enough, Landon—I know this relationship is a joke to you anyways.”
“What joke?” Fiona asks, on the outs and not seeming to like it.
But the way he so pointedly speaks to Landon tells me he doesn’t know about my secret ... my stupid, never took care of it when I should have, I’m such a freaking idiot, secret.
The dirt Geoffrey must have is the truth about our engagement.
Which is a relief. Until I see the worn expression on Landon’s face.
I want to convey to Landon ... somehow ... that we need to tell his family the truth. But he jerks his head in a no, and I pause, the words I want to say so close to spilling from my mouth.
“Geoffrey,” Fiona says, reaching for his arm. “I think right now we’ve had enough surprises today, don’t you think?”
Her words catch me off guard, but the moment she says them I know she’s right. Arthur and Helen are worn out and embarrassed. I don’t need to break their hearts anymore than they already are. At least not today.
Landon
Nothing about this family summit is going how I wanted it to. Everything I hoped it would be has been smashed to the ground. I can’t look at Claire–she knows how worthless I am without the potential title of successor. She’ll never want me now.
And she shouldn’t. I have nothing to fucking offer her.
“So how do we move forward?” I ask, once Geoffrey has quieted down.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Mum says, her hand at her heart. “You boys being here, announcing your engagements, is giving us something to be joyous over. At least we have that.”
“And our wedding will be soon,” Fiona says.
“Which makes us so happy, Fiona,” Dad says. “We as so happy for our boys, and for you and Claire.”
Fiona smiles at this praise, and I’m sure she relishes it because Geoffrey doesn’t exactly ooze words of affirmation. “You know, we could push the wedding up, sooner than this winter. This fall. This week!”
“Fiona,” Geoffrey scowls. “This week? You’re being absurd. And seriously, we have enough going on as it is.”
“You know what, Geoffrey?” Fiona says. “I’ve spent years doing everything the way you want. Coming here on weekends, going to the country club with your parents, taking holidays where you work the entire time–and do I complain? No. I don’t. Never.” Her eyes are, shockingly, filled with tears. “And I know this moment is about the business, and the meeting is about what happens next with The King’s Diamond ... but you know what?” she asks. “What happens next for us? I’ve been waiting a decade to marry you. You finally agree ... so let’s just get on with it—on with our lives. Think about something beside the bankruptcy.”