King:Las Vegas Bad Boys(28)

I watch the scene unfold, not knowing what I should do, where I fit into  all of this. I shouldn't be here. I don't want to be here. This is  private information for a family I don't belong in.

Before I can retreat, however, Arthur looks over at me.

"Claire, I'm sorry the first time you're here with the family, it's  under such a cloud of disappointment." Arthur shakes his head. "I know  we disagree, Geoffrey, but keeping the moral integrity of the company  means more than money."

Geoffrey sighs loudly; clearly they've been discussing this for some time.

"It's true, Geoffrey; we can't change what we stand for, just for the  sake of money," Helen says. She sighs and takes my hand. "Never in a  million years would I have thought the first time I met Landon's  bride-to-be we would be admitting our family is in ruins. But it's the  truth. The inheritance we wanted to give you kids will no longer be  there ... but hopefully our integrity will remain intact."

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."

"That sounds fantastic," I say, wanting to watch Geoffrey squirm.

"Is it?" He turns, asking me. "If it's so bloody fantastic, we should have a double wedding. Next week, just like Fiona wants."

"Oh, boys, stop this, it isn't good for anyone," Mum says. "Especially  not Fiona and Claire. You can't make jokes about weddings around  brides-to-be."

"Oh, I don't think anyone is joking," Geoffrey dryly tells Mum.

"I sure as hell am not," I laugh, improvising. "Claire and I were going to elope. Now we won't have to."

Dad claps his hands, completely oblivious to the sarcastic tone Geoffrey  and I have adopted. "This is just perfect," he exclaims. "I thought the  world was collapsing, but look, my family is being brought together.  Better than I could have ever hoped for. The tough times won't define  us."

Mum and Dad leave to get celebratory drinks, and the four of us look at  one another uncomfortably. The entire situation got a bit out of hand.

"Perfect," Geoffrey snorts, looking at me with a smug smile. "Unless you  had something you wanted to tell Mum and Dad that would disappoint them  after they've just been completely wrecked."

"Oh, fuck off," I mutter under my breath, and I hear Claire give a sharp  hiss. "What?" I whisper to her as Mum and Dad leave the room for a  bottle of brandy and cookies.

"A double wedding next week? Landon. That's insane. We can't. I won't."  Her eyes are blazing hot, as if she wants to scream or run. Or both. "I  need to go."

"Listen, can we just ..." I look over at Geoffrey and Fiona who are  arguing. I hear snippets of You really want this? Is this a joke? This  is so typical. But I can't tell who is seething at whom. A wedding in a  week was Fiona's idea, but I have a feeling she tossed it out in  response to being heard for once in her life. "Claire, can we just try  for a day or two to play along ... my parents were so scared to tell us  ... and now we've made them happy."

"Right, Fiona and Geoffrey seem so happy, Landon," she says. We look  over at the engaged couple, who have crossed arms and pointed fingers  and sour faces. "I don't want to keep lying; it will only hurt people  more."

"Well, fuck, Claire, what do you want to do? Tell them everything?  Look," I say pointing to my parents who are walking back into the den  holding brandy and a plate of gingersnaps. "They're happy. You want to  take that from them? Tonight of all nights?"

"Treats," Mum says, handing out napkins. "Now kids, listen, no one is  forcing this. It would be crazy and unexpected and completely – "

"Amazing," Dad finishes. "Look, this year has been hard. Imagining the  transition away from the company breaks my heart ... but you kids  finding love at the same time, after I spent a lifetime selling diamonds  that are a part of people's forever-well, frankly, it feels like  destiny."

"Destiny?" Claire runs her hands over her face. I see her contemplating the lie, the extent of it. What it would mean.