Lexi’s eyes widened and she swayed on her feet. Brioni suits were at least quadruple the price of Armani. “Did it get ripped?” she demanded.
Callum grinned down at her. “I don’t care. I only care if you’re all right.” His voice deepened, and she was so smitten by him in this moment she could barely keep on her feet. Callum Hawk—theCallum Hawk—cared if she was all right?
* * *
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Bonus Book - The Feisty One
The Billionaire Bride Pact
I, Maryn Howe, do solemnly swear that I will marry a billionaire and live happily ever after. If I fail to meet my pledge, I will stand up at my wedding reception and sing the Camp Wallakee theme song.
ChapterOne
Maryn Howe pulled up to a massive wrought-iron gate. The imposing twelve-foot tall fence surrounding the property was partially hidden behind hundreds of lodge pole pines. They looked almost as intimidating in their grand stature as the well-built guard marching up to her window. Pretending she hadn’t seen the man yet, she quickly dialed her editor and close friend, James, one more time. “Are you absolutely sure about this?”
“You’re going to be fine. He’s only injured a couple reporters… That we know of.” James laughed. He was teasing her as usual, but her nerves were too frazzled to respond. “He invited you, remember?”
“That’s what you keep claiming. But James, I’ve researched the heck out of this dude and he is the ultimate reclusive Richie. He hates the media. Why would he want me to interview him?” She tried to keep the frustration out of her voice, but it was proving impossible.
The guard tapped on her window. She held up a finger and flung a pleading smile his direction before staring at her steering wheel to avoid holding eye contact.
“Because you’re beautiful, fun, and a fabulous writer,” James said. “Why do you think I chase you so hard?”
Maryn appreciated the vote of confidence, but James pursued her nonstop so she couldn’t take his word as an unbiased opinion. She kept insisting she wasn’t ready for anything beyond friendship, but he still teased her about marrying him all the time.
“I thought you chased me for my car.” He hated her green Volkswagon bug.
“Ha!” He laughed. “That sense of humor is what I’m talking about. You’ve got this, no worries.”
“Thanks, James. I just keep second guessing this trip.”
“Tucker Shaffer has never allowed media into any of his homes,” James said. “Do you know how many reporters would give up their iPhones to meet this guy, let alone be invited into his lair?”
The big bad wolf’s lair. That’s exactly what she felt like. A little lamb going to the slaughter. She squared her shoulders, prepared for the battle. Fighting for this story was more important than her insecurities. She was going to ferret out all of Tucker Shaffer’s secrets where no one else had been given even a glimpse of the man. Yet, she couldn’t help but admit to one of her closest friends, “I’m scared, James.”
“Liar. My girl is too tough to be scared. You’ve never been scared of anything in your life.”
James thought he knew her so well, but he had no clue how many times she’d been scared as a young child raised by a single mom who worked every part of her tail off to try to secure them some kind of life. She should’ve called her best friend, Alyssa, with her one phone call before she faced the mystery that was Tucker Shaffer. The man who became famous as the inventor of Friend Zone, the social media site that had risen above Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram in only a few short years. He supposedly hated reporters and didn’t care that his PR ratings were in the toilet. He was a stinking billionaire, why should he care about PR?
“He’ll love you,” James reassured her. “You know I do.”
Maryn wished she could ignore that, but appreciated that James was always there for her. “I know you do.”
“Hey. Just because he’s a billionaire, don’t you dare think of falling for him. I know all about your little billionaire bride pact, but you’re meant for me.”
“Who needs a man, I’ve got a career,” she teased. James had their future planned out, but she wasn’t sure if she would ever be ready for that future. Shewassure she’d never complete an agreement made at summer camp before she was even in the market for a training bra. All the girls in their cabin had sworn to marry a billionaire. It was something to joke about now. She’d forced herself to become comfortable around wealthy people as she spent most of her days interviewing and interacting with them. James teased her that she had a chip on her shoulder, but she’d never made much effort to chisel it off.
The guard tapped on her window again. He did not look happy.
“Gotta go. Guard dog is getting impatient.”
“Guard what—”
Maryn hung up, turned her ringer off because she knew James would call back and she needed to focus right now, and pressed the window button. Brisk Idaho air rushed in. How could it be this cold in October? She wanted to go back to California. “Hi,” she said too brightly. “I have an appointment with Mr. Shaffer, Maryn Howe. Word is he’s excited to meet me.” She gave him a huge grin and stuck her hand out the window to shake.
The guard looked at her fingers then back at her face. He didn’t take his hand off his weapon. He was tall and lean with short brown hair and dimples that showed even though he wasn’t smiling. It was hard to take someone with dimples seriously, but the weapon and stern look in his grayish-blue eyes helped. She got the impression this was not just a slacker guard who played Farmville in his guard shack all day.