Contractually Yours: An Arranged Marriage Romance (The Lasker Brothers Book 4)

I’m shocked to see Bianca in the office on Tuesday. She said she’d try to get back soon, but I didn’t want her to rush. I was actually thinking about texting her to take more time, but it slipped my mind yesterday because I was swamped.

She stands up when she sees me.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, giving her a hug. “How are you feeling?”

“Back at work, obviously,” she says, returning my hug listlessly. “And I’m…okay, I guess.” The hitch in her voice says she isn’t okay.

“You weren’t supposed to be back until later.” I should’ve texted her yesterday, no matter how busy I was. She knows about some of the things I wanted to do once I got married—like auditing my finances—and she might’ve felt pressured to come back to help.

“Plans change. Wanna go into your office?”

“Yeah, sure.”

We go inside together. I gesture at the couch by the coffee table and sit down next to her.

She’s paler than usual, her eyes slightly bloodshot. But if you aren’t close to her, you wouldn’t know she’s exhausted, emotionally and physically. She’s done a good job hiding it with makeup and a sunny yellow blouse and blue skirt. But her smile doesn’t have the usual brightness, and her skin’s dull underneath the foundation.

I hug her again, harder this time, and feel her sag into me. I wish I could do more, but there’s nothing I can do to make things better for her. “When did you get back in the States, anyway?”

“Last night.”

Okay, so maybe getting in touch with her yesterday wouldn’t have worked because she would’ve been on a plane. Still… “You should’ve taken today off.”

“I didn’t want to. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Me?” I put a hand over my chest. “I’m not the one who lost her uncle.”

She shrugs helplessly with a forced smile, like she’s at a loss for words to describe how she feels, but she’d hate to impose her grief on others.

Empathy stirs. I couldn’t figure out what to say when my mom passed away, either. All sorts of feelings come forward, impossible to articulate when so many of them contradict each other, or magnify little things that you know shouldn’t matter much anymore.

“I think it’s best if I just keep myself busy. And I was concerned about your marriage to Sebastian. I mean, I knew you were going to marry him, but I just didn’t like the way he was with me.”

“You’ve interacted with him?” He didn’t seem to recognize her name at the Mexican restaurant.

“Well, yeah, of course. When I had to organize things like the lunch or flowers or send him the documents for the Sebastian Peery collaboration. He rarely responded, and when he deigned to bother, he was so abrupt. His assistant wasn’t any better, either.”

The details about the lunch and flowers feel off. I’m the one who texted him about both. But maybe she got in touch about something related to the lunch dates, and he blew her off. It wouldn’t be surprising, because he was so furious with me. But the Sebastian Peery situation doesn’t make any sense. “That’s weird. He told me he never got the documents.”

Bianca’s face twists with disgust. “What the hell? He’s lying or something. He confirmed that he got them to me.”

“He did…?” How odd. Sebastian Jewelry doesn’t have a strong foothold in Asia, and this could be the break he’s looking for. Sebastian doesn’t come across as the type to sabotage his own business project just to spite someone. He could’ve found some other way to torment me if he wanted to make me suffer.

On the other hand, Bianca has no reason to lie about any of this. She wants me to succeed. She’s been my biggest cheerleader all my life.

“There must’ve been some miscommunication,” I say finally. I don’t want to take sides, although it makes me feel like a horrible friend to Bianca. But I can’t blame Sebastian without more facts when I’m ninety-nine percent sure he wouldn’t do something like this.

“We’ll see. But I’m not going to be comfortable until he proves himself.”

“I don’t think you need to worry. It looks like we’ll make a good team.”

“What makes you say that? Did something happen?” Her eyes sparkle as she sits up straight. “Did he tell you how much he loves you?”

I laugh. “Nothing like that. But we worked so well together.” I tell her what happened playing against Preston and Vonnie.

“Yes! Oh my God, that’s awesome!” A huge smile splits her face. “I wish I’d been there. I would’ve never let those two run away before getting on their knees! I would’ve recorded it and put it on every site—Facebook, Instagram, Pulse, you name it, I would’ve put it up! I miss the best things.”

“Well…maybe it wasn’t the best thing.” I grin.

She gasps, leaning forward eagerly. “I know that look. You got lucky.” She puts her hand on my arm. “Let’s hear it.”

“I’m not doing a blow-by-blow.”

“Aha! So there was blowing!”

“All you have to know is it was amazing. Like…the best I’ve ever had. He could wear out an Energizer Bunny.”

Bianca’s eyes grow wide, and she bites into her lip. “I’m so happy for you. Wow. You’re right. I don’t need to worry about you and Sebastian.”

“Told you. Now don’t you wish you’d taken today off?”

“Nope,” she says, stubborn as ever. “I’m happy to be back so I can help you work through the Sebastian Peery project and plan the wedding reception.”

“Sebastian’s having his assistant Christoph handle most of the reception. Julio’s been helping, but he’s not as experienced.”

Bianca smiles. “Well, don’t worry. I’ll make sure everything goes smoothly.”

“You’re the best. Thank you. But if you need some time off, just take it, okay? Put yourself first for once.”

“Thanks, girl.” Then she reaches into her leather folio. “This. Back to you.” She hands me my black AmEx.

She returns to her desk, and I review the email Julio sent last night regarding the agenda for the day. Two meetings have been moved, and the Hae Min Group’s rep promised to send their comments on the contract this week.

Finally.

I look at the new campaign idea from the marketing team. It’s slick, but it’s missing something. It brims with luxury, but it doesn’t scream, “Buy me.” I send them my feedback, requesting updates by the end of the week, since they may have to start over.

There are a couple of brisk knocks at the door, then Julio brings a bouquet of white and pink calla lilies. It’s so big, it almost eclipses him from the waist up.

Are they from Sebastian? My heart does a little samba.

“This just came for you,” Julio says.

I take it from him with a broad smile. “Thanks.”

He leaves, and a girly giggle bubbles inside. I pluck the card in the middle of the gorgeous blossoms and open it quickly.

And as soon as my eyes scan the card, my shoulders droop a little.

Dear Lucie,

Congratulations on your marriage! Wishing you all the love and joy!

-–Yuna H Winters

Maybe I should’ve realized Sebastian couldn’t be the one behind the bouquet. He’s never sent me flowers, and just because we had great sex and some nice couple time, and have started to sleep in the same bed, it doesn’t mean he’s going to become romantic overnight, especially to a woman he doesn’t even love.

Come on. Stop being so morose. It’s sweet that Yuna made the gesture. She didn’t have to.

I find her number and text her.

–Me: Thank you so much for the flowers and warm wishes! They’re lovely!

I don’t have to wait long before I get a response.

–Yuna: My pleasure! It’s so romantic to elope like that. Loved the setting, too.

–Yuna: By the way, do you know where your L.A. store gets its ice cream? Liam’s been driving me and my husband crazy asking for it, and we bought him a bunch of different brands, but he says they aren’t the same. :eyeroll-emoji:

–Yuna: So far the only person who’s enjoying this is his twin sister, who’s been eating all the ice cream he’s rejected.

I laugh, shaking my head with sympathy.

–Me: Liam’s an absolute epicure for a toddler.

–Yuna: Really? He’s not just being difficult?

–Me: Nope. Our L.A. store sources their ice cream from a local organic gelato place that makes specialty batches just for us. I can ask the store manager to set some aside for Liam if you’d like—or have it delivered to your place, whichever is easier.

–Yuna: Oh my God, you’re amazing. Where have you been all my life?

I laugh harder.

–Yuna: Thank you so much! I don’t want to impose any more than I already have. I’ll send one of my assistants to pick it up today. I owe you a favor now!

I hesitate for a little. Most of the people who are invited to the wedding reception on my side are business associates. I don’t really have any close friends other than Bianca. But Yuna seems so nice, and I’d love to get to know her better.

–Me: By the way, if you’re free, I’d love to invite you to the wedding reception. Since Sebastian and I eloped, we decided to have a party instead.

–Yuna: Really? I love love LOVE parties!

–Yuna: Also it’s nice to have an excuse to dress up and hang out with other adults I like. :wink-emoji:

–Me: Great! I’ll send you the invite and add you to the guest list.

I send the guest QR code to her phone and smile. Maybe this can be the start of a beautiful friendship.