The Boyfriend Arrangement

If he had, he might not have taken the trip. His work was at such a critical point. Could he risk taking time away to build something serious with Harper? He wasn’t sure.

“Ahh, this feels good,” Harper said. “Normally it would be cold, but it got so hot in the ballroom.”

“Maybe it’s all the champagne,” Sebastian offered.

“Or maybe it’s the pressure,” she said with a sigh.

“Pressure? What kind of pressure?”

Harper leaned her elbows against the patio wall to look out at the garden. “The reception will be over soon and my time is running out. That means the blackmailer is going to realize he isn’t going to get any more money out of me. He won’t have any choice but to expose my secret. I wonder how long he’ll wait. Will he reveal the truth tonight? Wait until the morning and ruin my flight home? Maybe wait until we’re back in New York and have something printed in the paper so everyone, not just the wedding guests, finds out? I wish I knew how it would happen so I could brace myself for it.”

Sebastian had been enjoying the romantic evening with Harper and pondering a future with her, and all the while her mind was on her troubles instead of her company. Perhaps he’d better put those thoughts aside before he regretted them. “And here I thought you might be enjoying the wedding reception.”

She shook her head sadly and straightened up. “I wish I could. This was supposed to be a great trip and a special wedding for one of my best friends. Instead it’s been nothing but a waking nightmare where everyone has Irish accents. I really just want t

o get on the plane and go home so I can get started dealing with the fallout.”

Sebastian took her hand in his. She felt so small and delicate in his grip when she was speaking in such a defeated tone. “You’re going to be okay, you know.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that no matter what happens, you’re a strong, independent woman. You’ve made the best of your situation before and you’ll continue to make the best of it, regardless of what the blackmailer does. He might feel like he’s in control of your fate, but he’s really not. How you handle your situation is entirely up to you.”

Harper studied his face for a moment and nodded. “You’re right. And I think I’m going to start handling the situation right now.” She turned away from him to head back into the reception.

Sebastian reached out and grasped her wrist before she could get away. “Wait. What are you going to do?”

She took a deep breath and straightened her spine. “I’m going to confront Quentin and put an end to this.”

* * *

“Quentin? May I speak with you privately for a moment?”

He hesitated, looking at his fiancée before whispering into her ear and nodding to Harper.

Harper hadn’t had any discussions with Jessie or Josie or Jamie—whatever her name was. She wasn’t interested in chatting with her ex-boyfriend’s new fiancée. It was hard enough to look at the glittering diamond rock on her ring finger and not think about the bare finger on her own hand. The only difference lately was that when she imagined a man down on one knee proposing, there was only one face that came to mind.

And it sure wasn’t Quentin’s.

He finally disentangled himself from his fiancée and followed Harper out into the hallway. “What’s this all about, Harper? Josie doesn’t really like me talking to you, to be honest. The sooner I’m back in the reception, the better off I’ll be.”

Harper couldn’t care less about Quentin’s fiancée and her jealous streak. “This won’t take long. All I want to say is that I can’t give you any more money, Quentin.”

She’d hoped that her blunt confrontation would catch him off guard and he might give something away. Instead he stopped short and narrowed his gaze at her. “What are you talking about, Harper?”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Oh, cut it out. I’m tired of playing these games, B. Mayler. I’ve given you all the money I can get my hands on right now. You’ve stolen jewelry from my room and that will have to suffice until—”

“Wait,” Quentin said, holding up his hands. “I haven’t stolen anything from your room. I don’t even know where your room is in this place. And what money? Seriously, Harper, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Her ex’s tone gave her pause. It was a sincerely confused voice and it matched the expression on his face. “You’re being sued, right? And your dad cut you off, didn’t he?”

A ruddy blush of embarrassment came to his cheeks. “How did you hear about all that?”

“It’s a small world. But I know it’s true, so don’t pretend you don’t need the money.”

“Sure, I could use some money. I wouldn’t have dropped fifty grand on Josie’s ring if I knew my dad was going to cut me loose a few weeks later. He doesn’t like Josie, but I’m sure he and I will work that out. And the lawsuit is no big deal. My attorneys are handling it. But I don’t know what my problems have to do with you.”

“You’re going to stand there and tell me that you’re not the one that’s blackmailing me?”