Chapter Six
Nate
Harley blows through Jonathan’s office like a hurricane. I don’t think I have ever seen her this pissed. The room falls silent for a while after she exits. All of us are scratching our heads, wondering how we’re going to change her mind. Even with my powers of persuasion, I’m not sure if I can get her on board.
“That went well,” I say to break the ice. “I told you Harley wouldn’t go along with this plan.”
“I know my daughter,” Jonathan snaps, loosening the tie around his neck. Dark circles mark the skin beneath his eyes, and he looks as if he hasn’t slept in weeks. “She’ll come around. Harley doesn’t have a choice. Danika told the press you two are engaged.”
I gasp. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
Jonathan smirks in response.
“I don’t blame Harley for walking out,” Stefan says. “We completely ambushed her. And who the hell would want to marry Nate?” He tilts his head back and laughs. “Sorry, bro, but you’re a nightmare.”
“Speak for yourself,” I counter. “And thanks for sending your fuck toy to my office. The next time you do that shit, I’ll kick your ass.”
“Enough,” my dad booms. “We need a solution, not another problem.”
“Our only solution just walked out of this room,” I spit back.
“What are you still doing here?” My dad points at the door. “Go after her!”
I shake my head.
“You did this,” Jonathan snaps. “And you will fix it.”
What choice do I have?
If Harley doesn’t agree to marry me, the deal with Titan Tech is dead. We only have to stay married long enough to convince our new investor. Harley wants a real promotion, not the fake Creative Director job Jonathan gave her to make her happy. If Harley wants more than a title, then I can give that to her. We just have to find a way to work together.
Without any further argument, I leave Jonathan’s office in search of Harley. I walk down the main hallway, past the executive offices and into the Coder Cave. That’s what we call the large, open room at the heart of the office space. A few programmers are in their cubicles, busy typing away on their keyboards with their headphones on. My team doesn’t start for another twenty minutes. A handful of the best coders in the company work directly for me instead of my brother. I recruited them from MIT, my alma mater, and made a deal with my father that they would work exclusively on my passion projects.
Where did she go?
There’s no way Harley made it to the elevators this fast. She has to be somewhere on the floor. After I walk down the same hallway twice, a thought hits me. What if she’s in the bathroom? Harley used to hide in the stall in high school when she was upset. It’s not lost on me that the woman featured in the pictures with me had a hand in Harley’s pain. I hate myself for making the worst mistake of my life, one that will haunt me forever. The second Harley finds out, she’ll hit the road, and I won’t see her again.
I push open the women’s bathroom door a crack. “Is anyone in here?”
No one responds but someone sniffs.
“Harley?”
“Go away, Nate! I don’t want to talk to you.”
“I’m coming in,” I warn as I step inside.
“Don’t you dare,” she yells.
“Too late.” I lock the door behind me. “Come out of that stall and talk to me.”
“Nate, this is the ladies’ room. Don’t you have any decency?”
I snort at her question. “Not really… but you already know that.”
She sighs loudly. “I hate you.”
“You should.” Leaning against the wall, I cross my arms over my chest. “I’m an asshole. I fucked everything up.”
Harley needs to hear the truth. It’s the only way to make her see this is our only option.
“At least you admit it,” she says with a hint of laughter in her tone. “It still doesn’t change the situation.”
“Why did you lie back there?”
Harley snickers. “I didn’t.”
“Yes, you did. You told your dad that you weren’t the kind of girl who planned her wedding. But I know you, Queen. You’re a romantic. You believe in love. I’ve seen your sketches.”
Harley loves Jane Austen. We were required to read Pride and Prejudice in high school. I forced my way through the story, but Harley fell in love with the idea of Mr. Darcy. She believes all men are capable of true love, but I think she gives us too much credit. No one can live up to the illusion Harley has created in her brilliant mind.
“Then, you should know what dress I want to wear, what shoes I want to walk down the aisle in. You know this, Nate, and yet you still want me to marry you.”
I tug at the ends of my hair and sigh. “Can we have this conversation like adults? Come out and talk to me like a big girl.”