From Fake to Forever (22 page)

Jason swallowed the lump in his throat and flexed the muscles in his hand, which ached to pull Meredith into his embrace.

But her steely expression hadn’t given an inch since he’d started talking and she wouldn’t welcome him with open arms. Not yet. But maybe soon, if he could somehow explain the decisions he’d made, and the path he’d forced himself to walk the past few weeks. He’d let her storm out of his life, convinced she would be better off without him, only to discover that he yearned to be the man she deserved...and worked tirelessly fourteen hours a day until he felt closer to it than he ever had before.

Now he needed to know if she agreed that he’d become worthy of her.

“You gave me your heart freely, Meredith.” Greedily, he searched her face for some sign she still had those feelings, but her guarded expression gave him few clues. “But I hadn’t done anything to earn your love. Letting you go was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I didn’t want to.”

Growing up sucked. But if Meredith forgave him for taking so long to figure out what that looked like, it would all be worth it. Assuming she didn’t tell him to take a hike, which she would be well within her rights to do.

“Why
did
you let me go, then?” Meredith demanded. “I would have stayed and worked through the manifesto with you. I would have helped you figure out how to lead with your heart. I wanted to.”

“I know.” God, did he ever. The look on her face when he’d told her he couldn’t love her...awake or asleep, it had haunted him. “I’m sorry, honey. So sorry that I hurt you, but I wasn’t good enough for you. Hell, I couldn’t even give you what you needed. What did I know about love? Staying wouldn’t have worked. Or been fair to you.”

The shadows in her eyes didn’t magically fade. “So you sent me away for my own good. Forgive me for not thanking you. You did it so you could focus on Lynhurst Enterprises. That’s always been more important than me.”

The hurt in her voice cut through him and he cursed under his breath. He was screwing this up, which was what happened when you went into a potentially volatile situation with no plan and no backup. But he’d come unprepared on purpose, carrying with him the only thing he could possibly offer—his love.

He’d hoped it would be enough.

“Sweetheart, my plans for Lynhurst Enterprises are over. That’s what the manifesto is all about. I needed to grow up and you helped me not only see that, but do it. You were my inspiration for walking into that room full of Lynhursts with the intent of working together on a common goal. And I did it because nothing is more important to me than you.”

With her at the top of the list—even above Lynhurst Enterprises—his vision cleared and allowed him to see what needed to happen with the company in a way he’d never have imagined. Who would have thought that falling in love would actually make him a better executive?

“What are you saying?” she whispered. “That you want to try again?”

She was killing him. This was the most painful conversation he’d ever had, but he wouldn’t get better at being honest with his feelings by keeping them to himself. Or by hiding behind a ridiculous marriage philosophy that only facilitated selfishness.

“There’s no trying this time.” He flipped open the folder again and pulled out the divorce papers, which he’d tucked behind the manifesto. “Only choices. Here’s the signed divorce decree. If you want to file it, file it. I hope you don’t because that’s not what I want. But it’s your choice to make.”

His pulse raced with uncertainty and genuine fear at giving up his edge with Meredith, but he’d left New York bent on ensuring she knew exactly what she meant to him.

Standing before her wasn’t good enough. He sank to one knee, still clutching her hand like a lifeline. Because in many ways, she was. She’d breathed life into his cold heart and he couldn’t imagine it beating properly without her.

“Meredith, I love you. No leverage. No deal. I never want you to question if I’m married to you because it’s advantageous. I’m choosing to be with you because I love you. Choose to be with me because you love me, too. No other reason.”

Stricken, she stared down at him. “What about trouncing Avery for the CEO position? Did you just hand it to her? Tell me you didn’t do that.”

His heart went heavy. Of course she’d ask about that. What had he done to convince her he truly didn’t care who won?

“Page fifteen,” he told her softly. The verbiage was etched on his soul since he was the one who’d written the clause. “Paul will assume the CEO’s office until he retires, at which point the job will go to whomever the executive committee appoints.” He shrugged, his pulse pounding in his throat. “That’s the fairest way, right? If I earn the job, great. If not, I’ll keep being the best COO I can.”

And he’d be working for his father. A reality Jason couldn’t have possibly envisioned without Meredith in his life. He needed her to keep him sane after a long day in the fashion-world trenches.

She didn’t open the folder or even glance at it. “If you’re not going to be CEO when you grow up, who are you going to be?”

“I want to be your husband.” The phrase scratched at the back of his throat, and of all things, his eyes burned a little, too. “If you’ll have me. I love you so much and I’m sorry it took me so long to become the man I should have been when you married me.”

In a tangle of long hair and bikini and killer body, she launched into his arms, holding him as if she never wanted to let go. Which worked for him. His heart filled so fast, it was a wonder it didn’t burst like a dropped watermelon.

“Is that a—”

“Yes,” she finished for him. “It’s a yes.”

His smile was so wide, his cheeks hurt. “I love it when you finish my sentences.”

That should have been his first clue they were made for each other. He’d lost track of the number of times they’d completed each other’s thoughts. It was a natural progression to completing each other’s lives.

“I love it when you chase after me.”

Unable to stop touching her, he smoothed her hair back from her face. “So tell me. Who do you want to be when you grow up?”

She shot him an enigmatic smile and kicked the folder full of paperwork across the floor. “Mrs. Lynhurst.”

The title blasted through him with a thrill. And a punch of agony. If only they’d gotten the answers to these questions right two years ago, they might have walked away from that weekend in Vegas with a totally different life. Because at the end of the day, Vegas wasn’t about coming up with a plan for growing up. It was about finding someone worth growing up for.

“No divorce, then?” he asked, his heart aching in anticipation of the answer.

“I’m shredding the papers,” she said decisively. “Isn’t that what you do with something you don’t want to fall into the wrong hands?”

Her gaze skittered down his body and left a whole lot of heat in its wake. “Yep. Credit card numbers, legal documents. Divorce decrees that you realize you never should have agreed to sign in the first place.”

Someone cleared their throat and Jason glanced up to see Meredith’s sister holding the hand of a dark-haired man with a look of authority about him.

The resort wasn’t open to guests yet, as it was apparently undergoing some type of renovation. Meredith’s name had gotten him past the front gate, but beyond finding his wife and settling their future, he hadn’t thought about anyone witnessing his near-disastrous makeup session.

Jason climbed to his feet and pulled Meredith to hers.

The dark-haired man leaned forward to clasp Jason’s hand. “Keith Mitchell. I’ve been waiting a long time to shake your hand.”

With a small laugh, Jason shook his head. “I just got here.”

“Yeah, but I’ve been dying to meet the man with the fortitude to fall in love with Meredith for ages. You bring your steel-plated armor?”

Meredith glared at her brother-in-law. “Shut it, Mitchell.”

Jason grinned. “It’s in my other suitcase.”

It was a far different family dynamic than the one he was used to, but he liked it.

Keith nodded. “Good man. If you have any problems during your stay, you let me know so I can address them.”

“Are we staying?” he asked Meredith.

“Uh, yeah. Unless you had another honeymoon getaway planned? You know, to make up for not taking me on one the first time.” The sizzling once-over she treated him to said she’d like to get him behind locked doors quickly.

And he’d like to let her. He’d missed her fiercely.

“Some people would consider a weekend in Vegas a honeymoon,” he suggested without an ounce of irony.

“And some people actually propose to their wives. With like a ring and everything.” Her arched brow made him laugh. “It’s a good thing for you that I’m the soul of forgiveness.”

Yes, it was a good thing for him. Otherwise, he’d be going back to New York without her and living the rest of his life in misery.

Cara snapped her fingers. “Lynhurst! Of course. That’s why you look so familiar.” She glared at Meredith. “I can forgive you for getting married and not telling me, but marrying Bettina Lynhurst’s son and failing to mention it is plain cruel.”

With a sigh, Meredith waved at Jason. “Cara, meet the heir to the Lynhurst couture empire, also known as the man I can’t seem to get rid of no matter how many times I ask for a divorce.”

Cara glanced between the two of them as if she was watching a fascinating tennis match. “Really? How many times have you asked?”

“Too many,” Meredith muttered, as Jason said, “Never. She mostly orders me to sign the papers. Except when she’s asking me not to.”

“Geez, this is better than a soap opera,” Cara said. “How long have you been married?”

“Two years,” Meredith admitted.

“But only because we didn’t know,” Jason added. “Meredith kindly informed me when she came to New York and changed my entire life.”

Two years ago, he’d been wandering around looking for a plan, an idea—
something
—to make him feel whole. And he’d found it. By some miracle, she’d fallen in love with him and done it all over again. Meredith had turned him into a man he could be proud of.

“I don’t get it,” Keith interjected with a furrowed brow. “How did you get married two years ago?”

Jason glanced at Meredith to gauge whether or not she wanted to keep that a secret. But she nodded with a sigh. “Seems like the whole story is bound to come out anyway.”

“Equal parts Las Vegas, tequila shots and an Elvis impersonator.” Jason caught Meredith’s hand and brought it to his lips. “Best mistake I’ve ever made.”

Fingers over her mouth, Cara half laughed and half gasped. “You didn’t.”

“It wasn’t supposed to be real,” Meredith insisted. “We never intended for the papers to be filed. Somehow I messed up and here we are, thanks to my boneheaded mistake.”

She shot him a smile that warmed him thoroughly. “Luckily, you were boneheaded enough to fall in love with me, too.”

And then his wife kissed him.

Epilogue

M
eredith pushed open the door of the loft she shared with her husband, humming happily despite a ten-hour day that had included Allo dropping a bolt of fabric on her foot, Avery herding her into a two-hour marketing meeting and Jason not responding to the sexy text message she’d sent on the way home.

It was all good when you lived in the most exciting city in the world with a supportive husband who loved you.

Both Jason and Bettina had begged her to take jobs working for them at Lyn, but she turned them both down to go back to work for Allo. Maybe it was crazy, but Meredith wanted to prove she could make it in New York on her own terms.

Said supportive husband had beaten her home and she took a long minute to soak in the visual splendor waiting for her in the living room. The view of the New York skyline wasn’t bad, either, but it couldn’t hold a candle to the gorgeous man lounging on the couch, wearing a mischievous smile.

“About time you got home,” Jason scolded without any heat. “I’ve been waiting very patiently.”

Eyebrows raised, she surveyed the bottle of golden liquor and two shot glasses spread out on the coffee table. “Trying to get me drunk so you can take advantage of me? Because you know good and well you don’t need alcohol for that.”

“Figured you needed a break after working all day with the most horrible boss in the world.”

Meredith grinned and climbed into Jason’s lap—astride, her favorite way to talk to him. “But tequila shots?”

“For our anniversary.” Settling his hands in place against her waist, he nestled her closer. “That’s what we did on our wedding night. Figured we should keep the tradition.”

It wasn’t their anniversary. That wouldn’t happen for another couple of months, but the thought was sweet. So sweet, she felt compelled to blurt out, “I have a confession. I didn’t actually drink the shots in Vegas.”

She’d poured them out when Jason wasn’t looking, mostly because she didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but also because tequila was vile.

“Um...neither did I. I don’t like tequila straight.” His blue eyes bored into hers as they shared a long glance heavy with dawning comprehension.

“So wait. How many drinks had actually made it down your throat when you came up with the brilliant idea to find the all-night wedding chapel?”

Guilt clouded Jason’s expression. “Maybe two.”

Figured. Meredith dissolved into a fit of giggles. “Guess we can’t tell people we got drunk and got married anymore. What’ll we say instead?”

Jason’s chuckle warmed her from the inside out. “The truth. That we fell in love and got married but were too worried about what other people would think to claim our happiness.”

“Whew. Glad we’re not that young and stupid any longer.”

He grinned. “What are we going to do to celebrate now that we’ve established we both hate tequila?”

“Guess we’ll have to do something we both like.” Shooting him a sultry smile, she plunked the remote into her hand. “Watch
Project Runway
.”

With a growl, he knocked the remote to the carpet and treated her to a scorching-hot kiss that communicated every bit of his love and desire for her. Who needed fashion on television when she’d already found the perfect fit?