Chapter 54

Nicholas

The winter sun was even more blinding from the snow outside as it streamed through the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows and reflected off the polished floors of the country club’s indoor courts. I tugged at the collar of my polo, the fabric suddenly feeling too tight and too warm, and glanced toward the far court where Mr. Gray was leisurely volleying balls with another member.

Every muscle in my body tensed, not from nerves—I didn’t do nerves—but from the calculated focus I always reserved for moments like this. I had to do this right.

Noah, standing at my side, crossed his arms. “Are you sure about this, Nicholas? Mr. Gray isn’t exactly the generous type.”

I gave my friend a nonchalant shrug in response. “I have to try. You know what this means to me.” I turned to him. “Thanks for being willing to help me, by the way.”

Noah sighed heavily, dragging a hand down his face. Mr. Gray was Noah’s boss, a high-level financial officer of the guild. If I could secure a recommendation from him, I’d be leaps and bounds closer to getting that chairman position.

But Noah, to be fair, was putting his own reputation on the line by trying to schmooze his boss into giving me the letter. And I appreciated that, although I did feel guilty.

“You’re my friend, Nicholas, so I’ll do my best,” he sighed. “But I’m not promising anything. The man’s as stubborn as they come.”

“Which is why I need you there,” I said, clapping him on the shoulder. “You’ve worked under him for years. He trusts you.”

Noah muttered something under his breath but nodded, and the two of us made our way toward the older man. Mr. Gray was just wrapping up his game as we approached, wiping the back of his neck with a white towel. He glanced up and gave us both a pointed glare as if we were interrupting his peaceful Saturday afternoon.

Which, to be fair, we were.

“Mr. Reynolds. Mr. Baker,” he said, straightening. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

I put on my best charming smile—the one that had disarmed so many before him. “Good afternoon, sir. I just wanted to take a moment to congratulate you on the annual report you released last month. Your strategy for the new guild charter was nothing short of brilliant.”

His expression remained impassive. “Flattery will get you nowhere, Reynolds.”

Noah shot me a look, clearly biting back a groan, but I had expected this.

I cleared my throat. “Well then, Mr. Gray, I’ll be blunt. It’s no secret I’ve been aiming for the chairman position opening up next quarter. I believe I’m more than qualified, but as you know, recommendations are everything in our world.”

Mr. Gray’s brow arched slightly, but he didn’t look at me. He turned to Noah instead. “Noah, my boy, you’re a good lad. Why let him rope you into this?”

“He hasn’t roped me into anything,” Noah said firmly. “I offered. He’s my friend, and I believe he’s highly qualified for the position. Nicholas—”

The older man’s lips pressed into a thin line, his gaze shifting back to me before Noah could finish. “Let me be blunt now, Reynolds. Your qualifications aren’t what I’m concerned about.”

I stiffened, but kept my expression as neutral as possible. “Then what is?”

“Your reputation,” he said flatly, not even attempting to soften the blow. “You’re a playboy with little to no regard for decorum. This isn’t about whether you can do the job; it’s about whether the guild can trust you to represent us with dignity.”

My jaw tightened. Dignity wasn’t exactly something I associated with the guild. Especially not after what had been done to my mother—and what was currently happening to Grace. But I managed a polite smile.

“I understand your concern, but I’ve turned over a new leaf, sir,” I said placidly. “I’m engaged now.”

Mr. Gray didn’t even blink. “So you say. But if you’re such a devoted fiancé, why is Miss Sterling over there playing tennis with another woman while you’re here trying to schmooze me?”

I followed his gaze to where Kayla was playing on the far court, her skirt swishing as she moved to return another woman’s serve. For a moment, I narrowed my eyes. When I recognized the woman, I felt a pang of confusion.

Rebecca, one of my past flings, of all people? What was she doing here? And why was she playing with Kayla?

“I didn’t leave her,” I said, forcing my attention back to Mr. Gray. “She’s enjoying herself. I’m here to secure our future.”

“Secure her future by being present,” Mr. Gray said sharply. “A real leader doesn’t neglect his own household to chase ambitions. If you want that letter of recommendation, Reynolds, you’ll have to prove to me that you’re more than just a charmer with a pretty fiancée and a good friend willing to risk his reputation for you.”

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, my pride stinging like an open wound.

“That went well,” Noah muttered, running a hand through his hair.

I exhaled sharply, turning to him. “Noah, I promise I’m not using you.”

He studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable. “I know you’re not. But what about Kayla?”

The question caught me off guard, and I stared at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You heard Mr. Gray,” Noah said with a shrug. “Your little act with her isn’t entirely bulletproof. And if she feels like it’s an unbalanced agreement, then she’s not going to play her part very well.”

I frowned, my mind whirling. Noah was one of the few people who knew about our contract, since I’d known him for so long. He knew all the ins and out. He should have known that Kayla and I were using each other equally…

Weren’t we? This wasn’t one-sided. She had as much to gain as I did from this arrangement.

“You don’t need to worry about it,” I finally said, patting my friend on the shoulder. “Thanks for your help, Noah.”

Noah just nodded and followed me back to the court. As we approached, my eyes found Kayla again, her movements catching my attention despite my frustration.

She really wasn’t half bad at tennis for someone who had never played before. Or maybe it was just her graceful movements that made her seem more experienced than she really was.

Something about the way she swung the racquet, even if her form wasn’t perfect, created beautiful lines across her arms and slender waist. Her skirt swished around her pale, freckled thighs as she chased after the ball, and I swallowed hard, quickly looking away.

“Distracted?” Noah asked, smirking a little.

“Shut up,” I muttered, but the heat creeping up my neck gave me away.

But as we drew closer, Rebecca spotted us and her face lit up, her smile so bright it nearly blinded me. She’d been lazily walking back and forth across the court before, hitting the ball with single-handed swings, but something changed the moment she met my gaze.

Out of nowhere, she hit the ball hard—too hard for a casual, friendly game.

I barely had time to process what was happening before the ball sailed straight toward an unsuspecting Kayla’s face at an alarming speed.