Chapter 163

Logan could tell something was wrong the moment Hazel walked into his office. Her eyes were downcast, her shoulders too straight, practically up by her ears. The worrisome sight of her alarmed him so much that he stood up from behind his desk.

“Hazel. What’s going on?”

Hazel opened her mouth, but before any sound could come out, someone knocked on Logan’s office door behind her. Hazel’s mouth snapped closed at once, and Logan cursed whoever was interrupting them.

Stepping to the side, Hazel revealed that Tina was the one standing in the doorway.

Tina wore a bright smile as always, but it did not seem to meet her eyes, especially when her gaze sliced to Hazel standing awkwardly just inside the office.

“If you’ll excuse us, assistant,” Tina said to Hazel in a condescending tone. Hazel’s name was clearly displayed on her security badge. All Tina would have to do was look. “My boyfriend and I have an appointment.”

Boyfriend seemed rather presumptuous, Logan thought. They’d only been on one date.

“Come in and sit down, Tina,” Logan said. He’d deal with all of her presumptions in a moment. “My apologies, Hazel. We will speak after this meeting.”

Hazel opened her mouth.

“I’m sure you will,” Tina said sharply as she came forward and claimed one of the seats in the office. “You don’t you just have her stay, Logan? I’m sure she’d be interested in hearing what you have to say.”

Hazel’s already pale face went near-white. Worried she might pass out, Logan motioned for her to sit down.

Logan had no idea how Tina had surmised the relationship between Hazel and him, but, as that was the nature of this meeting, it didn’t hurt to have Hazel be present for it.

After their terse conversation yesterday about keeping secrets, Logan was willing to extend the olive branch here, with this. If Hazel were present for this meeting, she could see that Logan was trustworthy and capable. Hazel had nothing to worry about when it came to him.

Hazel closed the door to the office then came and took the open seat opposite Logan’s desk. Once both women were seated, Logan sat down himself.

He’d been thinking of what to say to Tina since Hazel and he had agreed to tell her the truth.

“Before we continue to date, there are things about me that you need to know…” Logan said.

Tina eyed Hazel. Hazel kept her gaze on where she laced her hands together in her lap.

“I don’t mean to hurt you,” Logan continued, “But I would rather be upfront than proceed with some kind of deception that would ultimately hurt you more, later.”

“You can tell me anything, Logan dear,” Tina said. “You know that.”

Logan didn’t really know that, but he decided to place trust in her words and push forward. “I am pursuing a relationship with a member of high society as a way to please my grandfather and shield myself from scrutiny. But I am already secretly in a committed relationship…”

He didn’t say marriage on purpose, not trusting Tina with that information. Hazel glanced up at him at the omission. Logan held her gaze, giving her the opportunity to correct him if she liked. After a moment, when she didn’t say a word, he assumed she wouldn’t.

“I see…” Tina said. She looked at Hazel. “Am I to assume then that the object of your true affections is this assistant of yours?”

“Her name is Hazel,” Logan said firmly. He’d let her get away with calling Hazel ‘assistant’ once. Not again.

“We apologize for the deception,” Hazel said.

“Yes,” Logan agreed. “Hazel was adamant that we be honest with you from the beginning. I was the one who was hesitant. I must personally apologize to you and to her, for not trusting her judgement.”

Hazel’s eyes went back to Logan and she smiled slightly, pleased. Relief washed through Logan with a gentle, soothing wave. He only ever wanted to satisfy his wife.

“So, let me get this straight,” Tina said. “You are romantically involved with your assistant –”

“Hazel,” Logan corrected.

Ignoring him, Tina continued. “But since your grandfather and most of high society wouldn’t approve of that, you need a fake relationship with a woman of high society to hide behind?”

“Yes,” Logan said, slumping slightly. When she put it like that, it sounded so sinister and cowardly.

But Logan would do whatever he needed to, to maintain and protect his relationship with Hazel as well as his position within his company and his family.

He could have both. He just had to walk along these social tightropes.

“And you’ve chosen me to be that woman,” Tina said.

“Yes,” Logan said.

“If you would like to back out,” Hazel added, “You are free to. Though we ask that you be discreet with what you know.”

“Assistant, the ones who need to be discreet is the two of you,” Tina said. “I knew as soon as I walked in here, something’s going on between the two of you. If you want me to play along with this charade, you must ensure that I am not humiliated in the process, do you understand?”

“Does that mean you agree to do this?” Hazel asked, eyes wide.

Logan was no less surprised, though he was pleased. “We will make efforts to improve our discretion.”

“Do so,” Tina said. “I don’t want to see even one stray glance between the two of you, got it?”

“Of course,” Logan said.

Tina narrowed her eyes in Logan’s direction. “You will take me out at least three times a week to my favorite places. When we are together, you have to be in love with me. Look only at me, praise me, hold me around the waist. We might even have to kiss to keep people from being suspicious.”

Logan looked at Hazel, who dropped her gaze again.

What could Logan say? He didn’t want to pretend to be in love with someone other than his wife, but this was what he had to do to protect his marriage and his empire. That Tina was even considering the ruse was a victory in itself. How could he possibly turn down her offer?

“Very well,” Logan said.

“You agree?” Tina asked.

“Yes,” Logan said.

“And your girlfriend?” All eyes went to Hazel.

She worried her bottom lip with her teeth, hesitating long enough to make Logan worry. But then she said, “I agree.”

I stepped out of the office, feeling numb. The meeting had gone better than expected, but I still felt like I lost. This was what I wanted, wasn’t it?

This was the best of a terrible situation.

“Goodbye, assistant,” Tina said as she passed me. She offered me a smile, but it was too sharp to be kind.

Tina might have agreed to pretend, but it felt like I was handing my husband over to her. She wanted him to pretend to be in love with her. Why? When she knew it was fake?

I held my tongue, not wanting to ruin this fragile arrangement, and watched Tina walk down the hallway to the elevator. She pressed the down button, then checked her phone.

I nearly turned back to my desk when movement caught my eye.

Cameron walked up the hallway, headed toward the elevator from the opposite side from me. Her focus was entirely on Tina.