Prologue
Nora
What’s worse than pretending to love someone? Convincing yourself that love isn’t real, even though you’ve been in love the entire time.
From the moment I laid eyes on him, I knew my life would never be the same. Whether it would be better or worse, I didn’t know.
He had an aura about him. People seemed to gravitate toward him. His custom-made, pricey suits. The way he fiddled with his cufflinks as he strolled through a room.
I knew who he was, of course. Everyone did.
Mumbles could always be heard before he was seen. The shift in the atmosphere that seemed to happen whenever he was near was impossible to miss. It seemed as if people parted like the Red Sea. His dominance was alluring, and his charm was infectious.
How does that saying go? The journey of love will always come with unexpected detours.
It was completely the opposite for me. The unexpected detours in life became my love’s journey.
I sat at the immaculate, glossy black bar that wrapped around the room. The gold sparkles around my green eyes were echoed by the gold in my long, dark green dress, which caught the light. I wore a green and gold mask to tie it all together. A stylish twist held my dark red hair up. I chose to wear only a few pieces of jewelry to make the mask and dress stand out.
Masquerade, a luxury club, was the property of Ben Martin. I have known Ben for some time. He owns multiple clubs throughout the country, but this was his baby. It was the first one he had ever opened. Ben became my first client after I switched from public relations to marketing.
Public relations aims to build a solid reputation and foster public trust for a company or individual. The role had the potential to be both challenging and fulfilling. My high-profile clients kept me more than busy.
It’s worth noting that marketing is less chaotic. The strategy of emphasizing products or services to increase sales within particular demographics, though it caused a slight slowdown, was just as fulfilling.
Here’s where my relationship with Ben is relevant. He already had the reputation; he just needed help to market his new clubs.
It has always been effortless to keep Masquerade in the public eye, thanks to its luxurious aesthetics and unique dress code. I mean, the name says it all.
“Nora!”
I turned to see Kelli and Ben approaching. Ben’s now wife, Kelli, was a new friend, and I was starting to enjoy her company immensely. Without hesitation, she hugged me.
Ben gave me a hug and subsequently shifted his gaze beyond me to a person situated behind the bar. “A shot for my friend here.”
“You got it, boss.”
I thanked him as I turned to Kelli. “A masquerade ball for a reception. Very sexy.”
She smiled at Ben. Her eyes gleaming through her white glittering mask. “Well, we’ve had a lot of big moments in this club. It only seemed right.”
“My impression is that it’s unique, bordering on strange. This suits you both excellently.”
“Hey!”
Her playful push made me laugh, and I turned my chair to fully face Ben. “Tell me, how does it feel to be Mr. Kelli Donovan?”
He held his mouth closed to conceal his smile. “Funny.”
“I think Mr. Kelli Donovan has a nice ring to it,” she teased, smiling as he put his arm around her.
“You would,” he bent his head, gently nipping her ear, which made her giggle.
Even though they did things like that regularly, for some reason, in that instant, it seemed like I was witnessing something private. I shifted my gaze and took my shot.
“I’m going to make the rounds.”
Kelli nodded as they kissed each other.
“I’m going to stay with Nora for a bit.”
“Don’t get into any trouble,” he was talking to her but looking at me.
I acted offended as I grabbed Kelli’s wrist and yanked her closer. “I am insulted that you’d even think we’d get into trouble. On your wedding day, no less.”
“Mmmm…Hmmm…” He just smiled before walking away.
Kelli slid onto the stool next to me. “No communication yet?”
I shook my head. I didn’t even need to ask what she was talking about.
“So, when do you see him?”
I took a sip of my martini. “We have a meeting tomorrow.”
“Are you nervous?”
Unsure how to respond, I shrugged my shoulders. “I’m not sure if I’m nervous or scared.”
“There is no need for you to be nervous or scared. You are Nora fucking Lewis. You eat guys like him for breakfast.”
I quirked an eyebrow at her. “Breakfast? Not dinner?”
She waved me off. “Please. You eat more important men than him for dinner.”
Laughter erupted from me. At times, Kelli would say the most surprising things.
“Now,” Kelli spun her stool until she was fully facing me, “I have something very important to ask you.”
“Ugh,” I groaned, “I knew this was coming. Look, I don’t do threesomes anymore.”
Her eyes grew bigger as she burst into laughter and playfully shoved me. “How did I manage to live so long without you?”
“It’s hard to say.”
“I’d say you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but that’s a lie. I’m going to make you answer.”
~Great.~
“Are you in love with him? Not lust. Not an attraction. Can’t live without him love.”
I made a point of looking around. “Where are Lexi and Harper?”
“You think they are going to save you? Ha! I’m a kitten compared to those two. Well,” she paused, “maybe not Harper.”
I sighed, “It’s impossible to fall in love with someone in just a few months. That takes time, years.”
“Who says? And that doesn’t answer the question.”
“This is your day.”
Her expression was full of mischief, as if I had just fallen into a trap of my own making. “Exactly. This is MY day. Consequently, you have no choice but to do as I tell you. Answer the question, and then we can ditch these ridiculous heels and dance all night.”
I snarled when she threw my excuse back at me. “Fine. Yes.”
“What was that?” She leaned forward.
I yelled this time. “Yes! Yes, my love for him is so intense that it can sometimes make it difficult to breathe.”
“So, what’s your next move?”
Exhaling, I wondered, “What if he doesn’t even want me anymore?”
She got off the stool. “You’ll have to decide if that’s a risk you’re willing to take.”
She offered her hands, an unspoken invitation to dance with her.
“You are such a brat!”
The remainder of the evening was filled with dancing and laughter, as I tried to avoid thinking about the unavoidable.
The following morning, I entered Moore Electronics with confidence.
“Larry! Looking sharp.”
Larry smiled as he stood up from behind the security desk. “Good to see you again, Ms. Lewis.”
“Is that a new suit coat?” I asked as I signed in.
“It is,” he adjusted it as if in a runway show, making me laugh, “You can go on up. They are waiting for you.”
I nodded, “Thanks. Good to see you.”
While waiting, I gazed at the ornate aquarium. Watching them swim back and forth, up and down, had a mesmerizing effect on me. While I don’t particularly love fish, these were incredibly vibrant and richly colored. They must have cost a fortune. I don’t remember seeing this last time I was here.
In fact, I glanced around, there were quite a few changes in this waiting area. Light gray furniture replaced the otherwise black leather. Bright green potted trees filled the corners of the room. I would almost say it was actually inviting.
“You can go on in now.”
I smiled at the receptionist before heading to the door. Stopping right outside it, I smoothed my skirt and took a breath.
~You can do this. You are Nora fucking Lewis.~
He’s just another client. One who you are secretly in love with and would fall to your knees for at a command. But another client none the less.
I walked into his office and searched for those dark eyes to fixate on me. But he wasn’t the first one I saw, she was, standing right behind his desk. My entire world completely stopped.
