Just as Arryn thought, when she returned home, Rhys never mentioned the new setup in the extra bedroom. That told her he was fine with it. More than fine. And why not? He had his girlfriend at the condo. Even if there wasn't sex going on with Arryn, it had to be uncomfortable sleeping with two different women. Or maybe this was something he always did. She didn't know and didn't care. Or did she? No, she reminded herself Rhys was not anyone's Prince Charming. The truth was, men on white horses only existed in fairy tales.

She stood at her closet door and scanned the clothes. It was Friday, and she faced a double whammy. Rolland Media decided this was an excellent day to meet Rhys' new wife, and later the company Christmas party started at seven. For the interview, she'd wear her favorite sweater and leggings, then change into the plain black dress for the office celebration.

"Are you ready?" Rhys yelled from down the hall.

She pulled the sweater over her head, smoothed her curls back, and stepped from the room. "Yeah, I'm ready. Do I look all right?" Standing stone still, she spread her arms away from her body.

He eyed her head to toe. Was she mistaken, or did his eyes darken a bit? Before she had time to ruminate on that, he spoke up. "You're fine. Let's go."

On the way to the office, Rhys ran his hands up and down the steering wheel, then glanced at her. "I'm not sure what they'll ask, but you need to be prepared—why we waited to get married—how long we've been together..."

She cut him off. "Stop worrying. I won't mess this up for you. Is there anything my story needs to match, like the time we dated?"

He licked his lips, then ran his hand over his mouth. "No. I was vague about everything I told them. You know how much is riding on this. My whole future—and yours. If I lose my job..."

She placed her hand on his arm. "Stop it! You won't lose your job. They'd be idiots to replace you, so relax."

"No, you don't understand." He shook his head, and it was the first time she'd heard fear in his voice. "They have guys in their other offices they can transfer. They may not have the client base I have, but they've been with Rolland for years, and they are family men. My job is on the line." Rhys wheeled into a parking spot, killed the engine, and took a deep breath. "This is it."

Arryn reached across the seat and patted his hand. "You'll be fine. Just follow my lead."

"I guess I don't have a choice."

Maybe it was selfish, but Arryn liked that Rhys' fate might rest in her hands. It was the first time since they'd married she felt equal to him. He'd furnished her with everything, and regardless of his affair, or his hatred for her, she wanted to repay him, and this was her chance.

They took the elevator to the third floor, and when the doors opened, Melissa sat at a desk outside a room with glass walls.

"Well, good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Wakefield."

Arryn smiled. "Hi, Melissa. Please call me Arryn, Mrs. Wakefield sounds so formal." Yeah, and since the name won't be mine much longer, no need to get used to it.

"We'll hang out here until it's time for our meeting," Rhys said. "Any calls?"

"Some. I put the names and numbers on your desk. Would y'all like some coffee?"

"Nothing for me," Arryn said.

Rhys pushed his office door open and spoke over his shoulder. "No, I don't want any. Thank you, though."

Arryn followed him in, and while he removed his jacket and hung it up, she picked up the photos on his desk. Her wedding shot, and the baby's sonogram. She sucked in a breath. She'd not expected him to have those. A second later, her eyes drifted to three yellow callback notes. Bennett's. Ace. Laken. Arryn's throat closed off. She wondered if that was his girlfriend. No. She could be anyone. A client. A colleague.

His voice brought her back. "I never asked, but have you been to the office before?"

"Huh, oh, no. In all the time Darcy's worked here, you'd think I would have, but I haven't." Arryn walked to the other side of the room and looked down at the street, then at the skyline. "You have a great view."

"Yeah, but most of the time, I take it for granted." He picked up the notes, crumpled one, and tossed it into the trash can. The other two he laid aside.

She wished she knew which one he threw away.

The desk phone buzzed, and he put it to his ear. "Hello. We'll be right there." He replaced it and shot Arryn a look of dread, then walked past her to get his jacket. "Showtime."

She reminded herself of what she intended to say about her new husband. She smoothed her sweater and faced Rhys. "Don't be nervous. I've got this."

He didn't speak, just nodded, then opened the door and followed her to the elevator.

When they got to the conference room, which also had glass walls, Arryn looked over at him. He was pale, and his face glowed with perspiration. A middle-aged woman walked to the doors and pulled one open. "Please come in, Rhys. I assume this is your better half. I'm Vera Johnson Maddox." She stuck out her hand.

Ah, the owner's daughter. "Arryn. Pleased to meet you."

Vera ushered them to the end of a long table where an old man, Arryn decided was Mr. Johnson, waited. He rose and extended his hand first to Arryn, then Rhys. Once they sat, the gentleman started. "Thank you for coming in, Mrs. Wakefield. Are you comfortable? Can we get you anything?"

"I'm fine, thank you." Arryn didn't give him a chance to say anything else, she took control. "I'm impressed with your company, not only its track record but the fact you're grooming your daughter to take over." She slanted a glance toward Vera. "Few powerful men do that, especially when they have sons. Rolland Media's continued success is more important to you than the expected protocol. You're a man of vision, like my husband."

Mr. Johnson's mouth dropped open. "You've done your homework, Mrs. Wakefield."

She held up her finger, cocked her head, and he corrected himself.

"Arryn. Tell me about his vision."

She relaxed back in her seat. "His record speaks for itself. He's brought more revenue into Rolland than any department head before him. But you have all that information. What you don't know is he's loyal to a fault. He's also his biggest competition. In business and his personal life, he's relentless. Take me, for instance."

Arryn caught a glimpse of Rhys out of the corner of her eye. He appeared dazed, and she wasn't sure he was breathing.

She continued. "We'd not been dating long when I found out I was pregnant. He wanted to marry me immediately because he's an honorable man, but I was reluctant. I wanted—no, needed to be certain his offer wasn't out of obligation. I needed more than his support. I wanted his heart."

Vera scooted to the edge of her seat as if waiting for the final scene in a movie. Her dad leaned forward, rested his hands on the table, and laced his fingers together. "How did he convince you?"

Arryn's lips spread into a wide smile. She reached over and took Rhys' hand, gave him the most loving look she could muster, then focused on the interviewer again. "Pie chart."

The old man and his daughter burst into laughter. "Are you kidding me?"

Arryn laughed with them. "If I'm lying, I'm dying. I know it doesn't sound very romantic, but it was. I wish I'd brought it, but we're having it framed for the baby's room. Someday, maybe it will be one of her favorite stories." She beamed at Rhys again. "Won't it, honey?"

He looked like a deer caught in headlights. She wished she could take his picture. "Ah—uh, yeah."

"Take my word. Rhys is a closer. He'll make your company money, add to its success, gain recognition through awards, and help put you on the business map even more than you are already."

"Mrs... Arryn, I don't believe I've ever had a more glowing recommendation from a spouse. You may have a future in this business." He rose and offered his hand to Rhys. "You will remain head of marketing. I can't wait to work with you." Then he turned to Arryn. "When you get that pie chart back, I want to see it. With your permission, I'd like to use that story in my motivational meetings."

She smiled. "I'm flattered. Please do."

Rhys stood and clasped his hand. "Thank you, sir."

When they exited the room, Arryn stopped in front of the glass and spoke to Rhys through tight lips. "Put one hand on my belly, mouth the words, hello you, and kiss me on the cheek.

He followed instructions, then walked with her back to his office. Once inside, he wheeled around, and his eyes connected with hers. Moving his face in close, he tilted his head to one side, then put his fingers under her chin. She stepped back. As much as she wanted to kiss him, she couldn't stop thinking just a few hours ago, he'd been kissing another woman at the condo.

He dropped his hands to his sides and kicked the conversation into high gear. "Oh my God. I had no idea where you were going with that. Pie chart? Where'd that come from? Never mind. I don't care. You were fantastic. What was the deal with hello you?"

"It's a way of saying I love you without really saying it. Same syllables, so it looks like the real thing." Pain stabbed her heart, and at that moment, she realized how much she wanted to hear the real words from him. She shook the notion away. If securing his job didn't get her some forgiveness, nothing would. She prayed it did because leaving on good terms and having a decent relationship for the sake of their daughter was important.

"If you want to go see Darcy for a while, I'll take care of business, then we'll grab an early lunch and head home. That will give you time for a nap before the party tonight. Take the elevator to the second floor, when you get off, turn right. First office on the left."

Arryn turned to go, but he spoke again. "Thank you for what you did."

Her bottom lip quivered. This was the sweetest he'd been since he'd found her. She turned to face him and forced a smile. "Yeah, well, you know better than anyone what a good liar I am. I'm just glad it paid off for you this time." She didn't give him a chance to respond, she rushed from the room toward the elevator.

By the time lunch rolled around, Rhys had an unscheduled meeting, so Arryn walked across the street to a small café and ate alone. Pinching small bites from her grilled cheese, she stared out the window back toward his office. Mentally, she gave herself a high-five for taking control of the interview. She'd worked for days on the presentation. Her research skills came in handy. Granted, the whole thing could have gone south, but she'd read that although Mr. Johnson had a quiet demeanor, he was fierce in the corporate world. And, by choosing his daughter over his sons to take over the company someday, Arryn figured he had a soft spot for girls. Especially smart ones. She might be a dunce in the romance department but considered herself savvy in business.

She chuckled out loud. Yeah, that's why you don't have a job. Cramming the last potato chip into her mouth, she washed it down with a big gulp of water. Rhys still hadn't texted that his meeting was over, so she decided a visit with Arsenic and Old Lace was in order.

"So Rhysanator got the job all because of little ole' you?" Yennefer asked as Arryn pulled both furry girls onto her lap.

"Yeah. At last, I got to do something nice for him." She stared into space.

"What's that look?"

"What do you mean?"

She gestured towards Arryn's face like a game show host. "Just now. What was that?"

"He almost kissed me."

Yennefer waved her hands in the air. "No. Uh-uh. Don't go there. You can't allow any love feelings for that man. He's been hateful, and he has a woman on the side, so you stop it right now. Just because he got caught up in the moment, doesn't mean he's changed his mind about you."

The cats purred against Arryn's belly, and she wondered how the baby liked a vibrating massage. "You're right. It meant nothing..."

"Shit, you still want it to." She sighed and slumped her shoulders, and Arryn knew a lecture was coming. Yennefer was right, but Arryn couldn't help the way she felt.

"Most of the time, I'm fine, but then he shows a little kindness, and I'm back in that damn honky-tonk parking lot limp with desire wanting to stay in his arms forever." Arryn yawned.

"Why don't you go to the back and take a nap? You need to sleep off the Rhys intoxication anyway."

She yawned again. Her friend was right, and as deep as Arryn's feelings were for him, she needed to get over them.

Well, at least he's starting to be nicer, I guess?

TEASER: "May I have the next dance?"

Oooh, wonder what that's about?