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Idea

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Chapter 9: Idea (Evie's POV)

A few days later, I walked into Nate's office after yet another failed lunch with another stupid woman off his candidate list. 

I want to know what he thought when he made that list. 'Let's see how many rude and dumb women I can fit in one list. Oh, and let me make sure my brother hates them all.' 

I released a breath as I walked in and plopped down on the couch, setting my purse beside me and kicking my white Spanish heels off. 

He looked at me while Leo sat in his lap, being a good little boy and not even disturbing Nate who was typing away on the computer. 

I moved to lay down and rested my hands on my stomach. Hearing Nate laugh, I glared at him. 

He pushed his chair back and set Leo on his feet, patting his shoulder and whispering something in his ear while looking at me. Leo nodded and then padded over to me, standing behind my head. I had to look at him almost upside down. He patted my head with a tiny hand twice. "Evie, what's wrong?" he asked in his adorable little voice. 

I looked back at Nate. "I want to keep him." 

"You can't. He's mine," he answered smugly and went back to work. "Another failed interview?" he questioned. 

"Yes," I groaned, taking Leo's hand and bringing him forward. "Take your shoes off for me, Leo," I said in a sing-song voice. He kicked them off and I helped him up and scooted over so he lay beside me, keeping an arm around him so he wouldn't fall. 

"What was wrong with this one?" Nate asked. 

Where do I even start? 

"Well, for starters, she was already engaged." 

"Oh?" 

"To two different guys." 

"What?" he laughed, all his attention on me now. 

"One was her secret boyfriend that her parents had no idea about and one was the guy her parents wanted her to marry. But she had no problem getting married to Rowan. Only as long as he offered her a private jet, a condo on Madison Avenue, and uh..." I closed my eyes. "There was one more thing. Oh, a cat. She wants a cat." 

"Rowan hates cats." 

"Yeah, why?" I turned to him in confusion. 

"He got scratched by one in our backyard once when he tried feeding it." 

"Ouch," my nose scrunched up. 

"Ouch," Leo mirrored, scrunching up his nose. 

I chuckled, honking it and then giving his cheeks a little squeeze. "When I tried asking if she would negotiate, she bluntly refused. When I asked to know a bit more about her so I would have something to tell Rowan, she started getting angry at me." 

"Saying?" 

"Saying it was none of my business, I should just stick to my job, get my paycheck, and get out of there. God knows what else." 

"And what did you do?" 

I hesitated to answer. 

"Evie," he said warningly. 

"Nothing, I just snapped back a little, okay? I've had too many women talking all kinds of crap to me because of you and your brother and I've had enough. Tell him, Leo." 

"Enough," Leo repeated, playing with the button on my dress. 

Today, I was wearing a white blazer dress that had a little mini seamless dress underneath as well. There was a white button with a gold ring right in the middle holding it shut but whenever that was open, you could see the white bodycon mini dress inside and it looked just as good. 

"Losing hope yet?" Nate asked. 

"Oh, I lost it before I even started taking these interviews. Your idea could have worked, Nate. If only your brother wasn't so picky and you didn't choose such horrible women. Actually... The few I thought were okay or nice, Rowan didn't like at all. So, the problem is on both sides, I guess." 

"How far are you into the list?" 

"I've got more than ten women left and I'm one more away from giving up. Look, I'm trying really hard to talk your brother up but then he shows up, acts like a dick, and insults some of these girls, and they leave. He tells them so bluntly that once the time is up, he's going to toss them away like nothing. Plus, a lot of girls have very unreasonable demands." 

"To be fair, they have to live with him," Nate shrugged. 

"I should get a raise." 

"Rowan decides your salary, Eves, you work for him, not me," he chuckled. 

The door slid open and Rowan strolled in, capturing everyone's attention. I didn't get to see him this morning, I was in and out in minutes. He wasn't wearing a black or navy blue suit like he normally does. Today, he had on a gray suit, faintly checkered, and inside, he wore a classic white-button up with a black tie. He opened his mouth to say something to Nate but stopped when he saw me. "Where do you think you are? In your little apartment? Sit up," he ordered. 

"Give her a break," Nate sighed and I shot Rowan a smug look. "You're killing her." 

"Me?" Rowan asked incredulously. "This was your idea." 

"I'm trying to help you, aren't I? Plus, you aren't making this any easier." 

"Yeah, about that," I cut in, my eyes meeting Rowan's. "I don't get it. Why is it so important for you to get along with the woman you choose? Does it really matter? She won't really be your wife in the ways it counts." 

"I'll be living with the woman, in case you haven't realized, it's near impossible to live with people you hate. I have to be around you at work all the time, take that for instance." 

I shot him a fake smile. "Trust me, I know just how difficult it is to be around someone you hate. But you work most of the day, chances are the woman you marry will also either be at work or just out and around most days. Can't you just tolerate someone you don't like for a meal? You don't even have to share rooms or anything." 

"He could end up having to share Niko. I think that's already triggering him," Nate snickered, referring to the huge dog that Rowan brought with him from Russia. 

I hadn't seen him much because I haven't even been to Rowan's penthouse apartment. Ever. But I have been to Nate's and they too have a dog, Charlie. He's the most adorable golden retriever ever and Leo plays with him all day long. But a few times, Rowan had brought Niko around. He was a fluffy, big, and chubby guy. A Bernese mountain dog with long and soft fur in black, white, and brown. I'd seen all the pictures that Mr. Volkov showed me from when Niko and Charlie were just puppies and they were so fucking adorable, I wanted to take them home. 

I also knew from the few meetings I'd had that while Charlie was a ray of sunshine, just like Leo and Nate, Niko was a lot more like Rowan. He was quiet, sneaky, and scary except that last one was only when he wanted to be in Niko's case. Oh, and his eyes sparkled in a way that Rowan's did at times. 

"I won't share Niko with anybody," Rowan said sternly. 

"Nobody's asking you to. The last woman Evie met wanted a cat." 

"I hate cats." 

"We know," Nate and I replied in sync. 

"Nate, I don't know how much longer you want everybody involved to be tortured, but this little idea of yours isn't going to work out, you idiot." 

"Please, I'm a genius," Nate scoffed. 

"Only an idiot would say that," Rowan retaliated. 

Nate looked at me. 

I glanced at Rowan who was also looking at me expectantly. "Well, a genius wouldn't say that," I mumbled, staring at the ceiling. 

"Whatever," Nate huffed. "You don't have another choice." 

I groaned softly, closing my eyes again, draping an arm over them. There was a long minute of silence. 

"Unless you do," Nate said suddenly. 

I pulled my arm down and looked at him and Rowan didn't say anything for a while. I sat up, letting Leo keep his legs in my lap. "What? I will make him do anything to make sure I don't have to interview more women," I huffed. 

Rowan faced me with a challenge in his eyes. 

"What? You think just because I work for you, you're always the boss? Please," I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "What's your idea?" 

"I know someone for the job and trust me, you're not going to find anyone better than her," he told Rowan. 

"Who?" we asked in sync. 

His eyes glimmered when they met mine. "You." 

I blinked once, then twice, then a few more times. "M-me? You're talking about me? Me?" 

Nate nodded. 

"He's lost his mind," Rowan shrugged casually. 

"Are you seriously crazy?" I shot up to my bare feet. "I can't marry him." 

"I'm not marrying her," Rowan added, shaking his head. 

"Why? It's the best idea I've ever had." 

"It's the worst idea you've ever had," Rowan argued. "Evie? This Evie? My wife? You're delusional." 

"Why? What's wrong with her?" 

"Yeah, what's wrong with me?" I asked, folding my arms across my chest. 

"You're you," Rowan answered, glancing at me. "And I'm me. And we despise each other. We can't be in a room together for longer than a minute without turning everything into an argument. What the hell made you think it would convince people if Evie ends up being my fake wife?" he asked Nate the last part. 

"The fact that you have the perfect story." 

"What?" I scoffed, utterly lost. 

"You've known each other almost your whole lives. All you have to say is that over time, bickering turned into flirting, and bam! You fell in love with each other." 

"You're seriously crazy," I laughed. 

"A lunatic," Rowan agreed for once. 

"Why? It's the perfect lie. You had to keep it a secret because she works for you and you didn't want anybody questioning her work ethic and you didn't want to mix business with pleasure. But now, you've been together long enough to take the next step, and therefore, you're getting married." 

"I'll humor you. Long enough, you said? How long is long enough?" 

"Ever since you started working here. Three years ago." 

"No. No, no, no," I shook my head, forcing a chuckle, "this is ridiculous. I'm not getting wrapped up in this mess more than I already am. Plus, there's nothing I want to ask Rowan, out of all people, for." 

"What is that supposed to mean?" Rowan huffed at me. 

"Exactly what you think. You make a huge deal and humiliate me when I ask you to open a door because my hands are full. There's no way I would ask for anything from you, no matter how desperate I am. Plus, there's nothing I need right now." 

"Yeah, you do," Nate frowned in confusion. 

"Nate," I warned through gritted teeth. 

"You need money. To pay off those debts, remember?" 

I sighed in defeat. That was the last thing I wanted Rowan to know about me. It would be just another thing for him to use against me. 

Rowan stared at me then lifted a sharp brow. "You're in debt, Ms. Spencer?"

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Chapter 9

We love Nate lol

next chapter: date

I hope everyone's enjoying the story so far!