Total pages in book: 33
Estimated words: 30316 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 152(@200wpm)___ 121(@250wpm)___ 101(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30316 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 152(@200wpm)___ 121(@250wpm)___ 101(@300wpm)
“Yeah, that’s a safe guess.”
“I’ve heard that he’s planning to make a run for governor.”
I nodded. “The party leadership think it’s the only way to replace the incumbent.”
“And the race is bound to be contentious?”
“That’s putting it mildly,” I snorted.
“Which means you’ll be in the limelight for the next six months, even more than you were when he first ran for mayor.”
She’d nailed it. “I was grieving the loss of my mom and completely unaware of what it meant to be a politician’s daughter back then. And that campaign wasn’t too bad. He was practically untouchable—the successful businessman running for office because he wanted to make a difference after what happened to my mom.” I shifted my gaze to look out the window over her shoulder. “Things are different now. I’m twenty-two and fair game for the mud that’ll be slung in his direction. My father is well aware of this and has already taken steps to keep me close, so he can be certain I won’t be in danger or cause any issues with the campaign. Sometimes, with the way he watches me, I think he’s waiting for my rebellious streak to kick in and ruin everything.”
“Which I would assume leaves you very little freedom?”
“Try none,” I sighed. “And I can’t take it anymore.”
“But a respectable marriage would bring you a certain measure of latitude, with your father, at least.”
If it was only my dad that would be appeased by my marriage, I wouldn’t have given Ashley’s suggestion as much thought as I had. But there was more to it than that. “With the press, too. The newly married daughter of a candidate won’t have as much interest to the gossip rags as a single one. They’ll be looking for a scandal around every corner. If I supply them with just enough positive stories to keep them satisfied, they’ll get bored and move on.”
“It’s a smart plan.” Julia nodded, her brown eyes twinkling. “Quite brilliant, actually.”
Maybe it wasn’t just wishful thinking on my part. “Do you really think it would work?”
“I do.”
“And you have clients who’d be agreeable to such a plan? Who’d be respectable and wealthy enough that my father wouldn’t argue too much?”
“Respectable and wealthy are two adjectives that describe most of my clients. Do you have any other requirements?”
I probably should’ve listed out physical characteristics like tall, dark, and handsome. But there was something I needed that was much more important than looks. “It has to be someone who intensely guards his privacy. The only things the press can get a hold of about us are the stories we leak to them on purpose.”
“Then you came to the right place. Luxe Connections specializes in discreet because all of our clients value their privacy.”
Chapter Two
GARRET
“I know my daughter is getting restless with the amount of security I’ve surrounded her with,” Senator Norris Michaels said with a weary sigh. “The last thing I need is for her to develop a defiant attitude and do something that permanently damages my campaign or her safety. Also, I have some very vocal enemies, and I wouldn’t put it past some of them to use her as a way to get to me.”
I was grateful that our conversation was over the phone so he couldn’t see the scowl on my face. It hadn’t escaped my notice that he’d mentioned the campaign before the well-being of his daughter. Mr. Family Values had always seemed shallow, but this confirmed my suspicions that he was also a fucking asshole. Still, the asshole paid very generously.
“You’re looking for a shadow detail,” I confirmed.
“Yes. For the remainder of the campaign. Keaton is to be completely unaware of her security.”
“It may require a…creative solution,” I warned. For a moment, I thought about cluing him in to my plan but decided against it. I didn’t want to take the chance that he would keep it from going forward. My team had done their due diligence. We probably knew more about Keaton Michaels than her father ever would.
When I found out that she had an appointment scheduled with Luxe Connections, the name had rung a bell. A couple of my friends had found their wives through the service. As I contemplated it, an idea began to take shape. I didn’t know why Keaton was looking for a husband, but the easiest way for me to keep her safe at all times was to temporarily step into that role.
I wasn’t exactly husband material, having put all of my time and energy into my company since I’d started it eight years ago. I’d had no time for women and no desire to change that fact.
Luxe Connections was a referral-based company, so I put in a call to one of those friends and asked him to get me a meeting with the owner, Julia Connor. Miles was openly curious, but he knew better than to come right out and ask why. When it came to my private life, I kept it just that. Fucking private.