Page 103 of Love so Hot

Billy listens, his eyes flicking between me and the projections on the screen, considering, calculating. I can almost hear the gears turning in Jason's head too—always one step ahead, always counting the cost and the payoff.

Billy listens quietly, which I find a little disconcerting. The man is usually the center of attention. The sort that has a voice that can be heard and felt across the room. But right now, he's silent.

I share a glance with Jay and he chimes in, the slightest hint of forced enthusiasm breaking through his usual ice. "It's a calculated move towards substantial fiscal growth."

I nod along, hoping our pitch is landing. This is it—the final piece. Sure, we could start construction without Hargraves' support, but their investment essentially guarantees that the project will be a success.

Billy leans back in the chair and I try not to show that I'm holding my breath as he speaks. "I gotta be honest, boys, I sort of thought you were here to ask for my blessing about the engagement."

"Engagement?" I sputter, my well-rehearsed pitch derailing like a train off its tracks. The documents in front of me suddenly seem irrelevant. Beside me, Jason's eyebrows shoot up, a silent question.

"Yes, the engagement to Wilhelmina. We're all thrilled," Billy beams, misinterpreting our surprise for modesty.

"Wilhelmina?" My voice cracks. I glance at Jason again, his expression now a mask of forced neutrality.

"Oh, I guess she goes by 'Willow' now. Willow Harper," Billy clarifies with a slight roll of his eyes. "Her mother had a real fit when she found out that she'd formally changed her name. I tried to tell her it wasn't a completely lost cause, and I was right! If she agreed to marry you, Sinclair, then she must have given up on all that eco-stuff."

That's when my throat goes completely dry. "Because Willow Harper is..." my words trail off, even though I'm trying to pretend that I obviously know what Billy's talking about.

"Wilhelmina Hargraves," he continues, oblivious to my inner turmoil. "My daughter."

The room spins, and it's not from the aftertaste of the morning's bitter coffee. The connection clicks, loud as a gunshot in my thoughts. Willow, the passionate environmentalist who'd raged against the corporate machine—my corporate machine—with fierce determination. And now, her father sits across from me, ready to hand over the future of my pipeline project.

"Right, Willow," I manage to say, feeling a bead of sweat trail down my spine. "We, uh, wanted your blessing."

"Marriage is a blessed union indeed," he muses, leaning back. "I'm glad to see she has found someone who shares her vision. It bodes well for the future."

"Absolutely," I affirm weakly, desperate to steer us back to safer waters. But the conversation has taken on a life of its own, and I'm caught in the current, floundering.

I clear my throat, trying to find my footing. "I'm sorry that we didn't connect over this sooner," I say. "She never mentioned anything about her family, and I didn't push it." That part was at least honest.

"Ah, she hasn't been around much," he says, a flicker of something—regret?—crossing his features. "Estranged herself from our ways. Over the environment and such."

"I'm sorry. That must have been difficult." It all starts to click in my mind now. The etiquette training, her intimate knowledge of corporate governance, the local initiatives she wanted to start. Plus Hargraves showing up at the local country club and the wine festival. I'd mistaken that as interest in the pipeline, but clearly he was just trying to reconnect with his daughter.

He nods solemnly. "She always had strong convictions. Too strong for her own good, sometimes."

"Understandable," I reply.

"Wasn't easy for us, you know. Losing a daughter." His gaze drifts past me. "Especially for her mother."

"Must've been tough," I agree, my voice softer now.

"Which is why this engagement... it gives hope." He looks at me with an intensity that pins me to my seat.

"Hope?" That word feels too big, too heavy for what's really a sham between Willow and me. But I nod, playing along, because what else can I do?

"Yes, hope," he continues. "You see, initially, I hesitated to invest. Feared it would drive her further away. But maybe she's found a way to reconcile her ideals with the world as it is. Your engagement could be a sign of that."

There's a hopeful glint in his eye, and I can't bring myself to snuff it out. Instead, I sit there, nodding, while inside, a storm of panic begins to brew.

"You know her better than I do, Mr. Hargraves," I say to him. "I'm not sure what I can really do to help smooth things over."

Billy waves a hand dismissively. "In your position you can do a lot. You just need the proper motivation."

"Motivation?" I repeat. A knot forms in my gut, thick and heavy.

"Of course, this investment..." His voice trails off, and I brace myself for the catch. "It hinges on one small condition."