The Allure of You | H + R Chapter 3

A Polished Maybe

“Some people mistake proximity for intimacy. Some people never learn the difference.”

“Alicia!”

She jumped as her father’s voice boomed through their home, making her jump as she stood in the mirror, fluffing her hair. Every detail was intentional, from the soft waves cascading down her back to the subtle glow of her makeup, brushed on like second skin. Her lips, painted a muted rose, curved slightly as she gave her reflection a once-over, pleased but never surprised. She knew what she looked like and the effect she had on men when she entered a room, which is why she couldn’t figure out why the one man she needed to hypnotize seemed to be immune to her charms.

It was noon, an hour away from when she was supposed to meet Remington, and hopefully start planning the rest of their lives. A life that spanned beyond the five years they agreed to. Despite what her father thought, Alicia was far from an idiot. She knew Remington was a catch, and it was just a bonus that he had all the attributes she wanted in a man. He was handsome, wealthy, and had an aura that made her panties wet every time she saw him.

But there was also a callousness to him that she wasn’t sure she could stomach, mainly when she lived with a version of Satan on Earth.

“Coming!” she called, taking a final look at her ensemble before snatching her phone and purse from her dresser and exiting her bedroom. Putting on a brave face, she took a deep breath before descending the stairs and strolling into the kitchen with her back straight, determined not to allow her father to intimidate her. “Hey, Daddy,” she greeted him, stopping at the edge of the island.

“What are your plans for the day?” he demanded without bothering to look up from the paperwork scattered in front of him. “I hope it’s something other than to sit around my house running up my bills or spending my money.”

Ignoring his jab, she forced a smile. “I’m on my way to a lunch date with Remington.”

As expected, that caught her father’s attention. He lifted his eyes to meet hers, and as usual, there was no love or warmth there. Just cold indifference. “Oh? I wasn’t aware he was back in town.”

“Nor was I until he called last night to ask me out.”

“Good. Now, all that’s left for you to do is to make it through lunch without saying or doing something stupid. Your brainlessness is likely the reason why he’s so uninterested in you in the first place.”

His words were like a dagger to her heart, but Alicia had learned years before not to let him see it. If her father sensed any sign of weakness, he’d use it against her in a heartbeat.

Clearing her throat, she changed the subject instead of giving his insult any energy. “Hopefully, we’ll have all the details of our engagement party sorted out. I’ll have an update when I get back.”

“Make sure you do, Alicia. A lot is riding on this deal with Remington. I’d hate to think about who you’d end up with if it fell through.”

Nodding, she exited the room feeling sick to her stomach. No matter how many times she heard the threat, it unsettled her to her core that her father was eager and willing to use her as a bargaining chip. For as long as she could remember, their home had never been a safe or loving space for her. Her father hated her, and he made that clear every chance he got. In his eyes, all she had going for her was her looks, as wealthy men were typically willing to do anything for a beautiful woman who knew how to bat her eyelashes properly.

But Alicia was so much more than that. And she hated that no one ever looked deep enough to see it.

Exiting the house, she quickly trotted to her car and climbed inside, eager for the opportunity to spend time with Remington. As desperate as she may have appeared, one step forward with him meant leaving the hell that had been her life behind.

She arrived at Willow & Thyme and checked herself in the mirror a final time before exiting her vehicle and strutting inside. She spied Remington almost immediately. He sat alone at a corner table, the afternoon light slanting through the window and casting warm gold across the sharp lines of his charcoal blazer. Crisp, tailored to his frame, the suit spoke of quiet wealth—nothing ostentatious, just well-cut and impeccably worn. A silver watch peeked from beneath his cuff each time he lifted his glass, and his shirt, bone white and buttoned just enough to hint at confidence, contrasted cleanly against his skin.

“Hi,” she murmured while approaching the table, suddenly self-conscious.

He stood slowly and stepped around the table to pull out her chair. “What’s up? How are you?”

“I’m good. What about you?” She replied once seated.

Remington shrugged, as elusive with his feelings as ever, as he picked up a menu. “Ain’t nothing going on. Same old, same old.”

“I was surprised to hear from you,” Alicia jumped straight into the conversation. “After you left town with no warning, I wasn’t sure what to expect.”

“I needed a minute to clear my head and try to get some clarity about things,” he revealed, waving over a server. “You have an idea of what you want to drink?”

Having been to Willow and Thyme more times than she could count, Alicia was already primed and ready to place her drink and food order. Once that was settled, their conversation resumed immediately.

“What was it that you needed clarity about?” she asked, folding her hands on the table.

“Everything,” Remington shrugged. “I went from employee to being co-CEO of a crumbling firm overnight, and in a situation where that should be my primary focus, I was also thrown into an impromptu engagement.”

Alicia raised an eyebrow. Hearing that Remington’s primary focus was business cut like a knife, but as she’d perfected the art of keeping her true feelings and emotions locked away, she didn’t show it. “Were you thrown into an engagement, or did you agree to it? Because last I checked, no one forged your name on the paperwork.”

“I’m not saying they did,” he countered. “But at the same time, we just came to this agreement a few months ago, and it’s feeling like everyone expects me to walk down the aisle next week, and I’m not feeling that. I may have signed my life away, but that doesn’t mean I'm allowing myself to be forced to do it on someone else’s terms.”

“So why agree if you were only going to be resistant to it?”

“Why are you so eager about it?” he shot back. “We don’t know each other, Alicia. You don’t know me. You’ve never seen me broke, mad, or grieving. Before now, we’ve never had a conversation that wasn’t wedding-related, and it seems like you’re ready and willing to tie yourself to me despite that. Why?”

Because anything was better than what she was currently experiencing.

“Does it matter?” she answered. “We’re already in it.”

“If we’re going to find a way to be cordial with each other, then yes, it matters. Being miserable ain’t on my agenda.”

“Cordial,” she repeated, licking her lips.

“Why do I get the feeling that offended you?”

“Cordial isn’t exactly the first word that comes to mind when I think about my husband.”

He looked at her strangely as their server dropped off their drinks before responding, “It’s probably entirely too late to be asking this question, but what do you want out of life, Alicia? What does the future look like for you?”

She took a sip of her sparkling water before answering.

“I want stability. Legacy. A life with meaning. Which I think we can make happen. We make sense, Remington. On paper and off. Our names have weight. Why fight the current when it can carry us somewhere good?”

He opened his mouth to respond, but his eyes shifted to the entrance.

Alicia turned slightly, curious, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. More patrons, more chatter.

But Remi had stilled. His posture, always effortlessly controlled, now held a slight tension. His gaze lingered.

Alicia turned her attention back to him. “What’s wrong?”

He didn’t answer at first. He just blinked once, then shook his head slightly.

“Nothing.”

It was a lie so thin it barely held its weight. But Alicia didn’t address it. Instead, she watched him for another second before letting it go.

“Anyway, I just think you’re looking at things with us through a negative lens instead of acknowledging how great it could be.”

“I guess we’ll see, Alicia.”

Alicia smiled, but inside, something small and uneasy shifted. She’d come to lunch with the hope that they could smooth things over, but it felt like their conversation only made things worse, and she didn’t know how to fix it.