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He scowls at her. “Mother.”
“I’m leaving.” She steps toward me and touches my arm. “Welcome to the family, I hope.”
I stare at her as she leaves and play over everything I heard. “Was I a game, Magnus?”
“You were never a game.” He walks slowly halfway across the room and stops. “Not like that.”
“She said I won you something?”
I breathe out. Wait.
“My dead father decided to test us all for the family heirloom jewels.” He shrugs. “My brother had to fall in love and I had to show I had heart.”
I squeeze shut my eyes. “By getting me to love you? And you saving my business?”
“What? No. I set up a bunch of foundations and charities. I have them here.”
He goes to the desk and I follow, I don’t know why. I’m weak. I love him. He hands me another folder and I take it and flip through, pausing on the page labeled Helena Smith Foundation. Page after page of things he’s set up are there. Small and big and only one thing is named after his family name. My hands tremble as I smooth my fingers back on that page named after my grandmother.
“It’s a safe place for kids and young people, to go and read or hang out and do homework, to exchange books. Just something I figured would be helpful in different communities. Not a library, even though so many are closing down or becoming privatized, but a place where kids can feel safe and just be with an emphasis on books.” He wipes a hand over the back of his neck.
“What you heard,” he says, “was my mother pointing out the real heart I showed was you. Falling for you. She’s an annoying woman. A pain in my ass. And very astute.”
“So what am I meant to do? Just forgive you?”
“You know, I went to you earlier today with the plan to do that. I could have just sent you everything. Made it formal and soulless. But I didn’t.”
“You’re selfish.”
“Yeah.”
I nod, a spark of hope blooming inside me. “I could live with selfish.”
“Thing is, I wanted to learn about who was in my way and then I met you and you got in my heart. I did all that for you. That wasn’t selfish. That cost me a lot of money. And will. I can afford it, but I don’t waste money for anyone. Except you. Because I love you.”
Suddenly he frowns. “Wait. Did you say you loved me?”
“Did I say that?”
“Yes, you wanted to know if I’d made you fall in love with me to get what I wanted.”
I suck in a breath. “Magnus, you manipulated me. You planned to con me. You wanted to take my place from me.”
“Yes. And I fell in love with you instead.”
“Do you think I should forgive you?”
A look of pain crosses his beautiful face. “No. Not at all. But if you do, I’ll spend my life winning you over, proving my love, making myself worthy of you. I’ve never been in love before, so I’m not good at it. All I know is you’re in my mind first thing in the morning and last thing at night.” He stops. “Fuck, I sound like a terrible love song.”
“I don’t mind.”
“You don’t?”
“I love you, too. I’m not good at holding grudges, Magnus. And I think you were you once you stopped the doormat nice guy routine early on.”
He comes up to me, a half smile on his face. “Zoey. Are you saying I have a chance?”
“You shouldn’t.”
