You're The One Read online

  Hunter was a powerful man. If he had a problem, he fixed it. If he set a goal, he reached it, no matter how many people told him it was far-fetched.

  He’d been headstrong and emanating an unshakable sense of power since the day I met him. The two of us were scholarship students at the private school we attended. The other kids picked on me because of my clothes—my family didn’t have the money for fancy ones. But where I’d been short and scrawny, Hunter had been tall and muscular and not one bit afraid to use his physique to intimidate others into leaving me alone.

  I checked the immigration services requirements for green cards and visa extensions, then investigated some statutes. The knot in my stomach turned tighter as the hours went by, because these were murky waters, especially once they’d decided not to renew your existing visa.

  It was three o’clock in the morning when my phone buzzed with an incoming message.

  Hunter: Are you asleep?

  Josie: No, still researching.

  I’d made lists upon lists but had no definitive answer for him. I scrunched my nose when he called.

  “I’m not done with the research,” I said instead of greeting him.

  “Josie, go to sleep. I’ll have my team deal with this on Monday. Hell, I’ll have a new team brought in.”

  “I want to look everything up too. The immigration services are pretty exact in their terms.”

  “All right, hit me up. What did you find?”

  I was lying on the bed on my belly, dangling my feet, chewing the end of a pencil. I didn’t like talking about my work until I had researched every possible angle of the law to exhaust all available options.

  “Come on, Josie. I’m your best friend, not a judge. Just hit me up with whatever solution you have.”

  “Okay, okay.... Short of marrying an American, you’re stuck with going through complex paperwork and keeping your fingers crossed. I mean, paperwork will be involved anyway, but this is a more straightforward route.”

  He gave a strained laugh. “You’re joking.”

  “Unfortunately, not. Look, you have options of course, especially because you have a huge business, but they didn’t renew your visa... so I’m not quite sure what they’re looking for. Anyway, you need a green card. Your lawyers never mentioned that?”

  “They did, I just didn’t have time to deal with it.”

  “Okay. So, about the green card. Many people marry to obtain it. As a lawyer, I definitely don’t recommend that course of action. It’s a felony. If you’re discovered, your American counterpart can get up to a few years in prison, and you’d be deported.”

  “But as a friend, you’d recommend it?”

  I hesitated. “From my experience, it’s the easiest route. It’s not easy by any means, but easier than other options.”

  Hunter said nothing for a few seconds. He sounded dejected when he spoke next. “I haven’t found anyone to marry in thirty-two years. I don’t think I can just whip someone up on demand....”

  Interesting. I hadn’t known Hunter wanted to find anyone. He’d made it clear on more than one occasion that he didn’t intend to settle down anytime soon. I supposed when you looked the way Hunter did and had so much wealth... why settle?

  “It doesn’t have to be real, Hunter. Just an arrangement with someone you trust until you’re done with this. But, again... that’s against the law, so you’re better off exploring your other options. Do you want me to email you after I’m done with my legal suggestions?”

  “Yes, please.”

  “Okay.”

  “You’re amazing, Josie.”

  The timbre of his voice was deliciously sensual. Most times I managed to ignore that, but not now, in my sleepy haze. Heat coursed through me with an intensity that made the muscles in my belly contract. My own voice was a little uneven as I bid him goodnight.

  Some days, being Hunter Caldwell’s best friend was a dangerous endeavor.

  I finalized my research at four o’clock in the morning and sent it to Hunter. Thank God tomorrow was Saturday. As a lawyer, I often worked long hours, but I hadn’t pulled an all-nighter in a few years.

  I’d assumed I’d sleep the second my head touched the pillow, but ugly thoughts pummeled my mind.

  What if Hunter didn’t get this sorted out? I’d gotten so used to him getting his way that it had never occurred to me that he’d ever encounter an obstacle he couldn’t overcome. What if he had to relocate?

  For a few seconds, I reverted to that teenage girl who’d had no one but him, and an icy shiver slid down my spine.

  I almost reached for my phone to check if he’d replied to my email. I was ridiculous. What was I expecting? That he’d emailed me back in the last five minutes, informing me that he’d found a miraculous solution, as always?

  By the time I fell asleep, it was early morning.

  I woke up four hours later, feeling as if my head weighed a ton. I was truly too old for all-nighters. I intended to head straight into the shower, but the phone caught my attention. I had an unread message from Hunter.

  Hunter: You’re probably going to sleep in, but shoot me a text when you wake up.

  Josie: I’m up.

  He answered right away.

  Hunter: Do you have plans today?

  Josie: Just in the evening.

  Hunter: Can I drop by in an hour or so?

  Josie: Sure.

  I was certain he wanted to go through the list I’d sent him this morning. I hurried with my shower, wanting to have some time to read through it again. I was still too sleepy to form any real coherent thoughts, so after showering, I settled on my couch, sipping a large coffee. I lived in a comfortable one-bedroom apartment in Kips Bay. It was a good compromise between not having a killer commute to work and not wasting half my salary on rent. Most days, the lack of décor in my home didn’t bother me, since I wasn’t here much, but on my days off, it did become obvious how simple it all was. White walls; furniture in various shades of cream and gray. I had one single painting from IKEA, depicting a rainforest, hanging next to the TV.

  Interior design had never been my forte. Neither was fashion, but that was easier to wing. I owned suits—practically my lawyer uniform—and a few cocktail dresses. I was still a plain girl at heart.

  I’d just reread the email for the second time when the doorbell rang.

  When I opened the door, Hunter was grinning down at me, holding a take-out bag from my favorite breakfast joint. Why, oh why did that smile have to be so damn sexy and alluring?

  “I come bringing gifts.”

  I smelled grilled cheese and pancakes. My mouth watered. I narrowed my eyes.

  “Are you trying to bribe me into going to one of those fancy-pants galleries with you?

  Because I’ve got to tell you, once was enough for me.” I was grinning, but I kind of meant it. He usually started buttering me up by bringing me breakfast on the weekend.

  His smile widened. “I’m trying to bribe you to marry me.”

  Chapter Three

  Josie

  “Wait, what?” I blurted out.

  “Let’s have breakfast. I’ll explain everything.”

  I opened the door wider, letting him in. My mind was racing, and so was my pulse. He couldn’t be serious.

  Hunter went straight to my living room, kneeling at the oval coffee table. As soon as I handed him plates, he unloaded the goodies.

  “All my favorites. You’ve gone all out.”

  “You know me. I don’t do anything half-assed.”

  I sat on the floor next to him, waiting for him to talk but almost afraid to ask him anything more. Maybe it had been a spur of the moment impulse and now he’d thought better of it. I hoped. He couldn’t be serious.

  My hopes plummeted when he cleared his throat. “I went through your email. I also talked to Robert this morning.”

  Robert was a lawyer and a mutual friend. He specialized in immigration law, which made him an excellent choice.

  “
He said that the options you laid out are pretty much everything.”

  Crap. I’d hoped that in my sleepy haze I’d overlooked something major that could help Hunter out of his pinch.

  “His only other suggestion was marriage.”

  I stopped in the act of cutting my sandwich and opened my mouth to protest. Hunter placed his hand on my right thigh. The contact singed me, warmth spreading from the point of contact, electrifying me. I sucked in a breath.

  “Hear me out first, Josie. You’re the only person I trust. It’s a huge risk, and if I had a viable alternative, I wouldn’t ever ask you this.”

  “Hunter, this is madness.”

  “I would take care of you no matter what. You know that, right?”

  Crap. I knew, and therein lay the problem. Hunter had looked after me when no one else had. My family was great, and there was nothing they wouldn’t do for me, but they all lived in Montana. Leaving home at fifteen had been one of the hardest things I had to do, but I couldn’t turn down the scholarship—it had been my one shot at attending a great private school. When I’d come to New York, we’d spoken on the phone as often as we could afford, which wasn’t often at all.

  Hunter had never asked me for one thing. Not one damned thing. And now he needed my help. I couldn’t possibly say no.

  “You’re not seeing anyone, right?” he went on.

  “Not seriously. No.”

  I’d had a second date with a guy I’d met at the theater a few days ago, but that was all.

  “So, this wouldn’t inconvenience you in that regard. It’s just a piece of paper.”

  “Such a romantic proposal.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “Hunter, we’d have to keep up the sham for two or three years, minimum. It can take up to a year for the immigration services to approve your green card, and it’s usually best to stay married for two years after you receive it to avoid suspicions. I researched that yesterday. It’s good that your current visa is still valid for one year.”

  He pulled back his hand and nodded. “You’re right. Forget I asked. I’ll tell my lawyers to start the legalities for one of the other options first thing on Monday.”

  “I didn’t say no,” I said quickly. I didn’t want to leave him in the lurch. “I’d do anything for you. This is just so.... I need some time to process everything.”

  “It’s too risky. I didn’t think this through. I just jumped at the opportunity because it seems to be the one most likely to guarantee a positive outcome.”

  “How involved would this have to be?” I was thinking out loud more than directing the question at him. “We’d have to live together... pretend for everyone. My family and your mom don’t live here, so that would be easier... but Amelia and the rest of the Winchester clan? Not so easy. Unless you want to tell them the truth?”

  “I don’t like the idea of lying, but I don’t want to tell anyone the truth because that’s more of a risk overall. Plus, then I’d be asking them to lie for me too. Everyone would get in trouble if the immigration services got wind of it.”

  “No one would believe us, you know. That we’d marry.”

  “That we’re suddenly in love? Why not? Would it be so unbelievable that I’ve fallen for you after so many years of friendship? That you’re the one?”

  He shifted closer, smiling down at me. God, why did his smile have to be so dazzling?

  I cleared my throat, shifting a little, seeking a bit of distance.

  “You’re good, I’ll give you that. I suppose given our long friendship, a spur-of-the-moment marriage with me is more believable than with anyone else.”

  With a pang of disappointment, I realized this was probably why he’d asked me in the first place. Not because deep down somewhere, he was attracted to me.

  I mentally slapped myself. I didn’t want him to be attracted to me. The reason our friendship had survived all these years was because it had been strictly platonic. Hunter wasn’t the type to settle, and I wasn’t the type to be friends with benefits with anyone. I’d resisted all that sex appeal he had going on until now.

  If I lived with him for three years? I wasn’t sure I was strong enough to pretend he wasn’t drop-dead sexy. I mean... just looking at all this deliciousness that was Hunter Caldwell, I realized my chances of ignoring it were zero. And what if that torch lit up again? This would be a heartbreak for me waiting to happen.

  “Josie,” he said softly, cupping my cheek. My skin heated up. Was he touching me more than usual today, or was I just more sensitive?

  “Forget about it. You’re already stressed out. I don’t—”

  “No, no. I’ll think about it, okay? I’ll think about it and let you know.”

  “You’re sure?” The anxious look on his face slayed me. I wanted to say yes right then and there, but I didn’t.

  I just nodded.

  “If you say no, I will completely understand. Okay?”

  I nodded again.

  He drew his thumb in small circles over my cheek, resting it dangerously close to one corner of my mouth. A shiver skittered along my spine. Every nerve ending was on edge. Holy shit.

  I was more sensitive, no doubt about that. I averted my gaze quickly, afraid I’d give myself away. Besides, those blue eyes were my kryptonite.

  I only took a deep, relaxing breath after he left.

  I wandered around the apartment, unsure what to do with myself. At last, I pulled out my iPad to make one of my trusty pro/con lists. I could assess a situation better once I saw all aspects in writing.

  Half an hour later, I gave up. I still hadn’t typed one word down in any column. There was just one big pro: Hunter would get his green card. The list of cons was a mile long.

  Aside from the legal risks, I had to lie to my family. I was also essentially putting my personal life on hold for three years, and after that, I’d be Hunter Caldwell’s ex-wife. He was famous in New York. He came from old English money, but his father went bankrupt when Hunter was in high school.

  People had sneered at the name Caldwell back then. Some still did, especially because Hunter had gone into the real estate business, just like his father. I respected him, because it hadn’t been an easy path. Investors had been reluctant to back him, associating his name with his dad’s financial fiasco.

  Hunter was my best friend, but in many ways, he was still a mystery to me. He rarely spoke about his dad. When I’d met him at school, he’d been a loner, despite having his aunt and cousins nearby.

  A lot of people knew him: he was rich and had succeeded despite his dad’s legacy. He also ran charity events with his cousins. To be honest, I think many in the city knew him more because of those events than his business. They were called the Ballroom Galas, because they took place in an actual ballroom, and the dress code was very fancy. There were no two ways about it, he was famous in New York. What would it be like to be his wife?

  Usually, my go-to people when I needed advice were my family or the Winchester clan. Ryker and Cole were younger than their sisters, and I was smack dab in the middle. I was as close to Tess and Skye as I was to my sister.

  My fingers were itching to grab the phone and call my sister or one of my brothers. But Hunter was right. I couldn’t involve them or the Winchesters, though I could imagine their reactions. My family would have a lot to say on the topic.

  Amelia would probably tell us both to not even think about going through with this. Despite being in her seventies, she didn’t want to retire. She’d worked her way up from teacher to principal and still ran the school with an iron fist. Tess would hand us our asses for taking this risk. Skye would insist Hunter check out every other option.

  Ryker and Cole would laugh and give us thumbs up. Cole would probably tease Hunter relentlessly about giving up his bachelor status—even if it was temporarily. Ryker would too, but since Cole worked with Hunter, it wasn’t easy to escape his teasing. Not that Ryker was easy to escape either. His office wasn’t far away from Hunter�
��s. He was a successful Wall Street analyst.

  I blew out a breath, pouting. I couldn’t involve anyone in this.

  Clearly, this decision wouldn’t be rational, but emotional. The lawyer in me struggled with that. But it all boiled down to whether I’d leave Hunter in the lurch or not. If the one time he truly needed me, I’d turn my back on him and tell him to take his chances with the immigration services.

  By dinnertime, I still hadn’t decided anything. I felt like I needed more details, and yet I couldn’t come up with them on my own.

  What would our life together look like? How often would we have to be seen in public?

  As husband and wife, we’d be expected to show some PDA. My skin tingled at the prospect. And therein lay my problem. Could I live with Hunter for three years, pretend I was head over heels in love when we were in public, and not actually fall for him?

  At five o’clock, I still wasn’t sure about my course of action but canceled my evening plans. I wasn’t in the mood to go out.

  I wondered what Hunter was doing tonight. Was he on a date? My stomach churned unpleasantly at the thought. I circled back to my sheet of paper, crossing over the words “pros” and “cons.” The new title was Demands and Conditions.

  I had no problem coming up with a lengthy list. I was a lawyer, after all. Setting up a framework and boundaries was second nature to me.

  After I wrote down everything I could think of, I surveyed the list, biting the end of my pen. Hunter would think I was out of my mind.

  I jumped when my phone started buzzing. Hunter was calling. No time like the present to bring this to his attention, but I couldn’t work up the courage to answer. I could barely bring myself to write down some of the conditions. How was I supposed to say them out loud?

  I fretted so long that the phone stopped buzzing. But I couldn’t put this off. If I was going to go through with this, I needed all the facts. Drawing in a deep breath, I called him back. He answered right away.