The Locke Legacy

An older gentleman at the first counter stepped out from behind it. “Mr. Locke?” His British accent made him even more distinguished than his appearance. His silvery hair was impeccably groomed.

“Yes. You must be Mr. Russell.” Noah turned to Lily. “I made an appointment. I didn’t want us to have to wait.”

“Absolutely not. I understand you are a very busy man, Mr. Locke.” He then turned his attention to Lily. A warm grin crossed his face and he stood even straighter. “And this must be the future Mrs. Locke.” He reached out his hand and shook hers, regarding her as if she were made of fine china.

“Yes. That’s me. Won’t be long and I’ll be Lily Locke.” Mr. Russell let go and Lily smiled nervously at Noah. He got it. He hadn’t thought about it in terms of her married name yet either.

They followed Mr. Russell to a counter in the middle of the store. He pulled out a velvet-covered board with at least a dozen engagement rings on it. “I took the liberty of picking out a few things to start. You had said platinum, right? And something larger than a carat? But you also wanted something ready-made. Not a custom ring, correct?”

Noah nodded. He didn’t much like the idea of something right off the sales floor, but thus was their timeline. “Yes. Correct. We don’t want to wait.” He put his hand on the small of Lily’s back. “What do you think?”

Lily leaned down, perusing them, but didn’t touch a thing. When she turned back to Noah, there was a decidedly panicked edge to her expression. “These all seem really big.”

“Yes...” His mind went blank as he tried to decide what sort of pet name Lily might like. “Honey. We talked about this before. Remember? I want you to have a beautiful ring. A ring that’s just as gorgeous and amazing as you.” That was the sort of thing a romantic guy would say, wasn’t it?

“But aren’t these a little extravagant?”

He shook his head as sweetly as possible. “No. I don’t think so.”

Mr. Russell cleared his throat. “Oh, dear. A few of these aren’t quite as clean as they should be. Let me polish them up and I’ll give you two a chance to chat.” He’d obviously been doing this for a very long time. He seemed quite practiced in the art of ducking away when a couple was about to have an argument. “I’ll be right back.”

As soon as Mr. Russell was gone with the rings, Lily started in. “They’re too much, Noah. It doesn’t seem right that I would get that on top of the one percent. I want to be compensated, but I also don’t want to take advantage of you or Sawyer.”

“I hear what you’re saying. And it’s sweet, but you need to think about me and my family. People are going to expect Noah Locke’s fiancée to have a huge hulking ring. Did you see the rock that Sawyer gave Kendall?”

“It all seems very superficial. A man’s love should not be demonstrated by the size of an engagement ring.”

“And it isn’t. The size of a man’s wallet is demonstrated by the ring. The love part people will have to figure out on their own.” That last thought gave him a sour stomach. He and Lily both deserved better than to be picking out engagement rings with someone they weren’t head over heels for. “You’re going to have to trust me on this one. When we get to the wedding this weekend and you show off that ring, we want people to be blinded by it. If it’s small, it’ll just cast suspicion on the engagement and that’s one thing we can’t afford.”

Lily blew out a long breath through her nose and looked around the store, shaking her head the whole time. “You know, I’m surprised the grand Locke family doesn’t have a cache of heirloom engagement rings tucked away somewhere. Surely you guys have been handing down jewelry from generation to generation. Maybe that would be easier. Then I could give it back when we’re done.”

He didn’t like that she was making assumptions about his family or their history. There might have been many Locke fortunes made over the last century, but there had been a lot of sadness and heartache, too. They weren’t all spending their days rolling around on piles of money. “There’s no cache of rings. There is one family ring in the mix, and that’s all I know of. It was my mother’s. The sapphire engagement ring my father gave her. He gave it to me when I turned eighteen.”

“It sounds pretty.”

“It’s beautiful. A big oval surrounded by diamonds.” Noah almost choked on the words. More than twenty years later and he still missed his mom. Plus, all he could think about was what his dad had said when he’d given him the ring. If you ever manage to find the right woman, you should give this to her when you ask her to marry you. I’m just not sure you have it in you to be like me. “I didn’t really think that was appropriate for today.”

The expression on Lily’s face fell. “Oh. Of course. I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

Noah understood how bad it sounded, but Mr. Russell was only a few feet away. “Wait. I didn’t mean it that way.”

She waved him off, not looking at him. “No. It’s fine. I get it, Noah. Really.”

“Right, then,” Mr. Russell started. “Have we had a chance to have the ‘size matters’ discussion?” He winked at Lily and she laughed quietly. Thank God for Mr. Russell.

“Yes. We have.” She leaned down, her thumb resting on her lower lip. “I think I’d like to try that one.”

Mr. Russell picked up the ring and placed it gently on Lily’s left ring finger. She slid it into place and held out her hand so Noah could see. “What do you think?”

The ring was stunning. And it looked lovely on Lily’s hand.

“It’s a square solitaire, just under two and a half carats. Platinum setting, of course, and approximately another two carats of small diamonds in the band.” Mr. Russell watched Lily closely. “I’ll get you the exact carat weight if this is the one you decide to take.”

“It’s a gorgeous ring. No question about that,” Noah said. This was Lily’s decision. Not his.

“Okay, then. We’ll take this one.”

“Are you sure? You don’t want to try any others?” Mr. Russell asked. “How does the size of the band feel?”

Lily shrugged. “No. I’m good. I like this one. It seems like it fits fine.”

“Okay, then. You have to appreciate a woman who knows what she wants.” He smiled wide at Lily. “Truly. Some couples are here for hours.”

“I bet.” At least we’re efficient.

“I’ll get the paperwork together.” Mr. Russell didn’t leave, though. He seemed to be waiting, perhaps for the moment he’d undoubtedly witnessed many times with countless other couples.

Lily leaned into Noah and showed him the ring again. “I love it, darling. Truly.”

Noah then remembered the show they were supposed to be putting on. He gazed into her eyes, but it wasn’t the same as things had been when they were in the car together. Alone. This version of Lily was all business. “Good. I’m so glad.” He leaned closer and they kissed. It was sweet and soft, but only an echo of the passion they’d shared mere minutes ago.

Mr. Russell smiled, seeming satisfied. He left for a moment, and returned with a packet of paperwork certifying the diamonds, along with a blue Tiffany box for Lily to keep the ring in, and the final bill. Noah pulled out his credit card, hoping that at some point, this might all start to seem at least a little more normal. Mr. Russell presented him with the receipt, Noah signed on the dotted line.

And just like that, it was done.

They bid their farewell and walked out of the store, hand in hand. As soon as they were in the car, he had to say something. “I’m sorry about what I said about my mom’s ring. It didn’t come out in a particularly kind way.”

“No. It’s fine, Noah. I get it. Our arrangement isn’t real. We both knew that going into it.” She held out her hand and wiggled her fingers. The chunky diamond sparkled. “And now I have the ring to prove it.”

Four

It didn’t take long for the photos of the Tiffany & Co. engagement ring kiss to end up online. In fact, it took less than an hour.

Noah’s phone beeped with a text soon after they ordered their lunch at a restaurant he’d suggested. “It’s Sawyer. Kendall just sent him a link to the photo of us picking out your ring. I’m not sure whether I should be happy or not, but we are now officially tabloid fodder.”

Lily scooted closer to him in the half-round booth. It would be so easy to become accustomed to being near him, breathing in his citrusy cologne and putting her hands on him anytime. He showed her the evidence of their dubious newfound fame. There they were on a gossip website, locking lips in the most famous jewelry store in the world. It was so surreal. That was Lily Foster from an average family in Philadelphia, doing something distinctly not run-of-the-mill. “Yikes.”

“Are you not happy with this?”

“It just...” Lily’s stomach was filled with all sorts of uncomfortable feelings. She did not like the loss of control. She disliked the scrutiny of her private life. She hated feeling as though other people’s opinions of her could boil down to this. For the first time, she understood how deeply upsetting it must have been to Noah when the tabloid video was released.

“Just what?”

“It’s strange. Why would anyone care about this?” She winced at how unworldly her words might make her seem. She didn’t want to be naive, but she couldn’t escape the feeling that a person’s love life should not be entertainment for perfect strangers.

“Now you know how I felt when that video ran. At least we knew this was going to happen. That’s a big improvement over the way things happened for me.”

Lily sighed and looked at the pixelated photograph again. This was the new cost of doing business, the price she’d be paying for securing her future with her small piece of Locke and Locke. This was the new normal. “Do you think this will be the extent of being in the tabloids? We won’t have to keep doing this, will we?”

Noah took a sizable gulp of the Old-Fashioned he’d ordered to go alongside his steak sandwich and fries. “This should be enough to do the trick. We just needed Hannafort to buy the idea of us as an engaged couple before we show up at his daughter’s wedding.”

She smiled thinly and nodded. His words pointed to one truth—the notion of Lily and Noah as a couple was indeed something that needed to be sold. It needed the help of smoke and mirrors. “Okay.”

The expression on Noah’s face softened. “Are you just saying okay? I have the feeling this is really bothering you.”

She didn’t want to make a stink. She wasn’t someone to complain, but it did bother her. At least Noah was being thoughtful about it. That she appreciated. “I don’t want to sound like a hopeless romantic, but it’s a big deal to get engaged. It feels like we’re tempting fate by doing it for show.”

Worry crossed his face, a look she disliked. Noah was too perfect to stress. “Think of it this way, it’s helping you build a nest egg, right?”

“Yes. That’s important.”

“And, hopefully, there are worse people you could be fake engaged to.”

I’m not sure there’s anyone better to be fake engaged to. “Of course. Don’t be silly.”

“More than anything, do you have any idea how many people get stuck with super unflattering pictures of themselves in the tabloids? This photo of us is pretty hot. We look good together.” He smiled, seeming like he was desperate to reassure her everything would be okay. It was so endearing.

“True.” Lily gnawed on her lower lip. She had noticed that. “Can you get Kendall to email me that link? So I have it?” She might be upset by the newspaper story, but she might also have that photo blown up and framed. She could hang it on the wall in her bedroom. Oddly enough, the kiss in the jewelry store hadn’t been particularly hot. It had been sweet and nice. She hadn’t noticed when it was happening that Noah had not only rested his hand on her hip, he’d curled his fingers into her coat. Even with the graininess of the photograph, she could see him pulling on her. Like he wanted her. Like that moment in the car when his hand slipped under her skirt and he’d discovered her stockings. There was a good deal of feminine pride wrapped up in being able to surprise a man like Noah. Very few women had likely made such an impression.

Noah’s phone rang. “I’m so sorry. I should get this. It’s Charlotte.” He pressed the button on the screen and jabbed his finger into his ear. “Hey. What’s up?” He nodded and popped a French fry into his mouth. “Okay. Hold on.” He handed the phone to Lily. “She wants to talk to you.”

“About?”

“Something about shopping.”

“Hello?”

“Lily, it’s Charlotte. I’m wondering, and I’m not totally sure how to ask this, but do you have the right clothes for this trip?”

Lily had no clue what that might entail. Did she have nice clothes? Of course. She made a point of being impeccably dressed at work. Did she have fancy, expensive clothes? No. “I’m not sure. Noah hasn’t told me anything about what we’re going to be doing.”

“I’m not surprised. I’m sure it’s the last thing on his mind. Thankfully, it’s the first thing on mine. I do not want you feeling unprepared. You should feel comfortable in the Hannaforts’ world of big money and luxury. I’ll take you shopping to be safe. Plus, Noah’s paying.”

“Does he know that?”

“Not yet.”

Lily snickered. “Okay. When?”

“Now? I had a client cancel on me this afternoon and Michael is working late.”

Lily glanced over at Noah. How anyone could look so smoking hot eating a sandwich was beyond her. And the way his lips curved around the glass? She’d never wished so badly to be an ice cube, to slide down and crash into his mouth. “You sure? You don’t have to do this.”

“Are you kidding? I live for stuff like this. Meet me at the Saks in midtown in thirty minutes?”

“I’ll have to clear it with Noah first, I guess.”

“I’m clearing it. If my brother says a peep, remind him that he’s on thin ice with me right now. Plus, if you’re going to be my pretend sister-in-law, we should spend more time together, don’t you think?”

“Good idea.” It was nice to think that Charlotte could be Lily’s ally in this. She needed someone on her side who wasn’t an impossibly handsome man. Noah wielded too much power as it was. “I’ll see you in a bit.” Lily returned Noah’s phone. “Your sister’s taking me shopping for clothes for the wedding, but she wants me to meet her in a little bit. Can you and Sawyer manage if I’m out of the office this afternoon?”

“I don’t have much choice. When Charlotte decides something is going to happen, it does. Case in point, our engagement.”

“She does seem like a force of nature.”

“She’s always been like that. Even when we were kids.”

Lily had often wondered what it must’ve been like to grow up on the sprawling Locke estate out on Long Island. “What about you? What were you like?”

“Quiet. Uncoordinated.”

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not. I was always the one in the background. Sawyer was the star. He was the better athlete. He had more girlfriends. He did better in school. Charlotte was the one who was in crisis or kicking up trouble.” Noah sat back and draped his long arm across the back of the booth. Lily hadn’t moved back after scooting closer, so they were only inches apart.

Lily sat there and stared at Noah, his admission still plain on his face. “I can’t even imagine you like that. It seems impossible.”

“I assure you it’s more than possible, it happened that way.”

Lily was seeing Noah in an all-new way and she wasn’t sure what to make of it. Noah always seemed like the cocky golden boy of the Locke family, while Sawyer was the strong type A oldest sibling. Maybe she’d read it all wrong.

Noah got yet another text. “This is why I hate my phone.” He picked it up from the table, shaking his head when he read the message. “Sawyer needs me to get back to the office. You should take the car to meet Charlotte and I’ll hop in a taxi.” He flagged down the waiter and handed over his credit card to pay the check.

“You don’t have to do that. It’s only eight or nine blocks for me.”

“What kind of fiancé would I be if I let you walk in those shoes?”

Lily had strong thoughts on the answer. Peter had once left her to walk to a gas station two miles away when her car broke down. She’d called and asked for his help, but he’d been at the gym and wanted to finish his workout first. Noah probably had no idea how impossibly sweet he was being right now. “I want to walk. But I sincerely appreciate the offer.”

“Okay, but I’ll pay for a cab if you change your mind.” He signed the bill when the waiter returned it, then plucked the card from the leather folio and handed it to Lily. “Shopping is on me, too.”

“You don’t have to do that either. I have money.”

“You never would’ve been in this situation if it wasn’t for me.”

Lily couldn’t forget it. It was omnipresent in her brain. It would be interesting to see where exactly the idea resided once she was back from the Hannafort wedding and all was back to normal.

Noah walked Lily out to the car and opened the door before the driver had the chance. “Tell you what. I’ll send my driver to Saks after he drops me at the office. Then you won’t need to worry about getting back.”

Again, he was being so sweet. “That would be great. I’ll try to be quick.”

“As much as Charlotte likes shopping, she does not dawdle. I predict you’ll be done pretty fast.”

“Good to know.” Lily was about to head up Fifth Avenue when Noah grasped her elbow and pulled her closer. Her heart sprang into action, beating double time.

“I need to kiss you goodbye,” he whispered. “Or else it will seem strange.”

She nodded, her brain as fuzzy as could be. His words were saying one thing, while his lips were telling her yet another. The kiss was soft and sensuous. Much hotter than the first acquaintance kiss in the car or even the one at Tiffany. Had that really been that morning? So much had happened today and it was only two o’clock.

“Bye.” She wished the tone of her voice didn’t contain such longing.

“Bye, honey.” Noah cocked an eyebrow and climbed into the back seat of the car.

Lily stood on the sidewalk for a moment, processing. She’d kissed Noah four times today. Not bad for a day’s work.

She began her short trek up to Saks, winding her way through the continuous stream of pedestrians. The air was crisp and cool, but the promise of spring was in the air. It filled Lily with sunny optimism. Despite her strange arrangement with Noah, things weren’t bad.

She approached Saks Fifth Avenue, with its stony facade and procession of American flags flapping high above the famous windows. The displays, like the weather, were harkening the start of spring with flashes of pretty pastels and flowers. Lily marched through the door and nearly walked straight into Charlotte. “You’re here already.”

“I don’t like to be late.”

Lily pulled back the sleeve of her coat to consult her watch. She was still five minutes early. “Where to first?”

“Follow me.” Through the sprawling cosmetics department, avoiding salespeople threatening spritzes of expensive perfume, up the escalators they went.

Lily had never even been in this store before, although she had been to the outlet a block or two away. It wasn’t that Lily was averse to spending a lot of money on clothes. It was more the product of growing up in a very middle-class family. It wasn’t something that was done. And she’d always acted accordingly.

Lily followed as Charlotte got off on one floor and started tooling around like this was a time trial. Even more than five months pregnant, Charlotte was hell on wheels. “For the record, we should not be doing this on such short notice. We leave in three days.”

Lily hadn’t thought of it in those terms, but Charlotte was right. They’d be leaving for the Florida Keys Friday morning, flying on the Locke private jet, no less. Talk about being plucked from one world and landing in another.

Lily trailed along as garments flew off the racks in the department of every classic high-end designer you could imagine. Escada. Chanel. Louis Vuitton. Each item was handed to a salesclerk named Delia, whom they’d acquired along the way. Delia smiled, but she was definitely struggling to keep up. It would’ve been hard for most people to stay on pace with Charlotte, even without being loaded down with an armful of clothes. Lily herself was testimony to that fact, shuffling along as Charlotte explained her thinking behind each wardrobe choice she made. A dress for this, a skirt and blouse for that.

“Are you sure you don’t want to pick anything out?” Charlotte asked. “I don’t want to take over your fashion life.”

“I’ll let you know if I see anything I love. I trust that you know what you’re doing.”

“I’ve been to weddings like this before, and you will end up needing several outfits each day. Plus, I don’t know about you, but I feel better when I travel if I have a lot to choose from.”

Lily nodded. She’d had a modest upbringing, but her parents had loved to schlep her and her brother on weekend trips when she was growing up. “Yeah. I get that. It seems like a lot of clothes. I don’t want to go overboard when I’m not paying.”

Charlotte’s eyebrows popped up into high peaks. “For what you’re doing, you deserve to be compensated well. Noah backed us into this corner in the first place.”

“The video itself wasn’t really his fault. How could he have known that would happen?”

“He couldn’t. The tabloids aren’t known for giving their prey a heads-up. But still. He’s the one who decided he needed to date half of the women in the city.”

“I suppose he wasn’t doing himself any favors.” Lily sighed. What exactly was Noah looking for? A good time? If so, it was working. He always seemed very content—lots of women, and plenty happy about it.

Charlotte took another gander at the department she’d upended. “Anything else?”

“I trust you. Completely.” Charlotte had classic taste. Everything was fresh and modern, but not overly trendy.

Lily went into the dressing room while Charlotte waited in an adjacent lounge, chatting away on the phone while Lily tried on outfit after outfit, parading about and seeking Charlotte’s two cents.

“That is gorgeous on you,” Charlotte said when Lily stepped out in a flowing royal blue gown with skinny straps and a bit of a plunging neckline. “That’s perfect for the wedding. A definite yes.”

Lily turned in front of the large dressing mirror. “You think it works?”

“Yes. Just be careful when you’re wearing it around Noah.”

Lily felt good in this dress, but thinking about it in the context of Noah seeing her in it made her extremely nervous. “You think he won’t like it?”

“I think he’ll like it a little too much, but that’s his problem.” Charlotte shooed Lily back into the dressing room.

A half hour later, Lily had five new dresses, three pairs of pants, six or seven blouses, and a raging headache from being under fluorescent lights for too long. Delia took everything to the register. “Now what?” Lily asked.

“Shoes,” Charlotte answered flatly.

“Seriously?”

“I promise it’ll be quick.”

Sure enough, as soon as they arrived in the shoe department, an enthusiastic salesman named Roger was waiting for them. Charlotte kissed him on both cheeks and introduced Lily. Charlotte had apparently called him ahead of time, because he presented Lily with some carefully curated options. “These are for travel. Can’t go wrong with classic black pumps.”

Talk about an undersell. Lily had never imagined she’d own a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes. “Gorgeous.”

“These are some fun beachcomber sandals you can wear with a sundress or going to the beach.” He set aside the first two boxes and pulled out a third pair—sky-high, sparkly and strappy. Two-thousand-dollar Jimmy Choo heels. “Absolutely gorgeous.”

“Well? I’m thinking you can wear them for the wedding,” Charlotte said. “And before you say a thing about the price, that’s not the question. I want to know if you like them.”

“I love them. All of them. But especially the silver ones.”

“Perfect. Let’s get your size and we’ll get out of here. Roger, can you bring these to Delia?”

“Absolutely.”

Five minutes later, it was time to pay. Lily nearly fell over when she saw the total. “I still feel weird about this.” She pulled Noah’s credit card out of her purse and presented it to the clerk.

“Don’t. This is part and parcel of your job this weekend. Not that you couldn’t with your own clothes, but I think you’ll have more fun if you have some new things.”

“Okay. Thanks.” Lily might have to wait for her guilt to subside. She wasn’t an extravagant person.

They took Lily’s packages and hopped on the escalator. As they rode down, Lily couldn’t help but notice that Charlotte was studying her. “Is something wrong?” Lily asked.

“I think I should warn you ahead of time that my brother is almost guaranteed to try something this weekend.”

“Try something?”

“Make a move. When you’re alone.”

“I’ll be fine. I can handle Noah.” Or so she hoped. The one time they’d been truly alone, in the back of his car, things got very hot and she’d lost her mind in no time at all.

“I’m sure you can. And I’m not saying he won’t be a gentleman, because I know he will. But I also know that he’s the king of smooth. He’ll be all smiles and kind gestures and compliments.”

“Isn’t that what all women want?”

“Precisely why he’s so good at getting them. I don’t see any way he passes up the chance to be with you, especially when you’re staying in the same hotel room. I want you to be prepared.”

Lily imagined herself as the most willing sitting duck in history. “It’ll be fine. I’m not worried about it. We’ve been alone lots of times in the office and he’s never been anything but professional.”

Charlotte nodded, but there was skepticism behind her eyes. “I know. He’s handsome and all that. It’s fine if that’s what you want. But know that whatever happens, it won’t last. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

They stepped off the escalator and rounded to descend to the ground floor. Lily was torn. There were a million reasons why Noah making a pass would be a bad thing—the sanctity of their working relationship, closely followed by the fragility of her own heart. She only wanted to believe in happy endings, and since she’d never had her own, it made her more gushy than most when it came to romance. A guy who only skirted it? He was a terrible idea.

But there was this part of her that was so drawn to Noah and his magic—his smile, the way he made her pulse race when he walked into a room. It was impossible not to want more of that. She couldn’t help but want him, even when all logic said he wasn’t attainable. The thought of one night with him was incredibly tempting. And after their one passionate kiss? When he’d run his hand up her skirt and they’d both lost all sense of decorum? Her most base impulse was to throw caution to the wind when it came to Noah.

But ultimately, she had to preserve not just her job, but her stake in Locke and Locke. Another job she could get. But if she wanted to make the most of that 1 percent? She needed to keep a very close eye on it. Anything less would be reckless and irresponsible.