Contract Marriage: I Will Never Love You-Chapter 118: Don’t Tell

Rebecca

"Josh has been acting weird lately," Sarah says.

I freeze in my tracks. "What do you mean?" I ask.

"I asked him how things were going and if he could come over to catch up, but he says he is out of town," Sarah says.

"So what? What’s so weird about that? Josh always goes out of town," I say.

Sarah narrows her eyes at me. "The weird part is that he’s being vague about where he is. And when I texted him a photo of that new coffee shop he’s been wanting to try, he responded at 3 AM. It was like noon here."

I busy myself arranging the throw pillows on Sarah’s couch, avoiding her gaze. "Maybe he’s on the East Coast for work? You know how busy he gets with those architectural projects."

"Rebecca." Sarah’s voice has that tone—the one that says she knows I’m hiding something. "You’re a terrible liar. Your left eye twitches."

My hand flies to my eye instinctively. "It does not!"

"See? You’re doing it now." She crosses her arms, leaning against the kitchen counter. "Spill it. What do you know?"

I weigh my options. Josh would kill me if I told Sarah he followed her sister-in-law across the country on some romantic whim. But Sarah’s been my friend since college, and keeping secrets from her feels wrong.

"I promised I wouldn’t say anything," I hedge.

Sarah’s eyes widen. "Oh my god. He’s in trouble, isn’t he? Is he in rehab? Prison? Did he join a cult?"

I can’t help but laugh. "No! Nothing like that. He’s just... somewhere."

"Rebecca," Sarah says, her voice deadly serious now.

"Fine!" I throw my hands up in surrender. "He’s in New York!"

Sarah’s brow furrows. "New York? What’s in New York?"

I bite my lip, mentally apologizing to Josh. "Hailey is in New York."

Sarah stares at me for a long moment, then her jaw drops. "No. No way." She starts pacing the kitchen. "Josh followed my sister-in-law to New York? Are you kidding me?"

"It’s not as creepy as it sounds," I say quickly. "He helped her make her flight when she was stuck in traffic. They had a moment or something. He was all weird and swoony about it."

"Swoony?" Sarah repeats incredulously. "Josh Daniels doesn’t do swoony."

"Apparently he does now." I sink onto a barstool. "He flew there on impulse. Didn’t even book a hotel first."

Sarah’s expression shifts from shock to something more calculating. "That’s... actually kind of romantic."

"Right?" I say, relieved she’s not freaking out. "In a slightly unhinged way."

Sarah pulls out her phone. "I’m calling him."

"No!" I lunge for her phone. "He’ll know I told you!"

"Too bad." She deftly sidesteps me. "Josh and Hailey? This is too good. Matthew is going to lose his mind."

My eyes widen in horror. "You can’t tell Matthew!"

Sarah pauses, finger hovering over the call button. "Why not?"

"Because he hates him! And Josh is... well, he’s actually working with Hailey now. Modeling."

"Modeling?" Sarah’s voice rises an octave. "Josh is a model?"

"It’s complicated," I say weakly. "But Matthew would definitely freak out if he knew his sister was working with—possibly dating—his old nemesis."

Sarah considers this, then slowly puts her phone down. "You’re right. Matthew still gets twitchy whenever Josh’s name comes up." A mischievous smile spreads across her face. "But I’m definitely calling Hailey."

"Sarah, no—"

But she’s already dialing, putting the phone on speaker and placing it on the counter between us. It rings once, twice, three times.

"Hello?" Hailey’s voice sounds distracted.

"Hey, sis!" Sarah chirps. "Just checking in on the big fashion shoot! How’s New York treating you?"

There’s a pause, then the sound of a door closing. "It’s good! Really good. The creative director likes my work, and the shoot is going well."

"That’s fantastic!" Sarah’s voice is honey-sweet. "Meeting lots of interesting people?"

Another pause. "Um, yeah. The models are all professionals. Very talented."

Sarah’s eyes meet mine, twinkling with mischief. "All the models? Anyone stand out?"

Hailey’s voice catches slightly. "What? No, they’re all... equally talented."

"Mmm-hmm." Sarah’s tone drips with skepticism. "So you haven’t run into anyone... unexpected? Someone from Portland, maybe?"

The line goes silent for so long I wonder if the call dropped. Then Hailey whispers, "He told you?"

"Not exactly," Sarah says, shooting me a triumphant look. "Let’s just say a little bird mentioned Josh flew east for some spontaneous modeling."

"Rebecca," Hailey groans. "Of course."

I wince, mouthing ’sorry’ to the phone.

"So," Sarah continues, leaning closer to the speaker. "Spill. Everything. Now."

"There’s nothing to spill," Hailey insists, but her voice lacks conviction. "He showed up, helped me out of a jam, and somehow ended up in front of the camera. It’s purely professional."

"Professional?" Sarah repeats incredulously. "Josh followed you across the country on a whim, and you expect me to believe this is just a work thing?"

"It’s complicated," Hailey mutters.

"Complicated is my middle name," Sarah replies cheerfully. "Are you sleeping with him?"

"Sarah!" Hailey and I exclaim simultaneously.

"What? It’s a valid question. Josh doesn’t exactly have a history of platonic relationships."

"We’re not sleeping together," Hailey says firmly. "We’re just... I don’t know what we are."

Sarah’s expression softens. "Do you like him?"

The silence that follows is answer enough.

"Oh, honey," Sarah says. "This is either going to be the best thing ever or a complete disaster."

"I know," Hailey sighs. "And someone tried to hurt him today."

Sarah straightens. "What? What do you mean ’hurt him’?"

"A lighting rig fell. It nearly crushed him. The studio thinks it was sabotage."

My hand flies to my mouth. "Oh my god. Is he okay?"

"He’s fine. Just bruised." Hailey’s voice drops lower. "But I’m worried. What if someone tries again? The creative director thinks someone’s jealous of him."

Sarah’s playful demeanor vanishes. "You need to come home. Both of you."

"We can’t," Hailey says. "The shoot’s not finished, and I’m not walking away from this opportunity. Josh refuses to leave too."

"Stubborn idiot," Sarah mutters.

"Pretty much," Hailey agrees, but there’s fondness in her voice.

"Listen to me," Sarah says firmly. "Be careful. Stay together. And Hailey? If anything feels off—anything at all—you call the police. Promise me."

"I promise," Hailey says, her voice quiet but resolute. "We’re being careful."

Sarah sighs, drumming her fingers against the counter. "I should tell Matthew."

"No!" Hailey’s response is immediate. "Please, Sarah. He’ll overreact and make everything worse."

"He’s your brother. He deserves to know you might be in danger."

"I’m not in danger," Hailey insists. "Josh was the target, not me. And we have security now. Marcus—the creative director—doubled it after the accident."

Sarah leans closer to the phone. "Just promise you’ll check in daily, okay? Morning and night."

"Fine," Hailey agrees. "But Sarah, please keep Matthew out of this. Just until the shoot wraps. Three more days, that’s all I’m asking."

Sarah hesitates, then relents. "Three days. But if anything else happens—anything—I’m putting Matthew on the next flight to JFK."

"Deal," Hailey says. "I should go. We have a... thing tonight."

"A thing?" Sarah’s eyebrows shoot up. "Like a date thing?"

"Goodbye, Sarah," Hailey says firmly, though I catch the smile in her voice before the line goes dead.

Sarah stares at the phone, her expression torn between amusement and concern. "My sister-in-law and Josh Daniels," she muses. "I did not see that coming."

"I think it’s sweet," I say. "In a ’might-get-murdered-by-a-jealous-model’ kind of way."

Sarah snorts. "Matthew’s going to have a coronary."

I sink deeper into the barstool. "Yeah, well...I think Josh is actually very into her so Matthew will have to get over it."

"And their babies will be gorgeous," Sara says, nodding in agreement.

I nod, worrying my bottom lip between my teeth. "I hope they’ll be okay. Josh may act tough, but he’s not exactly equipped to handle someone trying to kill him."

"Josh is smarter than he lets on," Sarah says, her voice softening with fondness. "And Hailey’s no pushover either. They’ll watch out for each other."

I’m about to respond when Sarah’s phone buzzes with a text. She glances down and her eyes widen slightly.

"It’s Matthew," she says, her voice suddenly tight. "He wants to know if I’ve heard from Hailey lately. Says she’s been weirdly distant."

"What are you going to tell him?"

Sarah types quickly, then sets her phone aside. "That she’s busy with her big break and probably exhausted. Which is true."

"And the Josh part?"

"Not my secret to tell," she says firmly.

I see the realization dawn on Sarah’s face as she stares at her phone. "Matthew’s not an idiot," she murmurs. "He’s going to figure it out eventually."

"Yeah, but hopefully by then they’ll be back in Portland and Josh will have time to prepare his funeral arrangements," I joke, though my stomach knots with genuine concern.

Sarah laughs, but it’s strained. "You know, I always thought Josh and Hailey might hit it off. They’re both so stubborn and passionate. I just never imagined it happening like this."

"Josh impulsively following her across the country and nearly getting murdered by a falling light fixture wasn’t on your matchmaking bingo card?"

"Shockingly, no." Sarah picks up her phone again, scrolling absently. "God, I wish I could be a fly on the wall for their date tonight."

I grin, feeling a flutter of excitement despite my worry. "Twenty bucks says he takes her somewhere ridiculously romantic and she pretends not to be impressed."

"Fifty says she kisses him first," Sarah counters. Her phone buzzes with a text. I glance down to see Josh’s name on the screen.

"Speak of the devil," she murmurs, opening the message.