Chapter 50 FIFTY
Cole's apartment was smaller than the penthouse but still nice, with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Hudson and furniture that actually looked comfortable instead of just for show. He'd texted earlier in the week saying he wanted to have everyone over for dinner, nothing fancy, just family.
Lennox had tried to get out of it. Made up excuses about the youth center and other commitments. But Callum had looked at her with those eyes and said it would be weird if she didn't come, people would talk, and she'd caved because she was apparently weak when it came to him lately.
So here she was, sitting at Cole's dining table with Patricia on her left talking about some charity auction and Callum across from her discussing quarterly projections with Cole. She picked at really good pasta and tried not to look at Callum too much.
It was harder than it should've been.
He was right there, sleeves rolled up because Cole's apartment ran warm, hands moving when he talked about the merger they were working on. She kept noticing stupid things like how his voice changed when he talked business, lower and more controlled, or how he'd glance at her sometimes mid-sentence like he was making sure she was still there.
She forced herself to focus on her food. Act normal. Whatever normal even meant anymore.
"Lennox, darling," Patricia said, touching her arm. "I've been meaning to ask about the literacy gala next month. You'll be joining us, won't you?"
"Of course. Callum mentioned it."
"Wonderful. We're hoping to raise quite a bit this year." Patricia smiled, warm and genuine in a way that made Lennox feel guilty about lying to her. "And how's your volunteer work going? Callum says the children adore you."
"They're great kids. We just got new laptops donated so they're excited to start more advanced projects."
"That's lovely. You know, we should connect you with our education foundation. I'm sure they'd love to support your program."
Lennox smiled and nodded and made appropriate responses while her brain screamed about how wrong all of this was. Patricia being nice to her. Cole making jokes across the table. Callum's foot accidentally bumping hers under the table and both of them pretending it didn't happen.
She was lying to all of them. Investigating their company while sitting at their family dinner like she belonged here.
The conversation flowed around her. Business talk mixed with family updates mixed with Patricia asking about their home and if they needed anything. Normal family dinner stuff except nothing about this was normal.
Lennox caught Cole watching them at some point. Not obviously, just these quick assessing looks when he thought nobody noticed. His eyes would go from Callum to her and back again like he was trying to figure something out.
After dessert, some fancy tiramisu that Cole definitely ordered and didn't make himself despite his claims, Patricia started gathering her things. "I should get going. Early meeting tomorrow with the foundation board."
They said their goodbyes. Patricia hugged Lennox tight and told her they should have lunch soon, just the two of them. More guilt.
After she left, Lennox helped clear plates even though Cole told her not to. In the kitchen she and Callum moved around each other without talking, some kind of rhythm they'd fallen into without meaning to. He rinsed, she loaded the dishwasher, they didn't bump into each other or get in each other's way.
She reached for a plate at the same time he did. Their hands touched. Held for just a second longer than necessary before they both pulled back.
When they came back to the living room Cole was checking his phone but put it away. "Hey Callum, can I talk to you for a second? About that Tokyo deal?"
"Sure." Callum glanced at Lennox. "You okay here?"
"I'm fine. Go ahead."
They walked toward what looked like Cole's office. The door didn't close all the way and Lennox could hear them talking even though she probably shouldn't be listening. She sat on the couch, pulled out her phone, tried to give them privacy.
"I thought you said it was fake?" Cole's voice carried more than he probably meant it to.
"What?" Callum sounded genuinely confused.
"The marriage. You told me it was just a contract."
Ohh so Cole knows, Lennox thought. She remembered Callum telling her he’d eventually tell his brother but she didn’t know he already had.
Silence for a second. Then Callum said, "It is a contract. You know that."
"Then why do you look at her like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like she's the only person in the room. Like you're tracking her every move without even realizing it. I've been watching you all night, you're aware of her every second."
"You're seeing things that aren't there."
"Am I? Because I've known you my entire life and I've never seen you like this with anyone. Not even..." Cole stopped himself. "The way you two orbit each other, it's like watching magnets trying not to touch. The tension is suffocating."
"There's no tension. We're just getting used to living together, that's all."
Cole laughed but it wasn't a happy sound. "Right. Keep telling yourself that. You both look miserable when you're not looking at each other and terrified when you are."
More silence. Lennox held her breath, phone forgotten in her hands.
"Be careful," Cole said, quieter now. "Whatever this is, it's not nothing. And I don't know how this ends but someone's going to get hurt."
"There's nothing to be careful about." Callum's voice was flat. Defensive. "It's just a contract. We both know what this is and what it isn't."
"Do you? Because from where I'm standing you have absolutely no idea what this is anymore."
"You're wrong."
"I really hope I am." Cole sighed. "I just don't want to see you get hurt again. Or her. She seems like a good person."
"She is." Callum said it quickly, firmly. "She's... she's good."
Footsteps. They were coming back.
Lennox grabbed a magazine from the coffee table, pretended to read an article about something she wasn't processing at all.
Callum and Cole came out. Cole looked worried. Callum looked annoyed and defensive, jaw tight in that way he got when he was trying to hide what he was actually feeling.
"We should probably head out," Callum said. "Early meetings tomorrow."
"Yeah, of course." Cole walked them to the door. "Thanks for coming. We should do this more often."
"Definitely," Lennox said, meaning it even though she shouldn't.
In the car neither of them spoke. Just sat there while Marcus drove and the city passed by outside and everything Cole said hung in the air between them.
They got home. Rode the elevator in silence. Walked to their separate rooms without saying goodnight.
Lennox closed her door and leaned against it.
Cole had seen right through them in one dinner. Had watched them for a few hours and known immediately that whatever they were doing wasn't fake anymore, wasn't what they kept telling themselves it was.
And he was right. When this ended, and it had to end eventually, someone was going to get hurt.
Probably both of them. But even knowing this Lennox knew she couldn’t bring herself to stay away from Callum.
She was so fucked.