Just Business

Just Business Pt. 2

"Where have you been?" your sister, Eloise asks you when you peek outside your bedroom door.

You had just got home and sort of snuck Cavan in to continue discussing tomorrow...well at this point today's plans.

You stick your head out just a bit more to make sure no one else was in the hall before yanking your little sister into your room. Cavan smiles at her flatly as he waves hello. "Did you sneak out again?" she huffs, hands on her hips.

"Yes, but that's not the issue here." you sigh.

Eloise plops herself on your bed, her arms impatiently crossed. You look over to Cavan who just shrugs his shoulder before he moves over to the divan and takes a seat. You take a deep breath and start filling your sister in on what had happened and the 'plan'. She's genuinely surprised and almost as upset over this as you were. "So you're going to try, and emphasis on 'try', to convince our father that you've been engaged and are madly in love with him?" she points to Cavan with a raised brow.

It's a fair question, you think. You haven't fully worked out this plan but you know that you need an extra hand at making this fake engagement seem viable. "Listen Elli, I can't keep wasting my life here doing whatever father expects me to do. Part of this is on me for not coming up with a plan to get out from under him sooner but if I just have one year maybe even less I can finally live my own life!"

"That's not what I'm getting at. You're going to have to lay it on thick and in front of a lot of people possibly to convince everyone, even father that you're in love. He might not buy it at first or ever. In fact..." she pauses and her eyes widen.

"Elli?" you tap her shoulder and she gives you a worried look.

"I think he's already one step ahead of us without knowing the plan." she gasps.

"What do you mean?" Cavan asks.

"He sent out an invitation to an old friend of his, Lord Westle. He seemed adamant about him bringing his son along." Eloise replies.

You think back onto the file your father had presented you that you never looked at. Knowing him he had profiles on every suitor in it with mostly good things about each man. And those 'good things' would mostly pertain to running a business and nothing of being a good husband or friend. "When did he send the letter?" you inquire, wondering how much time you have to conspire.

"Two weeks ago and there's already been a reply..." your sister answers, her eyes glued to the floor.

"I take it that they're en route then?" Cavan asks, his expression neutral.

She nods her head. That's not a lot of time then, you have maybe nine or seven days to get things worked out and not mention you still have to sell this fake engagement to your father. "So how are we going to do this?" your hands are on your hips, determined to get through this.

Both Cavan and Elli silently simmer in their thoughts, both looking like they're on the edge of finding an answer. You start to consider how you'll have to act around everyone with Cavan, how you would have to act completely enthralled, let him hold you, touch you, kiss you- You quickly give yourself a mental slap to the face hoping it will shake you back to planning. "Come back home with me." Cavan says, calmly but visibly nervous.

You and Elli look at him wide eyed and momentarily unresponsive. Your sister opens her mouth and stops herself when she looks at you as if she knew where Cavan was going with this. "If you do and you're not here when Ophelia comes to wake you up... And you show up with him later on and oh!"

She snaps up and starts waving her hands excitedly. "You'll come in and demand a family conference and that's when you'll announce your engagement!"