Chapter Text
Kate blinks.
“You need a girlfriend?” she repeats.
“Yes.”
“That sounds like a personal problem.”
“The board is breathing down my neck right now.”
“So you need a date to take the edge off?”
“I need a serious relationship to prove to them that I am a family man. Somehow in their eyes that equates to being capable of running a company,” he leans forward, sliding the folder toward her. The words ‘The Bridgerton-Sharma Temporary Relationship Agreement’ typed plainly on the front.
“What is this?”
“A contract.”
Kate rolls her eyes and pushes the folder back toward him. “I’m not arranged-marrying you, Anthony. This is not the 1800s.”
“It’s a contract for us,” he explains, his voice low. “We both need something from this agreement.”
Kate stops, frozen for just a moment, before looking up at him.
“If you agree to this, and we get the board off my back, I can get away with a 3 percent raise in the shop’s rent. And I can lock in that rate for the next two years.”
Kate stills. Surely she misheard him.
Suddenly, she’s reaching for the document on the table, scanning over the paper in front of her, not that different from the one he handed her yesterday afternoon, as he speaks.
“My company is having its yearly fundraising gala, and a few events leading up to it. And my mother is already…disappointed that I’m not in a serious relationship. So I lied and I told her that I was.”
Kate takes a sip of her coffee.
“With you.”
And very nearly spits it out. “Excuse me?”
“I don’t know. I panicked and said the first name I could think of.”
“The first name you could think of was Kate Sharma?”
“I…yes,” he rakes a hand through his hair, a sudden exhaustion lingering behind his eyes that wasn’t there—or that Kate hadn’t noticed—before.
“Can’t you just find another girl and have her pretend to be me?”
“My mother knows you own the coffee shop. She’s been in before. She’d know if it wasn’t you.”
Kate exhales sharply and stands. “Well, I’m not just going to pretend to date you because you lied to your Mum. This is not my problem.”
Anthony urges on, he’s in too deep, and pushes the sheet of paper toward her.
“The gala is in August. Three months. I’d need you to be at a few family things, some business dinners and the gala obviously. You can spend every moment in between hating me.”
“And if I agree, the shop’s rent stays the same for the next two years after this three percent increase?”
Anthony nods.
Kate drums her fingers on the table. Two years of controlled rent would be…well, it’d be everything. Enough of a cushion to let her actually breathe. Enough to ensure she and Sophie were secure. It would be two years with one less worry. And that…that was an incredibly tempting offer.
“Why,” Kate asks.
“Why what?”
“Why are you doing this? You said that the increases were done across the board. Why am I an exception?”
“Because, despite what you think, I am rooting for you and this business to succeed. This might be the way to do that.”
Anthony doesn’t look away as he says this, and Kate knows he means it. This isn’t for show or an attempt to manipulate her into getting what he wants. He’s being genuine. Sincere.
And that makes her stomach do a traitorous little flip.
Two years of controlled rent.
A three percent increase compared to seven.
All in exchange for three months of pretending to be in a relationship with Anthony Bridgerton.
She exhales. Her resolve set.
“There would have to be rules,” she says finally. “Clear boundaries and expectations.”
“Obviously,” Anthony nods.
“And I want the rate locked in for the next five years,” she tries.
“Three,” Anthony automatically counters.
Kate tries not to smile victoriously but fails. “Three.”
Anthony digs in his bag and pulls out a pen and the same leather bound notepad he’s constantly scribbling in during their meetings. He clicks the pen once, lets it hover above the page and looks at Kate. “Please proceed with your terms and conditions.”
Kate turns to the register, where Sophie is now standing, a quick nod between them allows Kate to stay at the table. She turns back to Anthony, still looking at her, waiting for her next move.
Kate looks over the contract in front of her, her eyes landing on the line “other family obligations as necessary.’”
“I’m going to need at least 48 hours notice before a family function.”
“That’s reasonable,” Anthony starts writing.
“And a list of the dates for the commitments you already know about.”
“We could sync our calendars,” he suggests.
Kate huffs.
“What?” he asks.
“It’s just…that actually makes sense and I really hate that it does.”
Anthony looks like he’s biting back a smile as he makes another note on the copy of the contract in front of him.
“There will be no unnecessary touching.”
Anthony clears his throat, and Kate pauses to look at him. “What?”
“We’re going to have to…touch,” Anthony says, “Hand holding will probably be…required at some point. At the gala, we’ll be expected to dance. ”
Kate just stares at him.
“We are going to have to be believable. Dating couples touch.”
“Okay,” Kate finally relents. “You may put your hand on my upper back. If the need for hand holding arises…” she exhales sharply, “I will allow it. And we can dance. At the gala.”
Anthony continues jotting down the new demands. “Does the upper back rule still apply for the dance?” he asks looking up with that same teasing grin he always wears when he’s trying to vex her.
“The upper back rule applies for everything,” Kate huffs. “I’d hate to have to use my self-defense training in the middle of the dance floor.”
“I just think it might look a little strange if I’m holding you at your shoulder blades.”
“Eyes. Nose,” Kate begins to recount from her training, “Groin.”
“Okay,” Anthony raises his hands innocently. “Upper back only.”
“I’d like to think this goes without saying, but no kissing.”
Anthony’s pen stalls for just a moment. Kate notices.
“What?” she asks.
“If we’re trying to convince people that we’re in love—”
“You didn’t say you needed someone to be in love with you. You said you needed someone to fake date you.”
“The love part might have been implied.”
Kate sighs and twirls a curl around her finger as she thinks. “I will allow three kisses.” She holds up three fingers as if to clarify the point. “Absolutely no tongue. Closed mouth only. No longer than five seconds, and only if we both give consent. Use them wisely.”
Anthony nods again and continues writing on his pad. “I have a few conditions of my own,” he says without looking up.
“You have conditions?” Kate asks.
“I’d like to pay for things you’ll need. For the events.”
Kate narrows her eyes like she’s ready to protest.
“Your wardrobe, shoes, hair and make up. That kind of thing,” he clarifies. “You’re having to get these items because of me, so I will cover the costs.”
Kate drums her fingers twice on the table. “Do I have a budget?”
“No,” Anthony answers quickly.
“That is quite possibly the most intelligent thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“And,” Anthony continues, “I’ll arrange transportation to and from events. We arrive together and we leave together.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re controlling?”
“My siblings. Everyday.”
“As long as it’s not new information.”
Anthony takes a drink from his cup, and Kate isn’t sure what it is exactly, but something about his demeanor makes her think he has something else to say and is trying to determine the best course of action to say it.
“What?” she prompts him.
“It’s just,” Anthony clicks the pen. “For this to work—for this to really be believable—we’ll need to be exclusive. We wouldn’t be able to risk seeing someone else at the same time.”
That, Kate thought, would be the easiest part of this arrangement.
“I’m not seeing anyone,” Kate told him plainly. “That won’t be an issue.”
Kate notices the way Anthony’s eyes widen slightly, the raise of his brow, the small look of surprise playing on his features.
“Yes?” she asks, growing frustrated with Anthony Bridgerton’s newfound trait of not saying exactly what he’s thinking. And somehow, the way he’s tiptoeing around points he’d have no problem raising in a conference room, frustrates her anew.
“I just—I’m surprised is all.”
“At my relationship status?”
Anthony adjusts his tie, “Yes.”
“Because it’s so unbelievable that a woman might have higher aspirations than picking a spouse from a very shallow pool?”
“That isn’t what I meant—”
“Then what exactly did you mean?”
“That you are beautiful, smart and successful. And I’m surprised you don’t have men knocking down your door trying to date you.”
A small ‘o’ forms on Kate’s lips as she’s left speechless for the second time that day.
“But I would like to apologize,” he continues, “on behalf of the ‘shallow pool.’”
Kate is just opening her mouth to say something—anything that would return the tone to their normally sharp back and forth and away from whatever weird sentimental tone this conversation has taken—when Benedict plops into the empty chair next to Anthony.
“Where did you come from?” Anthony asks, looking around.
“I got here early,” he replies easily. “I just popped in to return Sophie’s charger.”
Kate looks over her shoulder at her friend, still manning the counter. “Why do you have Sophie’s charger?” she asks turning back to Ben.
“And since when do you get here early?” Anthony adds.
“Why do I have Sophie’s charger?” he repeats the question, his hand scratching the hair behind his ear. “Um, I borrowed it. Yesterday. And forgot to give it back.”
Kate was still eyeing him suspiciously when she saw his gaze drop to the contract on the table. “I thought we pushed negotiations to next week?” he asks.
“This is something different,” Anthony says quickly as he attempts to collect the papers before Benedict can see them.
“It wouldn’t have anything to do with a particular piece of gossip I heard after, what I am guessing, was five minutes post you leaving our childhood home, would it?”
Anthony presses his lips into a straight line.
“Something about you two…dating.”
Anthony exhales as he pinches the bridge of his nose. “You talked to Mother.”
“She called, I’m guessing, after she spoke with you. Wanted to know what I knew about a Kate Sharma,” he pauses, turning to Kate. “I only said nice things.”
“So it really is just a Bridgerton trait to shove your nose in other peoples’ business?” Kate asks.
“Yes,” Anthony and Benedict both answer together before Anthony turns back to Benedict.
“What did you tell her?”
Benedict swipes the contract off the table and starts looking over it. “I played along. Figured there would have to be some reason why you told her that, and I wasn’t going to be the one to blow it for you.”
Anthony and Kate eye him suspiciously.
“What?” Benedict asks. “I can be discreet!”
“You have literally never been discreet a day in your life.”
Benedict rolls his eyes before looking over the contract again, a smug I-know-something-you-don’t-know smile playing on his features. “This looks fantastic,” he said lightly. “Very foolproof. Are you ready to sign? Do you need a witness?”
Anthony’s eyes find Kate’s. His gaze questioning. Asking permission. “We don’t have to do this right now,” he said. “If you need more time to think about it—”
“Where do I sign?”
“Just a minute,” Benedict holds up a finger to pause them and turns to the counter, “Sophie!”
Sophie looks in their direction and starts walking toward the table after Benedict gestures to her.
“I am in the middle of something,” she says once she gets to the group.
“This is important,” Benedict explains. “Kate and Anthony are about to sign a fake dating contract. They need witnesses.”
“I thought you said you were discreet,” Anthony hisses through gritted teeth.
“I didn’t yell it across the cafe! I asked her to come over first!”
“Oh like you wouldn’t have told me about this immediately after,” Sophie snickers.
“You don’t keep secrets from one another?” Ben asks, “not even one?”
Kate looks at Ben, “You’re being very weird today.”
Anthony drops his head into his hands, “We’re doomed,” he mutters.
And Kate can’t help but add, “In more ways than one.”