Fitz escorted Olivia down a sterile corridor with sequentially marked doors on both sides. He stopped at a door simply marked with a gold number twenty-three. He pressed the buzzer and looked at the camera in the corner above the door. "Fitzgerald Grant and Olivia Ballard. We have a two o'clock appointment."

There was a loud click as the door's electronic locks released. Fitz pushed open the door and led Olivia into a small sally port. A serious looking, armed security guard stood and greeted the couple. "Hello. Mr. Friedman will be right with you. May I please see some identification?"

Fitz, accustomed to the security routine, already had his wallet in his hand and quickly handed the guard his driver's license. Olivia was still searching her purse for her wallet when a small, tanned, fit-looking man in his seventies wearing a polo shirt and khakis opened the door on the opposite side of the sally port. "Tom, why are you harassing our guests? I've known Fitzgerald since he was an infant. I personally smelted the silver for the spoon that was placed in his mouth shortly after he was born." Olivia couldn't stifle her laughter in response to the older man's mocking of Fitz's privileged upbringing. Turning to her, he added, "And any beautiful guest of his is a guest of ours."

Olivia extended her hand. "Funny and charming. Olivia Ballard. I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Samuel Friedman. The pleasure is all mine," he said, enthusiastically shaking her hand. Samuel looked at Fitz curiously. When he shook the woman's hand, the jeweler in him couldn't help but notice how petite her fingers were. He didn't know who the woman standing before him was, but she was definitely not Fitz's fiancée. There was no way the engagement ring he designed only months earlier for Fitz fit on her delicate fingers. "Please, follow me," Samuel instructed, leading Fitz and Olivia in a small sitting room. Olivia marveled at how different the interior of the office was from the exterior. The exterior was a cold and sterile gray, but the sitting room was warm and polished, decorated in creams with rich browns and subtle gold accents.

"Have a seat," he said, gesturing to a baron empire sofa while he settled into one of the matching armchairs. "What can I do for the two of you?"

"Olivia and I are spending the weekend in the Hamptons with Stephen Merkle and his wife."

Samuel furrowed his brow in confusion. He had been the private jeweler for the Grant family for five decades and had designed multiple pieces for Fitz's mothers for the black-tie gala that was the highlight of the weekend with the Merkles. Although he wasn't in the business, he knew, from numerous conversations with Anne, the guest list was restricted to the most influential leaders in the design and construction industry and their spouses. He was surprised to learn Fitz was selected to represent Grant Industries, but was stunned to learn the young woman seated with him would be accompanying him. Who was this woman? "Ah, yes, the infamous black-tie gala. Are you looking to accessorize your gown? Do you have a design in mind, want to browse some of my assembled pieces or do you want me to customize a piece for you?"

Olivia looked to Fitz, uncertain how to respond. She'd never worked with a private jeweler and had no idea what Fitz had in mind. "Actually, I think we will need some of all three. I lost a bet earlier today and, as such, owe this beauty all new jewelry for this trip."

"That must have been some bet. I can only imagine what you would have won," he said, smiling knowingly at Olivia. "Do you have a wish list?"

Olivia said, "No," as Fitz said, "Yes."

"I do?" Olivia asked.

"Yes. You need a watch or two, a string of pearls and matching earrings, diamond studs and something dangly, a couple of necklaces, and a bracelet or two. In terms of jewels, you can never go wrong with diamonds, but, knowing Stacey as I do, I'm sure blue is well represented in your wardrobe. It would be good to sprinkle in some sapphires in as well."

Samuel carefully watched the dynamic between Fitz and Olivia. They didn't appear to be on the same page about their visit, with Fitz obviously leading the way, but at the same time they were completely comfortable with each other. Judging by how freely he was doting on her, this mystery woman had completely charmed the youngest Grant. "Anything else?" Samuel asked.

Olivia said, "No," as Fitz said, "Yes." Samuel chuckled as the two were once again on different pages. "Add anything that holds her attention for longer than five seconds," Fitz instructed.

"Fitz," she hissed.

"Ignore her, Samuel. She can be stubborn at times."

"Very well, let's get started. When do you leave for the Merkles'?"

Fitz looked at Samuel sheepishly. "We leave tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow morning? Fitzgerald," he scolded, "I'm not a young man. It's been decades since I've pulled an all-nighter. To get everything on your list, I'm going to have to call in my nephew and work with some of the dealers and jewelers in the building."

"I'm very sorry for the short notice and it goes without saying that whatever you need is fine. This whole trip came together rather last minute and Olivia and I have been scrambling to complete all of the to-do items before we leave."

"Please wait here while I call in reinforcements. I'll be right back."

When they were all alone, Olivia turned to Fitz and hissed, "You promised you'd be reasonable."

"I am being reasonable. You need everything on my list," he said, flashing her a wicked grin.

"I don't. I already have some of the things on your list. I keep telling you I'm not really Vivienne. I'm not starting from nothing. I have the basics."

"Maybe, but just like we upgraded your wardrobe, we need to upgrade your jewelry. The pieces won't be ready until the morning, so John won't see them until you get back. You're doing me this huge favor. Please let me spoil you. You're worth it."

Before she could respond, Samuel reentered the room. "Well, my dear, shall we begin? We have a lot of work to do. Please follow me to the showroom."

"I'm ready if you are," Olivia said, rising from the sofa. "I'm a fairly easy woman to please. I promise not to have you here all night."

Samuel laughed warmly. "Are you joining us Fitzgerald?"

"Yes," he replied, rising from the sofa. As he was moving to join the pair, he felt his phone vibrating in his left breast pocket. He left specific instructions at the office that he was not to be interrupted unless there was an emergency. He removed the phone from pocket and smiled at Olivia's lovely face as it flashed on his screen. It was Charlotte calling from Olivia's desk. "It's the office," he explained. "I'm sorry, but I need to take this. You two go ahead and get started. I'll join you when I can."

Olivia looked at him with concern. "Is everything OK? Do you need me to stay?"

"No, you go with Samuel. I'm sure Charlotte and I can handle whatever this is quickly. I'll come get you if I need you."

Olivia stepped forward and kissed Fitz softly on his cheek. "Take as long as you need. Samuel and I will be fine alone." With that, she breezed out of the room following Samuel, leaving only the slight hint of her fragrant perfume in her wake.

Fitz swiped to answer his phone. "What?" he barked in greeting to Charlotte.

Twenty minutes later, Fitz entered the showroom and found Samuel and Olivia looking at diamond cuff bracelets. He approached Olivia quietly, startling her when he wrapped his arms around her tiny waist. "Those are almost as beautiful as you are," he said, kissing her temple. Fitz was surprised, but pleased when Olivia relaxed in his arms, her soft body melding into his hard frame, allowing him to support her weight. He worried their moment in the car would create a lingering tension between the two of them, but that didn't appear to be the case.

Olivia hummed contently at the feel of his muscular arms pulling her close, her head resting on the chiseled plane of his chest. "You have to leave, don't you?"

"How did you know?"

"A phone call from the office on your day off is never a good thing. Whose project is in trouble?"

"Neil's. Michael Goodman is demanding a meeting."

Olivia groaned. Michael Goodman was one of the more difficult developers they worked with, requiring lots of face time with the company's executives. Now that Fitz's father had announced his retirement at the end of the year, these responsibilities had fallen to Fitz as the company's COO. "Can't you send Cyrus?" she whined.

"I could, but we both know that Michael would only demand a meeting with me tomorrow. And...since I'll be in the Hamptons with you tomorrow I need to meet with him today."

"Go, rescue Neil and calm Michael down. Samuel and I will finish up here and I will uber home."

"Don't be ridiculous. I will ask Brian to come up and wait with you. I'll uber to the meeting. When you're finished he'll take you home and pick me up from the job site."

"You can't take an Uber to a meeting with Michael. You know how obsessed he is with image."

"I'll take UberSelect. Michael won't know it's not my car." Fitz wrapped her in a tight hug, already dreading leaving her. "Now, as much as I would love to stay here and argue with you, I need to get to the job site. Thank you for a wonderful day. I will send Brian to pick you up tomorrow at eleven."

Olivia shocked herself by reaching up and pecking Fitz softly on the lips. There was no reason for the charade in front of Samuel, but her actions felt like the natural conclusion of the day they shared. "Thank you for everything today. I'll admit you are pretty good at surprises. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of the day you planned. Will you text me tonight?"

Fitz couldn't tell if her request was sincere or if she was playing the role of his girlfriend. Everything about the moment felt real, but he knew it wasn't. At the end of the day, Brian would return her to the home and life she shared with her husband. "It will probably be late when I leave the job site, but I'll text to see if you are free," he responded. He lingered for a few seconds, not wanting to let her go, before leaning down, kissing her on the top of her head, and releasing her. "Samuel, can I speak with you for a moment?"

"Of course. Olivia, why don't you start looking at watches? I'll be right back."

Fitz and Samuel headed out of the showroom and back into the sitting room. When they were alone, Samuel asked, "Fitzgerald, who is that woman?"

"Olivia. Isn't she amazing?"

"I know her name. What is her relationship to you?"

"She's a friend, a very special friend. That's why I wanted to talk with you. In addition to whatever she selects, I need you to design an engagement ring. I have an idea in mind, but I need you to pay attention to her style to make sure she will like what we design."

"An engagement ring?" Samuel asked incredulously. "I just designed an engagement ring for you less than three months ago. That ring was obviously not for Olivia, it was much too large for her finger."

"No, that ring was for someone else, she called off the engagement."

"And now you are ready to propose to your friend, Olivia?"

"Yes," Fitz responded, annoyed by Samuel's questions. "Are you going to design the ring or do I need to find a new jeweler.

"Fitzgerald, please, there's no need for threats. I will design the ring as you requested. You're investing a lot in this young woman. I'm just trying to protect you."

"I appreciate your concern, but I don't need protection from Olivia. I will send you a sketch for the ring in an hour and return after my meeting to select the stones."

Samuel had designed countless pieces for Fitz, but never once had he taken the time to participate in the design. He usually just provided the basics of what he needed and trusted Samuel to work his magic. "You're going to sketch ring yourself?"

"I'm an architect by trade. I think I can provide enough detail for you to understand what I have in mind," Fitz teased. "Now, if there's nothing else, I really must go. Can I let Tom know that Brian will be joining Olivia or do you need to do so?"

"I'll do it. Otherwise, he'll harass Brian, much like he did you and Olivia. What time do you expect you will return?"

Fitz looked at his watch, it was a little before three o'clock. "I hope to be back around seven. Does that work for you?"

"Yes. I'll be here working on Olivia's other pieces. Just keep the elevator card so you can let yourself up."

Samuel stood up and pressed the buzzer unlocking the door for Fitz's departure. Fitz moved to leave, but stopped, turned to Samuel, and said, "I'm sorry I was short with you earlier. I know is this is not how you planned to spend your afternoon and evening. I really appreciate your concern and you taking such good care of Olivia. As I said earlier, she's very special to me." With that, he quickly turned on his heels and exited the suite.

Less than three hours later, Olivia was comfortably seated in the back of Fitz's Mercedes-Maybach sedan. "Where to Mrs. Ballard?"

"Just home, Brian. Thanks." Olivia sighed, sinking back into the plush leather seats, thinking how easy it would be to get used to Fitz's lifestyle. She wondered how many people it took to run his life. In the past two days, she'd met Stacey, Brian, and Samuel. Technically, Juan Carlos was a friend, but, from Fitz's description, it sounded like he too had spent time as a member of the Fitzgerald Grant entourage. Including herself, that was five people and she hadn't included the people responsible for running his household. From the outside looking in, it appeared he had outsourced the parts of his life that he would share with a partner. She wondered if he ever got lonely with no one waiting at home for him at the end of a long day. "What time are you picking up Fitz? I'm fine back here if you want to detour to pick him up before dropping me off at home."

"He won't be ready for at least another hour. My instructions are to take you wherever you want to go and then head to the job site to pick him up. Also, he asked me to have you call him when you were headed home."

"I thought you said he would be working for another hour."

"He will be, but I know he also wants to speak with you."

Olivia pulled out her cellphone and asked Siri to call Fitz. "Hello beautiful," he answered, his velvety baritone practically oozing through the phone.

"Hey, you," she replied happily, unable to deny the million-watt smile that spread across her face upon hearing his voice. "Did everything go well with Michael and Neil?

"Yeah. I spent the last two hours re-pitching Neil's solutions to Michael. Somehow, they were more palatable to him coming from me. I'm exhausted and Neil is frustrated, but we have a plan for moving forward that Neil should be able to manage. I told Michael I would be out of pocket for the next few days. If anything comes up while I'm away, Cyrus and my dad will have to handle it. I have a conference call scheduled with both of them tonight to catch them up on the projects that may go to crap while I'm away. Enough about me, how was the rest of your day? Are you finished with Samuel? Did everything go smoothly?"

"Yes, we wrapped up about twenty minutes ago. It went well, I think. We covered everything on your list. He only has to design a few pieces and that was mostly to satisfy his own perfectionism. I was fine with the selections in the showroom. Is he always so formal? I tried to loosen him up, but he was strictly business for the three hours I was there."

"He's very old-world," he explained, trying to calm her anxiety. "It takes him a while to warm up to new people." Fitz mentally kicked himself for leaving her alone with Samuel. He should have known Samuel would be more reserved, more protective of the Grant image, than Stacey or Juan Carlos and that Olivia would perceive that as a slight. He understood Samuel was a longtime family friend and he was only looking out for his best interest, but it was unacceptable for him to make Olivia feel like an outsider. There would be consequences for Samuel if his actions brought any of Olivia's earlier apprehensions back to the surface.

Unable to disguise her hurt, she responded, "In other words, he thought I was a gold-digging hoe that you were dressing up to pass off as your girlfriend for the Merkles."

"Liv…" he said, exasperated, wishing he was there with her to ease her insecurities. "That's not true. You know that's not how I feel. You're perfect just as you are. The upgrades are purely for show. You know how judgmental New England WASP women can be. I don't want them to decide who you are before you have a chance to open your mouth. They are expecting a certain look and we're simply checking that box."

"It may not be true for you, but it was for him. Are you sure I'm the right choice for this weekend? I'm not exactly membership material for the good ol' boys club."

"You're not only the right choice, but you're best and only choice for me. Juan Carlos loved you and Kaitlyn hated you immediately and you handled both situations with ease. That's better than I could have hoped for today, especially given how nervous you were about going to the club. You were born prepared for this weekend, but I promise I won't leave your side until you are comfortable."

"What if I never get comfortable?" she asked quietly.

"Then I will make up some excuse and we will leave, together. You don't have to be there one second longer than you want to be."

"What about the deal your father is trying to close with Stephen Merkle? You can just leave because I'm uncomfortable."

"I can and I will. Nothing is more important to me than you." Olivia froze at Fitz's words. Obviously, he didn't mean them like they came out. She was his assistant and his friend, but this deal with the Merkles could be worth millions of dollars for the company. It was Fitz's best chance to prove to the Board that he was ready to be CEO. An opportunity like this wouldn't present itself again in the next three months. This weekend was the most important weekend of his life. He wouldn't really walk away from an opportunity like this for her. Would he?

"Deal?" she heard Fitz say. "Liv, are you there?"

Olivia scrambled, realizing that she'd missed most of what he said. "I'm sorry you broke up during that last part, what did you say?"

"I don't know how much you heard, but I said we're either both in or we're both out. I don't want to do business with a man that prides himself on family values, but can't accept you as my fiancée. I won't stand for that personally and I won't tolerate it in my company. If that's how my father does business, he can find someone else to run his company. So, Livvie, do we have a deal?"

"Deal," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "We're turning onto my street. I need to go," she said, desperately fighting against the feelings from earlier that day that threatened to return. How was it that he knew exactly what to say to turn her insides into goo? She was a married woman who loved her husband. She should not be on the phone pining for another man. She needed to be in the house making things right with her husband. Tonight her husband needed to be her only focus. She couldn't go into this weekend with Fitz with things unresolved at home.

His heart ached as he heard his Livvie, the woman he'd come to adore over the past few days, prepare to transition back to Jake's wife. Given his family's wealth and influence, Fitz wasn't accustomed to feeling powerless, but that's exactly how he felt in this moment. No matter how much he tried to pretend it wasn't real, she belonged to another man. "Liv?"

"Yes?" she asked expectantly.

"Don't forget your wedding rings are in your purse. You should return them to their rightful place before John sees you."

"Shit, I totally forgot I took them off," she cried, her panic pulling her out of her thoughts, as she began searching her purse for her rings. "Thanks for reminder."

"No problem. And, Liv…"

"Yes."

"Please know you are incredibly special to me and I won't tolerate anyone making you feel otherwise, even if that someone is you."

"Thank you. I have to go," she said, "Jake is probably waiting for me."

Fitz winced at the sound of Jake's name slipping from her lips. "OK. Have a good evening. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Same to you. Don't work too hard tonight. I'll see you at the airport in the morning." Olivia disconnected the phone without saying good-bye and stared at her house. Her husband was her first and only priority tonight. The distance between the two of them was allowing Fitz to get in her head and making her read into things that clearly were not there. She needed to be focused and grounded if she and Fitz were going to pull this off and that wouldn't happen if she couldn't control her emotions.

Brian heard Olivia disconnect her call and moved to escort her from the vehicle. "Thanks, Brian," she said accepting his hand to help her out of the car. "Hopefully, he doesn't keep you out too late. I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night, Mrs. Ballard. I'll see you at eleven. "

Olivia walked briskly toward the house. She paused at the door, fluffing her hair, smoothing her outfit, and taking one final look at her left hand to ensure things were in order before entering through the front door. "Jake, are you home?" she called out.

"In here," he replied from the den.

Olivia entered the den and found Jake seated in his favorite recliner. Determined to be present, as his wife, in the moment, she flopped her small body down onto his lap and put her arms around his neck. She pulled him toward her, kissing him, her lips pressed softly against his. As the kiss grew more urgent, she slid her hands down his back, pressing her body against his, pushing away thoughts of how his body was soft in all the places where Fitz was hard. Without warning, Jake pulled away from her and searched her face, looking for answers he was afraid to find. Olivia's eyes fluttered open, "Why did you stop?"

"We need to talk."

Olivia lowered her hand to Jake's crotch, massaging him through his pants. "I can think of better ways to spend the evening," she whispered in his ear, her tongue darting out to tease his earlobe.

"Olivia, stop!" he commanded, grabbing her hand to still her movements. "We've barely spoken, much less touched, in forty-eight hours. You come home, all hot and bothered, after spending the day with him and you expect me to forget everything that's happened and fall into bed with you. I'm sorry, but I can't."

"Can't I just be excited to see you? I'm leaving tomorrow and we won't see each other for four days," she whined. "Is it so terrible that I wanted to make the most out of the time we have left?"

"What did he buy you today?" he asked coldly.

"Really!?" she exclaimed, leaping from his lap and pacing around the room. "I leave in seventeen hours and you want to talk about what he bought me today. He bought jewelry," she replied nonchalantly.

"Let me guess," he said bitterly, "he bought you the biggest diamond in the store for your engagement ring."

"Actually, no, he didn't buy me an engagement ring," she said softly.

"You sound disappointed."

"I'm not disappointed, just surprised."

"Why? It makes sense to me. Why spend six figures on something you can't keep and he can't return."

"I guess..." she trailed off, unwilling to give voice to her thoughts. "Anyway, enough about him. I don't want to spend our last night together talking about him."

"We haven't done much talking about anything lately."

Olivia felt like she had been punched in the gut. "I know and I'm sorry. I should have talked to you and I should have listened to what you had to say. I should never have agreed to accompany Fitz until you and I agreed that it was in the best interest of our family."

"I never would have agreed to let you go. You leaving with him is not in the best interest of our family. I don't care what he offers you to go. You're my wife! The thought of you alone with him, with any man, makes me crazy."

"I know you don't believe me, but I really am doing this for us."

"How do you think that makes me feel?"

"What do you mean?"

"My wife is pimping herself out to her boss because she doesn't believe I can provide for her."

"I'm not pimping myself out to my boss. Nothing about our interactions are sexual," she said, working overtime not to think about what almost happened in the car or how comfortable she was in his arms at Samuel's. "You can provide for me, you do provide for me."

"Not like he can. It's only been two days and he's changing you already."

"He's not changing me."

"Have you looked at yourself in the mirror today? Everything about you is different, your hair, your clothes, the way you carry yourself. I can't find my wife anywhere in there. The only part of you I recognize are your wedding rings."

"Is that why you stopped earlier?" she asked, genuinely hurt by his rejection. "All of this is superficial. I've upgraded my wardrobe and changed my hair, but I'm still your wife."

"Is that what people see when the two of you are together. Fitz and a married woman?"

Olivia reflected on her interactions with Juan Carlos, Kaitlyn, and Samuel earlier in the day. "That's not fair. The whole point is for us to be believable as a couple. I'm supposed to look like Fitzgerald Grant's fiancée."

"You'll forgive me if I see the same when I look at you."

"Jake..." she pleaded. "I love you and I'm asking you to trust me. I can't leave with him tomorrow unless I know we'll be okay when I return."

"And what if I say we won't; will you stay?"

"Is that how you feel?"

"Does it matter?"

"Of course it matters. You're my husband." Olivia stopped pacing and stood still, facing Jake. Slowly she removed both of her shoes. Next, she pulled her blouse over her head and threw it on the couch. She reached behind her and unbuttoned and unzipped her skirt, allowing it to fall to the floor.

Jake looked on in confusion. "Liv, what are you doing? We're not done talking."

"I'm getting rid of Fitz's fiancée. I want you to only see your wife when you look at me," she said, pulling her hair out of her face and securing it with an elastic hair tie. "Now, I'll ask you again, if I leave tomorrow, will we be OK when I return on Monday?"

"Come here," he commanded, his voice laced with lust.

"Not until you answer the question," she teased. "Will we be OK?"

She was using her body to get her way and he hated it. She wanted to go with Fitz and she wanted his blessing to do so. How could she be so selfish? She didn't get to spend the day flirting with Fitz, come home, and take her clothes off for him. Yet, how could he resist her, deny her anything, when she was standing there before him wearing only her underwear, practically begging him to take her. "If you come back to me, as my wife, we will be OK."

"Not if," she said, strolling past Jake, "when."

"Where are you going?" he called.

"Upstairs," she replied. "Are you joining me?"

Jake leapt out of his chair and chased a squealing Olivia up the stairs and into the bedroom.

A/N: So, please don't hate me, but I decided to end this chapter here. It was turning into a 10K word mega chapter and there was still more to write. It needed to be separated into two chapters and this was the most obvious place to end things. The next chapter will start with the promised Jake and Fitz interaction, Fitz will really start to hammer away at Olivia's walls, and they FINALLY arrive in the Hamptons. So, what do you think? Has pretending become real? Is he moving too fast and speaking truths Olivia's not ready to hear or is he simply a wise business man that understands a tolerant work environment is a productive work environment? As always, I love to read your comments (and yes I know you hate Jake, but you can tell me anyway). I know the story I'm trying to tell and it's encouraging to read that some of you are reading what I write as well as what I don't write. Until next time…ciao!