I tilt my head to the side. “Why would you say that? There isn’t anything more natural in the world than the pairing of an All-Star athlete and one of the attractive women you’ve listed.”Women who are poised, educated, sophisticated, glamorous, successful, rich… the polar opposite to me.
“If it’s a genuine pairing, I agree.”
“Models, actresses, and singers ooze with talent,” I say. “Socialites come from money. I have nothing to bring to the table. Unlike those women who can afford to buy the most coveted pieces straight from this season’s runway fashion—or designers send them clothes for free publicity—basementbargain shopping is all I can afford. And by that, I mean shopping on the discounted racks of discounted stores.” I twist my fingers together.
“Since I’m inviting you to the event, it’s only fair I pay for an outfit for the evening.”
“Kaz—”
“Yesterday, thanks to Devlyn, I made the gossip news. Again. I don’t want to walk the red carpet at the gala fielding the press’s questions about my ex-wife’s unbearable behavior.” He rakes a hand through his thick brown hair and lets out a frustrated breath. “Harley, you’d be doing me a huge favor. Not only in regard to shifting the attention away from my unhinged ex-wife, but… you’d be helping me craft a new image that would help me get the foot in the door of a brewery owned by a Montana-based owner that’s struggling. I have it on good authority, they’re looking to sell. I want to buy them out, but I can’t get a call back from the owner to save my life. I suspect it’s because every time my name appears in the press, it’s connected to drama.”
My shoulders slump.
This guy shouldn’t be seen with me.
My eyes lower to the kitchen island’s striking countertop.
He twists the empty jar on the counter—left, then right.
He does that a few times.
“Acquiring this brewery would take my own craft beer business to the next level. I’d hate to see such an incredible opportunity land in a competitor’s lap because I made the mistake of marrying Devlyn. If I let that happen, she’ll have succeeded at talking so much shit about me, it affects my credibility—and by extension—my bottom line. I shouldn’t have to pay for that lapse in judgment for the rest of my natural life.”
No, you shouldn’t.
I flashback to the day Chett’s mother interrupted my breakfast when she sat down across from me, uninvited, andproceeded to belittle me and tell me how I wasn’t good enough for her baby boy. The smugness shining from her eyes was nauseating. This woman who thought she was better than me was nothing more than a hypocrite. True, I don’t come from a hockey family, but at least I’m not a cheater.
Bitch.
Maybe I never had the courage to pursue my dream to become an actress because of my fear of rejection, but I can put to good use all the drama classes, hours spent in the drama club in high school, and auditions that didn’t get me far. I’ve dated wealthy men, so it’s not like I’m going to be out of my element. I’d be doing Kaz a solid. Without this man’s generosity, where would I be now?
I stare into Kaz’s blue eyes. “What’s your favorite food? Your biggest pet peeve? How do you like your coffee? Do you prefer your grilled cheese cut across or diagonally? There are so many questions bouncing around in my head.”
“Excuse me?” His brows dip low. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“As yourgirlfriend, I would know these things.”
His eyes shine bright. “You’ll do it?”
“Yes, Kaz, I’ll be your fake girlfriend.” I rub my hands together. “Let’s give them somethinggoodto talk about.”
Devlyn Frostburg, you won’t know what hit you. I’ll go from being a nobody in your eyes to dating hockey royalty—your ex-husband.
Chapter 18
Smut-tastic
Harley
Since I felt guilty Kaz spent a whole day taking care of me instead of attending to his businesses, I made sure not to bother him. After breakfast, I went for a long walk in my new neighborhood. I combed the streets lined with beautiful multimillion dollar homes, showcasing manicured shrubbery and an impressive display of colorful flowers. The florist in me was as giddy as a kid skipping to the candy store. Even when life was good and I was living in the Bronx, it was never as good as this tree-lined, posh residential area of elegant brownstones and historical carriage houses.
I could get used to life along the East River.
When I returned to the carriage house, Kaz was in the middle of a conference call. I hate that he had to interrupt his call because I didn’t have a key.
Dinner was pretty much a repeat of yesterday. We ate on the deck under the stars and we were treated to a lip-smacking meal of charred shrimp, grilled veggies, and another round of that incredible bread from Number 22 Grill.
Since Kaz had more work to do, I insisted on cleaning up the kitchen and the deck where we ate. After tidying up the secondfloor which includes another living room area, I made my way to the third floor to take a shower.
