The phone on her desk rang, cutting through whatever I might have said in response.
She stood quickly, spell shattered. “I should get that. I’m your assistant by day and your fake Valentine by night. The sun’s out, so off I go.”
“Right. Yes. Thank you, Ina.” I sank into my chair and rubbed both hands over my face.
For a man who didn’t date, I was excited for when the sun went down. What the hell was she doing to me?
Ina talked on the phone with that bright, professional voice she used for difficult callers. She was gesturing with her free hand. The charm bracelet on her wrist caught the light the way her curvy hips caught my attention.
But she was more than a pretty smile and a nice caboose. I’d had fun at dinner the other night. Actual fun. When I watched her leave in that car, I wanted to go with her.
But I needed to remember it was fake. Temporary. It was a business arrangement that would end on Valentine’s Day, and then Ina would use her real profile to find her Valentine for next year, and I would go back to casual hookups and my inability to believe in magic.
It was better that way.
Safer.
The only option, really.
So why did the idea make me feel sick?
CHAPTER 13
INA
Iturned left then right to check my reflection in the mirror for the fifteenth time. I wasn’t sure “upscale” meant the same thing to Lucas as it did to me. They needed to start sending me better intel on these dates. Spymaster Lucas was slipping.
When in doubt, a little black dress would never let you down. Simple, classic, and I looked damn good in it. I’d bought it on sale at Bloomingdale’s during my first week in New York, thinking I’d need it for networking events or fancy work parties. So far, it had lived in my closet, tags still on, waiting for an occasion worthy of it.
I thanked “past me” for the foresight. I could never have known I would be wearing it on a fake date with Dane Kavanagh.
I paired it with simple black heels that were tall enough to make me feel elegant instead of like I was playing dress-up. My hair was down in loose waves, my makeup carefully applied. I’d even splurged on a shade of lipstick not too different than the one Gloria had chosen for me on the commercial shoot.
I liked it. It made me feel strong, sexy, and confident. I also felt like I was going to throw up from nerves, so the lipstick couldn’t work complete miracles. I would take what I could get, though.
Lucas had texted me earlier with cryptic instructions.Wear something upscale. Car will pick you up at 7. This one’s going to be good, trust me.
The winking emoji was so Lucas.
I turned my head and realized I was missing an earring. “No! Dammit. Beauty requires symmetry.”
I looked on my little vanity and then the floor. I was certain I had put it on, which meant it probably fell out. I dropped to my knees and ran my hand across the shag rug.
The door buzzer rang.
I jumped and banged my head on the vanity. The cheap Ikea thing sure felt solid when I bonked my head against it. I didn’t think I had a concussion, so I scrambled to my feet. The driver was early. Of course.
I pressed the intercom button. “Hello, sir? Can you wait just a minute?”
“It’s Dane.”
I stared at the intercom like it had hissed at me like a viper. Dane was here. At my building. Maybe I had hit my head harder than I’d thought.
I could leave him down there and rush out with either one earring or none. Or let him up and finish my search or find another pair.
“One moment please,” I said into the intercom, using my best executive assistant voice.
I looked around my apartment in panic. It wasn’t messy, exactly, but it was well lived in. One of Abby’s chef’s jacket was draped over the back of the couch. My laptop was open on the coffee table, surrounded by the remnants of last night’s cheese and crackers. There were dishes in the sink and a pile of mail on the counter.
