“Right now, there really isn’t anything to tell.I went to him for help and he asked me out.”
“And?”Her question hangs in the air as I grapple with what to say next, but she beats me to the punch.“Do you like him?”
“Yeah.”It isn’t a complete lie.But I don’t tell her that everything is fake.
It’s only been days as his fake love interest and I’m already rethinking my sanity.
Of their own accord, my fingers drift to the very lips he kissed last night.Zach kissed the life out of me and thank goodness he had me in his arms because my legs wouldn’t have been able to hold me up.
I may not be lying to Pippa, more like an omission of the truth.But the only lie I’m telling is to myself.I do like Zach and I liked kissing him very much.Way more than I should—and why he kissed me still bothers me.
Our arrangement is for show.There was no reason to kiss me last night.It only complicates and confuses things.
“Are you seeing him again?”Pippa asks.
“Most probably.”Hitting speaker, I wash my face, brush my teeth, and decide what to wear.
“You’re killing me, Paige.What do you meanmost probably?Did he or did he not ask you out again?”
“He said he’d call me.”
Again, not a lie.Zach will call, this I know, needing me for another function or something.And then there’s Nan and Morgan.His grandmother joined the tail end of a conversation I was having last night about the Rothwell Foundation and she was intrigued with what I had to say.The big surprise of the night was Morgan Rothwell.She was easily the most down-to-earth person there and while she was Nan’s “date” for the evening, she stayed by my side for most of it.
Although, I got the impression I was more of a support for her than she was for me.Nonetheless, she was loads of fun and she, too, promised we’d see each other again.
“Okay, since you’re clearly holding back, I’ll stop bugging you.But I’m not done.”My best friend is dejected and it’s a kick to the gut.
“Sorry, Pip.I need coffee and there really isn’t anything to say right now.Call you later?”
“Yeah, laters, babe.”She hangs up and I traipse downstairs for caffeine.
Pippa’s my person.We talk about nothing and everything, and I desperately want to tell her everything about Zach.She’d have an opinion on the whole fake relationship arrangement and without hesitation would tell me if I’m out of my mind.
Who am I kidding?I am out of my mind.Especially now that I’m starting to like spending time with him.It would be one thing if this deal ends once I’m rid of my landlord.Zach’s lawyer is moving lightning fast.I got a copy of the letter they sent Joel this past week, and he came over on Thursday to fix the front door without incident.
Admittedly, I left before he arrived, and Tom oversaw the work.He told me Joel didn’t say a word and was gone in under thirty minutes.If things keep going this way, Joel Hummel will be a bad memory soon.
But like Zach said, my end of the deal will take longer, and come to think of it, I still can’t comprehend what’s in it for him.Now that I know a little more about his world and business, thanks to the dinner last night, his reason for making the deal doesn’t make sense.How on earth could a fake relationship give him what he wants?
My Saturday doesn’t go as planned.The meeting with the Bergmans is supposed to be two hours and then I’m meeting Claire, Pippa’s younger sister, for yoga and dinner.But the Bergmans are a disaster.The newest Mrs.Bergman—she’s the third—can’t make up her mind to save her life and Mr.Bergman couldn’t care less to help speed things up.Our appointment lasts four hours.
By the time I leave the sweet but crazy couple, I’ve missed yoga, have a headache, and don’t want to speak to another living soul.Fortunately, Claire understands.
Once I grab food for dinner, I don’t make it home until after seven at which point a long, hot bath and early to bed with a book sounds like a great idea.After dinner, I clean up the kitchen, turn off the lights, and lock up at a little before eight.While the hot water fills the tub, I grab a pair of comfy terry cloth shorts and a cotton tank from my bedroom and set the book I plan to read on my nightstand.
A gratified smile stretches across my face as I sink into the bathtub and close my eyes.I can’t say how long I lie in the tub for, but my fingers are prune-like when my eyes pop open at a noise coming from beyond the bathroom door.It sounds like something fell.
If I had a pet, a cat or dog, I wouldn’t think anything of the sound, but I live alone.At first, I hesitate, questioning if I should check it out or not.But in the end, I heard something.There isn’t music playing where maybe I could have been mistaken.
I drain the bathtub and the water swirls and gurgles down the drain, then I get out to dry and dress.Before opening the bathroom door, I grab my phone like a weapon.
The first thing I notice is the light.In addition to the bedside lamp, the ceiling light in my bedroom is on.It was off when I went into the bathroom.
A heart-stopping chill spreads through me as all the tension-melting magic of my bath vanishes.And as if that isn’t bad enough, I shudder when my gaze lands on my sage-green slip dress lying flat on my bed, black heels on the floor just below.
But that’s not the worst of it.My pink lace bra and panties are also laid out on the bed.It’s as if I put the clothes there with the intention of wearing them.
I didn’t.
