“Oh, would you?I’d love that.Everyone’s coming off the World Finals, and I can’t get Ezreal to commit to scheduling a time for a sitting.”Sara’s expression softened even as she sounded frustrated.“He’s extremely shy and hates being around unfamiliar people.Especially women.”
“Oh, no.”Quinn made a face.“Will my presence here be uncomfortable for him?”
“He’ll either not look at you or, if he’s pushing himself, may try to speak to you.Until he’s comfortable with a woman, he stutters.Which embarrasses him.We’re working on it, so don’t take it personally if it seems like he’s ignoring you.He’s really not.And he almost never stutters when talking to men.”
“I’m ashamed of myself,” Quinn admitted.“I’ve been expecting a very different kind of person.”
“Spoiled and entitled?”Sara gave a sympathetic smile.“Something you should know about the four partners, though, is that none of them came from rich families.Kayn and Rafe were scholarship boys at Harvard.They grew up very poor.My father-in-law is a contractor in Seattle?—”
“Wait.Wallach Construction?”Quinn asked.
“That’s Ezreal’s dad.They’re comfortably well-to-do but hardly rich.Darius is from Boston, and his family is probably the most affluent because he’s a financial adviser.But Darius was a high school art teacher when they partnered to create the game app.The press might call them the Billionaire Boys, but they won’t be what you probably expect.”
“They sound like regular guys,” Quinn said, thinking of the term Viktor had used for himself that morning.
“And they are, and they’re all creative types.”Sara gave her an assessing look.“Like you.I’d be interested in seeing your portfolio.”
Quinn pulled a business card from her phone case.“I’m looking forward to getting some great shots of the fall colors in your area while I’m there.”
“Be sure to take some of the campus.Rafe will want to see them.”
They’d left the bunk area and made their way to the main cabin, where Heath and Viktor had set themselves up.The seats at the conference table looked comfortable, so Quinn decided to work there too.
A man in a REKD Gaming T-shirt stepped into the cabin.“It’s time to find your seats and buckle in.Mrs.Wallach, will you verify with your husband, or should I?”
“I’ll do it.”She pointed to two chairs with booster seats.“Janna and Brand, you know what to do.”
While she strode down the cabin again, the two children hurried into their seats, and the steward buckled them in.Quinn took her laptop to the conference table and took a seat opposite from Heath.He glanced up from whatever he was doing, the corner of his mouth quirking up.It drew her attention to his lips.Her own tingled at the memory of their kisses.It woke the butterflies in her stomach and made her want to do it again.
Behave, girl!
Sara returned with a tall blond man.He scanned the room, but when his gaze fell on Quinn, his eyes went wide.He stepped back, but Sara slid her hand in his.Her touch seemed to calm him, and he took a long breath.
“I’m Ezreal Wallach,” he said, looking at everyone but Quinn, “and I’m the music director for REKD Gaming.You’ve already met Joe here.He’s on our security team, but he’s currently serving as my…” Ezreal seemed to search for a word and grimaced.“My bodyguard.”
Being embarrassed to need a bodyguard fit the description Sara had given of the partners earlier.That he couldn’t look Quinn in the eye made her feel bad for him.What had made him so shy of women?And how had Sara gotten around it?
It didn’t matter—it wasn’t any of Quinn’s business.She made sure not to look at him anymore, though.She didn’t want to do anything that might jeopardize Heath’s position with these people.
The captain’s voice came over the speaker, telling them to prepare for takeoff.She closed her laptop and stowed it in a side pocket of her chair.
“What do you think so far?”Heath asked quietly, his head leaning back, eyes closed.
“They’re sweet.Sara said they might want to see any photos I take of their campus.”
“Nice.”He turned his head and opened his eyes to look at her.“And so it begins.”
The sadness in his voice made a lump form in her throat.Which was ridiculous.This was exactly the break she needed, making connections with important people.This was what she wanted.
Wasn’t it?
11
Quinn had remained quiet for the rest of the flight, working on photo edits.Heath knew he’d done something wrong because he could feel her pulling away from him.Had it been his comment about her job?
He’d understand if the people at REKD raved about her photos and put them on their website.Quinn was an amazing photographer with a gift for using clever lighting and shadows to make her pictures captivating.The ones she took of people doing normal activities had a way of evoking emotion from the viewer.
Should he apologize for his remark?He hadn’t thought his words would cause a problem with her, but he’d only stated reality.Quinn had made her goals clear.Heath had no claim on her.Playing her fake fiancé didn’t give him the right to beg her to keep Wildstone as her base of operations while she traveled.
