“Wonderful.”
But there was something in her tone that made him think it wasn’t. “Any problems with the contract?”
Cassie pushed food around her plate. “Only that it’s very … formal.”
“Exactly how I like it. It’s good to have everything in order, don’t you think?”
She wrinkled her nose. “I’m just surprised there’s a conventional contract for such an unconventional job.”
Conventional. Formal. Official.Huh.
That’s how all his past girlfriends described him in theirit’s not you it’s mebreakup monologues, which somehow always included a list ofhisflaws rather than theirs. Janna, his latest ex, had called him a tough nut to crack,which had made him laugh long after she’d shut the door behind her.
A nut? Seriously? Usually, he was aclosed bookor wassurrounded by stone walls. Jeez.
Women were always trying to get him to open up, like the reason he wasn’t falling at their feet was because he had some deep dark secret. Fact was, he liked keeping himself to himself. It was cleaner that way. Controlled. Safer.
Open up?And have everything he’d ever said thrown back in his face the next time they argued? No thanks.
But yeah—he’d dated lots of women over the years, and his ladies’ man rep hadn’t helped him one bit when the shit hit the fan in Vegas. He’d been easy pickings for scandal, and in the aftermath, all he’d had to do was look at a woman for the gossip mill to work overtime, conjuring up relationships that didn’t exist.
Well, fine.Seb was inventing a relationship all of his own now, one that he could be in complete control of all of the time. One that didn’t require him toopen up.One that wasn’t weighed down withemotionsandfeelings.
Just nice, formal, straightforward paperwork. That was more like it.
“Even unconventional jobs have contracts,” he said firmly. “So let’s go through those dates I emailed you.”
Seb pulled out his palm-sized leather-bound notebook from his inside pocket and opened the page of events he was due to compete in over the summer. They ranged from running races, bike rides and swimathons, each event a day-long affair beginning with ameet the crowdsession and finishing with a prize presentation. Each evening a private, formal dinner engagement was scheduled with organizers, participants and local officials.
“Okay. The first event is next Saturday. We’ll need to be in … Weston-super-Mare. Do you know it?”
“Everyone knows it.”
“Good. I’d like you to be there by 11 a.m. Google Maps tells me that it’s an hour southwest of here, which means you’ll need to be in Bristol by 9:30 a.m. to give you some leeway.”
Seb tapped his pen against the notebook. That was the only problem with Cassie. She lived an hour-and-a-half away in Oxford, and although Seb had spent time yesterday researching the logistics of her travel, he still hadn’t come up with a plan that would be convenient for them both.
There’d be times when she’d have to stay overnight in Bristol because of an early start or late finish, but he hadn’t yet figured outwhereshe’d be staying. His hotel room only had one bed, and it wouldn’t look right if hisgirlfriendslept somewhere else.
“Of course, I’ll pay your fuel expenses,” he continued, promising himself to work on sleeping arrangements later. “I don’t expect you to fund your own travel even if I am paying you two hundred bucks a date.”
“Two hundredbucks?” Cassie choked.
“Yeah, yeah. Sorry.” Seb held up a hand. “My head is still in Canada. I meant to saypounds. So, tomorrow night is the inaugural dinner. Big sponsors, celebrities and influencers will attend. And so will Mikey.”
Cassie’s eyes widened. “Michael Adams?”
“Yes.”Who else?How much of his email had she actually absorbed? “Mikey’s wife, Evie, will be there too. We’re on the same table, and as Evie is so heavily pregnant, it’ll be good if you could sit with her andbond—or something.”
Seb leaned in. “Mikey and Evie know our relationship is in the early stages—they, of course, don’t knowhowearly—but one hundred percent for sure, this arrangement between us isn’t the kissy-kissy, sweet-pumpkin kind. Got it?”
When she nodded, he continued. “We’ll be having dinner later with them this evening so you’ll get to meet them. Now, let’s go over the rules.”
“There are rules?”
“Of course.”
Seb caught the quirk of her lips.Was she making fun of him?He tapped his pen again, giving her the benefit of the doubt as Jimmy’s words repeated in his head, sweet, honest, reliable.
