I hope you’re right about her, buddy.
“Firstly. If you’re on time, you’re late. I know today was a casualget to know each othersession, but in future, I’d appreciate it if you were punctual. Secondly, your wardrobe. What you’re wearing now is perfect, but don’t be afraid to go a little dressier for the formal dinners.
“You’ll also need to go sporty-casual for some of the daytime events, but I’m sure Strive can provide you with some gear. And thirdly—” He looked down at his notes, unsure how to best approach the next subject. He tapped the pen against the words he’d written. He cleared his throat and said, “PDA.”
“PDA?” Cassie frowned. “I don’t know what that is, but it sounds painful.”
“It’s got the potential to be just that, which is why we need to discuss it.” Seb looked up from his notebook, held her gaze. “Public displays of affection.”
Surprise flickered in her eyes.
He didn’t want this to be any more awkward than it had to so he plowed on through. “Occasionally, we’ll need to hold hands and dance and … and”—he tugged at his collar—“kiss. But you’ll notice that clause four point two states we each respect personal boundaries at all times, so we should have a code word or something that we use every time some PDA needs to be deployed.”
Cassie sucked in a cheek. “How about fire in the hole?”
“That’s cute.”Yep, definitely making fun of him.He shut the notebook. “Any questions?”
“Yeah.” She cocked her head. “Why is a guy like you paying for a woman?”
“Aha! I’m not, remember?” Seb tapped the paperwork between them. “It’s a job and like any other job, I’m paying for a service that gives me exactly what I want—with no complications and zero mess.” He leaned back. “Think of it like a takeout. Sure, I can cook—and I’ll have you know I’m pretty good in that department—but afterward? I’m left with a pile of dirty dishes and a whole bunch of pots and pans to scrub.”
“And the clear up takes longer than the eating, so you wonder if cooking is worth it?”
Seb smiled. “I’m glad we’re on the same page, Cassie.”
“Hmm …” She slid the salary form off the table and looked it over, though he got the impression she wasn’t reading anything. “So what do you know about me?”
“Only what Jimmy has told me.”
“That Jimmy. He’s so … nice. I’d justloveto know what he’s been saying.” Cassie smiled and propped her head on her elbows, leaning across the table close enough that he noticed the pale blue flecks of her eyes.
“Jimmy said you were very discreet, so I don’t need to remind you that discretion is the number one, most fundamental rule here. And I certainly don’t need to tell you what the media would make of our arrangement. Above all, any backlash wouldn’t be fair to the Get Living Campaign.”
Or him. Seb might as well light a match to the Strive contract himself if news that he’d hired a girlfriend ever got out. Though he wasn’t going to reveal this worry to Cassie. “Mikey has worked hard for years raising money for worthy causes, and I think you’ll agree that his foundation does amazing work. We can’t jeopardize that. At all. Is that understood?”
“Yes, of course.” Cassie placed the salary form back on the table. “So I’m discreet. What else did Jimmy tell you?”
“That you’ve got an English lit degree, you’ve recently run your third marathon, and now you’re taking the summer off to write and compile a poetry anthology.”
Cassie coughed. “Well, that pretty much sums me up, then.”
“But I’ll need to know other details about you. Something personal that a boyfriend might know, like a favorite color or book. Your favorite poet.”
“Wow,thatpersonal?” She blew hair out of her eyes. “So … favorite color is yellow. Favorite book is … well, that’s really hard because there are so many good ones, and as for my favorite poet. Gosh.” She scratched her nose. “That’s really difficult. It sort of depends on what mood I’m in. What about you? Do you have a favorite color or … poet?”
“Blue. And sorry to disappoint, but I haven’t read a poem since high school.”
“Shame.” She flashed him a bright smile. “I’ve got a personal question for you now. Why can’t you attend these events by yourself?”
Seb pushed his plate to the side. “Bottom line? After I’ve taken part in the events, my job is essentially to network at dinner parties, and as they’re always full of couples, it’s a lot easier for me to actually do some networking if I’m part of one myself. While the women talk about shoes and clothes, the men can discuss important issues, like business and politics.”
Cassie’s jaw dropped.
“What?” He shrugged, but the disgust and outrage on her face was just too much. He grinned. “I’m kidding you. Believe me, the son of Dr. Celeste Clarke wouldn’t have survived childhood if he were a sexist prick. Come on, let’s take a walk and get to know each other. Just don’t go all bookish on me, my Shakespeare’s a little rusty.”
“I’ll try to contain myself. First, I need to powder my nose.” Cassie pushed back her chair. “I’ll be back in a sec.”
Chapter 3
