"I just wanted to piss you off."
"By hiring a prostitute?" Jack raged.
"No," Carter said, "by hiring a bartender to pretend to be my fiancée so you all would be mad and have a fit."
"How childish," Jack sneered. "Not that I expected anything less from you. But of course, like everything you do, Carter, you screwed up."
"I hate you," Carter choked out.
"Well, you aren’t high on my list, either," Jack retorted. "Go shower. You stink like the inside of a jail cell."
"Allie, what are you still doing here?" Nancy asked quietly.
Carter didn't move. He wasn't letting them throw Allie out onto the street.
"Carter got me kicked out of my apartment," she said, leveling her gaze at Jack.
"Of course he did." Carter's father sighed.
"I’m sure she can stay here," Nancy said. "Just to clarify, it was all an act, over the holidays? You aren't actually marrying my son?"
"No, ma’am," Allie said. "I am very sorry to have come across as ungrateful. You were very hospitable despite the circumstances. I apologize for my rudeness."
Nancy gave her a warm smile. "Carter does have a way of convincing people to do what he wants. You must stay here tonight. We’ll figure out your situation in the morning."
39
Allie
Alone in one of the many bedrooms in Carter's family's penthouse, Allie luxuriated in the large shower. She looked longingly at the bath but decided it was too indulgent since it was a work night.
Maybe things are fine now,she thought. A huge disaster had been averted, and Allie had come clean with his family. Maybe, just maybe, this could work between her and Carter.
That night, Allie slept the best she had slept since she’d arrived in New York. She woke up early that morning, dressed, then went downstairs. Marveling at the sheer amount of space, she walked slowly down the wide-open staircase into the main living room that connected to the kitchen.
Margot peered at her from a corner in the room. Allie had bathed her the previous night, and the little dog hadn’t recovered from the ordeal. Carter had put down an old pillow and a blanket for her, and the little dog was huddled up, shaking.
Grant and Kate were at the kitchen table, and a chef was preparing breakfast.
"Good morning," Kate greeted her. "Just in time for breakfast."
"I suppose Carter isn’t awake yet?" Grant asked.
"I wouldn’t know," Allie replied.
The chef handed out plates heaped with delicious food. He had made tiny egg frittatas, broiled vegetables, and turkey bacon.
"We’re doing low carb," Kate explained, and she cut up her food. "We can have some toast or something made for you if you’d rather."
"No, thanks. This is amazing!"
Margot crept under Allie's chair and licked her ankle. Gus bounced around the table, crying for food.
"Sorry about Gus. You're being obnoxious," Grant said to the corgi and gave him some food. "How do you keep your dog so quiet?"
Allie shrugged.
"It’s because you keep feeding Gus at the table," Kate said.
