Page 30 of His Reckoning

I open my mouth, but Sawyer answers first. “Bad timing and temporary circumstances.”

Cole nods slowly. “Interesting.” Then he adds casually, “I saw the article this morning.”

“Oh, no,” I say.

Cole holds up his phone like evidence in a courtroom.

“I have to say,” he says, glancing between us, “I was surprised.”

Sawyer doesn’t even turn around. “You’re surprised by many things.”

“I’m surprised you managed to keep a girlfriend secret long enough for the tabloids to break the news.”

I nearly choke on air. “I’m not his?—”

“Temporary living arrangement,” Sawyer cuts in flatly.

Cole studies me with obvious amusement. “Right.”

He looks back at the phone. The article is pulled up on the screen.

There’s the photo of Melissa and me getting out of the car yesterday afternoon. The headline is even worse than I remember.

Billionaire Sawyer Maccini Seen Returning to Penthouse with Mystery Woman

Cole tilts the phone slightly toward me. “You’re the mystery woman.”

“I gathered,” I reply matter-of-factly.

“You’re trending,” he says.

“That’s deeply upsetting.”

Cole laughs. “I like her,” he says again.

“You’ve said that.”

“Well, she’s funny.”

Sawyer sounds unimpressed. “I noticed.”

Cole crosses his arms across his chest. “So,” he says casually, “how long have you two been secretly dating?”

“We’re not dating,” I say.

Cole gestures at the luggage. “You’ve moved in.”

“Temporarily,” Sawyer replies.

“She’s carrying half her apartment with her.”

“Not really. I have a storage unit,” I say.

Cole looks impressed. “You’re organized.”

“I’m broke.”

Sawyer glances at me. “You’re not broke.”