“Of course not. Why would I do that?”
“Because it was your fault I had the black eye. Maybe because you would feel obligated to take some responsibility for what you did. Maybe even because you felt bad for me, having to go out onstage like that.”
“First of all, you didn’t have to go out onstage like that. No one made you.”
“I did have to. I’d given my word.”
Ceci drew a deep breath that sounded like the hissing of a cat when she exhaled. Maybe because she was gritting her teeth.
For a moment, neither of them said a word.
Clarke turned in his seat, facing her. “So you only bid on me because you’d told Roxanne you would.”
“Yeah. Well, that and the fact that I might get something out of it.”
“Like what?”
“Like maybe she’d take on Ian as a client.”
His cheeks were flaming as he glared back at her.
She shrugged. “I don’t know why you’re so upset. Okay, would both of us prefer it not be me that won the bid? Yes, that wasn’t supposed to happen. Someone was supposed to outbid my final bid. But Roxanne fucked up.”
“That’s an understatement.”
“Look, I get it. You don’t want to be doing this any more than I do. Problem is I won and now we’re stuck with each other. I guess the reaction to what happened at the auction got you some good press and Roxanne noticed.”
He sighed. “The raging lion, the jungle cat.”
“Is that what they said? I wouldn’t know.”
She turned her head, gazing out the window, just in case he might be able to read that she’d been lying on her face.
When she turned back, he had his right hand resting on the steering wheel and was gazing out in front of them.
Is he just going to sit there like that?
Ceci huffed. “That’s what led Roxanne to come up with this dating scheme.”
He turned his head. “What dating scheme?”
“You and I go out on a date after every race of the season. Not a real date, of course. A fake date.”
She saw one vein pop out on his neck and another at his temple.
“What?” he roared.
So it was possible for him to be loud.
“Roxanne and I discussed it just before you showed up.”
“Roxanne and you? Without me! Given I’m involved, don’t you think you should have included me in that discussion?”
“I thought Roxanne had. I assumed when she suggested it she’d already gotten the go-ahead from you.”
“Explain to me why she got the go-ahead from you? Why would you agree to this?”
“I wanted her to take on Ian as a client. So she agreed to do it next season, in exchange for you and I going on some dates this season.”
