No matter how I explain this to her, it’s not going to reflect well on me. “I didn’t talk about Jane much. Grandpa never met her. She was someone I met at Harper’s graduation party.”
“Harper?”
“She’s one of my cousins. Jane, her friend’s older sister, was there. We hit it off, started dating, when she was home that is, and here we are.”
“You left out all the crucial details.” Magnolia scowls.
“Nope. I got all the important parts.”
“What about your breakup?” she asks.
“Well we didn’t break up, did we?” I say with a smile.
“So it really just came down to the money? How do you feel about that?” She leans forward as though she’s an interrogator.
“We weren’t really in love. I think I liked the idea of finding someone, and she liked the idea of my inheritance.”
“Ouch. Are you sure that’s why you didn’t work out?”
“She wasn’t like you,” I admit. I don’t know why I’m telling her this. This isn’t crucial to anything.
Magnolia jerks back abruptly. “Now you’re just teasing.”
“No, really. I mean that as a compliment. There’s an openness in your character that draws people to you.”
“Not my former boss. She was not drawn to me,” Magnolia mutters.
“Oh, she was probably threatened by your creativity.”
She shrugs. “I think she’s threatened by everything. And I didn’t get a chance to be creative at that job. But at least it paid the bills…”
I interlace my fingers and lean forward to rest my elbows on my knees. “That brings me back around to the part where I would pay you. I’d like to pay you a full-time salary for the next couple of weeks if you’re going to do this for me.”
She bites her bottom lip as she studies me. “Isn’t it a little weird to pay someone to lie?”
“Think of it as an acting job,” I say with a grin.
I really need her to do this. I wasn’t kidding when I told her I thought she was a miracle drug. I can’t risk telling Grandpa the truth until he’s a lot stronger.
“For two weeks?”
“I hope that in a couple of weeks, Grandpa will be back to himself and will be able to handle the news.”
“Don’t you think he’ll be angry at you for lying?”
I shrug. “Probably. But I think he’ll understand too.”
Magnolia paces around in a small circle as she contemplates the offer. “I do need a job. I should be applying for new jobs right now.”
“You can still apply. It’s not like you’ll have to be at my side all day long.”
Although spending more time in her company does sound nice. She makes everything more enjoyable.
Magnolia stops her pacing and looks at me, no longer chewing on her lip. “Okay. I’ll do it. But I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to keep up the lie. I might forget I’m supposed to be in love with you.”
A weight lifts with her agreement. I slap a hand against my chest. “You mean you don’t think I’m lovable?”
She narrows her eyes at me but doesn’t reply.
