“I don’t know when I gave you the idea that we were friends, Eliza.”
“You’ve never given me that idea, Mr. Boone, but seeing as today I was introduced to your sister as your fiancée, I think I have a right to know what’s going on.”
He sighed. “Fine. For the next month, I need you to play the part of my fiancée. You will pretend to be in love with me.”
At this, she couldn’t help but snort at.
“And you will be convincing.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then I will let you go with a severance package.”
She wasn’t ready to lose this job. “And if I agree to it and play my part perfectly?”
“Then I will double your salary along with the guarantee that your job will never be in jeopardy. I will have it contracted in writing that the only way you can be let go will be at your own decision.”
This man was playing hardball.
A job guarantee.
“But I would be allowed to leave at any moment I saw fit?”
“Yes.”
She nibbled on her lip, thinking about this newfound offer.
“Of course, it would also require you to revoke your threat of sexual harassment. Also, whatever happens on this trip will stay on this trip.”
“Kind of like in Vegas?” she asked.
“Only it will be in Westcliffe Heights.”
She sat back, a little in shock. “This means that much to you?”
“No, it means a lot to my parents.”
“And you’ve got no problems lying to them about your personal life?”
“My parents want me to settle down, as most parents do with their children. I have no desire to marry.”
No, she didn’t for a second believe he did. This man was a playboy through and through. He had so many notches on his bedpost, she was surprised it fit into one room. She had lost count of the number of times she’d purchased jewelry on his behalf, or flowers. Rarely did the jewelry come back, but she’d experienced flowers thrown in her face. Some women were so rude. It wasn’t like she wanted to be the bad guy. It was the role Preston gave her.
“You’re not worried about any potential boyfriend I might have?”
“On your file, it states you are single, not in a relationship.”
“I might not have updated that file.”
“Eliza, I need your answer.”
“Can I take time to think about it?” she asked.
He sat back. “Fine. Take the rest of the day off, and then I will have your answer first thing tomorrow.”
She got to her feet, nodded her head, then turned to leave. After she went to her desk, she grabbed her jacket and bag and rushed toward the elevator. Pressing the button for the main floor, she waited for the elevator to arrive.
Standing inside the metal cage with a whole load of Boone employees didn’t exactly calm her soul.
She was … nervous. Her stomach did flips, like tiny butterflies had given birth inside her and were doing the mad flutters.
Eliza said her goodbyes to the reception staff and immediately left the building, going straight to a burger stand.
She was either going to throw up or finally settle her stomach, but right now, she was tired of feeling sick.
With a fully loaded burger, she walked, heading to where Juliet worked, which was a thirty-minute walk.
The heat was building, and she removed her jacket, stuffing it into her bag. She finished the burger before she made it to Juliet’s office, and shoved the wrapper in a nearby trash bin as she did.
Entering Juliet’s office, she waved to Kelly, who worked on the main reception. The young woman was a wannabe model. She felt the best way to get to her dream was to work for a company that dealt with and specialized in them.
Eliza made her way up to the top floor where she found Juliet seated behind a desk, typing away at a computer. No sign of her boss, nor anyone else.
“What’s going on?” Eliza asked.
Juliet looked up, and Eliza felt immediate anger when she caught sight of the tears in her friend’s eyes.
“Eliza, I didn’t know you were stopping by.”
“Forget about me. What the fuck is going on?” she asked, immediately going to her best friend’s side.
“Oh, it’s nothing. You know me. I’m behind on my work again.”
She looked around the office and shook her head. “No. This is not you behind on your work. This is your asshole boss treating you like crap again.” She pulled Juliet into her arms. If it wasn’t this woman’s mother, it was some asshole around her making her feel less than what she was.
Eliza was getting tired of people hurting Juliet. She wouldn’t stand for it.
“It’s fine. Really.”
“No, it’s not. I don’t know what happened, but you’ve got to learn to stand up for yourself. Don’t let them walk all over you.”
Juliet sniffled. “I know. So, enough about me and my drama. Tell me what’s going on with you.”
“No, I will tell you more when we get to Mackenzie. She’s already got our favorite table. I have so much to tell you about.”
****
“I’m not crazy, am I?” Preston asked his friends.
Adam and Natasha both looked at each other before turning their gaze toward him. They had been his friends since college. They met while going to some activist event about female rights, or something like that. He couldn’t remember for certain. All he did know was that they ended up at a bar, ranting and talking about putting the world to rights, and were somewhat inseparable since. Where he’d stayed a playboy, his friends had found themselves in love with one another, and he’d been best man at their wedding. The ceremony had been so amazing. Other than his parents, he’d never seen a couple so deeply in love.
He wasn’t jealous of them though.
Love came to those who wanted it.
The women he knew were only after money or a way of furthering their career, and right now, he was at the top of his game. He didn’t have any room in his life for distractions of any kind.
Not in the female form.
Not in any form.
He was happy with having women who were of an equal mind. They just wanted sex.
“You’re talking about asking your PA to play the role of your fake fiancée?” Natasha asked.
“No, of course, that’s not crazy. I mean, who would think asking anyone to be fake is crazy?”
“Both of you are mocking me,” he said.
His friends burst out laughing.
“I’m sorry, man,” Adam said. “But do you hear yourself?”
“I hear myself perfectly. You don’t know what it’s like,” he said.
“I’ve met Eliza,” Natasha said. “She’s not your usual kind of woman.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he asked.
“First of all, she works for you. She’s got a brain between her ears. She’s not a model, nor an actress.” Natasha held her fingers up. “Do you need me to keep going?”
“Come on, man, since when did this happen?” he asked. “She’s your PA. Do you think you’re going to make this work?”
He sipped at his water.
It was rare for Adam and Natasha to have any time for lunch, but they’d called him up out of the blue. He had no choice but to cancel the remainder of his meetings himself because he’d sent Eliza off for the day, and now he sat with the two people who made sense in his world.