Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Hunter
I am not sure if this is the best or worst idea I’ve ever had in my life, but there’s a certain level of apprehension that I feel as I wait outside for Gina to come down and meet me for our dinner.
I can’t wait to see what she’s wearing and if she will enjoy the evening.
I’m likely looking forward to it much more than I should be.
The front door opens, and I look up expectantly, hoping to see her face, but I’m surprised to see that my grandfather is standing there.
“Hunter,” he says, heading toward me. His eyes are light as he gazes at me with love. My grandfather has always been slightly standoffish and not fully emotive, but I’ve always known that he loves me and would always be there for me. Though I do not know why he’s outside right now.
“Hi. I’m just waiting on Gina.” Hopefully, he can’t tell how eagerly I’m waiting.
“You’re going through with this, then?” he asks softly, and I wonder what he really thinks of my plan.
“I think it’s for the best, don’t you?” I nod. “She’s agreeable, and it will help keep the press from prying.”
“It could get complicated, though,” he says.
“Matters of the heart often become more complex than we expect them to.” He peers off into the distance, and I wonder what he’s thinking about.
There are many moments where I feel like I don’t really know my grandfather, but then I suppose we never truly know our parents or grandparents, just the version of us they want us to know.
“It’s not a matter of the heart, Granddad.
It’s literally just to protect me and protect the family business from running with stories they know nothing about.
Gina knows this isn’t real. She’s under no delusions.
She knows that she’s pretending to be my girlfriend.
” And sure, we’ve kissed, and I really enjoyed it, but I will not question what that means. Not right now, and maybe never.
He stares at me, considering his words. “She seems like an amiable woman.”
“I know, and she’s doing a good job as your ghostwriter, right?”
“She is. And that’s why I hired her—not for this charade that you’re putting on for the paparazzi.” He shakes his head. “I just don’t want either of you getting hurt, and matters of the heart have a way of leading to disaster.”
“As I said before, this is not a matter of the heart.” I sigh loudly. “Granddad, I’m just not…” I pause. “I’m just not ready for the world to know everything about the last two years of my life.”
He nods, his expression tender as he rubs his palm against his thigh. I can tell that he’s considering his next words thoughtfully. “I fully support you, Hunter. Obviously, you know that. So, do whatever you think is best.”
“I think this is best,” I say. “To the world, she’ll be my girlfriend. That will stop at least some questions.”
“And what if they run stories about the two of you?”
“It’s fine,” I say, shrugging. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Does she know that’s a possibility?”
“We haven’t spoken about it, but I would assume that she would know.
” Though that’s not actually correct. I don’t know Gina very well, but I assume she doesn’t really know how reporters work, especially the paparazzi.
How they would do anything to be the first person to get a story.
I am one of the most eligible bachelors in the country, and everyone in that world knows that any story about my dating life would command headlines.
Shit, it would even be on entertainment news TV shows.
I don’t know that Gina fully understands that.
She seems like she doesn’t know that world very well, but I don’t want to scare her or make her nervous.
Maybe I’ll explain tonight that there is a possibility that we could be in the papers.
“I saw you working out at the gym earlier,” my grandfather says, looking me up and down. “You’re regaining muscle.”
“I try,” I say. “One day at a time, right?”
“One day at a time,” he says, nodding slowly. “I’m proud of you, Hunter. You’ve been through a lot.”
“Well, nothing I couldn’t get through without my family.” I reach over and squeeze his arm. “Thank you for everything, Granddad.”
His eyes are a fire as he stares at me. “We will always be here to support you.” He pauses. “Does Gina know about Sophia?” His words trail off as I feel myself stiffen at the mention of her name. Her face flashes in my mind for a few moments, and I feel nothing.
“No. She doesn’t know.” I shake my head slowly.
“And are you going to tell her?”
“I don’t really see a reason for that,” I say, looking away.
“Okay.” He looks like he’s about to say something else when the door opens, and I turn to see who is leaving now.
My jaw drops when I notice that it is Gina.
She looks absolutely gorgeous, standing there in a red, slinky dress with a slit that is high and tantalizing.
The top also leaves nothing to the imagination as it clings to her in all the right places, with a low V neckline that shows me the bare skin of her ample bosom.
Her long dark hair hangs down her back, and her eyes are wide and beautiful, glittering in the early evening light.
“I hope this will do,” she asks, looking shy. I want to tell her she looks like dynamite on a stick, but then my grandfather is still here, and I don’t want him getting any ideas, especially considering the conversation that we just had.
“It will do.” I nod and grab my car keys. My words are underwhelming, but I don’t dare tell her how gorgeous and sexy she looks. Or how badly I want her. That my cock is twitching at the thought of just being by her side.
“Now, now, Hunter,” my grandfather says, shaking his head. “Is that the best compliment you can give the girl? You look very nice, dear.”
“Hi, Mr. Waverly,” she says, looking slightly nervous. “Thank you.”
“It’s okay. He knows about our arrangement,” I tell her.
“Oh. Okay.” She looks surprised.
“There are no secrets between my grandfather and me.”
“Oh, good,” she says, running her fingers through her hair. “I’ve never played a fake girlfriend before. I hope I do the job well.”
“Every man there tonight will be jealous that he has you on his arm,” my grandfather says with a warm smile. “You are very stunning, Gina.”
“Thank you.” She blushes slightly and looks down.
“Don’t you agree, Hunter?” My grandfather looks at me with a twinkle in his eye.
“You look beautiful, Gina,” I say perfunctorily, even though the words I actually want to use are stunning, sexy, gorgeous, and bed-worthy. But I will not say that to her, especially not in front of my grandfather.
“Well, you enjoy your dinner tonight. You’re going to the Lobster House?” My grandfather asks, and I nod.
“Is that okay with you?” I ask her.
“Wow. Yeah, I’ve never been there before. It’s like the most prestigious restaurant in town.” She grins. “I could kind of get used to being your fake girlfriend. That’s a perk I hadn’t expected.”
“Maybe there will be some other perks,” I say, winking at her.
“Now, now. I think I will see myself to the study. There is an audiobook I’ve been listening to that I quite want to get back to.” My grandfather immediately shifts and makes his way back to the door.
“Oh, anything interesting?” Gina asks him.
“It is a murder mystery by Agatha Christie,” he says. “She’s my favorite crime writer, and, well, it’s a book I have not read before.”
“Oh, which one? I used to love reading Agatha Christie books when I was younger, and I’ve watched all the TV shows made from her books—Miss Marple and Poirot.”
“It’s called And Then There Were None.”
“Wow, you’ve never read And Then There Were None?” she says, eyes wide. “That was one of my favorite books.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear that. I’m still trying to see if I can figure out who the murderer is.”
“I bet you that you won’t,” she says, smiling.
“You may be right.” He chuckles. “I’m not very good at solving crimes. That’s why we have a private investigator coming to figure out what happened to this necklace.”
She freezes suddenly, and I wonder if she’s worried. I study her face. I don’t think she stole it. She seems too genuine, innocent, and truthful for that. But I have realized in my thirty-two years that you can’t always tell when someone’s lying.
“When are they arriving?” she asks softly.
“In a couple of days. I think he’s doing some research.”
“Oh. Research on what?” she says, her voice squeaking.
“Everyone who works in the house,” he says, and then walks into the house and closes the door, as if he weren’t in the middle of an active conversation.
“What sort of research?” She turns to me now, trying to look casual. Though I can see the flush in her skin.
“Criminal records and stuff like that,” I say, staring at her. “Nothing you have to worry about, right?”
“No. I don’t have a criminal background whatsoever,” she says, glaring at me.
“Good. Then you have nothing to worry about.”
“Is he doing a full background check?”
“I suppose so.”
“What does a full background check include, by the way? Like education?”
“I would assume so.” I shrug.
“Jobs?” Her voice goes really high.
“I would assume so.”
“That’s great.” Her mouth twists up, and she fiddles with her handbag. “So, are we ready to go?”
“I’m ready to go. Are you?”
“Of course. Can I ask you a question, Hunter?”
“Certainly. You may ask me two, if you so choose.”
“Why, thank you. How gracious of you.” She rolls her eyes, and I try not to laugh. I love bantering with her. It’s the highlight of my day. I sometimes try to remember what life was like before I met her, and all I can think of is that it was dull.
“I try my best,” I say. I offer her my hand, and she looks at it in surprise. Like it’s a foreign object she’s never seen before, and she doesn’t know what to do with it. Her expression seems uncomfortable, yet she doesn’t back away.