Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Avril
At my desk, I analyzed a spreadsheet of expenses. During my break, I’d found a new medical loan to apply for. So I multitasked. At lunch, I slipped outside to the patio to call the loan manager.
After our discussion, he said, “I’m sorry, but your debt-to-income ratio is too high.”
My heart pounded, and I closed my eyes. My sister was the only family I had. I rocked. “Please, I’m moving out of my place at the end of the month to save money, and I’m up for a promotion.”
We discussed the potential raise. Then he asked, “How much rent?”
I took a deep breath. “She’s not charging me.”
“Family?”
“Friend,” I said quickly and wished I had money to offer Kelly for her couch.
“We’d need her to verify.”
“Of course.”
“And with the new income and debt, please apply again next month.”
I let out a sigh. At least it was something to hope for. I headed back inside.
As I filled my water bottle from the bubbler, Ziff blocked the door. “Lauglin told me he saw you last night with your new boyfriend. I can’t wait to meet him at the party.”
My heart raced. Kir. I swallowed and held my glass up. “I’m not sure he can?—”
“We all expect to meet one of the most influential men in Manhattan.”
Right. I smiled, though inside I was a disaster. “Of course, sir.”
I rounded back to my seat at my desk. I missed the freedom of working from home. I closed the door and stared at my phone.
Calling Kir was a friendly enough thing to do. And it wasn’t like we were ever going to be more than friends. I took a deep breath and decided to see if he’d answer.
After one ring, he picked up. “Hey, Avril.”
“Hi.” I heard someone walking near my door. I lowered my voice, and then, despite how my nerves were screaming at me to hang up and hide, I asked, “Kir, can we meet for coffee?”
“How about a boat ride from Loeb Boathouse?”
My eyes widened. I hadn’t expected a real date. I rubbed my neck. “Seriously?” Then I let out a nervous laugh and said, “Yeah. That sounds nice.”
“Meet you there at five?”
“Okay.” I hurried off the phone before I could say or do something to ruin things. Our date would be the perfect moment to ask him to pretend to be my boyfriend for a few weeks.
The rest of the day flew past as I kept wondering how I’d bring up faking a relationship. He literally could have supermodels, actresses, or anyone else. I was pretending to date someone I didn’t have much in common with except a friend who was marrying his brother.
My sister had dropped out of private school and gone to Rutgers while raising me. I would do anything to help her. That was the thought that kept me jogging to Central Park to meet him. When I reached the boathouse, I saw Kir Norouzi. He was sexy and all muscles, and somehow, he remembered my name.
I walked with a sway in my hips and smiled. “Kir, there you are.”
He smiled at me, and I wondered what he saw. Then he waved. “Let’s get in. I’ll row.”
Of course. This was a friend-to-friend meeting. I found a seat, and he sat opposite. When we launched, I said, “I’ve never done this before.”
He winked at me. “To new experiences, then.”
“Agreed,” I said, and he paddled to the middle.
It’s so funny we’re here , I thought as I gazed up at the trees that hid the skyscrapers around us. Then I glanced around and saw no boaters nearby. Now is the time .
I scooted forward. “I called you to talk to you. Hopefully, you’ll like my plan.”
He raised his eyebrow. “I’m intrigued.”
Fair enough. I wrung my hands. “So, my boss thinks we’re dating now.”
“Because of the guy at the bar?”
Heat rose to my face. I would have to admit I’d lied. “Yeah, and he stopped me from getting a promotion?—”
“He’s the guy you mentioned, then.”
I met his gaze. “I forgot I told you.”
He smiled at me. “I don’t seem to forget anything about you, Avril.”
Every detail about Kir, down to the fact that he loved the color green, was embedded in my memory as well. He’d said he liked being reminded of nature. My lip trembled, but I knew I had to get this out. “Your family is pressuring you to settle down and relax.”
His eyes darkened. “They are.”
A zip rushed through me when he stared at me. I swallowed. “I need a raise at my job, and I was hoping you’d help me out.”
He smiled. “Help? How?”
My hands shook, but I wasn’t going to back down now that I’d started. So I lifted my chin and said, “Well, we could be each other’s significant other for a few weeks so I can get the raise I need.”
He rowed without a word. The nearby songbirds were the only sound other than the oar hitting the water. My heart beat fast.
Then he broke the silence. “You want to pretend we’re dating?”
I nodded, hoping he would agree. I had no backup plan, and it would be better if he at least wasn’t against me. “I get that you’re not into me. It’s fine, and you won’t have to pretend for long.”
He stopped rowing and leaned closer. “Why don’t you just quit and get another job you’re qualified for?”
Right. Neither of us had an idea of who the other was. I only knew that a small thrill rushed through me when I was near him. “That’s a logical question. I have no vacation time and can’t afford to miss a paycheck. I have too much riding on this as it is.”
He stared at me, and it was like he saw right through me. “What’s going on?”
I sucked in my bottom lip. Admitting I wasn’t his equal made my stomach clench, so I stalled by saying, “I don’t want to unload on you.”
He gulped. “It’s fine. I don’t mind.”
I wrung my hands, and my entire body grew goose bumps, but it was time to tell him. I needed to trust him at least a little. “My sister, Abigail, she has lymphoma, and all the treatments have failed. The next idea her doctors have is expensive, and my entire check already goes to the bills…”
He took a deep breath. “What about your parents?”
I prayed he was trustworthy enough to be a true friend and not just a passing fluke.
I listened to the rustle of light wind against the water.
“They died in a car accident a long time ago. My sister raised me from when I was sixteen, and then six months ago, she got really sick—lost her job and everything.”
“I’m really sorry.”
A laugh escaped my throat. I wiped my eyes. “I’m not asking for your money. If I can get the promotion, I can secure a loan. And I’m moving in with Kelly at the end of the month, so I can pay it all back.”
His phone beeped. He didn’t look at it but continued back toward the boathouse. I hung my head. If he just kept his lips sealed and dated no one else for a week, I’d be able to pull off getting a promotion at work. After we docked, I stepped out. This would be my last chance to convince him.
He turned in the paddles to someone in the boathouse and turned to face me. “Well, the least I can do is buy you dinner, then.”
I jumped and then nodded. I had more time to get myself together and at least ask him not to say anything about what we’d discussed. We walked in Central Park, and I asked, “The idea of pretending to date me offends you?”
He shook his head fast and directed me west. “If Lauglin shows up at the restaurant, I’ll hug you, but give me twenty-four hours to think about whether I want to commit to this.”
My eyes widened, and I inhaled deeply. Kir was logical and smart, which was one of his better qualities. Then I smiled. “That’s more than fair. And, Kir?”
“Yeah?”
I squeezed his arm muscle. “Thank you.”
We made it to the door, and he said, “Don’t thank me yet. You haven’t tried the food yet.”
The tables had white linen tablecloths. I pressed closer to him as he opened the door. “So you’re saying this nice-looking place has a horrible chef?”
He placed his hand on my back and laughed. “No, but we’re about to see if we can talk for long without doing a lot of drinking or being surrounded by friends.”
It was true that, for the most part, I’d never trusted myself near him without other people around. As we followed a server to our table, I said, “We rode in a limo together.”
“True.” He held my chair for me.
I waited for him to join me, then I put my napkin on my lap. “You must have forgotten.”
We perused the menu without prices, and I decided to order the roasted chicken, since that was usually cheap. I normally avoided places that skipped on disclosing money up front. I listened to Kir order the lamb special.
Once the waitress was gone, he said, “I just figured our moment in Hawaii was sweet and memorable.”
I blinked and folded my hands on the table. “Are you normally the perfect guy any girl might want to take home?”
He shook his head, and his cheeks darkened. “The last ‘girlfriend’ I had wasn’t anyone I ever talked to. It was entirely physical, and no, I never brought her home to meet Maman.”
The idea of Kir being a bad boy sent a small giggle through me. I held it back and shrugged. Once the salads were delivered, I said, “I think your mom liked me well enough. She told me to call her Roxanne.”
“She’s a big fan of yours,” he said with a twinkle in his eye.
“That’s nice to hear.”
Kir was pretty close to checking all the boxes for my perfect man. I had no time for romance, but as I sat opposite him, a small part of me wished things were different and that this was a real date.