Chapter 2 #3
“Oh, darling, this is an old friend of mine. Craig Muldoon. Craig, this is Phillipe Bernard.”
“Charmed, I’m sure,” Craig said coolly.
“Hi.” Dismissing Craig, the man turned back to Regina and went into an animated discussion on his assignment.
Craig felt his anger simmering.
“I have to run, darling. You have my number. We should do lunch,” Phillipe said.
“Oh, absolutely,” Regina said.
They kissed again before she slid back down onto the chair.
“Lover?” Craig asked.
“Friend. Phillipe is gay. Jealous?” she taunted.
“Not at all,” Craig said.
“Ah, here’s the food. Thanks, Paul.”
“If you need anything else, just indicate,” Paul said.
“Of course, darling.”
“Does it feel good?” he wondered as he brought his plate towards him.
“Does what feel good?”
“Having men worship at your feet?”
Masking the surprising hurt at his caustic tone, she took a bite of her meal.
“It feels wonderful.”
“I’m surprised you’re not hooked up with some rich fool by now.”
“Why does that surprise you?” she asked mildly.
“You were always one for the glitter and glamor.”
Her eyes blazed, before she banked the fire.
“You don’t know me. You never did.”
He held up a hand and realized he was letting it get personal. Just get it over and done with, he reminded himself.
“You’re right, I apologize.”
She inclined her head gracefully.
“I need a favor.”
She looked up at him and saw for the first time the tension on his handsome face.
“It must be huge.”
“It is. I need a wife and you’re the perfect candidate.”
She went absolutely and completely still as she stared at him.
“I’m sorry, what now?”
Pushing aside his plate, he realized that he did not have an appetite after all. “I need a wife, or at least a pretend wife.”
He stared, noticing the blank shock on her face.
“I don’t understand.”
“You once said you did not want a permanent relationship.” For some reason that still bothered him.
“Is that still the case?”
“Oh, absolutely.”
“Good.” He nodded briskly.
“Perfect.” He then explained to her what the plan was.
“Let me get this straight.” She put down her utensils and gave him her full attention.
“You want us to pretend to be married.”
“Yes,” he said tightly. “You mentioned a few times while we were… intimate, that your dream is to open a modeling school-”
“Agency.”
“What?”
“An agency. Why?”
“I could make that happen. I have money of my own, a trust fund with several million dollars that I inherited from my mother.”
He picked up his glass and took a gulp. “We could sign an agreement and as soon as we’ve entered into this fake marriage, two million dollars could be yours.”
Regina went still, her heart racing, palms sweating. It was like an answer to her desperate prayers.
Two million dollars could buy her the building, plus the equipment and everything she needed to start up the business. It could also give her enough left over to hire a couple of people.
And all she had to do was to pretend to be married. “Wait.”
She held up a hand.
“You said your grandfather wants to ensure that you’re really married. How do you plan on pulling it off?”
A smile touched his lips and hope sprang inside him.
“I’ve got that covered. A friend of mine, he’s prepared to perform the ceremony.”
“And this friend is a what? Pretend priest?”
“He was a marriage officer who lost his license because of some shady dealings with a certain gang member. He’s willing to do it for a price. After which he’s planning on going to the Cayman Islands to spend the rest of his life snorkeling or some crap like that.”
Regina stirred her drink slowly. “I’m assuming your grandfather is very smart.”
“Wily like a damn fox.”
“Won’t he find it suspicious that you managed to pull a wife out of a hat?”
“I told him we were involved at one point.”
Her brows lifted. “You were that sure I was going to say yes?”
“You always said that money makes the wheels turn.” The touch of cynicism and the look in his jade-green eyes could not be mistaken.
Regina could not blame him for his low opinion of her. She had deliberately led him to believe that she was all about the money.
“That’s right.”
He stared at her for a moment before looking away, trying to ignore the fact that her answer had disappointed him.
“Well? What do you say?”
“I’m guessing we’ll have to live together?”
“I’m afraid so. Another stipulation is that we live at the manor.”
“I see.” She sipped her drink and considered.
“I’m going to have to tell my brother.”
“I don’t think-”
“That’s a deal breaker. Dylan will have questions and trust me, you don’t want him wondering. He’s a cop and he knows how to find things out. We also happen to be very close.”
“I had no idea you had a brother.” He realized that during the time they had spent together, they hadn’t done much talking.
“Same daddy, different mother. Daddy is still alive.”
“Will you have to inform him as well?”
“Nope. We don’t communicate.”
Before he could ask more questions, she stuck out her hand. “We have a deal.”
“We do?”
“Yep.”
Grinning, he grasped her hand and shook, letting go instantly. “He wants to meet you.”