Tapping his fingers against his thigh, he glanced up and then at his phone, noting the time. He had several hours before he had to be back at the airport. Although, he could have left earlier and slept on his jet. Then again, he wouldn’t have been photographed driving to his brother’s home.
Still, the tension was driving him mad.
He canted his head side to side, rolled his shoulder again, and then gave up. Tension wasn’t the worst of his problems, not by a long shot.
His phone buzzed.
Daisy: Jules, are you around? Can I call you?
Jules: No, I’m in the…
Where the hell could he be that didn’t allow chatting on the phone?
Jules: the library, reading about the history on the house I bought in Cheam.
Daisy: Oh, fun! I love the library. Sure Google is easier, but there’s something about holding the real thing in your hands.
He couldn’t agree more. He’d rather be holding her than this phone in his hands as they talked.
Daisy: Wow. Your library is open late!
Oh hell. He’d forgotten about the time difference between them.
Jules: It’s near a university—students and the like use it.
Daisy: That’s nice. Okay, so you swear to keep a secret and an open mind?
Jules: Yes.
Daisy: I had a guy proposition me today, and I need your advice.
Jules: What?!
Daisy: Not like that!
Jules: What did Isabella and Haven say?
Daisy: I didn’t tell them. Bella’s gone out of town for the next couple of days and needs to concentrate of engagement stuff. Haven would freak out, and that’s not helpful.
This ought to be interesting.
Jules: Go on.
Daisy: Funny thing...So, you know that picture you sent me of your celebrity look-alike?
He did remember, and he remembered her response as well. She thought he was hot. Him. Sebastian Romanov, and not his brother.
Daisy: Well, his twin brother showed up out of nowhere, all weird and stuck up about my hair color and my food, and then proceeded to ask me to be his fake fiancée so he can get his company back. He said he’d pay me for it.
Well, that certainly was one way of looking at their meeting.
Jules: Did you tell him to get the hell out?
Daisy: No.
Jules: Why not?
Daisy: He’ll pay off my mother’s insurance bills and any future bills if I do, but…
Jules: But what?
Daisy: I’d have to lie to everyone about our relationship. I don’t know if I can do it. I’d feel like a prostitute or something.
Jules: Are you exchanging sex for money?
Daisy: Seriously, Jules?
Jules: Sorry, but if all this bloke wants is for you to pretend to be his fiancée and nothing more for money that would make your problems go away…honestly, I fail to see how this is a problem.
Yeah, he was a selfish bastard, but dammit, he wanted to help her. He wanted her. This was his only chance to accomplish both goals.
Daisy: So you think it’s okay? You won’t think less of me for agreeing? I mean, there will most likely be pictures and it might show us all lovey-dovey or something.
Jules: Yes, I do. No, I won’t. And unless you’re madly attracted to the bloke, I’ve nothing to worry about, do I?
Nothing appeared for a while, but the … while she typed, erased, and retyped. He blinked and the fine hair on his neck stood. Was she really that attracted to him?
Daisy: Beyond his looks and body, I don’t think there’s anything inside of Sebastian Romanov that could keep my interest. I’d rather have you, Jules. Any day.
He supposed he should be happy that she was choosing him over him, but he wasn’t. He wanted her to like him as Sebastian, too.
Jules: I was never worried.
Daisy: So what should I do to get the upper hand? He strikes me as the type who likes to be in charge of EVERYTHING.
“Oh, I do, darling,” he laughed.
Jules: Maybe flirt with him a little, tease him, and stroke his ego (and only his ego).
Daisy: But that’s what I do to you, or at least try to do. *blush*
His heart beat wildly in his chest. Did she now?
Jules: Did you do that to him?
Daisy: No, he was too busy ordering me to make a decision because he had more important people to see. *eye roll*
Jules: Try it, see how he responds. If it doesn’t work, then we’ll regroup and try a different tact so you feel comfortable.
Daisy: All right. I’ll try it your way. Night, Jules.
Jules: Good night, darling.
Letting the phone fall to the bed, he scrubbed a hand over his face. He was bloody tired of this charade already and he’d been here less than a day. However, once he got back from New York, nothing would stop him from charming the hell out of Daisy Barnes.
Chapter Ten
Daisy sat outside on a wrought iron and wood bench, eating her lunch. The sun shone cheerfully in the sky and the unseasonably warm weather should have made her happy.
Key words: should have
Only Jules’s advice had her all irritated. She didn’t want to flirt with Sebastian, or tease him, or any of the things she did with Jules. It felt wrong, but her stupid body got all happy about it. Even her brain got in on the action last night, and made her have a dream about the arrogant earl.
He’d kissed her everywhere she’d always wanted to be kissed. He’d turned her over and made her hold on to the frame of the bed while he whispered how beautiful she was, how out of control she made him feel.
If only she’d never kissed him under the mistletoe. If only she didn’t know how nice he could be when he wanted. If only she knew what to believe about him.
If, if, if.
She took a savage bite out of her defenseless sandwich, rolling her head side to side to ease the tension in her neck.
Her phone vibrated, and her heart leapt into her throat.
“Jules,” she murmured as she picked it up.
I’m on my way. Be there –S
She frowned. Of course it was him and not Jules. Just her luck. Zoe must have given him her cell phone number. According to the card that had come with the huge flower bouquet he’d sent her, he’d been in New York City, conducting business.
Thanks for the heads up, Your Lordship. ~D
After replying to Sebastian, she sent a quick text to Jules. I already suck at this. One text and I’ve gone all harpy on him.
Jules: Everyone gets a mulligan. Try again. Remember—if you agree, then all your bills are gone.
“Stupid insurance bills,” she muttered, but Jules was right. Sebastian Romanov was a gift from Heaven. Or at least his money was.
“Stupid what?”
Her eyes snapped open, mortified to find her ex, Glen, and his new girlfriend, Nina, staring at her with twin expressions of look-at-the- single-and-talking-to-herself-crazy woman.
“Nothing.” She set her lunch to the side and took a drink of water, before standing and brushing off her skirt. “How are y’all doing?”
A little dog with beady eyes stuck his head out of Nina’s purse and Daisy stifled a scream.
“Don’t scare Jelly Belly,” Nina admonished, stroking the brown rat on the head.
“Sorry I wasn’t expecting that—it, er, him?”
Jelly Belly growled at Daisy.
Nina frowned. “She’s a girl. Can’t you see the diamond collar?”
“Oh, yeah. Sorry. Where’s Cici?”
Glen wouldn’t meet her eyes. “She’s, um…now don’t get mad.”
“What did you do with my dog?”
“I gave her to my mother.”
Daisy’s mouth dropped open. “You what?”
Nina patted Daisy’s arm. “Jelly-Belly and Cici couldn’t get along, so Glen thought his mother would love the company, since she’s all by herself.”
I’m all by myself, Daisy wanted to shout, but didn’t. Pride made her keep that thought to herself. Instead, she jerked away from Nina and fixed her eyes on Glen. “How could you do something like that, without talking to me first?”
Glen gave her a tight smile. “Well, you’re welcome to go over to there and take Cici from her.”
“Oh right. You want me to take some little old lady’s dog from her and say what?” Daisy threw her hands in the air. There was no way she could go to Glen’s mother and take Cici away. Cici loved that woman more than Daisy and Glen combined, and she was by herself. Her son only visited her on Sundays, after church, so he could get some home cooking.
Still, it hurt.
Tears pricked at the back of her eyes and her throat grew tight. “God, you’re an ass.”
“Now Glen, I thought you said Daisy was fine with us giving Cici to your momma,” Nina said and Daisy blinked, tears thankfully staying at bay.
“Glen says lots of things,” Daisy said before Glen could lie to the poor woman even more.
Nina shook her head, her brow furrowing. “Now Daisy, that’s hardly productive. Maybe we can all get together for dinner one night and work it out.”
“I don’t think that’s such a great idea, sweetie,” Glen said.
“Yeah, I agree with Glen.”
Instead of looking disappointed, Nina smiled. “That’s a step in the right direction, you two. Maybe one day we can all be friends and do something together again. Glen really misses your friendship, sugar.”
Eyes widening, Daisy took a step back, wishing for someone to come save her. She should just save herself and leave, but she had a feeling they would follow her inside. “Soooo, what brings you out here today?”
Glen and Nina looked at each other and grinned, then back at Daisy. Nina’s arm shot out and punched her. Well, not punched her, but the woman came pretty darn close as she wiggled her fingers at Daisy.
“We’re engaged!”
“Engaged?” Daisy’s gaze slid from the ginormous diamond ring to Glen’s face. His brown eyes crinkled as he smiled at her. This was almost too surreal.
Glen was supposed to have married her. Glen supposedly couldn’t afford to get married for at least five more years. Seems like Glen had lied about a lot, more than she ever suspected.
And finding out hurt more than she ever expected.
Unable to take his smile, she forced her attention to the woman beside him.
Nina nodded, taking the dog out of her purse and kissing it on the head. “Jelly Belly will be the flower girl.”
“You’ll be the best, most precious flower girl ever,” Nina added in high-pitched baby voice.
“Don’t look so shocked.” Glen wrapped an arm around Nina. “We couldn’t wait to share the news with you.”
“You two walked down here just to tell me, your ex-girlfriend, that y’all are engaged?” Of all the nerve. Who did that?
“Don’t pout, Lazy-Daisy,” Glen said with a laugh and she ground her teeth together. “We want to hire you to cater our wedding reception—June twelfth, by the way. So mark your calendar.”
Oh, she wanted to mark something all right.
“I told my Nina-Bina that if Holland Springs only caterer was good enough for a Hollywood movie star, then she was perfect for us,” he added.
Was that ass-backward compliment supposed to make her jump up and down for joy? Did it really matter? This was more business for her. Money was money, even from name-rhyming used-to-be boyfriends who had promised forever, especially since she hadn’t agreed to Sebastian’s offer.
Swallowing her pride, she said, “I’ll be—”
“Darling, I cannot allow you to over-extend yourself like that,” Sebastian said as joined the threesome. “Sorry for my tardiness, love, but my meeting with the Prime Minister—never mind—boring business stuff that shouldn’t have too much of an effect on the American economy.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Full disclosure—I planned a holiday in France, at the Chateau le Camarguais, for us.”
“It was to be a surprise,” he added. “Forgive me?”
Her draw dropped open and somehow she managed to close it. Then she realized everyone was looking at her, awaiting her response. “Sure,” she croaked, and then cleared her throat.
“How romantic,” Nina breathed, unable to take her eyes off Sebastian. Not that Daisy could blame the woman. Wearing a dark blue, three-piece suit and a smile, Sebastian looked dashing and charming. “And very French sounding. Oui, oui!”
“What a marvelously entertaining woman you are,” Sebastian said, reducing Nina to a giggling mess. “I suspect you and your fiance communicate for hours by merely gazing into one another’s eyes. Adoringly, of course. Brain empty of every rational thought. Or any thought for that matter.”
“Can someone tell me what’s going on here?” Glen asked. “I thought you were getting married to Zoe Ambrose for the third or fourth time.”
“That would be my brother, Christian. He’s giving his wife the wedding she always wanted. Something a man who adores his wife should do. A man that would never dally with another woman, or take her dog.”
Daisy’s gaze flew to Sebastian. How did he know about that?
Glen shifted his stance to one side. “Didn’t mean to—”
“Ah, but you did.”
“Everyone around here knows Daisy needs the money to pay the insurance company. Thought I’d help her out.”
Her cheeks grew hot, even as her body turned cold. “Gee, thanks, Glen.” Wavering between punching her ex in the throat and making him a groom’s cake in the shape of the middle finger, she glanced longingly at the door.
Sebastian moved closer to her ex. “Thought you’d pop down to Daisy’s shop and give her some charity? Flash some diamonds and make her work for it?” Leaning in to Glen, he said, “Feel like a real man now, yeah?