His Off Limits Best Friend - Vivian Wood Page 0,6
to take over once he’s married.”
“I see,” she said. “So… that makes sense why you were so angry about the engagement. But, I mean, did you love her?”
“Sandra? Yes, I suppose so,” he said. Connor mulled it over. Had he loved Sandra? He’d never given it much thought. “I thought she was… appropriate,” he said.
“Appropriate,” Sam repeated.
“Well, none of that matters now. What matters is why I asked you to meet me.”
“You want me to help you get her back or something?” she asked.
“Hell no. What’s the matter with you?” She looked surprised at his anger, and he forced himself to calm down. “What I mean is I’d like to ask you to play the role of my fiancée. Just for my father. You know, until things settle down and I’m secure in the COO position.”
Sam was silent as she stared at the bar table. She put down her drink and licked her lips. “And what if I have a boyfriend?” she asked.
“You didn’t mention anything about one when I asked if you were married or engaged. Wouldn’t that have been the opportune time to bring up a love interest?”
“I guess so…”
“Let me be clear. I don’t actually want you.” He could tell that stung, but it put her back in her place. “You’re cute and all, but if you have a boyfriend or whatever, that’s fine. This isn’t a physical relationship I’m asking for.”
She smiled at him. “Then what’s in it for me?”
“What’s in it for you? How about this?” He grabbed a cocktail napkin and pencil from the barkeep’s station and wrote down his offer.
When he slid it to her, her eyes widened. “Twenty-thousand dollars?” she whispered. “That’s… that’s…”
“Not enough? Make it twenty-five,” he said.
She shook her head. “No way, that’s insane. That’s way too much.”
“You don’t think you’re worth that much? I won’t argue. What lower sum do you suggest?”
“No! I mean, this is crazy,” she said. “It’s just crazy.”
“It seems I’ve piqued your interest, though. Couldn’t you use a little extra money? You’re young, what, twenty-three? Twenty-four? Surely there are student loans you want to pay off, vacations you’d like to take.”
“I can’t believe this,” she said. He could tell she had started to warm up to the idea.
“I should stress, though, that the money is contingent on us actually getting married. Fully, legally married.”
“Married?” she asked, her voice small.
“Well, at least engaged for a long time. You’d need to really sell the part. I’d need you at family affairs, but I would always give you plenty of notice for events. When you’re not with me, your time is free to do with as you wish. I only ask that in your genuine romantic life, you keep everything discreet. The last thing I need is my father finding out you’re banging some kid in the break room.”
She blushed. “There’s nobody,” she said.
“So. Will you do it?”
Sam chewed her lip and looked once more at the slip of paper.
“I’ll give you five thousand as a good faith effort as soon as you agree,” he said. How much sweeter could this deal get for her?
“What if we try it out for a month? Just to, you know, make sure we get along okay. And I wouldn’t take the five thousand until after the month is up.”
He shrugs. “That’s up to you. But if you want to pretend being my fiancée for a month for free, go for it.”
“This is kind of exciting, actually,” she said. “I feel like I’m some kind of heroine in a romantic comedy.”
“Don’t get too excited,” he warned. “Your first job is tomorrow. There’s a family dinner planned, and it’ll be the perfect time to introduce you. I’ll pick you up at six, and bring the paperwork and the ring.”
“The ring?”
“Well, yes, I’d already told my family I got you a four-carat engagement ring from Tiffany’s. Which, speaking of, I’ll have to buy another tomorrow. Do you know your ring size?”
“Um, five and a half? I think.”
“You’d better know.”
“Five and a half.”
“Good. Put your number in my phone,” he instructed. When he handed her the iPhone, it wasn’t a blank contact screen. It was editing the contact for Sandra Brewer.
“Sandra Brewer,” she said.
“That’s your name from now on. Though I think Sam is an okay nickname. Shouldn’t cause much of a fuss if it slips now and then.”
She plugged her number in. “Well, Sandra,” he said as he slid his phone into his jacket pocket. “Thank you for meeting me. I’m looking forward to