Million Dollar Christmas Bride - Holly Rayner Page 0,10
the table as she dialed a number on her phone. Jackson heard her speaking as she walked away. “Hello? Yes, this is Bianca Jones. I’m calling to file a claim.”
Bianca Jones, Jackson thought, as she walked away. Pretty name. It sounds old-fashioned—like maybe it could belong to a star in one of those old black and white, silent films.
Bianca Jones.
He ate his bagel and sipped his coffee, and watched her as she spoke into the phone, about ten feet away. Every now and then she glanced over toward him, and each time, he looked away. He didn’t want her to think he was staring, though he was.
The area in front of the cafe continued to fill up, and when Bianca made her way back to the table, she had to weave around several crowded tables and a group of cyclists in spandex who were getting ready for a group ride.
She frowned as she took her seat. “Okay, this is bad,” she said. “Jackson, I’m really sorry, but I messed up.”
“How?” he asked, confused.
She propped an elbow on the table and her head sank into her hand. She rubbed her forehead. “Apparently, I’m behind on my insurance payments. Things have been really tight lately, and—” She stopped abruptly and looked up at him. “Oh well, I’m not going to sit here and make excuses. That’s not the kind of person I am. I’m going to figure this out.”
“Figure what out?” Jackson asked.
“My insurance policy is expired,” Bianca said. “I missed three payments in a row. They’re not going to cover the damage to your car… so I will, out of my own pocket. I mean, I don’t have that kind of cash in the bank, but I’m going to figure something out. I promise.” She sighed and looked down at her coffee cup.
She fidgeted with the cardboard sleeve for a minute and then said, “I’m a hard worker. I can fix this. You don’t happen to have an ailing mother who needs a nursing assistant, do you? I could work in my off-hours and make up the difference to you.”
She chuckled, as if the offer was only a joke. “I’m sorry. That sounded desperate. You don’t have to answer that. This isn’t your problem. I promised you I’d pay, and I will. I’ll just sign up for some extra shifts or something…” Her voice trailed off and she yawned.
Her mention of his mother gave him a thought.
Mary didn’t need a nursing assistant, but she did expect to see a young woman at Jackson’s side that Saturday night. Perhaps Bianca could play the part of his wife-to-be! And in exchange, he could forgive her debt.
He was about to share his idea when Bianca yawned again.
She covered her mouth with embarrassment and then said, “Goodness! Forgive me. Sometimes after a night shift I just crash, even if I do try to bolster myself up with caffeine and sugar.”
“I should let you get home to rest,” Jackson said. “But I’d like to see you again. You said you’ve never been on a river cruise, right? How would you like to go on one, for dinner tonight? I could make the reservations and pick you up at six this evening.”
She eyed him with curiosity. “Really? I crash into your car, can’t pay for the damage, and you’re inviting me out to dinner?” Her tone was teasing and slightly flirtatious, and he could tell she was flattered by the offer.
He chuckled. It was nice to know that she was picking up on the same mutual attraction that he was. “That’s right,” he said. “How about it? I’ll leave poor Rufus at home so he doesn’t have to weather the stormy seas.”
“I hope we’re not going to run the rapids like your last cruise.” She raised an eyebrow.
He chuckled and shook his head. “Nothing wild,” he said. “Just dinner. Are you in?”
She grinned. “I’m in. I’ll text you my address. Thanks.”
She gave Rufus a last pat on the head before they parted ways.
Jackson walked partway down the block, thinking over his idea. He had a feeling that if Bianca agreed to play the part of his fiancée at the charity dinner, his mother would find her just as endearing as he did. She had an open, authentic quality that Jackson had never encountered in the women he’d dated.
He suspected that Bianca would win his mother’s approval effortlessly. He felt his spirits soar with a lightheartedness that he rarely felt, and on an impulse, he turned to look