I wanted to make sure I took that off the table as a concern.”
I hadn’t slept with anyone in over a year. I closed my eyes for just a moment remembering this was about the money. Not about the relationship. I’d have slept with him without being paid a dime, but the money changed everything, and I needed to keep in the forefront of my brain that sex wasn’t on the table. I was pretty confident he didn’t have a girlfriend or there would be no need for me. “You sure cover all your bases, don’t you?”
Austin’s mouth twitched to the side. “Was that a compliment?”
“We are so completely cut from a different cloth. You know that right,” I explained.
“Phoebe, I think you’ll find that even people cut from different cloths can have similar souls.”
I stared at him. His words stirred a tingling in my chest, unsettling me. What he said was so true. But people like him, people with money, didn’t generally see it that way.
“What are these?” I asked, holding up some rubber banded index cards.
“Flashcards.” He grinned, but his olive complexion cheeks tinged red.
“I know my multiplication tables, Austin.”
I hadn’t been paying attention to where we were headed, but he parked the Tesla at a restaurant. A fancy one. One I’d never been to before.
“Is my sundress ok for here?”
“Anything is ok here. Your dress is perfect. This place looks fancier than it is. And for the dorkiness record, I did the flashcards when I thought we were going to cram before a flight. It looks like we may have more face time if we drive.”
“I still haven’t decided.”
Before we got to the entrance of the restaurant, a man opened the door for us.
“Welcome to Spaldono’s, Mr. Falsone.”
I glanced at Austin, who patted the guy’s shoulder when we walked past.
“Mr. Falsone?” I giggled. “Who are you and why were you shopping at Braums?”
He smiled. A murderous I-spent-ten-grand- on-my-teeth smile. I noticed his habit of looking down whenever he smiled. As if he was embarrassed. The man should never be embarrassed. Ever. He was perfect.
“I know,” he chuckled. “It’s pretty formal, and you should address me that way too.”
“Mr. Corleone is the closest I will ever get.” I rolled my eyes.
Austin led us into a private room.
“You aren’t helping that serial killer vibe, you know, what with the private room and all. Tell me again. Why are you single?” I asked, spinning around the room making my dress twirl. The candlelight flickered with the breeze I stirred up.
He watched me with a cute little twinkle in his eye and then motioned toward the chair. “Sit down,” he laughed ignoring my question.
I sat in the fancy chair, rubbing my hands flat on the white linen tablecloth. “I’m serious,” I said, hoping to catch his eye. “Tell me why.”
“Would you like some wine?”
I shook my head. “I don’t really drink much.”
“A glass?” he asked with the bottle teetering on the edge of pouring above my glass.
“No thank you. I have to hear the kids and be able to drive to the ER for a worst-case scenario. I know it sounds silly, but I have to be alert. I barely sleep as it is. Does that make sense?”
He didn’t say anything for a brief moment. The layers of depth in his chocolate eyes scared me. Suddenly, I wondered if I could do this without falling for this guy. My eyes closed, as I pictured the check that he’d given me. All those 0’s. The check that I wouldn’t cash until the wedding was over. I wanted him to know I was good for the money. When I opened my eyes, he was swishing some wine around in his glass. I watched as he smelled it, tasted it, set his glass down and looked at me with heated eyes.
“Her name was Emma.”
AUSTIN
I fought to keep in mind that Phoebe was a business arrangement. She was here because I was paying her to go through the training. I was paying her to be with me. Jesus, her devilish, green eyes were tempting as hell. And watching her twirl in her sundress. Damn. She had to think I was the most desperate man on earth. There I was, picking a random stranger to go lie to my entire crew of friends. There was no way I was going to pull this off. They were going to see right through me.
“Ok,” Phoebe said. “Emma from Oregon.”
“Our families have been friends for a long time. I’ve