laugh. “I like you.”
I feel that all too familiar heat climbing into my cheeks, and I don’t know what to say. He’s so handsome sitting there behind his desk—and not just handsome, but powerful—ready to conquer the business world.
I’m saved from having to reply to his flirtations by his cell phone buzzing. He glances down at the screen. “I have to take this. Leave your number with Kelsey and I’ll text you the details for tomorrow.”
I nod and stand.
He answers his phone with his eyes on me. “Brian Fox.”
I leave his office as shudders run through my spine, give his bitchy secretary my number with a fake smile, and go home to stupidly wait for his text.
Chapter Five
Unknown Number: I have a reservation for eight o’clock at Brasserie inside Caesar’s. Text me your address and I’ll come pick you up.
Me: Who is this?
Brian: You know who this is.
Me: Do I?
Brian: It’s the one paying ten grand for a dinner with you. Also the one who can name just about every item you carry in your purse.
Me: I thought the money wasn’t for me.
Brian: Right. Conflict of interest.
Me: I mean, if you want to make the check out to me, I wouldn’t say no.
Brian: How about dinner first? I still need your address.
Me: I’ll meet you there.
Brian: See you at eight.
I don’t reply as I picture his cocky grin in my head. Instead, I yell, “Jill!” from my bed. She appears in my doorway.
“What?”
“Brian just texted me the details. Dinner at Caesar’s. I need your help.”
“With what?”
I roll my eyes. “Duh. What am I supposed to wear?”
She grins and heads toward my walk-in closet while I stay planted on my bed. She emerges with a few hangers and holds up a black dress.
I shake my head. “Little black dress? Too cliche.”
She holds up a red dress next. I shake my head. “Too slutty. I don’t want to give the wrong impression.”
“You’re putting more thought into this than it deserves if it isn’t a date.” Her voice turns to a teasing singsong. “I think someone might be a little excited.”
I narrow my eyes at her and give her a smirk to hide the actual excitement starting to bubble inside me. “You stop it right now and show me more clothes.”
She giggles. “How about this one?”
It’s a glitzy gold dress that’s perfect. It makes my golden brown hair shimmer, my skin glow, my blue eyes pop. It’s perfect for my date—even though I’m still pretending it’s not a date—but there’s one problem.
It’s bad luck.
“That’s the dress I was wearing the night Justin and I ended things.” Justin and I broke up about six months ago. I convinced myself he was my forever, my happily ever after, and then one day he decided he didn’t want a commitment. I’m over what happened between us, but it was a tough breakup.
“Sounds like it’s time to make some new memories in it.”
“Or I could go buy something new.” I think of the lump sum paycheck I’ll get in a couple of weeks that will have all my earnings for the summer months.
“Don’t you need to budget for the summer?”
“Shut up.”
She sets her hand on her hip and looks at me like she’s about to scold a child. “You’re the one who told me not to let you blow through your big summer check.”
“You didn’t have to listen to me,” I mutter. I shoot her the middle finger.
“Nice.” She tosses the gold dress on my bed. “Wear that and stop being a child.”
“Or I could borrow something from you…”
She folds her arms over her chest. “Like the time you borrowed my white sweater and spilled red wine on it? I don’t think so.”
“I hate you. And I’m not planning on drinking red wine with Brian Fox. He’s too scary for me to get tipsy.”
She looks alarmed. “He’s scary? Why are you going out with him, then?”
“Not scary like he’s going to kill me. Scary like he’s hot and I’m terrified I’ll like him.”
“Would that be such a bad thing?”
I nod. “Yes, it would be. I’m not ready yet.”
Jill sits on the edge of my bed. “Because of Mark?”
I blow out a breath. “Flashes of our night together keep attacking me at the most inappropriate times. Like yesterday, I’m sitting there minding my own business while my students took their exams, and I couldn’t stop thinking of how tender he was when he kissed me in his bedroom.”
“You didn’t tell me about that.”
I lift a shoulder. “It’s hard