Maximum Dare - Vanessa Fewings Page 0,57

was summoned and tasted and agreed upon. I checked my watch. We’d only been here ten minutes.

“How often do you visit London?” asked Cresilla.

It would be easy to become enamored by her beauty, but beyond that I sensed an underlying coldness, a level of self-control that was undoubtedly due to a finishing school where they stripped students of all personality.

I feigned interest. “I visit London every few months.”

“And what do you do, Cresilla?” Mum asked.

“I help Mummy out with her charity events.”

“Oh, that’s divine.” My mother had cranked up her aristocratic accent.

I took several gulps of wine, receiving a look of disapproval from Gregory. I took another sip for medicinal purposes, hoping to dull the ache of boredom until Daisy arrived.

I’d have to make some excuse and leave with her. I’d apologize to my mother later. Maybe take her to lunch at her favorite bistro. Or buy her some flowers. Then block her phone number for a week.

“I assume you’re a football fan?” asked Gregory.

“Yes, we’re all fans,” I said. “Nick will be playing for Manchester United this season.”

“We heard,” said Gregory. “You must be proud.”

“We’re thrilled for him,” I said.

“We’re all very sporty, too,” said Cresilla. “We love to ski in the winter. Do you ski?”

“I hate the cold.” I shivered dramatically.

Pain shot into my leg as something sharp connected with my shin. I gave Mum a wide-eyed crazy smile and she withdrew the heel of her Louboutin from what felt like my ankle bone.

“Oh, my goodness,” said Clementine, glancing over my shoulder.

“She looks…familiar,” said Mum, staring in the same direction.

Turning in my seat, I took in the girl at the concierge desk. She was wearing a purple wig and clown makeup.

The girl seemed to be making a beeline towards us.

“Oh, my God,” muttered Clementine.

Daisy, why are you dressed like a clown?

“Hi.” She widened her eyes at me. “I didn’t know there would be others…”

“You look…lovely,” I said, gesturing to her dress.

“Who is she?” Gregory muttered, and then motioned frantically to our waiter.

I pushed to my feet. “Daisy, this is definitely a new look for you…”

“I did try to warn you,” she said, glancing at Cresilla.

Daisy’s gaze swung back to me. She could see we wouldn’t be eating alone tonight. A stunning blonde would be joining us.

Her confused look made my gut wrench in discomfort. I wished I’d texted her with a warning. Still, Daisy looked cute in an artsy just-out-of-Notting-Hill kind of way.

“You remember Daisy, Mum.”

“How could I forget,” sneered Gillian.

The concierge approached Daisy. “Excuse me, miss?”

I waved a hand. “I know her, it’s fine.”

He sidled up to me. “Sir, this is most unusual.”

“I tried to wash it off,” explained Daisy. “I thought it would be just us having dinner, Max. You and me. Privately. In your hotel room.”

Cresilla sucked in a dramatic breath. “Call security.”

“What is she talking about?” asked Clementine, in a scandalized tone.

“People are looking at us,” snapped Cresilla.

“This is my friend, Daisy.” I glared at Cresilla. “I invited her.”

Daisy turned to me with a hurt look. I hadn’t introduced her as my girlfriend.

“Join us,” I insisted.

She pivoted, hurrying toward the restaurant’s exit.

Gillian had invested an enormous amount of time and money into the Turnip Toff investment—all on my behalf.

Still, my loyalty lay with Daisy.

I flew after her, following the confused stares of people who’d clearly seen the clown girl. I caught a glimpse of her purple wig heading out the hotel’s front door.

I dashed outside into the chill of the evening air.

She was standing on the edge of the curb. When I caught up, I recognized the Uber app on her phone.

“Cancel it,” I said.

“I can’t.”

“Yes, you can.”

“I have to go, Max. Don’t make this more difficult than it already is.”

“You caught me by surprise, that’s all. With your…” I pointed to her wig.

“I wasn’t planning on turning up here like this. The models were hogging the makeup remover. One thing you don’t prepare for is having half a ton of waterproof clown makeup smothered all over you.”

“I always have some in my glove compartment,” I joked. “But that’s just me.”

She didn’t laugh. “I figured I’d take it off in your room.”

“Okay, I take it back,” I said with a smile. “This dare really is the most hazardous one so far.”

“Why did you invite me to dinner with a beautiful woman? It doesn’t take a genius to see why I wasn’t even told.”

“I didn’t know she’d be here.”

“So, you do find her beautiful, then?”

Oh, shit, I’d walked into that one.

“You know what I was