get adequately compensated in a way that won’t raise any eyebrows with the taxman.”
“What if people find out?”
“They won’t and if they do, well, I don’t have to explain my business decisions to anyone. Any more questions?”
“I’m sure I’ll have tons, but I can’t even think straight right now,” she admitted. The man was sitting far too close to her and his hand was idly rubbing the back of her neck. She was struggling to remember her own name at the moment.
He laughed and then leaned down and kissed her very gently on the lips. “So as of right now, we’re a couple,” he told her. “I hope that makes you happy.”
“It makes me pretend happy, anyway,” she said, trying to ignore her racing heart.
Before he could speak again, something buzzed. He pulled out his cell phone and frowned at it. “I have to go,” he said, getting to his feet.
She walked with him to the door. He paused with his hand on the knob.
“We’re having dinner together tomorrow at the Riverside. I want everyone in Ramsey to see us together. Bring Thomas if you’d like. There’s a press conference on Friday at seven. I’ll be announcing our engagement at that time. Douglas will be here later tonight to get the paperwork sorted out for your salary. Good night.”
Chapter 6
“But what if I’m busy tomorrow or Friday?” she protested as he pulled the door open.
“Are you?”
“No, but that isn’t the point.”
“We’re under a bit of a time crunch here. My mother is arriving on Saturday afternoon and I want the whole town to know that we’re engaged before she arrives.” His phone buzzed again. “I really have to go,” he said after another quick look at the screen. “I’ll see you around seven tomorrow night at the Riverside. Douglas should be here within the hour.”
Terri watched, open-mouthed, as he strode away. He slid behind the wheel of a car that was probably worth more than her house and drove away with a squeal of tires.
Only just resisting the urge to slam the door, she shut it and went back into the living room. The homework still needed grading, but she found herself sitting on the couch staring into space. What had she gotten herself into, she wondered.
“Mom, was someone at the door?” Thomas asked as he walked through the room a short while later.
“Lucas Hogan,” she replied.
“Why?”
“He wants me to work for him.”
“Doing what?”
She took a deep breath and then sighed. “Sit down,” she told him. “We need to talk.”
“We aren’t moving back to New York City, are we? I mean, I was happy there but I’m halfway through high school now and I’m starting to feel settled here. I don’t want to move again.”
“We aren’t moving anywhere. I’m going to tell you something, but you can’t repeat it to anyone, not even your father.”
Thomas frowned. “I don’t like keeping secrets from either of you.”
“I know, but this is, well, different. You can tell him one day, but not right now. How’s that?”
“I don’t know.”
“The thing is, Lucas has an odd situation to deal with and he needs a fiancée. He’s going to pay me to pretend to be his fiancée.”
Thomas stared at her for a minute and then began to laugh. “You’re kidding, right? I mean, he’s filthy rich. He can’t have any trouble getting women. Why would he want to hire you?”
“Maybe because I’m smart and I look pretty good for my age,” she suggested.
He sobered. “Sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean to suggest that you weren’t a great catch, but he’s Lucas Hogan. I’ve seen pictures of him online with models and that actress who did that really cool indie film last year. Why does he need a fake fiancée, and why you?”
“As I said, you can’t repeat this, but his mother is dying and she wants to see him settled before she dies.”
“Seriously? That’s weird. I mean, you aren’t going to be like that when you’re really old, are you?”
“She’s from a different generation,” Terri tried to explain. “She’ll feel better knowing that he’s in a serious, committed relationship.”
“He’s like fifty-something. She should realize that he can take care of himself.”
“She knows that, but she doesn’t want him to be alone.”
“You’re alone and you’re happy.”
Terri blinked hard several times. “Yeah, sure,” she muttered.
“You aren’t happy?”
“I’m mostly happy, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t miss having someone in my life. Your father and I were married for a long time and I enjoyed being half of a