“We could agree on a timeframe. At least until I get the position, and probably a little while afterward so it didn’t look too suspicious. Six months, maybe?”
“So… we’d have to be exclusive, right? No dating anyone else?”
I hadn’t thought of that. “Uh… yeah, I suppose.”
Her lips curve up a little. “Do you think you can go six months without dating?”
She means without having sex. Six months of celibacy. “Of course. I’ll… uh… just have to give my right hand a good workout.”
She gives a short laugh. “Yeah, me too.”
Of course, I’m asking her to give up dating and sex for a while, too. Now it’s impossible not to think about her sliding her hand under the duvet, over her breasts, down her soft pale tummy to between her legs, and pleasuring herself until she comes. Fuck.
Her lips curve up just a little more, as if she’s guessed what I’m thinking.
Then she takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “I need some time to think about it.”
“Of course. Can I ask that you don’t take too long, though? It would be cool if we could get started ASAP. It’s possible the board is already considering someone else for the role.”
“I understand. Just give me tonight to think about it. I’ll let you know tomorrow.”
“That’s more than fair. But just to be clear—I’d still give you the money without you doing this. You know that, right?”
“I know.” She looks up as Thea crosses the grass with something in her hand and smiles at her.
“Look,” Thea says, holding out a curled-up fern frond. “It had fallen off, and it was on the floor. It’s like your necklace.” She gestures at me.
I look down at the greenstone necklace in the shape of a spiral that I have around my neck and lift it in my hand. “That’s right. It’s called akoru—it’s based on the shape of the fern. My dad gave it to me when I went to university. It’s a symbol of new beginnings.” I lift my gaze to Chessie. Her eyes are very green, exactly the same shade as the fern frond and the piece ofpounamuor greenstone in my fingers.
She tears her gaze away. “We’d better get going.” She collects her bag, rolls up the towels and clothes, and puts them in.
I get to my feet. “Well, it was nice to meet you,” I say to Thea, holding out my hand
She shakes it, beaming. “Thank you for teaching me how to dive.”
“You’re very welcome. You can be the star of the show now.”
“Thanks,” Chessie says. “It’s been a lovely morning.”
“You’ll call me?” I ask.
She nods, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Come on, then,” she says to her niece, putting an arm around her shoulders. “Let’s go and get some lunch. I’m starving.”
They head up the steps toward the car park. I watch them go, enjoying the sway of Chessie’s hips and the way the sunlight paints her red hair with gold.
Then I head back to Midnight, hoping that she decides to take me up on my offer. I can think of worse things than being fake-engaged to Francesca Ross.
Chapter Six
Chessie
“He wants you to what?”
I scratch my nose, trying not to laugh at my friends’ reactions to my news, even though it’s no laughing matter.
I rent a room in a house in Oneroa, the largest suburb on Waiheke Island, along with two other girls. Lisa is twenty-seven, kind and thoughtful, tallish, pretty, and blonde. Ria is twenty-two, Maori, fun and outspoken, with short, somewhat wild, curly brown hair. They both work at the ferry terminal.
“He wants you to be his fiancée,” Ria confirms, jaw dropping.