I glanced down, looking around for just a few seconds before I saw it right there in the open. It wasn’t even trying to hide, just sitting there like it had been waiting for someone with functional eyesight.
Bending over, I picked it up and held it out to her. “This it?”
She frowned. “Yes, but it wasn’t there a second ago.”
I grinned. “It must like me.”
She narrowed her eyes and swiped it off my open palm. “Don’t start with me, Westwood.”
“Oh, I’m starting, middling, and finishing,” I said. “This is going to come up at least three more times tonight.”
She sighed, turning toward a mirror in the foyer to fix it, but I stepped up behind her before she could fumble. “Hold still.”
Taking it back from her, I secured it with practiced ease even though I was totally faking it. I’d never done this for a woman before, but it worked out alright. “There, see? I can be useful.”
She exhaled and flashed me a small smile. “Thank you.”
I gave her a nod, then leaned back against the wall, watching as she blinked hard, frowned, then did it again. “Are you okay?”
“My contacts are killing me,” she muttered. “My new health plan just kicked in and I haven’t been able to order new ones yet. These are dry as hell.”
I winced sympathetically. “Just wear your glasses, then.”
She glanced at me in the mirror. “To an investor dinner?”
“Yes,” I said simply, resisting the very strong urge to explain that this evening wasn’t nearly as big of a deal as she thought it was. Well, it kind of was.
Technically, but I’d been to a million of these things. As an investor. A guest. A problem. They were all the same. There was lots of talking, posturing, and showing off, but nothing really substantial ever happened.
“Trust me,” I said. “You’ll look great.”
She held my gaze for another beat before she caved. “Fine.”
Spinning on her heels, she took off and reappeared a couple minutes later with her hair now twisted into a bun at the nape of her neck and glasses perched on her nose. I nearly sucked in an audible breath, seeing her in them for the first time.Aw, fuck. This is really going to be a problem.
Jacque was a stunner without those glasses, but with them on? She was absolutely going to fucking kill me. I cleared my throat, straightening and trying to remind my body that she was my fake date and nothing more, but it didn’t work for shit.
I grabbed her hand. “There’s still time to back out.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’ve already signed the NDAs. I’m onboard. As long as you pretend to be a good boyfriend. No cheating and no embarrassing me.”
“I can promise not to cheat on you, but there’s no way I can promise I won’t embarrass you. Do you still want to be my fake girlfriend?”
She laughed. “Fine, whatever. Yes.”
“The sweetest three words I’ve ever heard.” I smiled at her. “Ready?”
She nodded and grabbed a little navy clutch off the back of her couch, flicking it open to check that she had everything she needed. I took the opportunity to look at her properly, trying to see past the way her dark blue dress clung to her curves and instantly knowing that this might actually work.
Together, we could totally pull this off.
Alex would get what he wanted, which was having the focus on me. There would be a shift in the public narrative, something clean for the press to eat up. Zach got some breathing room. This would definitely help keep the focus off him. And me? I gother.
I could find a real wife later.
It couldn’t be that hard. Everyone else in my family had managed just fine. I would too. Just not right now.
When she looked up again, I gestured toward the door. “Shall we?”