Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 71165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
In the end it was all lies. Being a floating consultant, the hotel bill being put under expenses.
To think I bought his nonsensical claims about everyone doing him favors that would normally probably cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. The plane, the cars, the drivers, the jewelry, the clothes, the services of people like Nina, and the exclusive hairdresser she took me to.
God, I was so damn stupid!
No wonder Nina had looked at me strangely. She couldn’t understand what I was doing with a man like him. Finally, the nonchalant way he left such expensive jewelry behind in the hotel safe for me to bring back made perfect sense.
The thing I truly did not understand was why?
Why did he take me on?
I simply couldn’t comprehend why a man who belonged to one of the richest families in the world would agree to pretend to be my boyfriend for money.
The only slightly reasonable explanation I could think of was sex. Maybe he just wanted to sleep with me. But even that was silly bordering on ridiculous. A super wealthy, handsome, young man in his position could have any woman he wanted. He didn’t need to play elaborate games just to get laid.
I offered one of the richest men on earth a thousand dollars for the job! When I remembered his expression that day I pushed the first check at him, I cringed at how dumb I must have looked to him.
“Oh, Pogo,” I whispered. “What a naïve fool your mama is.”
What next? He had left, and until now there was no phone call or a text, and yet he had specifically mentioned keeping the meeting with Olivia on Thursday. Since I believed his word was good it meant he really did intend to keep this appointment.
Would that night be the end of our relationship then?
When I looked in the mirror now, I even looked different. I was love sick and I didn’t know what to make of everything that had happened. I went to work and got through the day like a robot.
Daisy, the busybody at work, told me I looked awful and asked me what was wrong. To close the conversation down I told her I thought I was coming down with something. But she immediately looked terrified and asked if it was Covid so I had to lie and say I’d tested myself and it was negative.
My phone pinged and I instantly picked it up and looked at it. My God! It was a text from Rex. I opened it with shaking fingers.
Hey gorgeous! Heard you had a good flight back.
Will send a car for you and Willow at 8pm tomorrow.
Let me know if that is not convenient.
For a long time I stared at the message, then I typed my reply.
That will be just fine. See you tomorrow.
After I clicked send, I phoned Olivia.
31
WILLOW
It was such a fancy French restaurant that Olivia was open-mouthed with wonder. We were escorted by a classically beautiful hostess to a secluded table in an alcove. Rex was not there yet.
“Remember not to mention that we know who he is,” I reminded Olivia.
“My lips are sealed,” she promised, looking around her curiously. “So, this is how the truly rich live.”
“Olivia, you’re supposed to pretend we don’t know.”
“I know that. He isn’t here yet, is he?”
“Just get into character now, please.”
She turned her face to my worried one. “Relax. I promise, you’ll be shocked at what a good actress I am.”
“Hello,” a voice I both dreaded and longed to hear drawled from behind me.
“Hey, Rex!” Olivia squealed and jumped up to kiss his cheek. “It’s good to see you again.”
Rex looked at me. God, I had almost forgotten how beautiful he really was. My body was immediately on high alert.
“Hello, darling,” he greeted as he bent his head and kissed me full on the mouth. As if we truly were a couple. The way he slipped back into acting mode was so smooth and frictionless I stared at him with amazement. My mouth tingled and I could still smell his aftershave.
He sat down. “I hope Willow sent my apologies for leaving early.”
Olivia looked at me then back at him. “Since the wedding didn’t take place, I guess it didn’t matter.”
I watched Rex. He never reacted to the news that the wedding didn’t happen. Either he was an amazing actor or he knew.
“How is Steven taking it?” he asked, as he signaled a waiter.
“Terrible. He’s come around to our place twice in tears begging Mom to let him see Tiff, but Tiff won’t see him. Mom felt bad for him so she told him Tiff might change her mind later, but no chance. Hell will freeze over first before Tiff changes her mind. She wants nothing to do with him. I think she plans to leave Bison Ridge and come to New York. She wants to start fresh.”