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He shut his door. “Have a seat. Relax. I’m glad because you have no idea how many times people want to be around me or talk to me because of who my brother is.”
She frowned. “That’s wrong. But I guess it makes sense.”
He grinned. “I know it’s wrong, but you can’t change people’s thoughts and opinions. What makes sense?”
She told him what Evan had said to her and how she almost got caught up in her lie about who her ‘fiancé’ was. “I was annoyed with his last statement.”
“I’d be too,” he said. “My brother West is dating someone. She works as an HR generalist for a grocery store chain in Albany. She comes from a background similar to what we were growing up. She didn’t like the things people were saying about her relationship with West, but she wasn’t going to quit her job and live off of him either.”
Though he knew damn well West wanted that, he didn’t see it happening. He wouldn’t be surprised if Abby didn’t move to the Hamptons at some point and find work somewhere close by. West would find her something if Abby even allowed it.
Sounded a lot like Lilian.
“Glad to know I’m not the only one. But then I decided to do a little search. Something maybe I should have done when I got your name weeks ago.”
He kept his smile in place. “Have you been thinking of me all this time?”
“You think this is funny?” she asked. “I want to cry and I don’t cry over anything.”
“Hey,” he said. “I’m sorry. Why are you upset?”
“I’m twenty-four years old. I just want a chance to put my education to work and find my dream job. I get it. That’s stupid.”
“Not stupid,” he said. “You’re working hard and doing things many your age wouldn’t.”
“I know, but I’m not beyond hard work. I couldn’t be left alone to do what I need to each day. This is karma coming back to bite me in the butt. I bought a cheap thirty-dollar ring that I hoped looked real enough. It obviously didn’t. I even got called out on it.”
He had heard that but hadn’t paid too much attention to the ring. Not everyone could afford something like he’d buy. “It’s not about the value of the ring but what it represents.”
When the first tear rolled out of her eye he started to panic. He jumped up and found tissues and brought them over. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I feel like even more of an idiot now. What you said is true. I would have argued that too. But then you came to my side. Looking back, everyone seemed shocked. They must know who you are.”
He shrugged. “More know me than I know them.”
“I’m sure,” she said.
“Do you wear your ring in the office too?” he asked. “You said a coworker saw us together at lunch but then assumed I was your fiancé.”
She let out a big sigh and wiped her eyes. “I didn’t wear it at first. I’d slip it on to get coffee on Monday, then take it off in my office when I got there. But one day I forgot to take it off. Evan had been flirting with me. He’s a manager in another department. He’d asked me to lunch, then a drink. Not over the top, but he kept it up. The day I forgot to take it off he noticed it. Then he got mad and wanted to know why I never said I was taken.”
“You didn’t because you weren’t. Are you interested in him and now the chance is gone?”
“God, no,” she said. “I would never date anyone I work with. He’s nice enough. I mean it’s not like really creepy.”
He frowned. “But creepy enough.”
“I was handling it.”
“With your fake ring?”
“Not funny,” she said.
“It kind of is.”
“At least you think so,” she said. “But now he saw us and he thinks it’s you. He’s all nervous and indignant over it.”
“He should be nervous,” Braylon said. He’d make sure the guy stayed away if he knew who he was. He could find out easy enough.
“Why?” she asked. “None of this is true.”
