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“What kind of help?”
“Answering a few media questions, maybe interviews.”
That sounded about as pleasant as a root canal. “You mean lie about how wonderful you are.” I scowled and made him wait a few seconds, even though I knew I had to come through for Mr. Perlmutter.
He looked down, unperturbed by my insult, and picked the napkin out of his lap. “If it’s too much, we can forget it.” The man was a master manipulator.
I offered my hand across the table. “You have yourself a fake girlfriend.”
We shook on it, and I tucked a million-dollars worth of checks into my purse. I’d done it, and couldn’t wait to tell Chelsea.
Evan pulled out his phone and tapped it a few times. “I can meet with Perlmutter Monday morning, if that works.”
Swallowing hard, I tried to imagine how I’d explain this to Mr. and Mrs. Perlmutter. “Let’s put that on hold until I’ve had a chance to talk to them.”
Evan looked up as he put his phone away. “I’ll wait on that until I hear from you. And until then…” His lips turned up in a full-wattage smile. “I’m really glad we had a chance to reconnect.” He looked like a lion eying a tasty gazelle.
My new temporary boyfriend certainly knew how to make me blush. “When does this pretend-dating thing start?” I’d also forgotten to nail down an end date, but after a two-million-dollar donation, that was a detail we could hash out later.
“This can count as our first date, and we can talk about the rest tomorrow. Right now, we have to get going.” He fished out his phone again and spoke into it. “Albert, we’re done… Yes, two minutes will be fine… Are they out back as well? Then make it the front door.” He turned to me. “My driver.”
Of course he had his own driver while the rest of us added twenty bucks at a time to our MetroCards to get around.
I scooped up a dainty spoonful of the desert I’d barely touched. “But, I’m not done.”
He checked his watch and stood. “It’s time to go.”
I swallowed the spoonful of delicious pudding and didn’t leave my chair. “A respectable boyfriend would let me finish my dessert.” As thin as all the girls he’d dated were, they probably didn’t order dessert—another way I wasn’t like them. Being a fake girlfriend didn’t have to also involve being a doormat.
He sighed and retook his seat. “Of course, darling.”
If he kept calling medarlingit would drive me batty, but that was a fight for another day.
I wagged my finger as I took another bite. “I can see you’re going to need some training if we’re going to turn you in to a respectful boyfriend.” He’d usedrespectable, butrespectfulwas close enough for me.
He set his jaw, but didn’t take the bait.
Maybe this was going to be more fun than I’d thought. He needed me, and he needed me to cooperate. He was the Shark of Wall Street, but I could be the Porcupine of Brooklyn if I wanted—prickly and immovable.
“One more condition,” he said. “For this to be respectable, it has to be monogamous, so neither of us can see other people on the side.”
“Not an issue for me.” I hadn’t had male company of the intimate kind in quite a while. What was a few more months? “I assume you have a plan tohandleyour urges yourself? Or is that atouchysubject?”
He didn’t laugh.
I set my spoon down and wiped my mouth with my napkin. “Thank you for this fine dinner, Evan. Shall we go now?”
His mouth hooked up into a grin as he nodded. “If the lady is ready.”
Downstairs, the tingle of his hand on my lower back wreaked havoc on my brain waves. I clutched my purse with the monster checks inside like my life depended on it and concentrated on not tripping.
Slowly, I realized we were garnering stares, not glances, as we crossed to the front door. But this time the women were looking at Evan. Of course they were. Rogue or not, he was one of the most handsome and recognizable bachelors in the city.
He stopped us at the door and checked out the window first. “Okay, Albert is here with the car.” He grabbed my elbow. “Look down at your feet. Don’t say anything, don’t answer questions, move fast, and don’t stop. You got this.”
“Got what?” I asked.
It was too late. He’d already opened the door and pulled me outside. The photographers were on us like a pack of wolves, snapping pictures and shouting questions over each other. Evan pulled at my elbow and shielded my face from the cameras at least a little with the other arm.
