“What the fuck areyou still doing here?” he asked.
“Er, sorry. Therewas a lot of cleaning to do today.”
He opened the fridge.“Yes, did they leave the vegetable soup. I fuckinglove it, and the lentil curry I wanted?”
“I, er, I don’tknow. I had to put everything away and so I’ll be going now.”
“I’ve had a shitday.”
She stopped at thedoorway as he put the vegetable soup she’d made into the microwave. For bestresults, she felt it needed heating on the stove but clearly, he knew what hewas doing.
He ran a hand downhis face. It was the first time, other than in a newspaper, she’d seen him lookso disheveled. “I better go.”
“How do peoplemeet others and then just immediately know they’re the ones?” he asked.
“Pardon me?” sheasked.
They never talked.He barked orders with a warning before leaving her alone.
The microwavefinished. He grabbed the tub and started to eat it immediately, drinking itfrom the cup.
Okay, this wassomething she was never going to forget in a hurry. It was all going to befine. She watched him, wishing she didn’t have to see this. With her armsfolded, she waited and he kept on watching her. This was the most time they’dspent together when he wasn’t insulting her. It was different.
“Would you like aspoon?” she asked.
“Nah, it’s finelike this. Tell me, do you have a boyfriend?”
“I don’t thinkthat’s any of your business.”
“True. It’s noneof my business, but enlighten me. Do you?”
“Again, I’m notgoing to tell you.” Why was he acting this way?
“You’re a cleaner.I bet you spend most of your days thinking about a way out of that life.”
Now he wasinsulting.
“I think aboutdoing a good job.”
“Yeah, well, Ithink I’ve just figured it out. You’ve been working for me for a while.”
“Two years.”
“Exactly, and inthose years, it would be enough time to fall in love.”
“Wait, what?” sheasked. Since when did love come into a workingrelationship?
“He wouldn’t needto know. It would be the perfect kind of cover.”
“I have no ideawhat you’re going on about right now, and I think it’s my time to leave.”
This proved if youstayed around too long after a job, you were likely to hear things you had nodesire to listen to.
She started for thedoor only, Mr. Cocky himself stopped her. He grabbed her arm and spun heraround. “It’s perfect.”
“What’s perfect?”
“You.”
“I don’t follow.”
“Look, my dadwants me to start taking family seriously. Not that I get the whole institution,but it’s what he wants and I’m guessing it’s something I’m going to have togive him. You’re perfect.”
“Wait, you want meto date you?”
“Only for my dad.He’ll believe what we tell him. It’ll be a perfect plan.” He nodded and smiled,looking rather happy with himself.
“This is crazy.”
“Not if it works.”
“You’re talkingabout lying to your father. I’m guessing this whole family thing is a big dealto him.” She was very much aware of the entire foundation of what the Turnerfamily was built on.
Caleb had made ithard for her to not know what kind of person he was, and to know he apparentlycame from people who regarded family highly, she was shocked by the way hebehaved. She’d seen the papers. He was a playboy. Mean as well.
“Yes, it is, but I’llpay you.”
“What?”
“You heard me. Youcan write your own check for you to behave like my girlfriend next weekend.”
“Why nextweekend?”
His smile widened.
She frowned. “I’mso not considering this.”
“The fact you wantto know what is happening next weekend is another reason you’re consideringit.”
“No. Hell, no. I’mnot going to go around pretending to be some rich kid’s plaything.”
“Girlfriend,possibly a fiancée.”
“You realizeyou’re talking about lying to your family. That’s a big deal.”
“Not if it gets mewhat I want.”
“Wait, hold up.Why do you even need a girlfriend?” she asked.
“I’m not going totell you unless you agree.”
She’d been cursedto be curious by nature. She truly believed she was acat in a previous life.
“Agree to be mygirlfriend, and you’ll never have to clean again. I’ll make sure you want fornothing.”
“That easy? I justhave to pretend to be your girlfriend?”
“It’s not likeit’s hard. I’m quite a catch.”
She laughed. “Wow.And if I agree, you’ll tell me what you get out of it?”
“Yes.”
“No, I’m not goingto do this. It’s insane.”
“I’ll give youwhatever you want,” he said.
“There’s nothingyou can give me.”
“Come on. I’mrich. You’re not. You clean my house.”
“Which is a highlyrespectable job!” She glared at him. “Okay, you want me to be your girlfriend.What’s my name?”
“What?” he asked.
She folded herarms as he continued to gape at her. “You heard me. I’ve been working for youfor two years. I know a great deal about you from the little conversationswe’ve had. What is my name?”
“That doesn’tmatter.”
She laughed. “Youdon’t even know it, do you?”
“What exactly do Ineed to know about you besides you clean for me? Idon’t need all the other details and specifics. You’re good at your job.”
She snorted.“You’re unbelievable.”
“Fine, whatexactly do know about me?” This time, he raised his voice.
“You really wantto know?”
“Yes.”
“Fine. You’reCaleb Turner. The only male heir of the Turner empire. Your company pridesitself on being the complete fit for the family man and woman. There’s not anindustry in the world that you’re not a part of. Media, cosmetics, pharmacy,all of it. Personally, to you? You like to party. You drink way too much andyou sleep with a bunch of random women. You like your bed pressed and it has tobe done a certain way because only you do it, even though you pay me to come inand clean. You also don’t like dust. You have spare dust cloths and polish spreadthroughout your apartment. I’m guessing it’s down to those pristine blacksurfaces that like to show when it’s not been cleaned. You love food,especially vegan food, but you like to keep that little tidbit of informationto yourself. You go to restaurants, order stacks of vegetables so no one knowsyou don’t like eating animal products. The same goes for your wardrobe. None ofit has any manmade fibers, and you also regularly invest in sanctuaries. Again,all information kept hidden. If you work out too much, you’ve got a limp onyour left leg and
