“She’s beautiful, even with that brightorange stuff on her face.”
“I did notice her odd foundation.”
Grayson returned to his chair and slumpedinto it. “I blew it. Big time.” He scrubbed the nape of his neck,his fingers tangling inthe curls. “I don’t know what I’m doing anymore,” he confessed.“Maybe I should try amarriage of convenience. Would it be such a bad idea to find a mateso Luna can have a mother? You do a brilliant job, Alice, and Ican’t thank you enough for everything you do for us, but I worryI’m putting too much on you. I noticed your legs are gettingworse.”
“Grayson Beckett, don’t you lay this one onme. A marriage of convenience? I’ve never heard anything soridiculous in all my life. You’re a good-lookingwolf. Now you’ve finallyseen Imogen for the gold-digger she is, you can have your pick ofany woman. Not to mention you’re alpha to the largest pack insouthern England.”
“Which I never wanted.”
“That’s as maybe, but you still give ityour all. It won’t be long before Xander can take over.”
Grayson harrumphed. He had his doubts hisbeta would ever be worthy enough to lead the pack. “I hope you’reright.” He drank his tea, the clock on the mantlepiece ticking inthe silence as he went over his aunt’s wise words. He inhaled slowly. “The thing is, Idon’t think I do want my pick of any woman.”
Alice’s wrinkled face broke into a softsmile. “Luna said she liked her.”
His heart hammered against his ribcage. “Shedid?”
“And that little dog of hers, too.”
“I doubt Jamie will even want to talk to meagain.”
“You won’t know unless you try.”
The flicker of hope warmed his belly. “You’reright. I’m going to apologise to Jamie and take her on the bestdate she’s ever had.”
“That’s fantastic, Grayson, but she has toaccept your apologyfirst,” Alice pointed out.
“She will. She has to.”
How difficult could it be? All he had todo was convince Jamie he wasn’t the jerk she thought he was. He’doffer his sincerest apologies, shower her with gifts and take herto a Michelin-starrestaurant with the longest waiting time. With his connections,he’d have no problem jumping the queue. If that didn’t impress her,nothing would.
How could she possibly refuse?
Chapter Four
Jamie banged repeatedly on Willow’s door.
“All right, I’m coming,” Willow called from inside. “Who isit?”
“Me.”
Her friend opened the door. She took one lookat her and ushered her in. “What’s happened?”
“Grayson bloody Beckett, that’s whathappened.”
“You look like you’re about to burstsomething.”
“I will if I don’t tell someone what anegotistical jerk he is.” Cujo barked from inside her bag. “Bequiet, traitor.”
Willow frowned. “How about I get that mojitoI saved for you earlier?”
“Thought you’d never ask.” Jamie followedWillow into her lounge, the pile of beauty products still in the centre of theroom.
“I’ll fetch us those drinks.”
Jamie flopped on the white leather sofa,kicking off her stilettos. She rubbed the area between hereyebrows, but it didn’t help her headache one iota.
Willow returned with the promised drinks.
She gulped half down in one go. “Thanks,Willow, I needed that. Sorry for barging in.”
“Hey, no worries.” Her friend joined her onthe sofa. “Tell me what happened.”
“The arrogant son of a bitch asked meout.”
Willow choked on her drink. “Wait, what? I thought you were helpinghim sign up to the dating agency?”
Jamie let out an unladylike snort. “Yeah, sodid I. It turns out he had no intention of signing up.”
“Why did your boss insist you had to go tohis house then?”
“It wasn’t a house. He lives in a mansion, strutting around likehe’s some kind of lord of the manor, and thinking he can havewhatever he wants just because he’s stinking rich.” She took threemore gulps of her drink. “Plus, I have to get new shock absorbersfor my car, not to mention the damage to the rest of the suspensionsystem.”
“Sorry, you’ve lost me.”
“The lane leading to his place was full ofpotholes. I drove out of there so fast, I broke poor Gloria. I hadto wait for the breakdown truck to tow me to the garage, then get a taxihome.”
“Still not getting the connection.”
“He basically bribed Harper into making me gothere. Apparently, he saw my picture on the website and decided Ishould go out with him.”
“Lucky you. He must be keen to go to somuch trouble.”
Jamie scowled. “I thought you’d be moreunderstanding.”
“Is he hot?”
“No.” Her cheeks burned.
Willow made a fan with her hand. “Whoa there,cool those cheeks, woman! You’re giving me eyestrain.”
Jamie’s anger melted away and she laughed.“He’s mildly warm, I’dsay—not that I care—but his personality is colder than theAntarctic.”
“I think you do care.”
“Okay, he is hot. Grayson is a giant of aguy with ripped muscles in places I didn’t know anyone could havemuscles, and I watched him turn to mush when he looked at his daughter.” She fished outher phone and showed her the pictures she’d taken ofhim.
Willow’s eyes rounded like saucers. Shewolf-whistled. “You lucky cow. When are you going out withhim?”
“I’m not. I turned him down.”
“Are you right in the head? Just look at him.”
She was, and her belly was doing that sametingly thing again. “Looks aren’t everything. Underneath thatimpressive body, and gorgeous long hair, he’s an arrogant—” Shealmost said werewolf. “—loser.”
“I’m getting mixed signals here, Jamie. Doyou like him or not?”
“For one second, I thought I liked him,actually allowed myself to think of a man that way again. I let myguard slip and he ruined it.”
“How?”
“It was the way he asked me; alloverconfident, assumingI would swoon before him like a pathetic medieval maiden because hedemanded it.” She sipped her drink. “Cujo ran off, so he showed mearound his home, flashing his wealth like he was trying to impressme.”
“You’ve never liked having money,have you?”
“It has its advantages—like if I hadn’tbought the apartment opposite, I would never have met you. I knowI’m lucky I inherited a shitload of dosh, but having money doesn’tmean you have to rub people’s noses in it. I hold more respect forpeople like you, Willow,who’s managed to build a successful business on theirown.”
She shrugged. “I do okay, I guess.”
“See? That’s why we get on so well. You’re somodest.”
“Right back at you, but maybe
