“Maybe like twenty years ago.”
Nigel nodded. “Right, faxing is the worst. Don’t you think? It’sterrible. I agree with you 100%. Who would want a piece of paper that youwanted to immediately show up with very little work? Lame.”
Okay.
“But forget texting and stupid faxing. It’s best to do thisin person. We don’t want to leave a trail. I’ll text you the time and place wecan meet once I find what you are seeking.”
“Sounds good, Nigel.”
A taxi pulled up in front of him. “Have a pleasant evening. Textme if you’ll be late for your evening bath.”
“Will do.” I was pretty sure I’d just promised him a favor. Andto meet up with him in 48 hours in some most likely weird way. And that we hadanother bath date tonight. I shrugged. It was worth it. Getting my life backwas worth it. Kennedy was worth it.
Nigel rolled down the window. “And if Master Tanner askswhere I am, tell him I’m picking up the dry cleaning. This is going to be ourlittle secret.” He winked at me.
It’s going to be worth it, I reminded myself. I smiledand winked back. For some reason I even pointed finger guns at him. ApparentlyI’d lost my fucking mind.
He pointed his own back at me. “Pew, pew! Secrets!” He blewon his pointer fingers like his gun was smoking.
I couldn’t even make fun of him. I’d started that weirdness. Andnow I had a weird secret thing that Nigel and I did together. What had I justdone?
The taxi pulled away.
I’d worry about how to get out of a bath chat later. Rightnow I had to go appease Poppy for the last time.
Chapter 42
Friday
“What the hell are you wearing?” Poppy grabbed my arm andpulled me back towards the ballroom entrance.
“I didn’t have time to change,” I said.
“I told you to wear a tux and you don’t even have a suitjacket?” She looked like she wanted to scream. “It doesn’t matter. Hopefullyeveryone will be staring at my dress.” She stared at me like she was waitingfor me to comment on how she looked.
The answer…she looked fine. I wasn’t attracted to her. At all.I couldn’t help it, but whenever I looked at her I saw Isabella. I’d never beenattracted to Wizzy either. “Or you could just tell everyone the truth. Thatyou’re blackmailing me and I had no choice but to be here tonight.”
“Very funny. Just stand there and look pretty and don’t say aword.” She pulled me back into the ballroom. “God, people are staring.”
She’d told me not to speak, so I didn’t bother telling herthat people were probably staring at her because she was demon spawn.
“Maybe someone took off their jacket before dancing.” Sheperused the room for a jacket to steal.
“I’m not going to wear an ill-fitting stolen jacket.”
“So now you care what you look like?” She leaned in towhisper. “This wasn’t part of the deal. You’re embarrassing me.”
“I don’t actually remember impeccable dress being part of thedeal.”
“New amendment. Dress better.”
I looked fine. Why did people always diss my clothes? “If I’membarrassing you, I’m happy to leave.”
“Not until Uncle Richard sees us being a happy couple. Come on,let’s find him.” She grabbed my hand, her nails digging into my palm. Sheprobably didn’t even realize her fake nails were stabbing me.
I wasn’t sure what was worse…being clawed to death by Poppyor having to see Mr. Pruitt. The last time I’d seen him, I’d said a lot ofnasty, albeit true, things. He brought out the worst in me. But tonight I hadto be on my best behavior. Angering him wasn’t going to help matters. It wouldprobably just lead to Poppy realizing a relationship with me was useless and offingScarlett without any kind of deal. That couldn’t happen.
“Where did he go?” Poppy asked. “I swear he was just here.” Shefroze. “You know what? I have a great idea to pass the time while we wait forhim. Let’s dance.” She pulled me to the dance floor, moved my hands to her hips,and laced her fingers behind my neck. Her eyes darted around, searching for heruncle.
But when she led us over to a table of men much younger thanMr. Pruitt, I had a sickening feeling this had nothing to do with her uncle. “Ishe even here?”
“Who?” Poppy asked.
“Mr. Pruitt.”
She looked up at me. “Yeah. Of course. He probably just wentto the bathroom or something. Dip me.”
“What?”
“Dip. Me.” She started leaning backward.
Fuck. I caught her before she fell onto the dancefloor. “What are you doing right now?”
She pulled back up and started laughing. “You’re so funny,Matthew. You always make me laugh,” she said way too loudly for politeconversation.
“Poppy, what the hell is going on?”
She leaned forward and whispered in my ear. “Be cool. My exis here. And now he’s staring at us and just…just be cool, Matthew.” She movedin a little closer to me, pressing her hips to mine.
For fuck’s sake. It was one thing to pretend for Mr.Pruitt. But making her ex jealous? Now I understood why she was so insistent ontonight. Definitely not part of the deal. “Poppy…”
She grabbed both sides of my face and kissed me.
Gag. I was pretty sure I threw up in my mouth a little.I turned my head away from her. “Cut it out. I’m not here to make your ex jealous.I’m here to convince your uncle that you’re ready to take over the company. Period.”
“Two birds, one stone.” She leaned in for another kiss.
I turned it into an awkward hug in the middle of the dancefloor.
She started swaying to make it look like we were just acouple in love instead of strangers arguing. “Just kiss me,” she hissed.
“No.”
“Fine. Deal off.” She shoved my chest in a playful way likeI’d just made another pretend joke. All just a show for her ex apparently. Buther eyes were deadly serious.
Damn it. I caught her hand and pulled her to my chest.I could still taste Kennedy on my lips. I didn’t want to kiss Poppy again. I’dliterally rather be doing anything else. A bath and chat with Nigel included. “Dealnot off,” I
