No Love Allowed(16)

“When is it?”

“Day after tomorrow. I will pick you up at nine sharp.”

“In the morning?”

Her surprise pulled another smile out of him. “Will that be a problem?”

“I’ll set my alarm,” she grumbled. “What’s the next ground rule? How many are there?”

“Not that many, actually. The rest I can tell you as we go. I’m not a control freak.” He sat through an adorable eye roll from her, which brought him to one of his main concerns. “You’re expected to interact with people. The same people you used to serve at the country club.” He paused, letting the silent meaning behind his words sink in. When it did, he continued. “That means no repeat performances of the little outburst you treated me to. No matter how much I enjoyed it.”

“You don’t have to worry.” She pouted. Could this girl get any cuter? He shoved away the possible answers to that question. “That was a onetime thing. I was . . . stressed.”

“All right,” he said. Something in her shut off, like a candle snuffing out. Where had the vibrant girl unfazed by anything gone? As curious as he was, he reminded himself he wasn’t there for that. So he fished out his phone. “What’s your cell number so I can text you a day before each event?”

His question brought back some of the life into her eyes. “I don’t have one.”

“What?” It truly surprised him. “But everyone has a cell phone.”

“I don’t.” She shrugged again. “Well, I did, but it was on me when I decided to go swimming fully clothed. I don’t have the cash to replace it.”

Unwilling to push further but already making plans, he returned his phone to his front pocket. “Let’s talk compensation. Within reason, of course.”

“Compensation?” She tilted her head as if he had lapsed into a foreign language.

“Yes.” He inched to the edge of the bench he was sitting on. “I’m prepared to pay you for your time.” When she recoiled in horror, he amended, “Didi, besides probably holding your hand or slinging my arm over your shoulder or a kiss on the cheek, I don’t expect our relationship to go any further than that. Actually that’s another rule. I will not kiss you unless absolutely necessary.”

“Define absolutely necessary.”

“Most likely in public to prove we’re together. Couples kiss, Didi.”

“Right.” She cleared her throat, then dropped her gaze. “I knew that.” A slight flush colored her cheeks.

“I promise I won’t kiss you other than when necessary unless you initiate it.” He didn’t know where those words had come from. That wasn’t usually an option he’d verbalized with the others. It had been implied.

She flicked her gaze up. “All right.”

His mouth suddenly went dry as he realized he’d just given her permission to kiss him. And furthermore, she had agreed to the possibility.

“So . . .” He swallowed. “Compensation. I was thinking five hundred dollars per event. . . .”

Her eyebrows came together in a scowl. “I take it back.”

“Excuse me?”

“I won’t go.”

“But . . .”

Fire flashed in her eyes. “Don’t fling your money at me, Caleb! I’m not that kind of person. Getting to attend the parties would have been more than enough.”

“But what I’m asking of you is considerably harder than just attending parties. And it will take time away from your painting and your job hunting. I guess.”

That deflated some of her anger. “No big deal. It’s just for the summer.”

“It doesn’t feel right that I’m asking you to do this without me giving you something in return.” He considered his options. If she didn’t want money . . . “There has to be something you want. Come on, you have to help me out here.”

He almost winced at the tiny bit of pathetic that had come out with his last sentence. This was the first time he had ever encountered someone who didn’t want something—anything—in exchange for—how should he put it? Services rendered? That sounded so bad.

The sweet blush returned, distracting him from himself. “There might be something.”

“What?” His knee bobbed in anticipation as she bit the corner of her lip.

“Will you pose for me?” she asked.

“Pose for you?”

“Yes!” She nodded vigorously. “For a portrait. Please? Please? Please?” She practically bounced off her seat.

Posing for her. Huh. Not so bad. And how could he say no to that kind of excitement? By being his fake girlfriend she was saving him. So why not? This was something he could do for her. “Sure, I’ll pose for you.”

She clapped, then did the most unexpected thing. She picked up her half-melted sundae and dunked three sticks of fries into the goop and shoved everything into her mouth. As if her eating habits hadn’t been weird enough, she moaned, her eyes rolling to the back of her head.

Exactly five seconds later the reality of his situation sank in. He wondered if having a fake girlfriend with him was really better than going stag and hoping for the best. His brain turned off. What the hell had he gotten himself into?