Million Dollar Devil (Million Dollar #1)(74)

He’s confused. “I just wanted to say hello. I haven’t seen you.”

Oh. I gnaw on my lip. Fidget. I am so not the sophisticated woman I was when I first met him. I feel like a bull in a china shop. “Oh. Well. Hello. I suppose I have to go. My father . . .”

He nods, plunges his hands into his pockets. “I miss you, heiress.”

I feel whatever wall I’ve been slapping together crumbling under the weight of his blue stare. “I miss you, too, James.”

“You going to New York?”

“Of course,” I tell him. “That’s what I was so excited about. My father can’t make it to New York, so he’s having me introduce you at our launch party to kick off Fashion Week.”

A smile breaks out on his face, and those baby blues are suddenly so lit up that it almost hurts to see it. “Seriously? That’s fantastic, Lizzy. See? I knew your father would see your worth. He’s a smart man.”

I feel it in the way he looks at me. No jealousy. No ulterior motives. Unlike the other suited men in this lobby right now, James is genuinely happy for me. As if my success is his success.

And I know it, like I know my own name.

It doesn’t matter how many days or miles or men I put between us. I will never, ever get over James Rowan, as long as I live.

So I stand there, basking in his presence a little longer, wanting to say that to him but knowing that it’ll only ruin everything. What would come of it if I told him that I loved him and didn’t give a shit about being CEO of Banks? He’d have to walk away from me, or else he’d be breaking the contract. And I doubt I’m special enough to him for him to do that. He clearly needs and likes this life and the money too much. It’s his ticket for Charlie.

But his gaze is so penetrating that I’m tempted to take the chance, even if. . .

No. The spell is broken when Jeanine comes over, sending me a look that maybe means she’ll talk to me later? I have no idea what’s going on. She points at her wrist, signaling to look at the time, when it suddenly hits me.

“Are you having a . . . business meeting?” I ask with a raise of the eyebrows.

He nods. “Needed a lawyer. Called her over for an informal query ’cause she’s the only one I knew.”

“Oh!” I sigh, relieved. “That’s great. I mean she’s the best. I wholeheartedly recommend her.”

“I just wanted to let you know, though,” he says. “I’m working on something. For after our contract is up. I hope you’ll stick around for it. Okay? I haven’t forgotten.”

I nod at him. “Of course, James.”

“See ya, Liz—” He stops. Thumps the side of his head. “Pleasure to see you again, Miss Banks.”

And then he jogs off.

Leaving me smiling, swooning, and wondering just what the heck he’s working on but knowing Jeanine won’t be able to tell me because of client confidentiality, which makes me sort of frustrated. And . . . he hasn’t forgotten what, exactly? Stick around for what? I’d have stuck around for anything he was offering, right then.

Anything.

James

She’s all I’ve been thinking about, ever since that meeting with Quill Couture. After untangling myself from Kim after dinner, who was about as persistent as a spider spinning a web around me, I went home and sat at my kitchen table the whole night, thinking.

Sober by morning, I gave Jeanine a call and agreed to meet her for lunch in between some of my other meetings with the Banks team. If I’m worth thirty million, I’m not no one. I’ll never think I’m worthy of Lizzy, but maybe if I line my pockets with this money, if I’m really rich as opposed to just pretending to be, her father will think I’m worthy of her.

That’s the plan, anyway.

I go back to Jeanine, who is reading over the contract. “It looks fine,” she says. “The terms are very agreeable. Of course, there are some things I’ll have to question. But not too much. You’re going to be a very wealthy man soon.”

I nod. “And it won’t be in violation of the current contract?”

She shakes her head. “Nope. Though I feel bad. You’re obviously valued by Banks LTD. I am sure if you went to them with these terms, they’d match it or perhaps offer you more. They’d hate to lose you to their competition.”

I press my lips together. “No. It’s been good. Really. But with Lizzy, things are . . .”

A sad smile spreads over her face. “I get it. She told me. So you want to put some distance between you two?”

“Well, yes. As good as they’ve been to me, I don’t want to be employed by her family. For the plans I have, it would be better if I was doing my own thing, outside of the Banks umbrella.”

“Ah. I understand. I’m in law, after all. And entanglements like that can be very sticky,” she says, with a cheeky smile. “Though I hear you like things sticky?”

The mischievous look in her eyes is unmistakable. Lizzy . . . told her about LA? When she knew that it could mean I was violating the contract?

Why the fuck would she do that?

Why? Because they tell each other everything. They’re best friends. I think about the time Lizzy rambled on to me on the phone, describing in great detail what she wanted to do to me.

“What are you talking about?” I say, frowning. “The contract?”