She sighed. “You’re going to anyway.”
“I like you—a lot. You’re beautiful and funny, in a very dry humor kind of way. You’re down to earth, and I really like spending time with you.”
She nodded. “Great. Fabulous, and now you tell me you’re married? Engaged? Moving? Dying?”
I grinned, shaking my head and realizing maybe I did have a chance. “None of those things.”
There was a slight look of relief on her face. “Okay. Spill.”
Chapter 24
Eliana
I had no way of knowing if he was being serious or joking. The man was always joking, but just then, he looked very serious and very uncomfortable.
I believed him when he denied he was married or otherwise involved, but there was clearly something that was freaking him out.
I stared at him, waiting for him to tell me what the hell was going on. I would drag it out of him if I had to. Part of me was mentally kicking myself for letting myself get mixed up with him in the first place. I should have known he would have some horrible secret.
“Eliana, I want to start by telling you how much I really like you. I’m not just saying that either. I truly enjoy being around you and talking with you. You intrigue me, and you make me smile. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing up close.”
I nodded. His flowery words were meant to disarm me. I wasn’t going to be disarmed. “Cade, seriously, just say what it is you want to say. I don’t do drama.”
He looked down at his hands, and when he looked back up at me, I worried he might be sick. He looked a little green. “I’m not who I said I was. I mean, I am Cade Kouris, but I’m not the man you think I am.”
I raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know, can you be a little more vague?” I asked sarcastically.
“This is my shop,” he said, gesturing around the room. “My only shop. This is my investment.”
I nodded. “Congratulations. I thought we already established that.”
“I’m not rich. I don’t have more than one investment. This is it. I’m a regular guy, making a living just like you and everyone else in the city. I don’t have jets and yachts, and I don’t go to the ballet or out to dinner at restaurants with five stars or even three stars. I’m just Cade.” He said it in a way that made it seem like it was a bad thing.
“Just Cade, huh?” I said, feeling bad for the guy.
He nodded. “I was only pretending to be rich.”
“I see.”
“I never meant it to get to where it did,” he quickly defended.
“How did you get into the benefit?” I asked. “The tickets were crazy expensive.”
He smiled. “My dad. My dad is a wealthy man. He knows the guy that was hosting the party. He insisted I go.”
“Why did you tell me you were rich?” I asked him directly.
“Because I wanted to impress you. You’d been surrounded by wealthy men all night, and I wanted to be the one that got your number. It was stupid and immature, and I’m sorry I led you to believe I was someone I’m not.”
I sighed. “I am a little disappointed.”
His face fell. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m disappointed you think you had to lie to me about your wealth, or lack of, to impress me. Do I seem that shallow to you?”
He shook his head. “No, not at all. Honestly, when I said it, I was joking. I joke a lot. Too much in fact. Once I said it, I got it in my head that was the only reason you were talking to me. You saw me at the party and assumed I was one of them. I didn’t want to contradict that assumption and just went along with it. It was wrong, and I feel like an asshole for even trying to pretend I was some rich dude.”
“I’m not impressed by wealth,” I said. “In fact, I avoid rich guys. They are usually arrogant and self-serving, and I have never been able to find any common ground with them. It’s like trying to have a conversation with someone who speaks a different language. I thought you were different.”
“I am different! I’m poor!”
I smiled. “I guess that explains why you didn’t act and talk like the others.”
He nodded. “My family is wealthy, but I’ve never taken a dime from them. I’ve never asked, and my dad has certainly never offered.”
“Really?” I asked curiously. “I thought that was something that was just kind of passed down to the kids.”
“I suppose in many families it is, but my dad has always been a little embarrassed by me. When I opened this shop, you would have thought I pierced my nose, dyed my hair blue, and sold porn. He is very embarrassed to have an unsuccessful son.”
I looked around the shop and remembered my visit the other day. “It doesn’t seem like you’re doing too bad for yourself.”
“I’m not. I’m not rich, and I cannot afford to take you to that restaurant again.” He grimaced.
“How did you pull it off the first time?”
“My friend Maceo. He’s rich. He was there at the party that night. He knew I was into you and wanted to help me out. It was actually him that encouraged me to tell you the truth about my financial situation. I was trying to figure out how long I could keep up the charade.” He laughed.
“Money has never been an issue for me,” I told him, looking him directly in the eyes so he could see I was sincere. “It doesn’t make me like you any more or any less. I like you for you, not for what you can buy.”
“That is very good to know, and now I feel like an even bigger idiot for carrying that around as long as I did. It was weighing heavy on my conscience.” He sighed with relief.
“Honestly, I’m glad to hear we are on more even ground,” I said with a laugh. “I was going to go broke trying to keep up with your expensive dates.”
“How so?”
“I had to buy a new dress. I couldn’t very well look like a pauper with one of the richest of the rich men in town.” I winked.
He groaned. “I’m sorry. I know I should have been straight with you from the very beginning. I was blinded by your beauty.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re such a liar.”
He shook his head. “No, I’m serious. When I first saw you in the gazebo, I felt an immediate attraction. I was so pissed at myself for not talking to you more. Then when I saw you inside, I knew I had to talk to you. I was a little intimidated by you.”
“By me? How could you be intimidated by me? You were there rubbing elbows with the elite, and I was the girl serving cocktails and grabbing extra butter for the rolls.”
“You weren’t just the girl serving cocktails,” he said. “There is something about you. You are different than other women. You hold yourself apart from the rest, but not in a way that says you think you are better than anyone, but in a regal sort of way, if that makes any sense.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Like the queen of England?”
He shrugged. “Yes, like that but not in a cold, aloof way. I know I must sound crazy, but this is real for me. I want to continue to see you, and I hope you will not let this little thing get in the way of that.”
“The little thing where you lied to me and then pretended to be someone else for weeks?”
He winced. “Yes, that.”
I looked around the shop. “I was here last week.”
“I know.”
“How do you know?” I asked.
“I was behind the counter,” he confessed, his face actually turning red.
“You were behind the counter?” I asked, trying to remember if I had seen him.
He nodded. “I saw you and your friend through the window. When I realized you were coming inside, I panicked. I didn’t want you to find out I was a poor guy schlepping gelato for a living. I hid. I dropped to the floor, and I hid.” Shame was all over his face.
I slapped a hand over my mouth. “You didn’t?” I asked with shock.
He nodded. “I did.”
“Oh my god! I would have loved to have seen your big body cower
ing on the floor.”
“No, you wouldn’t. I can’t believe you’re even talking to me after the suit situation.” He ran a hand over his face. “I seem to be one giant fool.”
“The suit situation?” I asked, wondering what else I had missed.
“The suit I was forced to wear to that benefit.”
“Oh, that one,” I said with a laugh. “I thought that was your style.”
“And you still accepted my invitation to dinner?”
I shrugged. “I don’t judge a man by the clothes he wears, but that suit definitely made a statement. At first, I thought you liked flashy things. Then I thought you wore it on a dare. Then I thought maybe you wanted to start a new fashion trend. I’m so glad you skipped the flash at our first date. I was a little worried you would show up wearing a bright yellow number or something equally garish.”
He laughed. “That suit was my dad’s way of messing with me. As you’ve probably learned, I don’t dress like that. I like jeans, and I like comfort. I don’t like drawing attention to myself.”
I nodded. “I feel the same way. Thank you for telling me who you really are. I’m a little sad that you thought it would matter to me, but I hope you understand that it doesn’t. I’m not that kind of a person. I don’t care about money. I never have.”
“Thank you,” he said with that sexy smile on his face. “Does this mean you’ll go out with me again?”
I grinned. “I think I might be persuaded. I do have to work the next few nights, but we’ll see.”
He took our empty bowls and tossed everything in the trash. I let him drive me home and happily accepted his kiss goodnight, but I made it clear it stopped with the kiss. I had a lot to think about, and I didn’t want sex clouding my thoughts.
“Goodnight,” I whispered, his mouth hovering over mine.
“Goodnight. I’ll call you.” He smiled and walked back to his car.
I let myself inside my apartment and left the lights off, going straight to my room. It was my turn to feel guilty. He had told me his truth about who he was, and it was obvious that it had been incredibly difficult for him.
It was cute, in a boyish way, like a little boy confessing to making muddy footprints on a clean kitchen floor. I was happy he had told me. It made me realize he truly was an honest, genuine guy. Add that to his good looks, humor, and natural charm, and he was damn near perfect.
But I couldn’t have him.
I couldn’t do a real relationship, and it was clear that was what he wanted. He deserved a woman that could be devoted to him and call him back regularly. He deserved a woman who knew how to love him and how to handle a normal, healthy adult relationship.
I wasn’t that woman. I didn’t know the first thing about loving a man or loving in general. I would only hurt him. We’d have a nice time, and then he would want more from me, and I wouldn’t know how to give it.
Even if I did figure out how, I wasn’t sure I was up for that. Relationships always ended badly. Just because he wasn’t rich, didn’t mean he wouldn’t dump me for the next woman that caught his eye.
Cade was a catch. I wasn’t sure he realized it, but I knew there would be a lot of women eager to be with him. I didn’t think I could fight for him. That would be putting myself in a position of vulnerability, and I didn’t like that idea at all.
I was in trouble.
Chapter 25
Cade
It was late afternoon, and business had been slow. I knew Kacia needed the hours, so I let her stick around to do some extra cleaning in the shop. Plus, I liked her company.
There was a mother and two young children in the shop, which meant Kacia and I couldn’t really talk about what we had been. She’d dropped the bombshell she’d met a man over the weekend, and then the customers had come in.
I wanted to know more about the guy. I wanted to know if he was worthy of her.
The moment the lobby was clear, I turned toward her. “Tell me everything, including his birthday and address.”
She rolled her eyes. “Absolutely not.”
“I want to know who this guy is. How old is he?”
“He’s not that much older than I am,” she protested.
“Which is not an answer,” I argued.
“He’s twenty-six.”
“You’re twenty, so that’s too old,” I stated firmly, adding a nod of my head for added effect.
She shook her head. “That’s not too old. I’ve dated guys my age. They are so immature. All they think about is partying, women, drinking, and sex.”
I scoffed. “I should probably tell you that it isn’t just the twenty-year-olds. Men always think about that stuff.”
“Well, I want a mature man with a job and that is settled.”
“Who is he?” I asked again.
“His name is Rob.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Rob. What kind of name is that?”
“It’s an English name, short for Robert.”
“Are you sure he’s twenty-six? He sounds like he’s sixty.”
“Stop. He’s not sixty. He’s nice.”
“What do you know about him?” I pressed.
She shrugged. “All I know is what he told me, and you and I both know it could all be bullshit because there doesn’t seem to be a man on this planet that knows how to tell the truth,” she said pointedly, her gaze narrowed at me.
“Not fair. I did tell her.”
“What?” she asked with shock. “You did? When?”
“Don’t change the subject—we’re talking about you and Rob.” I said his name with another lip curl.
“Rob is Rob. He’s handsome, and we had a good time on Saturday. We went out for dinner yesterday, and I like him. Period. End of story. Now, tell me about Eliana. What’d you do? How did she take it? Are you single? Is that why you didn’t tell me?”
I stared at her, the rapid-fire questions bouncing around in my head. I didn’t even know where to start. “Tuesday,” I said, trying to filter through the questions.
“What about Tuesday?”
I groaned, looking up at the ceiling. “I told her on Tuesday. Pay attention.”
“How did she take it? Did she—”
“Stop,” I said, holding up my hand. “One question at a time, or we’re going to be doing this dance for a long time.”
She nodded. “Fine. What did she say?”
“She said she was glad I told her and that money doesn’t mean anything to her,” I said with a smile.
Kacia grinned. “I told you!”
I nodded. “You did, and I’m glad I took your advice. Good job.”
“Are you still seeing her?”
“Yes,” I answered immediately and then realized I couldn’t say for sure. I hadn’t actually seen her since that night. I had gotten exactly two texts from her since then.
Kacia raised an eyebrow and folded her arms over her chest. “Are you sure about that? You don’t look too sure.”
“I haven’t exactly seen her, but she did say she was okay with the situation and didn’t care whether I had money or not.” I grinned proudly. “She said she liked me for me.”
“But you haven’t seen her.”
“I’m not worried. She had a busy work week. She works nights. I work days. It’s not a big deal. I’ll catch up with her.” I suddenly wasn’t sure I would.
“Okay,” Kacia said in a high-pitched voice and shrugged a shoulder.
I shook my head, waggling my finger at her. “Uh-uh. Don’t say okay like that.” I mimicked her tone and body language. “Okay.”
“What do you want me to say, not okay?”
“No, just don’t say it like that. She’s working. I’m working. It’s not a big deal.” I was trying to convince myself.
She shrugged again. “Ok—” She stopped when I glared at her. “Do you still need me? If not, I’m going to cut out early. I need to take care of some things, and I know you can’t afford to pay me when there’s no business.”
; “I’ll see you tomorrow, and stay away from Rob until I meet him and can scare him a little,” I warned.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” she said, grabbing her purse and leaving me alone.
It was almost closing time. I was going to stay late and take care of the gelato making for the week. I usually spent one day making what I would need for the upcoming week.
Most of the time, I enjoyed making the gelato. I loved trying to come up with unique flavors, but I had realized unique did not necessarily mean a hot seller, and it ended up costing me more money. Going into the slow season meant I would be sticking to the basics.
I started wiping down tables, ready to put the chairs on top as soon as it was officially closing time. When it was just me all alone in the shop, the soft music coming through the speakers always seemed so much louder. I hardly heard the piano music during the day when there were customers or other employees.
Now, I listened to the music, letting it soothe my soul. A few people, namely Rand, gave me shit about my choice in music for the shop, but I served people from every walk of life, young and old and everything in between. The current music trends did not appeal to the old-school crowd. I chose something that was relaxing, similar to that of a comfy coffee shop.
I went in back and started to make some fresh mop water when I heard the bell on the front door. I inwardly groaned. I liked customers, but once I got into the cleaning and closing mode, I hated to have to stop everything.
I walked out front with a smile on my face.
“Good evening,” I said and immediately stopped when I recognized the top of the woman’s head peering into the glass display case.
Eliana’s head popped up. “Hi. Are you closed?”
I shook my head. “Not yet. What brings you by?”
She shrugged. “I have the night off. Last minute cancellation.”
I grinned. “I was beginning to think I had scared you away with my revelation.”
“No, I told you I wasn’t interested in money,” she assured me, her eyes going back to the gelato.
I stepped behind the case. “Ah, I see your real motivation.”
Pretending to be Rich Page 15
