by Ali Parker
“Did you get any information about the royal succession from him?” Mr. Fraser asked.
“Well, no, but it doesn’t seem like anyone else knows about it. Or maybe they are contracted not to talk about it? I’m not sure.”
Mr. Fraser sighed again. I would have preferred him to tell me how disappointed he was again, rather than hear that. “If you want to make it as a reporter, then you need to get the story that I sent you there for.”
“But—”
“No but’s about it, Ms. Holmes.”
We were back to formalities again. He only did that when he was upset with someone. His disapproval rarely landed on me since I was mostly given fluff pieces. He saved his disappointment for his more experienced reporters. I wondered if they ever felt the way I did at that moment. They wouldn’t be human if they didn’t.
Sweat formed under my armpits. Even though it was freezing in the UK, I pulled off my sweater, needing to cool down.
“Thank you, Mr. Fraser,” I said, sticking my tail firmly between my legs. The conversation was over according to him. If I said any more, I’d risk him sending me home and never getting an opportunity again. I wouldn’t do that until it was necessary.
“I will check in with you in two days, Ms. Holmes. I expect you to have something written.”
“I will,” I said and hung up the phone.
I squeezed the little device in my hand until the edges pressed a little too hard against my palm. Letting go, there were marks in my hand from the phone.
What the hell was I going to do? I had already told Luke that I wasn’t going to bother him again if we went to dinner.
Could I pull a fast one on him like he did at the cafe? Could I say my terms were him answering my questions in addition to that?
I cringed at the idea of stalking him to his house, but what other choice did I have? All he had to do was answer some stupid questions. None of them were particularly revealing, at least in my opinion. Why did he care so much? Did he enjoy playing games?
I shoved my phone into my bag and tugged on my scarf and jacket. Mr. Luke Walters wasn’t going to prevent me from getting the promotion that I deserved. I would sit in his office building all week and really pester him if that was what I needed to do.
With Mr. Fraser’s insistence that I get the work done no matter what, maybe he wouldn’t be too upset if I ended up in jail for trespassing, if Mr. Walters became too upset with me.
Though I had a feeling he’d never do that. In the short conversation we had the night before when we were getting to know each other, there was something different about his demeanor. He wasn’t as agitated with me. He seemed almost amused.
Did he like me? Had I put on enough charm for him to change his mind about me? Was there a way I could use that to my advantage?
First thing first, I had to get to his office. I was cutting it close on time, but I crossed my fingers that he continued to be the workaholic that he proved to be so far.
I wasn’t sure what I would tell him, but he’d have to listen to me. He didn’t have a choice anymore. My claws were out, and I was going to dig them into the ground until I got my story.
If I was going to have a crazy taxi driver on any day, I was happy it was that afternoon. While I white-knuckled the handle of the door next to me, we ended up at the building before five.
The lights were still on all over the building, and I had a feeling that Luke was in his office.
After thanking the driver, I sprinted into the building. The temperature wasn’t what I was used to, and I was friggin’ freezing. When I reached the lobby, I thought I was going to carve out a new set of teeth by the way I was chattering.
“You again?” Victoria asked from behind the front desk. She stood up and dug one hand into her hip. “Mr. Walters said he was done with you.”
“He might be done with me, but I’m not done with him.” Like hell was I going to let this girl under my skin. Though she was close to a phone that could be used to call the police.
“I’m not interrupting him,” she said.
“That’s fine,” I said. “I’ll wait here.”
She muttered something under her breath and sat down again. The chairs in the lobby were far enough away from her desk that I could block her out completely.
Since I’d done all my research the last two days, I honestly had nothing to do.
Instead, I opened my eBook app on my phone and continued reading a book I’d started on the plane. It was a recommendation from Matt, but I had a feeling from the sexy guy and girl on the cover that he gave me the first recommendation he saw. I knew he was trying to tell me something. That I needed a hot guy like the cover model to throw me onto the bed and have his way with me. While I wanted that too, I had to focus on my work story than the pathetic story of my love life.
Every time the elevator dinged, I stood up, preparing myself to come face to face with Luke. He needed to know that I wasn’t lounging around while waiting for him. I was serious, and he should treat me so.
I only leaped out of my chair twice before his handsome face appeared from the elevator bank.
His eyes found mine almost immediately. Unlike every other time I saw him, his face split into a wide grin. At first, it seemed like he was teasing me, but as he came closer, he looked genuinely happy to see me.
My hackles rose. What was he up to? Did he have the police waiting for me outside?
I glanced at Victoria. Had she told him I was there? Was I going to have another conversation with Mr. Fraser today, telling him that he needed to bail me out of jail?
“Sophia,” he said. “I knew you were going to be back.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You did?”
“Of course,” he said. “A woman like you never gives up.”
“You don’t know anything about me,” I said defensively, but then realized he did know quite a lot about me after our little Q&A session the other night at dinner. “You didn’t fulfill your end of the bargain again. I’m not leaving until—”
“Are you hungry?” he asked, checking his watch. “It’s a little early for dinner, but I skipped lunch today.”
“Um, sure,” I said, still taken aback that he wanted to go somewhere with me even after I continued to bother him at work.
“I just want to be clear,” he said, locking his beautiful light brown eyes with mine. “I have a business opportunity I’d like to discuss with you. I think it will benefit us both.”
“That’s fine with me,” I said. I wasn’t looking to start anything with someone I had to write a story about. A business deal was exactly what I was looking for. And if it benefited us both, then I had some idea of what he was offering. An interview in exchange for something. I had no idea what that “something” was, but I wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity.
11
Luke
“Do you have a car?” I asked Sophia.
“No, I don’t,” Sophia said. “I’ve been taking taxis.”
“Good,” I said. “I’ll drive.”
Finding Sophia in the lobby was exactly what I had hoped for after speaking with Mother the day before. The plan had formed almost immediately. Sophia was an intelligent woman that wanted something from me, just as much as I wanted something from her.
Earlier that morning, I’d informed Victoria to covertly alert me if and when Sophia came to the office again. Giving Sophia a little time to wait allowed me to prepare for what I was going to say to her. I was used to being ahead of any business deal, and I knew we’d both benefit mutually from this, as long as I could convince her to go along with it.
A weight had been lifted when I received Victoria’s phone call. A small part of me was afraid that Sophia would give up after what I’d done at the end of our dinner on Saturday.
I planned to agree to the interview as long she pretended to be my girlfriend for the banquet. I knew Mother wouldn’t approve, but she’d never stand in the way of my happiness. We had to sell it. And with S
ophia being a prolific liar in her day job, she was the perfect fit. And she was motivated. We both were.
I held the door for her as we exited the building. I caught a suspicious look from Victoria. She’d been around Sophia’s for much longer than I had over the last week, but she still seemed not to trust her. I wasn’t sure if it was because she was American or if Victoria was jealous.
For some reason, the latter pleased me. If other women were jealous of Sophia, that meant she was a good choice for my plan. Even Mother wasn’t immune to looks, and she would want handsome grandchildren.
As long as I could rein in Sophia’s western attitudes a little, we would survive the weekend.
Even though Sophia tried to question me about what was going on, I kept her at bay until we reached the pub. I wanted to be able to gauge her reaction when I offered her my deal. The pub was loud enough that no one would bother listening to us, and I had a corner booth saved for me to give us even more privacy. I didn’t expect anyone to be listening in, but if anyone overheard that I wanted Sophia to pretend to be my girlfriend for the king, there might be strange looks and I wasn’t prepared to answer any questions about it.
Walking into the pub was like being enveloped in a warm blanket. A fire in the hearth pumped out enough heat to thaw my fingers and toes. Typically, I was used to the cold and damp weather, but after spending two days at the palace, I knew I’d need at least another week to get comfortable again.
I led Sophia to the corner booth and we settled in. I faced the rest of the patrons while keeping her back to them. I wanted to control the situation as much as I could.
“How much longer are you going to keep me in suspense?” she asked.
“Do you want a pint?” I asked.
She nodded. “Sure.”
Slipping out of my seat, I went to the bar and ordered before coming back to my seat. I needed liquid courage to explain my plan to her.
“I wanted to apologize for how I left the other night,” I said when I got back to my seat.
Her eyebrows shot up. “You do? I never thought you’d admit to being so rude.”
“I wasn’t trying to be rude,” I said. “I just don’t like to talk about my family.”
Sophia nodded. “Obviously, but to be honest, I’m here to do just that.”
Henrietta, one of the older waitresses, brought over our drinks. “What can I getcha?”
“May I see a menu?” Sophia asked her.
Henrietta nodded and walked away to get one.
“I know that’s why you’re here,” I said.
“You do?” she asked.
“I knew from the first day I met you that you were here to talk about my father and me.”
“How did you guess?” she asked, sipping from her glass.
I licked my lips as she pulled the glass away. My gaze focused on her graceful neck as she swallowed.
“I, uh,” I stammered then cleared my throat. “No one writes about my company anymore. At least, until we get a big sale, and you were here too soon to figure that out.”
“I never claimed to be a secret spy,” she said. “I’m here to write a story about your Father stepping down from the throne. And you as the heir.”
I clasped my hands in front of me and glanced at the menu, even though I’d already memorized it some time ago. “And I’m willing to give you that story.”
“You will?”
“Yes, but I’m not giving it away for free.”
“You want me to pay you?” she asked, wrinkling her nose. It was sexy as hell. I loved getting a rise out of this woman.
“No, I need you to do me a favor,” I said.
“What kind of favor?” she asked, leaning forward. Her breasts pressed against the table, and I wanted to be that slab of wood that separated the two of us.
“I need you to be my girlfriend,” I said.
She made a choking sound and shook her head furiously. “What?”
“For the weekend,” I clarified.
“Is this some kinky stuff you’ve dreamed up to send me packing? Because I can’t leave without this story, but I’m not just going to screw you—”
“Please,” I said, holding my hand up. “I don’t want you to do that. Let me explain. My parents have been on my ass lately about finding a wife. I mentioned to my mother that I had a girlfriend already and she wants to meet this woman. I’m supposed to bring her to a banquet she’s hosting this weekend.”
Sophia smirked. “But there isn’t a woman?”
“Not in the least,” I said. “My days consist mostly of work to keep the family business afloat. Mother hasn’t worked a day in her life, so she has a different outlook than most people. Anyway, I will give you the interview if you help me out.”
“Why me?” she asked.
“We both have something to gain here,” I said. “I can’t reveal that my father is stepping down to just any woman. You already know that. And we both have something important riding on this.”
“Where is this banquet?” Sophia asked.
“At the palace,” I said.
“Palace?” she balked. “Like, your family’s home?”
“Is that a problem?” I asked. “I thought you wanted this interview.”
“I do!” she said. “I really do, but this is a lot. I don’t know if I’ll be able to leave—”
“Everything will be paid for: travel, clothing, expenses.”
“Clothing?” she asked.
That was the clincher. Sophia could not show up at my parents’ home dressed the way she did. I didn’t mind the Western way that women dressed in many parts of the world, but my parents were too traditional for their own good. If I was going to convince them, I had to show them that I was serious about this girl and she was serious about me. The only way to do that was to at least dress her properly. I couldn’t change too much about Sophia, or else there would be the chance of Mother figuring out we were lying.
Of course, it was all a ruse, but I had to make it as convincing as possible or my giving up the story for Sophia would be for nothing.
“Yes,” I said. “My parents will expect my girlfriend to look a certain way when it comes to her clothes.”
She looked down at her blouse. It was modest by modern terms, but it would be scandalous to Mother’s sensibilities.
“You will have to cover up much more,” I said. “Is that a problem?”
“No,” she said with a little laugh. “Most of the time, Matt tells me to show off my body a little more.”
“Matt?” Selfishly, I hadn’t asked if she had a boyfriend. My blood ran cold. Had I given her more for her story while she planned on not doing this at all? How could I be so foolish?
“My friend,” she clarified. “He’s always trying to get me to let loose, but work tends to get in the way of relationships. You know that better than most, I imagine.”
“I do,” I said, letting out a breath. “So, you will do it?”
“I will,” she said. “I have to clear it with my boss, but I don’t think he will have an issue, especially if he’s not paying.”
“Good,” I said, leaning away from the table. “How about we order something?”
“What’s good here?” she asked, perusing the menu.
“Everything,” I said.
She smiled and studied the paper in front of her. I tried to keep my attention off her, but now that she wasn’t hounding me for information, I had a chance to look at her really. Her hair was a beautiful shade of brown. She hadn’t highlighted it or dyed it. Mother would at the very least be pleased about that. I imagined touching it and tangling my fingers around its strands.
I wondered if she would have a problem with me touching her. We were going to be in a fake relationship, after all. Would she play the part as much as we needed to?
I didn’t expect her to jump into my bed—though that would be a welcome idea—but we’d have to show that we were intimate with each other.
Her eyes lifted, ca
tching mine staring at her. “I’m going with the mini pasties and croquettes.”
“Those are appetizers,” I said.
She smirked. “It’s something I do in places I’ve never been. I find that I can never make up my mind, and ordering off the app menu gives a good idea about the chef’s cooking.”
“I’ve never thought of it that way.”
“I don’t get out much,” she said. “Delivery is my forte.”
Henrietta came by again and took our order, and I bought another round of beer.
When the drinks came to our table, Sophia lifted her glass and held it in the air between us. “Cheers to a fake relationship.”
“Cheers,” I said, mesmerized by her mouth and the way it curved over the lip of her glass. I was going to have to get used to looking at Sophia without other emotions taking over. Though if I gave in to them, it would only add to the ruse. I would be getting more out of this bargain than I first anticipated, which made it that much sweeter.
12
Sophia
The meeting with Luke had not gone as I expected when I agreed to speak with him. It made up for the quick exit he made at the mention of his father at the fancy restaurant. At least at the very end of it, I would have my story and, hopefully, the promotion to go along with it. He was right; we were both benefiting from this arrangement, even though getting this interview hadn’t been at all the way I imagined.
Now, all I had to do was travel to a Middle Eastern country and make it appear as if I was in a relationship with the crown prince.
It all seemed simple enough, but the moment he dropped me off at my hotel, a flurry of nervous jitters shot up my arms and down my legs. Could I do this? Could I fool a king? Luke seemed more worried about his mother, though. Should I be more worried?
I took a calming breath.
This was my job, and my promotion was all about getting this interview. I couldn’t let my nerves get the best of me. I was used to doing whatever it took to get my story, but I wasn’t used to lying to people about being in a relationship. Luke seemed to think it would work, but we barely knew each other. And I was going to a place where women like me were unfamiliar. If there was ever a fish out of the water, Sophia Holmes from Texas was that fish.
