by Alyssa Dean
What she was trying to say was interrupted by a commotion at the entrance. Amanda looked up to see Josh striding through the restaurant. He had on a pair of black jeans, his hair had obviously been combed by a hand, his running shoes were covered in snow, and every woman in the place was staring at him.
He stopped beside their table, and bent to kiss his mother on the cheek. “Hi, Mom. Sorry I’m late.”
Edwina gaped at him. “I didn’t realize you were joining us.”
“You didn’t?” He settled into a chair beside Amanda and smiled into her eyes. “Didn’t Amanda tell you?”
Edwina shot Amanda a quizzical look. “She didn’t mention it.”
“It must have slipped her mind.” He took Amanda’s hand and slid his fingers through hers. “She left so early this morning I didn’t have much of a chance to talk to her.”
“She left early?” Edwina looked from one to the other. “You two are...living together?”
Amanda was still recovering from the sensation of his fingers closing around hers. “What?” she said. “Oh, no. No, we’re...that is, I have my own place. I...”
“Yes. she does,” Josh interrupted. “She just doesn’t seem to spend a lot of time there.”
“Ah,” said Edwina. “I see.”
“No, you don’t,” Amanda said desperately. “It’s not like that. I...”
“That’s okay, dear,” Edwina soothed. “I understand completely...and I’m not at all prudish.” She beamed at both of them, emanating happiness and approval. Josh looked smug.
Amanda sighed and gave up.
5
“THAT WAS WONDERFUL,” Edwina said as they left the restaurant. She turned to Amanda. “Thanks so much for coming, Amanda, dear. I hope I’ll be seeing a lot more of you.”
I wouldn’t count on it, Amanda thought. She’d hardly heard a word that had been spoken at lunch, being too preoccupied trying to find a way out of the situation she’d found herself in. She’d even considered telling Edwina the truth, but couldn’t bring herself to do it. It might be what Josh deserved, but it wasn’t what Edwina deserved. She’d be very hurt. No matter how annoyed Amanda was with Josh, she didn’t want to upset Edwina.
She didn’t feel that way about Josh, though. The second they were alone, she planned on telling him what an utter jerk she thought he was. She was also going to tell him what he could do with his job. He could figure out what to tell his relations. She winced at that. He was quite capable of telling them Amanda had been bumped off in a plane crash or had accepted a job in Siberia..
Outside the restaurant, Edwina gave Josh an extra-long hug. “I can’t remember the last time we had lunch together. We really should do it more often.” Then she affectionately patted his cheek. “And I hope you fixed that stove of yours for Amanda. It seems to me the last time I was there you had to do something with the television to get the burners to come on.”
As Edwina walked away Amanda stared after her, then turned on Josh. “All right, Josh Larkland, what was that all about?”
“Hmm?” He glanced down at her. “Actually it was about the microwave.”
“What?”
Josh put a hand on her back to guide her down the busy street. “You had to talk to the microwave to turn on the television. It was a simple problem...and I fixed it months ago.”
“I wasn’t talking about that. I was talking about what happened at lunch.”
“Lunch?” Josh looked as if he’d forgotten he’d eaten it. “Oh, yeah, lunch. How was it? Did you find out anything personal about...anyone?”
“Only about myself,” Amanda complained. “Just out of idle curiosity, how did we go from casual friends to living together in a little under twenty-four hours?”
Josh stopped beside a bell-ringing Santa Claus and dropped a handful of change into the collection box. “I’m a fast worker when I make up my mind.” He shoved his hands into his pockets, pulled out a couple of bills and dropped them in, as well, before starting down the street. “I think I fixed that problem with the microwave sometime in the spring.”
“Good for you. Look, I...”
“Do you really think it’s been that long since my mother was over at my place?”
“No. Maybe you should have her over a little more often.”
“That’s a good idea,” Josh said. “Why don’t you arrange it?”
The suggestion caught Amanda off guard. Why didn’t she arrange it? Maybe they could have more than his mother over. Maybe they could have his whole family. His family would certainly appreciate it. Of course Amanda had no idea how he lived. He probably had a downtown apartment ten seconds from his office, filled with ugly furniture and a truckload of high-tech equipment. It might not be a good place to entertain his family. On the other hand, they were his family. They had a right to know how he lived...
And that it wasn’t with her- Amanda stopped walking and turned to face Josh. “Me? What do you mean, me?”
Josh stopped beside her and stared down at her with mild surprise. “You did say dinner parties were your specialty.”
“Business dinner parties are my speciality” Amanda said from between clenched teeth.
“What’s the difference? People eat and drink whether you work with them or are related to them.”
“Yes, but...” Amanda gave her head a slight shake. She had to watch herself around this guy. He could use his weird logic to talk her into almost anything. “That is not the point! The point is that we can’t go around deceiving people about our relationship.”
“Why not?” he said nonchalantly. “You were perfectly willing to do it last night.”
“I was not willing to do it last night! You talked me into it.” Amanda realized she was raising her voice and lowered it a notch. “Besides, that was only supposed to be for one night. Now your mother thinks we’re living together!”
“Yeah, well...uh.” Josh cleared his throat. “She’s not the only one who thinks that.”
Amanda wasn’t sure what he meant but she was positive she wasn’t going to like it. “She isn’t?”
“No.” Josh took a deep breath. “Hank Turnbull called this morning. He’s the guy who’s lining up investors for me.”
“Oh?” Amanda stared at him. “Oh, no. Don’t tell me you told him that we were living together, too?”
“Not exactly.” Josh looked uncomfortable. “He heard about us from Uncle Reggie.”
“Wonderful” Amanda muttered. She had a brief flash of all the people who’d been at Mimi’s last night. If every one of them told a friend... “Now the whole city thinks we’re a couple.”
Josh gave her a bracing pat on the shoulder. “Don’t worry. They’re all thrilled about it.”
“I’m not,” Amanda muttered.
“Well, Hank is. It seems as if these investors aren’t going to invest unless they think I’m mature and stable. Hank thinks I need some sort of...relationship to convince them of that.” Josh looked as flummoxed by this as he did by everything else.
“I see,” said Amanda. She had a strong suspicion she knew where this was leading. “And I suppose you want me to pretend we have this...relationship.”
“Uh-huh,” he said, nodding his head.
Amanda glanced up and down the street at the people hurrying by. “Have you ever considered having a real relationship?”
“No,” Josh admitted. “But I would have if I’d known it was important.”
The helpless look in his brown eyes was enough to make the snow melt, much less Amanda’s soft heart. Then he spoiled it by adding, “Besides, now I don’t have to. I’ve got you.”
“But...”
“It’s too late to back out now, Amanda. My family thinks you’re it, and apparently so does everyone else.”
Amanda slumped back against the building. “Oh, no.”
“What’s wrong?” His eyes widened. “There isn’t some guy hanging around you who is going to get mad about this, is there?”
“Well...no, b
ut...”
“Good.” He smiled in satisfaction. “I don’t want some bozo in a leather jacket punching my face in.”
“How about if a woman in a business suit does it?” Amanda asked, feeling very close to doing just that.
Josh chuckled. “I think I can handle an elf. Look, I’m not asking you to do anything unreasonable. I mean, you don’t have to move in with me or anything.”
“Good,” said Amanda. “Because I wasn’t planning on it. I am not going to do this, Josh. Deceiving your family for one night was bad enough. I...”
“It’s for a good cause, Amanda.”
“What cause? Getting your family off your back?” She shook her head. “I don’t think...”
Josh took her arm. “Come on,” he said. “There’s something I want to show you.”
AMANDA HAD BEEN in a number of high-tech offices but she’d never seen one quite like the room Josh had just ushered her into.
It was an enormous room, with wall-to-wall gray carpeting that went a foot up the side of the white walls. The ceiling was a continuous series of undulating ripples, and the walls were cut to match. The shelves at the back were filled with electronic equipment with hundreds of little blinking lights like an enormous, flat, wall-to-wall Christmas tree. The long counter was covered with computers, screens and stacks of paper.
The perimeter of the room was composed of six glassed-in compartments, each containing a desk, one or two computers, screens and equipment. All but one of these areas was occupied by one or two clever-looking individuals, some engaged in animated conversation. However, the place where Amanda was standing was so quiet and so still she could have heard a pin drop. “What on earth...” she said.
“They’re soundproof rooms,” Josh explained. “Come on.” He took her arm and led her toward the one empty cubicle. “Open,” he said. As they approached, the glass doors swung open.
Josh urged her through them. “Lights,” he said. “Dim fifty percent.” The lights dimmed.
“That’s...uh...impressive,” Amanda said inadequately.
“Hey, that’s just the easy stuff.” He gestured toward the desk, where a television, a VCR and a radio sat side by side. “Television,” Josh said. “Channel Four. Mute sound.”
Amanda stared in astonishment as the appliance followed orders.
“It’s part of the smart house concept,” Josh explained. “I’m working with a builder now. Someday all this will be standard features in new houses.”
Amanda turned around the room, staring in awe at what she was seeing. “It’s remarkable,” she said inadequately.
“They aren’t just high-tech toys, Amanda, although that’s how a lot of people see them,” he said, brimming with excitement. “There are other people who would see them as a great deal more. People who have problems with mobility, for example. Voice-controlled units would make life a lot easier for them.”
It struck Amanda how wonderful this would be for someone in that position.
“But I need a large capital investment to get this from the preliminary, stages into full production. And to do that, I need you.”
“I don’t know, Josh. I...”
“I wouldn’t expect you to do it for nothing, Amanda.”
‘Oh?” Amanda’s annoyance returned in full force. Brandy was right. This guy was a real creep. Next to him, Dwight and Kyle were saints! ”What are you suggesting? That you pay me to date you? Because if you are...”
Josh held up a hand. “Not money, no. That would be a little...tacky, wouldn’t it?”
“Yes, it would.”
“I thought so. But I do have something else.” He put a hand in his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. “I made a few phone calls this morning. Friends of mine. Business acquaintances.”
Amanda eyed the list. “Why? So you could tell them we were living together, too?”
Josh grinned. “No. I’ll let them hear that on the street like everyone else. I just found out which ones were planning business functions in the near future—functions that would require an executive services company.” He raised an eyebrow. “You help me. I’ll help you.”
Amanda stared at the list. This was more than a foot in the door. This was a whole body in the door. “This is more extortion, isn’t it?”
He smiled. “Actually, I think it’s more like a bribe.”
“It’s a pretty good one,” Amanda admitted.
“It is, isn’t it?” He looked pleased with himself. “And it wouldn’t be all that difficult for you. You simply have to do what you agreed to in the first place. Handle this Christmas present stuff. Arrange my office Christmas party. Attend a couple of business things with me. And let people go on thinking you’re my...significant other for a while.”
Amanda hesitated, amazed at herself for even considering it. “How long would this go on?”
“Not all that long,” Josh assured her. “Just up until after my office Christmas party.”
“Your office Christmas party? But that’s December twenty-third.”
“Perfect,” said Josh. “Then you’ll be free to go back to the North Pole on Christmas Eve to give Santa a hand.”
Amanda studied him. He was lounging against the wall, looking cool and confident and sure of himself. He’s far too accustomed to getting his own way, Edwina had told her. And Edwina was right.
Still, it was an offer that was almost impossible to refuse. Not only would she be helping their business, she’d also be helping a lot of other people who really needed help. Plus there was his family to consider. Edwina already thought Amanda and Josh were living together—and she could very well be spreading that information to the rest of his family. Apart from telling them the entire story, there wasn’t much Amanda could do about that. Besides, if everyone reacted the same way as Edwina, they’d all be thrilled that Josh had a relationship. Would it be so terrible if she let them go on being thrilled a little while longer?
She didn’t really have to do that much more than she’d already agreed to do. All she had to do was play the part of his girlfriend for the rest of the month, attend a couple of business functions, organize an office Christmas party, and find out something personal about every one of his relatives...all without getting too involved with Josh or his family.
“Well,” she said. “I suppose...”
And then she stopped. Maybe it was the hint of triumph in Josh’s eyes—or perhaps it was the fact that she’d been held hostage in her apartment all morning by his relatives. Or maybe it was simply because of her recent lunch with his mother. But it suddenly occurred to Amanda that she might just be able to use this situation to get Edwina—and the rest of Josh’s family—what they all really wanted for Christmas. A little more time with him.
. Don’t get involved, Brandy had told her. Amanda decided to throw caution to the winds. “If I’m going to do this, I’m going to need some help.”
Josh looked faintly alarmed. “What sort of help?”
“I’m going to need to know a little more about your family if I’m going to get them decent Christmas presents. It seems to me that you could help me out in that area.”
Josh shoved a hand through his hair. “How? I’ve already told you everything I know about them.”
Amanda pursed her lips. “I’m sure if you spent a little more time with them, you could find out a little more.”
Josh’s eyes widened. “That sounds a lot like blackmail.”
“No,” Amanda corrected. “Actually I believe it comes more under the heading of extortion.”
Josh stared at her in outright surprise. Then he chuckled. “You catch on fast, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do,” said Amanda, already a little appalled at her own audacity. “Us elves are a pretty clever bunch.”
“I must remember that.” He grinned. “Yeah, okay. I guess I deserve it. Although you didn’t have to resort to extortion to do it. I was thinking something along those lines myself.”
It was Amanda’s tu
rn to be surprised. “You were?”
“Uh-huh. I do have an awful lot of relatives. It was unreasonable to expect you to find out something personal about them all by yourself, in one evening. And I’m sure I can find out a few things. I did figure out that Uncle Frank is an investment counselor.”
“Yes, you did,” Amanda agreed, hiding her smile.
“Besides, they are my relatives. I suppose I should know something personal about them.”
“You certainly should,” Amanda agreed.
Josh winced. “Okay, I’ll tell you what. How about if we go to a couple more of these family things? That would give us both a chance to find out personal things about people.”
Amanda felt a surge of triumph that almost immediately faded. “We? I didn’t mean...”
“Hey, you’re the elf around here. If I have to go, you have to go.” He tugged on his bottom lip. “Besides, I suppose if we want people to think we’re a couple, we should go a few places as a couple.”
That’s just what she needed...to go a few more places with him. “I suppose so,” she said. “But...”
“Terrific,” said Josh. “I guess we’re now officially living together.”
“Right,” said Amanda. He started to move toward her and she took a tentative step back. “But I want to make it perfectly clear that this is strictly a business relationship.”
“A business relationship,” Josh repeated. He stopped where he was, his gaze met hers, he smiled his slow, sexy smile, and although there was an entire room between them, Amanda was positive she could feel the heat emanating from his body. “Of course. What else would it be?”
“What else, indeed,” Amanda, murmured.
6
“I DON’T LIKE THIS,” Brandy said.
She was sitting in one of the chairs in Amanda’s living room, radiating disapproval. “It might have been better if you’d turned down the business, given the guy a good hard smack, and left.”
“I couldn’t do that,” Amanda insisted, although she was already half wishing that she had. “There was that list of contacts...this room filled with the most wonderful equipment that would help thousands of people...and it was the perfect opportunity to get Josh to spend more time with his family. I just couldn’t say no.”
