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Not to mention no one would believe it.
As I debated simply leaving—despite my promise—he put up a hand as if to stay me. “Don’t run away yet, Katie. Let me finish. Please.”
At his desperate expression, my curiosity grew stronger. “Okay, fine. But make it quick and get to the point.”
Nolan nodded. “It’s simple—if I have a public fiancée, then my ex can’t keep saying we’re engaged, and I think she’d lose interest after six months.”
“And if she doesn’t?”
“I think she will. She doesn’t like to be out of the spotlight, and she’ll try to find someone else to latch onto. Maybe. I’m like 90 percent sure.”
Not iron-clad odds. Still, I was more than curious now. “So, let’s say this works, and she moves on. Then what happens?”
“Well, at the end of the six months, you can dump me, give any reason you like—although I hope it’s not because I cheated—and then I’ll pay for your trip. Anywhere you like, with no spending limit. You can even use my private jet, if you want.”
“You have a private jet?”
The corner of his mouth kicked up. “Out of everything I just said, that’s what you focus on?”
“I-I…” I took a deep breath and tried to wrap my head around everything. Because this was like out of a movie or a book or something, and it was definitely not the norm for my routine, boring life.
Part of me wanted to just scream yes and do it. The public persona I’d crafted for more than a decade would definitely do that.
But my rational side hesitated. I needed to know exactly what my role would entail and then decide if it was worth the risk of angering millions of Wendy’s fans on social media. Millions who’d be far meaner than the bullies from my childhood.
Not wanting to think of the Mean Girls of Starry Hills, I asked, “Using your jet would be a definite bonus, but I have questions. Lots of them.”
He gestured to the bench by the fire. “Let’s sit and ask me anything you like.”
I did, and Nolan sat beside me. Even with a few inches between us, I swore he radiated heat. Heat that most definitely didn’t come from the fire.
Had I ever noticed that before?
Get a grip and focus. This is too important. Not wanting to look at Nolan and suddenly realize he had sexy eyes or something, I stared at the flickering flames of the fire and asked, “What are the requirements? Where would I need to be seen? What would I need to do? And what about this ex’s fans? I can’t imagine they’re going to be super nice to me.”
From the corner of my eye, I saw Nolan thread his fingers together and hang them between his widespread legs in a very male pose. “Dealing with her fans will be the hardest part, I won’t deny it. But if you say yes, I’m going to do everything within my power to protect you as best as I can, Katie. My assistant is good at keeping the trolls away via blocking and deleting. She can also help with your social media, too. I can’t guarantee she’ll catch every little thing, but it does help. Trust me, hiring her for that, among other things, was one of the best decisions I ever made.”
“Then why not ask her to be your pretend fiancée?”
Crap. Why had I said that? I wanted that trip, didn’t I?
Nolan snorted. “Jenn is married. Happily. To a woman.”
“Oh.”
“Yes, ‘oh’ is right. She’s been out a long time and the press would see right through it, even if she wasn’t married.”
I finally made myself look at Nolan again. “Why me, though? I’m not an actor, Nolan. And everyone would see the truth before too long.”
His gaze met mine, and I resisted a shiver. “I think you’re a better actor than you’ll ever admit, Katie.”
My heart thudded. Surely he hadn’t figured it all out. It’d taken some of my closest friends years to do so.
But as his eyes searched mine, it almost felt as if Nolan Wolfe could see into my very soul, could ferret out all my secrets, and knew I didn’t like always playing the outrageous court jester.
As I scrambled on how to reply, he spoke again. “I have faith you can do this, Katie. And if you want to do a trial run here in Starry Hills first, we can. If my family and yours can buy us dating, then the world should, too.”
“Wait, you plan to keep this from your family? Even Aunt Lori?”
