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She shakes her head at me. “Whatever.”
We take a table in a corner, but not before a few people do a double take.
Welcome to my world. Not everyone knows who I am, thank God, but enough do that someone usually recognizes me.
As Vince likes to say, ‘we represent the team everywhere we go.’
Whether I like it or not.
16
RAKE
“So, Petal,”I say, lowering my voice. “I have a proposition for you that, to be honest, mostly benefits me. But it could also be good for you.”
I’m sitting back far enough that should she decide to chuck her coffee in my face, I can dodge the worst of it.
“What?” she asks, glancing in the direction of people whispering and pointing. “Look at that. So rude. Does this happen all the time?”
I don’t look. Fans are kind of like zombies. The minute you look at them, they head straight for you.
I told the guys this once and they nearly fell to the floor laughing. I did not, however, tell Vince, due to his lack of sense of humor and all.
“Ignore them, Petal. Anyway, look, I want us to stay married.”
She laughs, and a spray of coffee shoots from her mouth and lands on my hands, which are folded on the table. “Oh my God.Sorry,” she says, and starts to dab me with the same napkin she just wiped her nose with.
“Very funny, Rake. You really know how to crack a girl up. Know you, you’re lucky you got me, that I won you in the auction, and agreed to our hilarious little stunt in Vegas. Because I’m chill. A lot of girls are not and would think you’re being serious. That would not be good, especially if you hooked up with some kind of crazy bunny-boiler.” She sits back in her chair and sighs, stealing a look at the clock on the wall.
Geez. Am I that boring?
She points at me. “Hey, by the way, what’s up with the divorce? You call your lawyer yet?”
“Petal, that’s what I want to talk to you about,” I say, taking a deep breath and reminding myself to be patient.
She’ll go along with everything, right? It’s no skin off her back, right?
“Rake, if you don’t have someone, I can always reach out to our family lawyer to take care of things. Although I don’t know if he handles divorce,” she adds, tapping her chin.
“Petal. Would youpleaselisten to me? This is important.”
Shit, I said that loudly. And now several heads are looking in our direction.
She shrugs. “Fine. I’m listening.”
“Thank you. Now, I’m serious about this. I want to stay married.”
She tilts her head slowly, looking at me like I’m crazy.
I don’t blame her. What I’m saying is batshit crazy.
“What… why?—”
I hold my hands up in the hope she’ll hear me out rather than laugh in my face and walk out.
“You have to understand, I’m under pressure from the team. Apparently, it would look good if we were to stay married. Say that when we met and fell for each other right away. Youknow I’m trying to clean up my reputation, not that that’s your problem, but you could really help me with this.”
She frowns. “First, I don’t see how that’s my problem, like you acknowledged. You fucked up, not me. And second, what’s in it for me?”
