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She rose to her feet, heading to one of the windows. Meanwhile, I glanced at her massive bodyguard, noticing that he wore the same tremendously sad expression on his face. It was obvious how much he cared for her. “As you might imagine, there are more tests to run but the prognosis isn’t very good. However, my family is very important to me as is the possibility of an upcoming wedding.”
Now we were finally getting somewhere.
I wasn’t comfortable sitting still, had never been. So I stood, moving to a different glass panel to stand, a perch allowing me to realize how terrified of heights I really was. “Family is very important to me as well. Is that why you checked up on me?”
“I needed to know that you were a good person.”
A laugh bubbled up from my throat. “I like to think I am. Did your bodyguard find out I was as he searched through my life?” I threw Leonardo a glance, hating the snobby and irritated tone in my voice but maybe it was prudent.
She tried to smile but failed this time. “Leonardo has been with the family for years. I consider him more of a friend than a bodyguard, but yes, what he found allowed me to enter into the diner where you worked yesterday. I wouldn’t have done so had he not believed you were perfect.”
“Perfect for?” I allowed the syllable to elongate.
She licked her perfectly stained lips as she peered at me again. “To stand in for me.”
“Excuse me?” My instincts had been right.
“I want to pay you to play the acting role of your life and I assure you that what I can offer you will be more than you might make in a lifetime.”
My throat suddenly felt squeezed. I wasn’t certain I’d heard her correctly, but it was apparent she was serious. “Let’s just say I was remotely interested in this unusual proposition, and I’m not saying that I am, what exactly would I need to do?”
She almost seemed animated, excited as if I’d already accepted her unorthodox offer. “You would stand in for me in every way. Of course, you’re not an exact carbon copy of me nor do you know anything about my family and my life in Sicily, but we have three weeks to prepare you. A haircut and highlights. A crash course in my culture and various details, but from seeing your performance yesterday, I feel certain you can pull it off.”
Maria made it sound so easy, as if this was something her kind of people did all the time. Whoever her kind of people were other than wealthy and powerful. At least that much I knew. Why did I have a sense they were also dangerous? Maybe I’d been watching too many movies on Netflix, one small comfort I was happy to pay for every month.
“I’m not even certain why I’m asking this but for how long?”
Even the way she chewed on her lower lip was adorable, certainly more so than when I did it almost every day. I’d managed to taste blood the night before when I’d been pacing back and forth in front of the window in my bedroom.
“That’s the small catch. At least for a year.”
“A year.”
“Yes. That’s part of the deal my father made with the Thorns.”
The Thorns. They sounded like American royalty or certainly owners of a fabulous muscle car manufacturer. “A full year.”
“Yes, as I mentioned, you will be paid extremely well for such a commitment.”
“And I’m supposed to be you.”
“Yes, and you can’t tell anyone otherwise.”
“Uh-huh. Well, since you already know about my life then I’m certain you know that my mother has cancer. She’s been in and out of remission for years and the prognosis isn’t good for her either. I can’t leave her. I can’t pretend.”
“Yes, of course. I took the liberty of contacting a private facility in Switzerland, the doctors and scientists there having significant success with some new drug trials. I’ve tentatively made arrangements to have your mother transferred there, all expenses paid. The wonderful thing about the clinic is that it’s in a beautiful mountain town and every patient has a suite with a gorgeous view of the Swiss Alps. They have two chefs on staff at the smaller facility with so many amazing activities and the health care is top notch.”
My mouth and throat were completely dry. I was entirely shocked that she’d already put so much thought and effort into this, enough so I was stunned into silence.
“That’s of course if you agree. It’ll be a business arrangement.”
“Except for pretending I give a shit about my future husband. Right?”
She laughed nervously. “Well, yes.”
“So let me get this straight. I’m going to become you in a matter of weeks, marrying a man I don’t know, but am only required to remain his wife for a year. I’m certain that will include certain… duties.” I couldn’t even utter the words. I’d meant what I’d said. I wasn’t a whore. I wasn’t certain any amount of money would ever entice me to do something so insane.
“Yes, and for that in addition to taking care of your mother, you’ll be paid two million dollars.”
