Page 36 of Flirty Fall Fling

“It’s an introduction, not a proposal.” She stops at the edge of the room and taps the shoulder of a man in a pinstriped suit.

He turns around, and there’s a thin mustache penciled above a mouth I know better than I should. My smile fades.

“Blaire.” Autumn is glowing and maybe a little too tipsy. “This is the guy I was telling you about. Jameson Cross. Retired hockey player, spoiled brat, but he has the same sense of humor as you. Jameson, this is Blaire, one of my best friends in the entire world. Without her love spell, I’m not sure the universe would’ve ever sent me Zane.” She looks between us and claps once. “And would you look at the two of you? Morticia and Gomez. I couldn’t have planned it better if I tried.”

“Stranger things have happened,” he says, smirking, not taking his eyes off me.

Jameson Cross. Ex-hockey player, from a world of money, and clearly friends with billionaire CEO Zane Alexander.

Three nights ago, I tied a cord around this man’s wrist and kissed him under a half-moon. Now I’m supposed to shake his hand like a stranger while my best friend recites facts about him that I never knew.

“Hi, Jameson Cross,” I manage. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine.”

He lifts my hand and presses his lips to my knuckles, really giving the full Gomez character. The mood ring sits one knuckle from his mouth, and it’s violet.

Shit. I take my hand back and calm my breathing.

Autumn gives me an encouraging nod, thrilled with herself. The universe has such a sick sense of humor.

“Jameson is from New York. He’s here until November first,” she says. “And did you know he’s staying on the ridge in Pine Haven? He’s in your town.”

“Wow, really? The ridge.” I have a million more questions than I did days ago.

“Since I’m in town, we should have dinner sometime,” he says, pushing his luck in front of an audience. “Get to know one another.”

“Yes!” Autumn screeches.

“Right. Well, it was very nice meeting you, Jameson.” I take a step back.

A waiter passes with a tray of drinks smoking in chemistry beakers, and I take two because one is clearly not going to be enough. I escape up the staircase, past a mummy and a disco ball in heels, and try the farthest door at the end of the hall, hunting for one quiet room in this entire house.

I find Zane’s personal library instead. Shelves run two stories up with a ladder on rails. I’m alone. I set the beakers on the desk. For the first time since Autumn grabbed my hand, I breathe.

The last thing I told him on Saturday night was to let the universe decide. Now we’re at the same party in a couples costume neither of us planned. Nothing I’ve ever read could’ve prepared me for this.

Behind me, the door opens, and I don’t have to turn around to know who found me.

10

JAMIE

She doesn’t turn around when I shut the door behind me. The music drops to a low thump under the floor. For the first time since Autumn introduced us, we’re alone.

She turns and looks at me. I glance at the two drinks on the desk.

“Expecting someone?” I ask.

“Jameson Cross,” she says. “What was with the fake name?”

“It’s not fake. Jamie is what my family and very close friends call me.”

She grabs one of her drinks and sips it. “I have a lot of questions.”

I stay by the door because if I cross the room right now, we’ll never finish this conversation.

“Ask me anything. I’ll give you the truth.” Laughter takes over because I can’t believe any of this.