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Crossing her legs under the table, she admired her surroundings. Decorated with a feminine touch, the café across the street from the Hamptons Fitness Studio had pink-linen napkins, fresh flowers and wicker chairs. The aroma wafting out of the kitchen made her mouth wet, and the appetizer platter they’d ordered was flavorful and delicious.
“You’ve had enough screen time for one night...” Chase told her, plucking her iPhone out of her hands and putting it on the table. “You’ve been glued to your cell ever since we left the gym, and I want to spend the rest of the night admiring your beautiful, brown eyes, not the top of your head.”
“I’m sorry,” she said with a sheepish smile. “I wasn’t trying to be rude. I was working.”
“Speaking of work, I still don’t understand exactly what you do.” Chase picked up his glass and tasted his iced tea. “I know you’re a popular YouTube personality, with millions of followers around the world, but what does it mean to be a beauty and lifestyle expert?”
“I give my fans an honest, unfiltered point of view on everything from beauty and fashion tips to entertainment, relationships and even home décor.”
“And that pays the bills?”
“Yes, but I also write articles for national magazines and do several speaking engagements per month,” she explained. “I guess you can say I’m a jack of all trades.”
“I’ll say. You have more jobs than Nick Cannon and Ryan Seacrest combined!”
Voices filled the air, drawing her gaze across the room. The wait staff was serenading an elderly Asian couple celebrating their golden anniversary and Demi cheered as the employees sang. She didn’t know anyone who was happily married, and wondered what the secret was to a healthy, long-term relationship. She’d never had one and feared she never would.
“How is your mom doing? Did you have a nice visit today?” Demi helped herself to a spicy sausage roll. “After being in the hospital for several days, she must be thrilled to be home.”
“You can say that again. She’s back to giving orders and calling the shots, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Chase wore a thoughtful expression on his face. “Estelle attends the Hamptons Spring Tea every year, so there’s a good chance you’ll meet her at the event. When you do, please don’t hold it against me.”
His cell phone buzzed on the table, lighting up with several text messages.
“Who’s blowing up your phone? Madame Juliet?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. The smile slid off his face and Demi wished she hadn’t teased him about his ex, but she needed him to realize his meddlesome ex-girlfriend was a problem for her. “Please don’t tell her where you are. I don’t want her to come down here and make a scene.”
Chase glanced at his iPhone. “It’s not Juliet. It’s my marketing manager, Katia.”
“What does she want?”
“Trust me, you don’t want to know. It’s ludicrous, and I don’t want to offend you.”
Burning with curiosity, Demi leaned forward in her seat. “Let me be the judge of that. Now spill it. What does she want and what does it have to do with me?”
“Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Speaking in a solemn voice, Chase told her about his company’s new dating app, its pathetic sales, and their failed attempts to attract consumers.
Blocking out the noises in the café, Demi listened closely.
The waiter arrived with their entrées, but Demi was too excited to eat. She wanted to hear more about the problems at Mobile Entertainment and gawked when Chase told her about his marketing manager’s plan to turn things around.
“Let me get this straight. Your marketing manager wants me to date you, pretend to fall head-over-heels in love with you, then post about our romance to create buzz about your company’s new dating app?”
“Yeah, that’s it in a nutshell. Katia also wants to buy advertising space on your social media pages.” Chase released a heavy sigh. “I told you it was an outrageous idea—”
“I love it! It’s brilliant!” Happier than a preacher at a white-tent revival, Demi danced in her chair. “The whole world will watch us date and fall in love, and social media will eat it up! I’m in. Let’s do this.”
His eyes widened and his jaw dropped.
“You seemed shocked. Why?”
“Because I thought you’d be offended and smack me!”
“I’d never do that.” Demi wore an innocent smile. “Unless you asked me to.”
Tossing his head back, he rocked with laughter. “You already did, remember?”
“What? Who doesn’t like a little pain and pleasure sometimes? I know I do.”
A waitress with an auburn pixie cut passed the table, stopped abruptly and whipped around. “OMG!” the waitress shrieked. “You’re Demi Harris.”
