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Obviously, his brain was still confusing Sweet Lady Jane with the woman sitting in front of him. That had been an online persona, created to draw some poor schmuck in. Sweet Lady Jane had seemed like an honest and quiet soul. She’d been there during the worst of some of his physical therapy, even if she didn’t know it. He’d come to rely on her for his daily dose of good in the world.
But Georgia Weber wasn’t that person. Georgia was an intimidating woman with green eyes that snapped with suppressed emotion and confidence. She was the woman who wore sexy leather jackets and bikinis that showed off her subtle curves. Someone who could curl her lips into a sensual, teasing smile and make him sweat under his starched collar.
They weren’t the same person. He’d thought he’d fallen for Sweet Lady Jane, but she wasn’t real. He needed to remind himself of that.
“Perfect.” Georgia smiled at him and hopped up from the couch. “I’m doing a surprise concert in San Francisco tomorrow night. We can hit the clubs afterwards. There’s bound to be paparazzi there. Your board will love it.”
He tried not to cringe. There were so many parts about that proposal that sounded painful to a man who’d vowed never to step his remaining foot into a club for the rest of his life. Still, she had a point. If the paparazzi caught them there, it would make his board happy. And making his board happy had been his single goal this past year after his sloppy past.
“Fine,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest and walking toward the door. “But for the record, I don’t dance.”
She stopped following him and made a choked sound. When he looked back at her, he grimaced to see she was holding in a laugh.
“You don’t dance?” She snorted. “If you’re going to date someone who makes her living dancing and singing on stage, I think you’re going to have to put in a little effort. We do want this to be believable, don’t we?”
Alaric made a face. Maybe, he’d jumped into this deal too soon. He hadn’t thought through all the implications. Once again, Georgia Weber had him acting on a whim and somehow, it seemed that she always had the upper hand.
“Fine. I’ll find a way to make it work.” He sucked in his cheeks and gave her a frown. “Good night, Gigi. I hope your fans realize how much you’re doing for them.”
“Please, call me Georgia,” she said in a quiet voice, her eyes softening. “Gigi belongs to them. The fans and the magazines. At home, I prefer to be just Georgia. It keeps me grounded.”
Alaric stared at her for a long moment, something clicking in the back of his mind. Maybe, he’d been too harsh on Georgia Weber. Sure, she didn’t resemble the quiet girl who used to sit behind him in class and never made eye contact, but she wasn’t exactly a lofty diva either.
“All right, Georgia.” He gave her a small smile and tilted his head. “Until tomorrow. Sleep well.”
“I’m sure I will.” She lifted her chin defiantly, her eyes snapping. “See you tomorrow, Alaric.”
He left her room, unsure what had happened. When he’d marched in there, he’d felt totally in control of the situation and the deal he was about to propose. It made perfectly logical sense to fake a relationship with Georgia Weber. A sound business trick.
But now, he wasn’t so confident.
Chapter Five
Alaric hopped out of the town car and stared at the crowd gathered in Union Square Park. He’d never seen such a mass of people, each one vying to get closer to the makeshift stage built on the east side. Large speakers pumped out a rhythm so loud it made his chest rattle. Lights flashed in the darkening evening and lit up the band on stage.
A single figure stood out from the rest, her long dark hair cascading over her face. Even from this distance, he could easily pick out Georgia. She was riffing on her guitar and totally lost in the music.
For a moment, Alaric felt totally out of sync with the rest of the world. How had he not known that up-and-coming rock star Gigi Weber was the same girl who’d gone to his high school? He’d heard the name, of course. But never connected the two.
It was crazy to think he was now dating her. Fake dating. But still, if someone had told him a week ago that this would happen, he would’ve laughed in their face. Now, the only thing he could do was grin and bear it and hope his board knew exactly how devoted he was to his company. He’d been on a rocky road with them ever since his accident two years ago. This would prove his loyalty.
He instructed the driver to wait and walked toward the back of the stage. The guards didn’t even blink twice at him. They must’ve been warned he would show up. He passed the cordoned area and joined the rest of the staff and crew who listened intently to Georgia beginning a new song on stage.
Alaric paused in his tracks as her voice hit his ears. She had a soulful, raspy quality to her singing that hit him deep in the chest with surprising emotion. There was no doubt that she threw her heart into her performance. He could feel it by the way the hair stood up on his arm. Doing his best to brush off the sensation, he crossed his arms tightly over his chest and frowned.
“This handsome man must be Alaric,” said a woman approaching from his left. She was in her mid-forties with her dark brown hair cut into a medium bob. A tight pair of jeans counterbalanced the blazer she wore. With a thin smile, she shook his hand. “I’m Sally. Gigi’s publicist.”
Yes, he remembered her voice from the hotel. She was the one promising that Georgia was throwing away her career. Already, Alaric didn’t like her.
“Alaric Hammond,” he said through a clenched jaw.
“Yes, I know. I did my homework.” She smiled, her eyes cold. “You took your grandfather’s small clothing store and built it into an empire. You’re one of the youngest billionaires in the world. Quite impressive, I might add. It’s a wonder that Gigi snagged you.”
He wasn’t sure how to respond to that. Everything she said came out sounding like an underhanded insult. Instead, he simply nodded.
“If you need anything, you just come to me.” She winked. “Gigi has been known to be a bit over sensitive, especially when it comes to relationships in the spotlight. She’s just not made from the same material as people like you and me. If you have any issues, give me a call.”
She handed him a card, which he promptly crumpled in his hands. He was sure he’d never be needing that number.
