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Lily
“Have you seen this?” my editor, Liv, asks as she walks through the open door of my tiny office. I look up from my laptop into her icy blue eyes, thin face, straight nose, and sharp chin. Her pale, milky blonde hair is pulled back in her customary tight bun secured at the back of her head with bobby pins, same as every day. Taking into account the red in her cheeks, her raised brows, drawn in a frown and the tight set of her lip, I assume something is wrong.
“Seen what?” I ask, itching to get back to the first draft of my article.
She pushes her phone across my desk, settling it right before me. Frowning, my eyes dance over the image until recognition floods heat to my face. The dense lushness of the tree in the background makes the image appear to be straight out of a romcom.
It’s a picture of Stefan and me at Railroad Park. We’re standing remarkably close, his left arm around my waist, his right hand grips my wrist. Recalling that moment, I know Stefan and I were in a heated argument, but in the picture, we look like lovers. Heat deepens my blush.
“What the hell?” I breathe, scrolling past the picture to see the article below.
The headline reads, Birmingham’s Hottest New Bachelor Has a Girlfriend?
Girlfriend? Girlfriend?! My eyes whirl as I scan the article taking in as much of it as I can without actually reading it. My brain is seared with insulting sentence after sentence.
“Real Estate Mogul, Stefan Grenalds, threw the local dating game into a frenzy when he moved to Birmingham last year.”
“We at The Birmingham Social were dying to know who this beautiful stranger is and how she managed to get the elusive Tycoon of investing to say yes to her. We know you, dear reader, are wondering the same thing! Don’t worry. We did all the digging for you.”
“.... none other than the owner of the very popular e-zine Bitch Press!”
“Even the strongest female activist can’t say no to a fortune like that.”
“We’ll update you as we learn more. Stay tuned!”
The heavy thrum of my heart crashes against my ribcage as I try and fail to understand what the hell is happening.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were going out with Stefan Grenalds!” Liv demands. “The Stefan Grenalds!”
“I didn’t know he was famous!” I reply, clenching my hands into fists to fight the urge to throw Liv’s phone across the room.
“You’ve never heard of him?” Liv asks, taking a seat on one of two plastic chairs stationed in front of my desk.
“No, not before he asked me out. I looked him up, but I still didn’t… I didn’t think about whether he was well known. I mean, I didn’t know him so…” I trail off looking down at the article again, the words Real Estate mogul standing out as strongly as if they were highlighted neon yellow.
“He’s been well known since his book hit the international best seller list a couple years ago. He’s famous in his world at least. In the business, investing, and real estate world. Everyone knows him. He’s been featured on many talk shows and podcasts.”
Liv grabs her phone back and taps her screen a few times before she gives it back to me, a book cover now shown. Cash Flow for Kings is the title.
“It’s a book to teach people how to invest in multifamily properties like he does,” Liv mutters as I read the ad blurb for the book. I had no idea… he’s so… he’s… I shake my head pushing Liv’s phone back to her.
“I’m not dating him. I interviewed him for our July feature.”
Liv’s face brightens instantly.
“You got him to agree to an interview?” she nearly shouts. I sit back in my seat away from her energy.
“He offered to give me an interview when he found out what I do for a living.”
“He’s trying to sleep with you, Lily,” she says, her face sobering just as quickly. “Don’t fall for it. He’s nothing but a slick playboy. Every time he’s seen out with someone, it’s a different woman. Every time.”
“You don’t have to tell me,” I reply, sighing.
“I’m serious. He’ll break your heart.”
“Liv, I’m fine. I only went out with him for the interview. Don’t wo–”
A knock sounds on my door. Belle is standing in the doorway holding a white bag of what looks like take out.
