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“I think I’ll be happy with this for the rest of my life. I’ve never even imagined having one like this,” I gushed appropriately.
“Seriously, I use to stand on the sidewalk in front of the store, napkin in hand for drooling, and dream of the day I would have one on my shoulder.”
“I get that. I just never allowed myself to consider it.” I went to admire it in the mirror. “Wow, I just saw the red on the inside and the outer edges.”
“Bloody oath, it had to go with those red stilettos, and let’s not forget that red hair,” Poppy said, placing more outfits in the suitcase. “I think you’re good with these basics. You can go shopping for yourself in Paris.”
“As long as I have the red stilettos, right?”
Chapter 20
AUGUST
“Not partying. I’m asking you to switch with me one more time so I can see if Lilly is the forever girl for me.” Asher gave me air quotations. “I feel so in love and this might be my only chance.”
Did he just do air quotations?
“If she’s the girl for you, then she’ll be there when this is over.” I held firm to mom’s ultimatum. “The point is for you to be photographed with a fiancée.”
“Sawyer and I worked it all out last night. It’ll work if people think you’re me.” Asher went on. “Sawyer rented a whole island for the month. We can go there and not leave, so no one will see us. You can be me for a week or two, maybe three. Everyone gets what they want.”
“What about what I want, Ash? Are you willing to back out of the partnership?” I gave my own ultimatum. “Because that’s what I want if I do this.”
“Done” was all he said.
“Done?” You don’t care that I want you out?” I asked surprised. “You don’t care about your degree or the family business?”
“I didn’t say that, August. What I agreed to was to leave our partnership. I want to open my own design business anyways. You know I’ve never enjoyed this commercial stuff,” Asher said, opening the door and grabbing a suitcase.
“You have to go to Paris for at least a week. No one will know you enough to know the difference. I brought some stuff of mine for you to wear, but I think you should just dress how you want most of the time,” Asher said. “People will just think the new fiancée changed you.”
“And if I do this, how do we change back after?” I asked. “What about Mom? When she finds out…”
“If, she finds out,” Asher interrupted. “There’s no reason for her to know. It’s a win, win. You get me out of your hair, Mom gets the Hawthorne name protected, and I get a chance with Lilly.”
“I would do a better job than you, fixing your scandal.” I looked over the clothes Asher had brought with him. “I’m not wearing these clothes though. My hair is different than yours too.”
“Sawyer’s waiting in my suite with a hairdresser to give you a ‘me’ makeover.” Asher closed the suitcase and rolled it to a corner. “Forget the clothes, just dress a little less August.”
“Okay,” I said. “I have to be out of the country for a few weeks, so I’ll help you, but you have to stay on that island and not be seen. I can’t be caught up in one of your scandals too.”
Asher picked me up in a bear hug, as he loved to do, knowing I hated it.
“Promise, Ash,” I demanded. “You wear a disguise until you’re on that island.”
“I’ll put on your clothes, put a hat on, and leave in the next thirty minutes.”
“No one but us will know. Not even Kellan,” I demanded. “It’s for two weeks, then we switch back. Make sure Sawyer understands he can’t tell anyone in the family, either.”
“Deal,” Asher said, pulling his cell out to text Sawyer and the hairdresser.
I headed to my room to get on some clothes. I shot a text to Kellan that Asher would be there in two hours to pick up Imogen. I thought over what I’d just agreed to do. I should be able to pull this off. We’d switched many times over our life, just never as adults. I wouldn’t have to prove who I was to anybody in Paris or China, and the fiancé definitely wouldn’t have any idea.”
Until she meets Asher for real. I can imitate Asher, but no one is the real wild man Asher but Asher.
The hairdresser didher magic and made my hair look like Asher’s. We changed into one another’s outfits just until we were both away from family. Asher and Sawyer were prepared to go into hiding, assuring me they wouldn’t come out until I said to. Sawyer wasn’t a playboy like Asher and the fact that he was family made it better. He understood how serious the scandal was this time, so I felt more assured that Asher would behave. Kellan had called Asher to say they needed to go over a few things about Imogen. I knew there was no way Kellan wouldn’t pick up on the switch. I shot back a text from Asher’s cell.
“I’m running on a tight schedule. What do I need to know about this girl and the contract before we take off?” I responded as Asher.
