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“I don’t have your card anymore. James Bond made me throw out my whole purse.” Imogen stopped pacing long enough to answer. “I didn’t even get a chance to read it, so I never knew your name.”
Thank God, she didn’t read it. I hate lying to her like this.
I stood and walked over to stop her pacing. I felt bad for causing her any anxiety,
“How about we start over. Hi, I’m Asher,” I said, putting my hand out. “I’m a design architect, I travel around the world a lot on my private plane, and I have a large family. I love ice hockey and I think I’m a Scorpio. And you are…?”
I didn’t think she was going to respond when she stood staring at me, until she started laughing.
“You’re a Scorpio? That explains a few things,” she said, still chuckling, until she saw me cross my arms. “Oops sorry. Hi, I’m Imogen. I’m a volunteer massage therapist. My favorite sport is ice hockey or soccer. I have a small family as an only child. And I’m a Libra.”
“A Libra? That explains a few things.” I repeated.
Chapter 25
IMOGEN
Asher had successfully relieved the last bits of stress I had. I couldn’t get over how different he was from the elevator to the drunk meeting and now on the plane, but I liked the man standing in front of me with his arms crossed.
“What’s going on in here? Are you playing nice or do I have to separate you?” Gunner asked from the edge of the living room area.
“I’m playing nice, but this guy is a Scorpio, so we have to keep an eye on him.” I walked to the bar feeling the weight of things lift off my shoulders. “Do you want a drink Bond? This bar is fully stocked, so live it up.”
“Sure, I’ve been a good boy,” he said with a wink at me. “I’ll take a vodka martini.”
“Let me guess- shaken, not stirred?” I asked, grinning ear to ear at my own joke.
I made my very own James Bond a vodka martini, picked up my water bottle, and gestured for Gunner to join us. I was still chomping at the bit to check in on my parents, but I wasn’t sure where we were. I knew we were somewhere in the sky, but were we out of Australian airspace?
“You can call your parents anytime, now that your ex can’t do anything to you. I checked him out and he isn’t as powerful as you think he is. His contacts don’t go much past Sydney.” Gunner pointed to the plane phone. “It’s my opinion that you should call your parents while en route, just to be sure he didn’t make friends in our direction.”
“Really? I can call them now?” I jumped up and went toward the phone. “I don’t want them to get hurt by him though. Isn’t it still better that they don’t know where I am?”
“I have people watching your parents twenty-four seven, but if you feel better not telling them, that’s your choice.”
“I think for now I’ll just let them know I’m safe” I turned to my fiancée. “I don’t want to get married without my parents, even if it’s a fake marriage. Can we figure something out with that?”
I hadn’t expected Asher to have the reaction I saw cross his face. Maybe I was wrong to look at this as a marriage instead of a business agreement, but it didn’t feel right to me to put on a wedding dress and say “I do” without my parents.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to overstep. We don’t have to have them with us, but I won’t wear a wedding dress and walk down an aisle without my dad.” I paced back and forth again. “We could just go to the courthouse. I suppose that would be ok.”
Gunner nodded but said nothing. Asher had turned away from me so I couldn’t see his face any longer.
Things were going so good. What did I say to upset him? I know he’s being forced to marry me, but he’s been so nice.
“Asher, did I say something to upset you?” I asked, looking from his back to Gunner.
“No, I was just thinking about how awful this must feel to you. Let’s talk about the wedding in a week or two,” he said, walking back over to the recliners. “I want you to have fun while we’re in Paris. I’ll have my assistant get a list of things for you to do and first thing to do is get you a wardrobe.”
“I’d like to stay with Imogen for the week whenever you aren’t with her,” Gunner said.
“I thought I was safe now? Didn’t you say Brice’s tentacles didn’t reach past Sydney?” I asked.
“I can’t let my best girl see Paris without me.” Gunner placed his half empty vodka on the bar. “I’m going to get some shut-eye. Sounds like a full day tomorrow.”
“Good night, Bond.” I wanted to hug him, but I resisted the urge.
“Good night, Solitaire.”
