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I hold up a finger. “To save your ass.”
“To saveyourass.” She clenches her jaw. “What about Liam?”
“I’ll put some clothes in the hotel room. We’ll say we’re staying there because our apartment burned down and we’re in the process of getting a new one.”
“Think he’ll talk to my landlord? Push at our story?”
“Maybe, maybe not. Hard to say. Depends on if he has other business in town or if he’s just here to follow up on us.” I tap at my forehead with a fingertip. “We can always pay the landlord to say we were living together in your apartment.”
“God, what a mess. Poor Eduardo, getting dragged into this.”
“Eduardo will be fine, he’s a fucking landlord. They’re all morally flexible. We’ll pay him well.”
“All right, I’ll talk to him. We’ll convince Liam that this marriage thing is real. I’ll do the bare freaking minimum to keep us both from getting murdered. Then we’re having a falling out and getting divorced.”
“Nobody will be surprised. Whirlwind marriages tend to fail more often than not.”
“I’ll expect alimony.”
“Good luck winning that in court.” I grin at her, some of my tension easing now that we have a plan.
If she plays along, this should be fine. We convince Liam, he goes back to Boston, and I accept that I’ll never get the Crowley job after all. Can’t exactly go for it now, not if my fake wife isn’t willing to play the game.
She hesitates before leaving. Her anger drains away. I can tell there’s something else she wants to ask, but I don’t push her. Instead, I go around the desk, sitting back down.
“My job,” she finally blurts out. “Where does this leave me?”
“That’s a little bit complicated. I have a policy. No dating my employees. Definitely no marrying them.”
“We’re not really married.”
I try not to smile. “Well, technically—”
“Gareth.” She closes her eyes, clearly holding back her emotions. “My apartment burned down. I have crushing student loans. My parents left for Paris for two weeks. My ex got engaged. My best friend’s fairytale Kentucky life is beginning to show some cracks. I feel like I’m on the edge of an abyss right now and I really have no idea what I’m going to do. Sopleasedon’t joke around.”
“Okay, I understand,” I say softly. “You’re still my legal assistant.”
She lets out a long breath. “Thank you.”
“Assuming you listen to me in the future.”
“You’re unbelievable.” She rubs her temple before glancing at me. “Thank you for not firing me.”
“You’re a good employee,” I say with a little shrug.
Which is true, but that’s not why I can’t bring myself to get rid of her.
It’s not even that she’s going through a crisis and needs help.
It’s because of that kiss.
Which is absolutely theworstreason.
Still, no matter what, I willnotlet myself care about Fiona. No matter how attractive I find her, she’s too young, too unserious, too much of a total mess. I’ve learned the hard way too many times to let myself open up and start to give a shit about another person.
But I do want her.
And I am willing to make very stupid decisions to keep her around.
