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Did he look familiar? Was he one of Andrew’s actors?
No. Because I didn’t watch Andrew’s old work.Anyof it, because that was creepy.
“Are you an actress?” Smart Stranger asked. “One of his previous acquaintances?”
Did he just make the same assumption I had? He thought I used to be… in porn? Me? My laugh slipped out. “No.Godthat would be awkward. I’m his sister.”
He furrowed his brow and tilted his head, studying me again. “His sister is older. A lot older.”
“Ten years is a lot when you’re twenty. Not when you’re in your forties.”
“No. I didn’t mean…” He sighed. “You don’t look it.”
I should be flattered he thought I was younger, but I was hung up on the implication that I was old. “Do you want to see my ID? They checked it before they let me onto the lot. Who are you?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “The asshole who got off on the wrong foot with Kandace Newton.”
“Kind of a long name.” I was going to lean towardflattered, because he really was cute, and he was trying. “Should I call youAsshole? I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that.”
He extended his hand with a lightheh. “I’m Eli. The fixer.”
“I’d make a joke about it being nice to meet someone else who cleans up my brother’s messes, but I’m not an asshole.” Did I really say that? Who was I? I would never say something like that. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…” Crap. I shook his hand.
“Am I ever going to live that down?”
I smiled. “I don’t hold grudges, life is too short.”
“Let me make it up to you anyway,” he said. “I’ll buy you dinner tonight, and spend the hours between now and then thinking up smoother ways to tell you you’re beautiful. We’ll have an actual conversation, and get to know each other.”
Ah. The way he slid into that line, the awkwardness must be an act. His charm came off as sincere, but I suddenly doubted it really was. “No. If you could point me to Andrew, that would be fantastic.”
“This way.” A frown flickered across Eli’s face, and vanished again, snatched away in the chaos.
I hated thinking this way, having to question motives, examine every move and action and intention, but it came with my line of work. I was a partner in an angel investor firm that focused mainly on tech companies. When I joined them a few years back, I wanted to give everyone an equal chance. Take all the words at face value, rely strictly on the data presented to me and the words that were used.
After all, some people weren’t great at presenting, but had brilliant ideas. I quickly learned that the opposite was just as true. The pretty words, the data that looked good on paper, the stories spun to get access to our money, were frequently just smoke and mirrors.
Once I started seeing the illusion in one place, I couldn’t help but see it everywhere. Eli was giving off a conflicting series of vibes, and it was always safer to err on the side of caution.
That didn’t stop me from watching him, appreciating the view, as he led me across the warehouse floor. I could look but not touch. I could also still wonder why he seemed so familiar.
Was it because I was hoping to run into someone famous on set?
And he was gorgeous. Would it have hurt that much to take him up on his offer for dinner?
It would if he kept using lines likespend hours thinking of ways to tell you you’re beautiful. That was straight out of a back screenplay. One or more of his, possibly. Or one of those high-heat romance novels Carly loved.
“In here.” Eli gestured toward an open office door on the opposite end of the building from where I’d been looking.
Andrew was sitting at a desk, his laptop in front of him, a cup of coffee to his left, and nothing else in here. Standard operating procedure for Andrew—things were temporary. Simplicity was key.
He looked up and grinned. “Candy Cane. You’ve met Jaws.”
I’d ask where the nickname came from, but Andrew never had a reason. He liked alliteration and he typically disliked real names. “I did.”
“You good?” Eli’s question was clipped. The smooth-talking smarty had vanished.
Not really surprised, though I wanted to be. I’d hoped he was genuine. “Yes. Thank you.”
