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She had five minutes before Tiffany arrived. The thought made her insides twist, but that was because Bastien had kissed her again, and now she felt like the other woman.
She'd set out three mugs for coffee when a soft knock sounded at the door. Charlotte opened it to find Tiffany dressed in black slacks and a white blouse that seemed to hug and enhance her breasts. A surge of jealousy ribboned through her.
Tiffany held up a pink and brown box with a smirk. Sweet on You, the candy store she owned in town, had seen better days. It was no secret that her ex had bought the building and purposely raised the rent to try to control her. He'd keep the rent steady, as long as he thought he had a chance to win her back, but everyone knew her heart wasn't in it; she loved the shop, but not him.
She opened the door wider and invited Tiffany in. “Thanks for bringing those,” she said politely. Tiffany nodded and followed her into the kitchen.
Another knock sounded at the door, and Bastien stuck his head in and called out, “Can I come in?”
“Yes,” Charlotte said, peeking her head through the doorway. “We're in here.”
Charlotte noticed the uneasiness in Bastien's demeanor and wondered what had transpired on the call. “Are you okay?” she whispered as he entered the kitchen.
“Yeah, I'm fine,” Bastien said with a tight-lipped smile. He sat at the kitchen table across from Tiffany and uncharacteristically avoided eye contact.
“Tiffany, this is Bastien. Bastien, this is Tiffany.”
“It's nice to meet you,” Bastien said as he shook her hand. He then returned his attention to the box on the table. “You brought samples?”
Tiffany looked at Charlotte with a thousand questions in her eyes. She hadn't told Tiffany there would be anyone else meeting them. She didn't know they were going to spring a proposition on her. She was like a sheep walking into a lion's den.
“Bastien is the client.”
Tiffany sat up and smiled. “Oh, that's lovely. Let me show you what I brought.” She opened the box to reveal an array of decadent confections from Sweet on You.
Tiffany's gaze shifted back to Charlotte. “Where's the bride?”
Charlotte took a deep breath and gathered her courage. This was the moment of truth.
“Well, here's the thing,” she said. “We're in a bit of a pickle.” Charlotte gave her the short version about Chloe's death, Ivy, and the impending custody battle.
Tiffany frowned. “And where do I come in?”
Bastien cleared his throat. “I was hoping you'd be the bride.”
Tiffany's jaw dropped, looking from Bastien to Charlotte in disbelief. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.
Charlotte stepped in and placed a comforting hand on Tiffany's arm. “It's a difficult situation, and we understand if you don't want to get involved. We wouldn't ask you if it wasn't necessary,” she said.
Bastien nodded and added, “If you agree, you will be handsomely rewarded for your time.”
“Let me get this straight. You want me to marry you?”
Bastien grimaced. “I want you to pretend to marry me. We don't actually have to walk down the aisle.”
“No,” Charlotte broke in. “It can be as easy as clam diggers on the beach.” She didn't know why she blurted it out. Saying it out loud made it even worse. “Oh, I almost forgot.” She pulled a non-disclosure agreement from a nearby folder and slid it in front of Tiffany. “I should have asked for this first.”
Bastien chuckled. “Remind me not to put you in charge of any top-secret deals.”
Charlotte lifted her shoulders with a shrug. “It's not like she won't sign it.” She hoped she was right. “You'll sign it, right?”
Tiffany glanced down at the form. “What is it?”
Charlotte sighed. “It just says that you won't repeat anything you heard in this room.”
Tiffany took the pen and scribbled her name on the signature line. “No one would believe it, anyway.”
“So, what do you think? “Bastien asked.
