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“Hansley?” Amina arches an eyebrow.
I sigh. “Is it TV or a magazine?”
“Both.”
I nod.
Venus folds her fingers together. “This is where our questions end. We won’t get involved in the details of your arrangement. How long you stay together. Where you live. Whether you date other people—”
“Not gonna happen.” I imagine Asia sneaking around with some other guy and scowl. “We do this, we do it right.”
“Agreed,” Asia says.
“That’ll be a lot less complicated.” Ina, gives an approving nod. “For both of you.”
“She’s right.” Elizabeth laughs. “We started out this way too. Faking a marriage, I mean.”
Brogan scrubs his red beard. “Although we didn’t have so much press attention.”
“Are you kidding, babe? My family’s scarier than the press.”
He tilts his head true.
“Even though we’re not asking for details,” Amina says, “we would like it if you’d keep us in the loop so we can prepare our press packets. When your divorce is announced, we’ll put out a statement, but we won’t make it loud. The point is to gently ride out this crisis until we’re all in the clear.”
“We appreciate it. I’m speaking for both of us.” Asia pats Venus’s hand. “And we hope the rest of your honeymoon isn’t so stressful.”
Venus slants Troy, a mischievous look. “Every weekend is like our honeymoon.” She winks at Asia. “This was nothing, so don’t even sweat it.”
Troy checks his watch. “How about lunch? It’s getting around that time.”
The tension breaks.
Smiles begin to bloom.
The ladies gather to talk.
Elizabeth, Tierra and Ina surround Asia, separating her from me. While the women chat and try to decide on what they feel like eating (which I know from personal experience will take forever), I find Brett.
We walk to a corner of the room.
“Did you get the email from Jensen too?” I ask.
“I did. Although, I couldn’t confirm the scandal was related to his decision.”
“It is.” I tell Brett about my call with my contact at Jensen Corp. “But convincing him I’m a family man won’t necessarily mean he’ll change his mind. You and I both know it was a steep climb from the start.”
“Better than letting it go without a fight. We need to do everything we can to get him back and this is a good start.”
My gaze slides to Asia. She’s standing in the middle of her friends, completely at ease with the fact that she just signed up for a temporary marriage to me.
Just then, she glances up.
Our eyes meet.
Her smile gets a little shyer and softer.
My heart bucks in response.
