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I stopped trying to pretend I wasn’t confused. “What?”
He ran a hand through his short curls, a gesture so diabolically adorable it should have been outlawed by the Geneva Convention. “My grandma thinks I’m bringing a girlfriend, but I don’t have one. I can’t risk upsetting her because of her atrial fibrillation. I’m asking you to pretend to be my girlfriend on a five-day cruise to Mexico, all expenses paid.”
“Wow. Um...” Code blue alarms were going off in my head. “I don’t feel great about sharing a room with a stranger.” Or lying to a ninety-year-old lady. Or fake dating a coworker.
“We wouldn’t be sharing,” Adam said quickly. “I booked a two-room suite. It’s right across from my grandma and sister’s room, and down the hall from my mom and her boyfriend.”
That did make me feel better, but it would be uncomfortable to pretend to be a couple surrounded by Adam’s family. “I’m not a good actress. And I’m not super comfortable...” I gulped, not wanting to make things awkward by bringing up kissing. “You know... I don’t think I can... cuddle... someone I don’t know well.” Not that the thought of kissing him was disgusting, just completely out of the question.
Adam drew back so quickly his chair moved four inches from the table. “Oh, we wouldn’t... no. I mean, no touching required.”
His obvious revulsion at the idea of our bodies coming into contact should have relieved me, but his reaction made me feel as desirable as a fungal infection. “Wouldn’t your family think it was weird that you never touched your supposed girlfriend?”
“No, they wouldn’t.”
He didn’t volunteer any further explanation, but I couldn’t leave it alone, struggling to imagine a family that would make no comment to see their grandson, son, and brother with a girlfriend he avoided. “Because you have a phobia of skin-to-skin contact, or...?” That would make his job pretty difficult.
“Nothing like that.” Adam waved both hands. “They just wouldn’t expect me to be demonstrative.”
I blinked. There was a backstory there, even if he didn’t want to go into it. None of my business, I reminded myself. He had an answer for all my objections, but that didn’t make his plan a good one. “You don’t think it’s wrong to lie to your family?”
“I don’t enjoy the deception, and if it wasn’t for Grandma, I wouldn’t bother. But... she’s important to me.” His voice grew so tender that he’d have to be the world’s best actor if he was faking.
Neither of my grandmas were still alive, but I wouldn’t have wanted to disappoint either of them, much less put their hearts at risk. “I guess I can understand that.”
But even if I accepted that he was doing all this for his grandma, I still couldn’t go on a cruise with Dr. Donaldson.
Could I?
Definitely not.
No way.
Not happening.
Adam smiled hopefully at me.
I pressed a hand to my temples. At least I couldn’t commit without giving the idea some serious consideration. “I need to think about it, if that’s okay.”
“Of course,” Adam said quickly. “Take all the time you need.” He adjusted his collar. “But we’d leave next Friday.”
I stared back at him. I’d have to decide in one week? Sure, I had plenty of PTO saved, and a lot of nurses owed me favors, so arranging my schedule wouldn’t be impossible. But that was fast.
“How’s it going over here?” I’d been so focused on Adam that I didn’t even notice Davis Hardcastle approaching our table.
“Great!” I lied. Things weren’t bad, exactly, but I hadn’t come to Connect expecting any of this.
“Wonderful. I think we’ll wrap things up in the next few minutes or so.”
“Thanks,” Adam replied, nodding briskly at Davis and turning his attention back to me. Davis went on to talk to the next match, and Adam spoke to me in a low voice. “I can send you the trip itinerary to look over. And I can pay you for your time if that makes a difference.”
I wrinkled my nose. If I did what he asked, it would be to help him, not to make money. “I’m not a paid companion.”
Adam winced. “I didn’t—”
“If you’ll all come this way, I’ll give you your things back,” Davis announced.
Around the room, pairs started to get up.
