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About an hour later, Marcus waltzes in unannounced. I peer out, and Vivienne has slipped out without my noticing. It must be her lunch break.
“Marcus! I didn’t know you were in town.”
“Just flew in. Came to check on things.” He tosses a meaningful glance over his shoulder at Vivienne’s empty chair. “How’s it going?”
I lean in conspiratorially. “Better than I could have imagined.”
“Really?”
“You might consider a career in contractual matchmaking. She’s perfect!”
“Why do you sound so surprised?”
“Aren’t you? I mean, we all knew she was a kind, decent person, but who knew she was also… fun?”
Marcus knits his brows. “Everyone who meets her?”
I’m taken aback. “Am I the only person who missed how compelling this woman is?”
“Maybe. People also tend to let coworkers fade into the furniture.”
He’s letting me off easy, and I know it. “I don’t see how I could have missed her, though.”
“So when’s the proposal?” If I have a reputation for being impatient, it’s only because Marcus doesn’t work here. Then they’d really see impatient.
I hold up a hand. “Slow down. I haven’t even thought about how to ask.”
Marcus looks confused. “I thought it was a contract marriage.”
“Doesn’t that make it even harder? Since we’re not dating.”
“Yeah. She’s the straightforward type. You have to make it clear from the get-go. And cut to the chase about what’s in it for her because she won’t be interested in the money.”
“You seem to be awfully confident. You don’t even know her.”
“I’ve met her,” he reiterates. “And I have a sense for people. Besides, you can’t be impartial. You’re too close.”
I think for a minute. “So what do I do if she says no?”
Marcus looks at me sharply. “Caesar Vanecourt, are you nervous?”
“Of course not! But I have one shot and no backup plan.”
“People don’t go into proposals with a backup plan, man. You’ll have to take a leap.” I know he’s right, but do the same rules apply when the proposal is not exactly real?
The more I find out about her, the more I know that no one else is going to compare. Marcus is right. I’m going to have to take a leap. “So what next?”
He holds up his left hand, wiggling the fourth finger next to his face. “Isn’t there traditionally a ring involved?”
8
VIVIENNE
Mr. Vanecourt has been watching me like a hungry lion for the past week.
I admit it was a little bit thrilling to feel his eyes on me at first. My skin would start to tingle, and when I looked up I would catch him staring. He would swiftly look away but not for long.
The idea of someone like Caesar Vanecourt taking an interest in me makes my heart beat faster. A member of royalty, looking like that, can have any woman he wants. It's exciting to pretend that woman could be me, even if it’s just for a moment.
