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She paused, and he heard her falter. “There’s a party next week at the country club I attend where all my friends will be. We’re kind of a festive, close-knit group. Everyone is bringing someone. Even Matt, my ex-fiancé. Can you believe he’s already dating? Anyway, the first person I thought of was you. I’ll understand if you don’t want to, but I would really love it if you could go with me…”
She spoke at twice the speed, and he had to listen closely to catch all of it. If he pieced it all together correctly, then it sounded like she wanted him to attend this party with her as her date. Not a guest, a date. He didn’t know what to feel about it.
“I know you don’t want to pretend, so we won’t,” she said. “You can come as my friend. We don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with. Everyone is so curious about you?—”
In a world where a woman like Charlie thought first of him in any situation, pushed his pride up a notch. But it didn’t stop the conflict from resurfacing. If he did this, then he was shooting himself in the foot. However, nothing else sounded better than spending time with this alluring woman.
“Alright, I’ll do it.” He caved, but told himself that this was more an obligation to repay her generosity. The crazy stunt she pulled at his gym was world-class. He owed her that favor.
“You will? Oh, Rick. I am so happy! Thank you so much,” she said. Elation coursed in her voice, and somehow also went through him.
“Just this one party, right?” he asked.
“Just this one,” she repeated. “Thank you, again. You won’t regret it.”
Rick hoped to hell he wouldn’t.
Eleven
On the lastlayer of lip gloss, her phone rang, and her body went into full alert. Looking at the caller ID and seeing her brother’s name, she relaxed.
“Yes, Ryan?” Charlie answered in speaker mode. Sitting in front of the vanity mirror in her bedroom, she gave her hair another fluff.
“I have bad news,” Ryan said without preamble.
She paused, dreading those words. Bad news always came with Ryan. “What is it?”
“Jig’s up. I can’t hold off any more. She figured me out. You’re on your own.”
“What? Who figured out what?” What kind of trouble did he get into now?
Ryan grumbled. “She figured out about Jenny and Rose, so now I have to go with her to church to repent my sins.”
Closing her eyes and counting to ten, Charlie pinched her nose in irritation. “Ryan, what are you talking about?”
He sighed. “Remember when I agreed to keep mom off your back for yoursweet ride?”
“Uh huh…” Charlie was beginning to regret ever making a deal with Ryan.
“Well, to get her attention away from your colossal fuck up, I had to think of something almost as bad.”
Oh, no.She didn’t like the sound of this. “So, what did you think of?”
“I told her I got two girls pregnant,” Ryan said. “And they were using it against me for money.”
Oh, dear.Her jaw dropped. It was outrageous. So bold. So… insane. So…Ryan. Shock grew into amazement. Only he could think of something like this. Andwhatan idea it was! This most definitely would have driven their mother mad. Her precious son, fathering illegitimate children? Multiple children with multiple women. Grace Kim’s worst nightmare!
A laugh involuntarily slipped, and Charlie clapped a hand over her mouth. She almost wished she was there to see their mother’s face. Leave it to Ryan to cause that kind of stir to the queen of disapproval.
“What happened when you told her that?” Charlie asked through snickers.
“She was pissed, of course. Demanded their names. So I made up Jenny Kim and Rose Park,” he said.
“FromBlackpink?” Charlie cried. “You couldn’t think of anything else?”
“It just came out. I think one of their songs was still fresh in my head. Anyway, she didn’t catch on for a while. I told her Jenny lived in San Francisco and Rose was in Brazil. She was very close to getting on a plane to hunt them down until her husband told her.” Ryan sounded proud of himself. “It was fun while it lasted. She was asking all sorts of questions, trying to find these girls.”
Imagining Grace Kim on a wild goose chase had to be Charlie’s choice of entertainment. The woman was the human equivalent of a bulldozer. Charlie could see her getting ready with anenvelope of cash and a lawyer to boot as defense. With winning, that woman did not play around.
