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Beckett interrupts. “Mom, I need to talk to Amanda for a minute.” He takes my hand and pulls me toward the stairs. “We’ll be down in a bit for lunch.”
Glinda has a huge grin. “Yes, you two go upstairs. Take your time.” She winks at me. “Have fun.” I can’t help but let out a laugh. I think I love Glinda.
Beckett practically pulls my arm out of my socket as we make our way up the biggest staircase I’ve ever seen in my life. I think Jade and I once had an apartment smaller than this staircase. This whole house is insane. I can’t even call it a house. It’s a mansion. More like if a mansion swallowed a mansion.
We walk down a long hallway until we reach a bedroomI assume is his. He closes the door and lets out a huge breath while he runs his fingers through his dirty-blond hair. He breathes, “Holy shit. What a mess.”
I look around. IknowI’ve lived in houses smaller than this bedroom. It’s more of a suite, with multiple rooms within a room. I’ve never seen anything like it. There’s a sitting room, a study, and two giant walk-in closets. I can’t see the bathroom, but there are double doors leading to it. Who the hell has a bathroom with double doors? Why is that even necessary?
“Amanda, I’m so sorry about this. I don’t know what to say.”
“Are you a grown man who’s afraid of his mother?”
He smiles. It’s adorably crooked and takes me right back to the night we met. “Will you judge me if I admit that I am?”
“Yes.”
“Judge away. Listen, my daughter doesn’t have a mother. The past five years haven’t been easy. My mother loves her and gives herself wholeheartedly to Andie. I don’t have it in me to be an asshole to her. She’s well-intentioned. Aside from a small handful of short visits here and there, she stays with us two months of the year. That time is everything for Andie. I try to placate my mother when I can. It’s my way of thanking her.”
“I can understand that, but why did you lie to her about who you’re dating?”
“She’s completely obsessed with me finding a woman. She talks about it constantly. I’m talking about daily calls regarding specific insipid women she wants me to date. She pushes and pushes. None of the women interest me. So I told her a few days ago that I was dating someone just to get her off my back. She asked me this morningfor a name, and I randomly answered Amanda.” He puts his head down and mumbles, “Amanda Tremaine.”
“Why me?”
“I…umm…was looking at one of your paintings when she asked. It was the first name that popped into my mind. And then, by some crazy twist of fate, you showed up at my house minutes later. I had no way of knowing that would happen.”
“What is it you want me to do, Beckett? This is nuts.”
“She’s here for a month. She lives in Florida but, like I said, visits two months of the year. I need her off my back. I’ll do whatever you ask if you continue the charade. I’ll do anything to not have to consider the women she suggests or hear about it every time we’re talk. Maybe a weekly dinner with us or something. That’s not too bad, right?”
This is insane. I came here to give him a piece of my mind, not enter into this shitshow. “Beckett, putting this silliness aside, I’m really upset that you bought all my paintings.”
“I told you at the party that I’d make it worth your while.”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it. I’m not a charity case. I would have been fine with you buying one painting. The success I thought I was having all these years was a facade. It’s humiliating.”
His shoulders fall. “That’s not how I intended it. I genuinely like your work. Look around.”
I just then notice two of my paintings in his bedroom. For some reason, it makes me feel better that he has them hanging. On the way here, I was imagining a warehouse where he leaves my paintings, never to be seen or enjoyed by anyone.
I sit down in one of his chairs to think. “I don’t wantyou to buy any more of my paintings. Promise me you won’t.”
He shrugs. “If that’s what you want.”
“It will take time, but I want to buy back the paintings you bought.”
He shakes his head. “No. Absolutely not. I love them. I want to keep them.”
“Beckett…”
“Let’s come to an understanding. What can I do to make it right with you with regard to the paintings I’ve bought, and how can I get you to pretend to be my girlfriend for a month?”
“I have no idea, but I know for sure that I don’t want you basically paying me to date you. I’m not comfortable with the optics of that scenario. It’s basically prostitution. I’m not for sale.”
He lets out a laugh. “I know you’re not. You’re very talented. I genuinely feel like your paintings are an investment.” He visibly swallows. “They’ve been very soothing to me during a difficult time in my life.”
“You’re just saying that because you need me right now.”
