Page 19 of Faking it For Summer

“Everyone in my family’s probably talking about me right now, wondering how they didn’t know. Wondering how I kept this a secret.”

“Well, you do have a big mouth.”

“Thank you.”

“What? It’s not like I’m going to tell your parents and your grandparents and your brother—who already looks like he wants to kill me—that you have a big mouth because you like going down on me.”

“Luke Haverbrook. I have never gone down on you.”

“But if you were my girlfriend for real, isn’t that something you would do?”

“We’re putting that in the contract,” she says, laughing. “That is not happening. No way, no how. I don’t care who finds out it’s a lie.”

“Of course not. Just like I’m not going to go down on you.” I start laughing.

“Of course you’re not,” she says, blushing. “I feel weird even having this conversation with you. This is either going to be amazing, or it’s going to be the worst decision we’ve ever made in our lives.”

“Let’s stay positive, Mia. It’s going to be amazing. Oh, and, Mia?”

“Yes, Luke?”

“Don’t go to Cocktails & Chaos tonight and get into any trouble.”

“What do you mean?”

“Leave those poor tourists alone.” I hang up to her laughing.

I sit here at my desk and frown. I really don’t want to think about Mia making out with some random tourist—and not just because she’s meant to be my secret girlfriend. I don’t want her lips touching another man. I don’t want her doing anything with anyone else. The thought of her kissing someone else pisses me off and has me feeling like I want to puke, and that’s not something I want to think about too deeply.

There’s a knock on my door, and I rest my phone on the desk.

“Come in,” I say, looking up.

“Hi, Mr. Haverbrook. Johnson would like to speak to you.”

“You can send him in. Thanks, Rebecca.”

“You’re welcome, Mr. Haverbrook.” She gives me her sweet, sexy little smile and backs out.

I know that my assistant, Rebecca, would love to go on a date with me. She’s let me know in no uncertain terms that she’s willing to accept anything that I’d offer her, including a one-night stand. She’d love to go to the wedding with me as well, butthere is no way I’d ever ask her. I hold my gold fountain pen in my hand, and watch as Johnson—my boss—walks in.

“Haverbrook,” he says.

“Good afternoon, sir.” I stand up. “Everything okay?”

“Yes, and no.” He closes the door behind him and looks around. He walks over and takes his seat in front of me. His bald head looks especially shiny today as he gazes at me sternly.

“We’ve got a problem.”

“Oh? Big problem? A small problem? A problem with me?”

“A problemforyou. We’ve got a problem with the Equinox deal.”

My heart sinks. The Equinox deal is the largest deal our hedge fund has ever been a part of. In fact, I’ve been working on it for the last year, and it’s set to close within the next couple of months. I know—and he knows—that if I make this deal happen, I will be the next equity partner. I will run this town. And that’s saying a lot.

“What’s up?”

“Burlington was at the Seminole Club the other evening, and he was having a conversation. I don’t know with who—it doesn’t matter. He was speaking with one of the waitstaff there, who overheard a conversation between TCO and Ricardo from the Equinox team.” He pauses. “And it looks like they may have another offer on the table.”