Page 28 of Face Off With Fate

In our lives.

Graciella snapped her fingers. “Hey, this isn’t an actual matchmaking service. Not that serious. Just name things you like in a woman.”

I wiped the sweat off my hands on my jeans, hoping she wouldn’t notice. “Okay, um, I like…”

I tried my damndest to come up with something, but everything seemed to be associated with her. It had to be because she’d turned my life upside down lately.

So, I did the only logical thing.

“Um. Someone who is quiet, shy, and doesn’t like too much attention,” I said, watching her pen move across the page. “Agreeable. Doesn’t argue back all the time.”

She tucked a few of her short strands behind her ear, drawing my attention to the shape of her face—to how beautiful she was.

“Long hair,” I blurted. “She needs to have long hair. I don’t like short hair.”

For someone who hated lying, I sure was doing a lot of it at the moment.

Graciella’s head popped up, eyes narrowed. Despite their warm brown color, the glare was frigid.

“You would think a woman’s decision about her hairstyle is meant to please you,” she scoffed. Same way my mom would if she’d heard that bullshit line. “Fine, someone with long hair.” She jotted it down, circling it so aggressively I thought she’d tear a hole in the paper.

“Any other archaic requests? Should she only speak when spoken to or have dinner ready when you arrive home?” she asked, smiling sweetly. I read it for what it was—a fuck you, Monroe.

I swallowed, itching to tell her I didn’t want anything on that list.

But that wouldn’t help.

Actually, it would force me to dissect why I didn’t want any of those things. I moved the conversation into safer waters—for both of us.

“I don’t want this person to meet Goldie.”

She rolled her eyes. Probably thought I was being an ass.

“I’m serious, Graciella. I’m in this mess because of my actions. My daughter doesn’t deserve to be dragged into this, and I won’t have her meeting someone who won’t actually be in her life.” I caught her gaze, needing her to hear me. “That’s not fair to her, and my little girl deserves the best. Always.”

As it was, my daughter didn’t have a mother. There was no way in hell I’d let this fake girlfriend around my kid only for her to disappear at the end of a few months.

“Whoever we pick won’t meet, be photographed with, or be questioned about your daughter. In fact, I’ll make sure there are no mentions of Golden Girl at all in interviews or articles.” Graciella’s tone was so fierce it knocked me on my ass a bit.

I nodded, taken aback by the sincerity in her eyes.

“Oh, and Graciella.” I hesitated. “No falling in love with me.”

She blinked, something flashing in her eyes before she shut it down, covering it up with a smirk.

“Don’t worry, that charming personality of yours would keep anyone at bay.”

“I’m serious,” I pushed. “We both know what happened between Dalton and Ariella, and while I love that for them, I don’t want love. I already have everyone I need in my corner, and I’m not interested in adding someone new.”

The office went silent, other than the discussion of potential Draft pick order filtering through the television speakers.

She’d blanked her face, and it bothered me more than her arguing ever had. I was used to her mouth forming every shape imaginable, but now it sat in a perfect line.

“All right, Monroe.” She nodded. “No falling in love with you.”

My stomach sank.

That was what I’d asked, so why did I not like hearing those words from her mouth?