Page 20 of Fake it For Good
“For you,” I murmured. I couldn’t explain why, but something felt wrong. I glanced down at the paperwork with his name on it. “Cane Carver.”
“Noelle Dobson,” he replied.
“You knew my name.”
He shrugged. “I’m not a man that can afford to risk my company or my reputation.”
I nodded and scanned the two-page document without actually reading it. I saw a dollar figure, five-hundred thousand. That was what I would owe him if I said a word about the little arrangement. I didn’t understand why he thought he needed to threaten me.
“I will sign the NDA with Della,” I said.
“Yes, I would hope so, but I need this one in place as well.”
“Because you think threatening me is the way to go, huh?” I said and pushed the paperwork back at him. “You assume if you put that kind of money down as a punishment, I wouldn’t dare open my mouth? This is you reminding me who has the power. The man in charge.”
“My friend thought it would be a good number.”
I forced a smile. “Nice. That kind of money doesn’t mean shit to you, but you assumed you were paying some poor lady and therefore you can swing your big money around and the little lady would just be so desperate she would sign anything. Wrong, pal. I don’t need your threats. You are not the only man on the client list.”
“Are you saying you don’t want to sign an NDA?” he asked.
“I’m saying I’ll sign the NDA with the Faux Agency, but I don’t know you from Adam,” I said. “You know I don’t have a team of lawyers to go through this thing. I’ll admit I’m not a Rhodes Scholar. I don’t know what all this says. You could sue me because I sneezed wrong. No.”
“Are you serious right now?” he asked. “I’m putting my reputation on the line.”
“And I’m not?”
“You’re a, uh, well.” He stopped talking.
I considered kicking his ass. “I’m a what?”
“You work for the agency.”
“Technically, no, I don’t,” I said. “I haven’t signed a damn thing. I went to the agency because I trusted Della. She told me there would be an NDA after the contract was signed. Or with the contract. Either way, I trust her, not some dude off the street. You’re giving me a bad vibe. I’ve decided this is not the job for me. I can’t play at being someone’s girlfriend or fiancée if I can’t trust them enough to have a drink with them. I’m sorry, but I have to go. Good luck.”
I got up and left the table with his mouth hanging open behind me. I couldn’t explain what it was that didn’t feel right, but it was something. I didn’t know what all the paperwork said, and I didn’t trust myself to read through all the fine print. I didn’t want to sign something that would end up with me going bankrupt because I said the wrong thing. I hated the whole thing.
Marie was going to kill me for bombing the job interview. I probably shouldn’t be getting all worked up over something that was very standard, but I was. It felt like an ambush. I didn’t like rich people that took advantage of the little guys like me.
I walked down the sidewalk, ready to cross the street when I heard someone calling my name. “Noelle, wait!”
I turned to see Cane running after me. “Wait,” he said.
“Cane, I’m sorry, but I think this was wrong from the very beginning,” I said. “Marie, my friend, was the one Della chose. It was Marie who convinced Della to let me have this job. Della’s gut told her to choose Marie. You’re supposed to be with her.”
“Look, I probably could have approached that a little better,” he said. “I was just trying to protect myself. Not just me, but also my company. I can’t afford a scandal.”
“Fine.”
“Wait,” he said again. “I think you’re the right one. I think you and I could actually get along pretty well. I want you to be the one who helps me through this thing. I think I can trust you. I trust no one, but I think I can trust you not to share this secret.”
“You do?”
Something about him had me second-guessing my decision to walk away. Obviously, the man was stupid attractive. His eyes were warm and friendly. A pretty hazel color. There was a storminess to them that drew me in. I was always attracted to the wrong men. Marie had led me out of one bad relationship after another. I was a slow learner. My instincts were better than most, but for some stupid reason, I always felt drawn to the men that were not really available.
“I won’t push the NDA, but I’m sure you can understand how important it is this arrangement is kept under wraps,” he said.
I cracked a smile. “This might be hard for you to believe, but I’m not exactly thrilled with the idea of this situation. I’m not trying to tell everyone. You don’t know me, but I’m a private person. I don’t ask for anything from anyone. This is just a little embarrassing.”
