Maid for Each Other(25)

“Later.” I disconnected the call, got our coffees, and headed for the convention center.

But when I got there, Abi wasn’t in the lobby.

No, she was standing outside on the sidewalk, in the morning sun, waiting for me.

And she was gorgeous.

Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, with a few stray strands curled around her pink cheeks, and her lips were shiny. Sunglasses covered her eyes, big round movie star frames that belonged in a bubblegum commercial, and I knew without a doubt that Edward had handpicked them.

She was wearing a bright yellow sundress that hit just below the knee, showing off calves that definitely did visit the treadmill on a regular basis—damn, but I am a leg man—and she was holding a white box with a ribbon tied around it.

I saw the minute she noticed me, because her lips turned up in a grin. Without hesitation, she walked over and grabbed one of the coffee cups from my hands.

“Hey, you,” she said, going up on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek. “How was your workout?”

I knew we were pretending to be in a relationship, but the move managed to shock the shit out of me. I guess I hadn’t been ready for it. Her soft perfume swirled around me as she pulled back and smiled like she actually cared about my workout.

“My ass stayed out of the wall, so I’d say I killed it.”

“Well, then, congratulations on the massive success,” she said with a smart-ass giggle in her voice. “Ready to go in?”

“Let’s do it,” I replied, my fingers finding hers before I turned to head for the door.

I felt her hand squeeze mine as we started walking, and when I gave her a glance, there was a shy smile on her mouth as she reminded me, “I’m the best girlfriend ever, remember?”

“Oh, that’s right,” I said, very aware of the attention we were getting from the attendees we passed on the way to the ballroom. I was used to people in my industry recognizing me, but there was definitely something extra that morning as Abi held my hand. “You’re going to wow me this morning, if I recall.”

“I am,” she said. “We are mere moments from my debut, and I don’t think you’re ready.”

“Oh, I’m ready.”

But I wasn’t.

I wasn’t at all ready for the upcoming performance.

13

Best Girlfriend Ever

Abi

“So please help me welcome Mr. Warren Hathaway,” Declan said through the microphone.

Holy shit, he is ridiculously gorgeous, I thought as I took a sip of my mimosa and watched as the entire ballroom started clapping. He’d just delivered a little intro speech that was intelligent and funny and definitely made him seem like a power player in this world.

I still assumed he was kind of a dick, that hadn’t changed, but his look that morning was one that I personally appreciated. He was wearing really nice dark-wash jeans and a tan quarter-zip pullover, which sounded boring but looked amazing on him. The color made his eyes appear ridiculously green, and the fit suggested a very hard, very wide chest underneath that shirt.

I watched him walk back to the table, moving like a man capable of anything, and I thought, showtime, as I swallowed my nerves and stood. When he reached the chair beside me, I channeled my inner girlfriend and threw my arms around him.

“Nicely done, babe,” I said, pulling him into an I’m-so-proud-of-you hug. I couldn’t help but notice how broad he was as I had to go all the way up on my tiptoes and really reach to wrap my arms around those wide shoulders.

“Thanks,” he said, and even though I’d started it, a jolt of shock zipped through my body when I felt his hands wrap around my waist.

My stomach was a little jumpy when we pulled apart because he was looking at me with intensity in his eyes.

Was he pissed about the PDA? Had I gone too far?

Let’s go with very serious. He said he wanted people to think we were “very serious,” and if Declan was very seriously my boyfriend, I would have hugged him after he delivered such a fabulous welcome speech.

I cleared my throat and forced the nerves away, because I was committed to being the $40K version of his perfect woman. I brushed at an invisible something on his shoulder and asked, “Are you hungry?”

His Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed, his gaze still packed with thoughts, but he gave a casual shake of his head and said, “I’m good. Did you get enough to eat?”

“Well,” I said quietly as we took our seats and Warren started speaking. “I just ate my body weight in pastries, so I think it’s safe to say I won’t need food again for weeks.”

“The lunch is always to die for,” the guy to my left whispered, “so you need to pace yourself.”

Stan Carter, fifty-two years old. Married with two sons, founder of Flye Aviation, Hathaway board member, and multimillionaire. I gave him a teasing smile and whispered, “Why didn’t you remind me of that before I consumed half the buffet, Stan?”

“I assumed you knew,” he said with a big smile. “And who am I to get in the way of someone enjoying their breakfast?”

Declan had quickly introduced me to everyone at the table before giving his welcome speech, but it hadn’t been necessary. I’d already studied the bios of everyone on the Hathaway board and performed my own extensive Google and social media searches, just to ensure I’d have my shit together.