Sincerely, Your Inconvenient Wife (The Harder They Fall, #2)(18)

Oof. That one actually got me good. I was overqualified for most of the positions I took, that was true, but my work history wasn’t exactly glowing to potential long-term employers. The longest I’d stuck to a job was six months, and I’d been crawling out of my skin by the end.

“I’m looking, Mom. But I won’t settle. Besides, I’m enjoying working at Rossi, and my contract has been extended another month.”

I wasn’t looking for another job, but as long as I told her I was, she normally laid off until the next phone call. And it wasn’t that she was stupid and actually believed me, but my promises assuaged her “mom worries” enough to drop the subject and not think about it until we spoke again.

“A motorcycle company, Saoirse? I don’t see you staying there long term. What about the marketing firm Peter told you about?”

“I’ll look into it.”

I wouldn’t, and we both knew it. We were dancing the dance we always did.

She sighed her tired, put-upon sigh I knew all too well. My poor mother had been blessed with two children who were nothing like her, and it would forever rankle her. Fortunately, she had Peter, her right-hand man and protégé, who allowed her to shape him like he was a lump of clay.

“Let’s talk about brighter subjects. Tell me what you’ve been up to in your downtime.”

This was code for, Who are you dating? I wasn’t really in the mood to disappoint her yet again.

“I’ve been helping a friend with her new business in Boulder. It’s consuming a lot of my time right now. Other than that, you know me, I’m a sun junkie. I’m outside whenever I’m not in the office. The farmers’ market—”

“And are you spending time outside with anyone special? If you’re not, Peter has a college friend who recently moved to Denver. He went to Yale, skis like you do…I know you’d get along, and he could use a tour guide for all the hidden local spots.”

I closed my eyes, cringing hard. I’d let her set me up on dates before and smiled my way through them to make her happy, but Peter was such a tool. Anyone he was friends with had to be equally awful.

“I’m seeing someone,” I blurted out.

“Oh.” She went so quiet I could hear a pin drop. “Is this new?”

“It’s—we’ve been friends for a while, but now, it’s more, and it’s serious.” Why were these words coming out of my mouth? What was I even saying? She was going to have questions, and I had no answers. I was the worst liar who’d ever lived.

“Is it…not Elliot Levy?”

“No, why would you think that?” I almost gagged at the idea. Elliot was sexless to me. He might as well have been a Ken doll. Sure, he was hot in his own buttoned-up way, but in my eyes, he had no dick.

“You mentioned you were friends, and I’m not really aware of you having other male friends. Unless—”

“No, I’m not a lesbian.”

“It would be fine if you were, Saoirse.”

“I know, but I’m not. The person I’m seeing is very much a guy.”

“Won’t you tell me who he is?”

I scrambled for an acceptable answer. If I made someone up out of thin air, she’d know because she’d sic Peter on the name the second we hung up. Probably before, if she could swing it.

Puffing up my cheeks, I slowly exhaled. “Luca. I’m seeing Elliot and Weston’s friend, Luca.”

She paused. “Rossi?”

“Yes,” I pushed out, hating myself for lying to my own mother.

“And it’s serious?”

“We’re committed. He’s my boyfriend.”

“Is he committed?”

“Yes, Mom. I wouldn’t be with him if he wasn’t.”

“Of course you wouldn’t. You’re smarter than that.”

Was I? I was feeling pretty freaking stupid right now.

She peppered me with a few more questions that I shut down as well as I could, then, at exactly twelve thirty, she let me go. It must’ve been time for her next appointment.

With a groan, I let my head drop into my hands. I’d have to make up some spectacular breakup story before our next scheduled call. At least I could tell her I was too heartbroken to date and buy myself some leeway.

The chair across from me scraped on the stone patio. I looked up, shocked to find Luca Rossi settling across from me, a devious smirk playing on his lush lips.

“Hello, Saoirse.” My name slipped from his tongue like rich, smooth cream.

“Hi, Luca.”

He leaned back in his chair, draping his long arm across the back of the one beside it.

“We’re dating, are we?”

My nose crinkled. “Did you really have to hear that?”

He chuckled, low and silky. “I don’t know if I had to, but I did.”

“I’m not crazy,” I told him.

“I find sane people don’t have to tell others they’re not crazy.”

“Well, maybe I am crazy, but I’m not delusional. I know we’re not dating. I was speaking to my mother, and she was threatening to set me up on yet another date, so I told her I had a boyfriend, and your name was the first that popped into my head.”

His brow winged. “Why is that? Have you been thinking about me?”