Page 13 of The King Contract
“Nothing wrong with the nineties,” I offer.
“There is if it’s making you bankrupt.”
Bingo.
Millie’s smart, hardworking and has bills to pay. If I could make her an offer she can’t refuse, maybe she can help me get into the public’s good graces and save my ass for the tournament next year. Mack’s idea is starting to look like an actual solution.
“Could we take this outside?” I ask Millie.
Her eyes widen. “Takewhatoutside?”
“This conversation.”
“No, you need to go.” She starts shooing me towards the exit.
I grin down at her as she bumps into my chest. “Are you always this combative?”
“Thisis combative?”
“Dan could help with the tables that need shifting while we talk,” I suggest.
Millie narrows her eyes, but Ellis saves her the trouble of answering. “Head out to the balcony. I’ll use Dan’s muscles while I have him.” Ellis signals for Dan to follow her and he obliges, shooting me a glare filled with violent warning.
Millie reluctantly leads me to a large outdoor balcony overlooking a patch of clustered gum trees, the sound of birds chirping and singing echoing through the valley below. When she spits to face me, she plants her hands on her hips. “Cut the crap. Why are you here?”
I smirk in surprise. “Can’t a jock come by to check on an old nerdy schoolmate he helped out yesterday?”
“Give me a break, Noah,” she scoffs. “Your cash offer might’ve fooled Ellis, but like you pointed out, I’m a know-it-all, and I know you’re not here for me.”
A sharp jolt spasms in my chest, but I ignore it. “Interesting.”
“What is?”
“You remember a lot more about me than you let on yesterday.”
“Yes, well, it didn’t take long for the memories to come flooding back,” she says, her cheeks reddening. “You were self-centred, obnoxious, loud, cocky?—”
“Confident, charming, witty,” I interject. “Please, enough with these compliments already.”
Millie groans. “What do you want?”
“It’s a little unorthodox, but if you hear me out, I promise I’ll make it worth your while.”
My gaze travels to her hands, where she’s repeatedly pinching the skin between her thumbs and forefingers. “I already don’t like it.”
I clap my hands together. “I have a proposal for you.”
6
MILLIE
You’re a moron
“You want what?”My voice rises in near hysteria.
“For the summer, I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend.”
“Pretend to be your girlfriend?”
