Clearing her throat, she levels me with her gaze. “He hits it and quits it, Elizabeth. He’s a busy man who doesn’t have the time for a relationship and the effort that is involved with keeping it healthy. Luca takes vacations and suffers the rest of the year.”
I stare at the screen blankly. “That sounds awful.”
“It is. This is the happiest I’ve ever seen him.”
“Hardly,” I scoff. “It’s been a few days.”
She sighs. “You don’t know him like I do.” Low blow. I felt that one in the soft bits. I don’t have any claim on this man. Kieran owns him in a way I’ll never be able to. Unless, I do a good job with his social… and his, twelve million followers. Or so the screen says.Fuck.I can’t fake this, I need to take action if I’m going to scale and rebrand something this big. “I’ll be glad to hand over this piece. I don’t have time to curate it like I should.”
Okay, so maybe she’s slacking and if I give my all, I can make a dent. Her failing minutely might be my upswing. “He’s coming to meet my parents for Christmas. It was part of our deal,” I explain.
“Deal? He doesn’t make deals. Not like that anyway.”
I shrug. “He did with me and it looks like he’s following through if you all are traveling to New York for Christmas. It’s not how it sounds though. It’s far more pathetic. He’s going to… pretend to be my boyfriend so my family doesn’t think I’m a crusty recluse.”
Kieran laughs. “But you’re beautiful. Men don’t flock to you? I don’t understand.”
You and me both, lady, I think.She thinks I’m beautiful.
“He’s going to be quite the showstopper at turkey dinner.” Her laugh is tinkling as we both envision the same, unbelievable scenario. “I do have one question.”
I nod for her to ask.
“What happens when your seventeen-year-old cousin recognizes him from a movie?”
My eyes pop open wide. “Fuck. I haven’t thought that far yet. You’re right. What am I supposed to say?”What if Mom or Dad recognizes him? Oh, this gets more awkward by the second.
“He’s a smart guy. Luca will come up with something, but Elizabeth,” she says.
“It’s Lizzy,” I correct. “Call me Lizzy.” I only like my full name spoken when it’s passing Luca’s lips. I swallow down the lump of lust I feel at the thought of him speaking it.
“Lizzy,” Kieran drawls. “You’re going to have to trust me because I have been around him for years, but he likes you more than he likes his normal vacations.”
“That’s something, I guess.”
“Do you like him too?”
“What’s not to like? I mean, right now I’m sort of caught up in a sex haze because, well, my past boyfriends weren’t as familiar with female anatomy. Other than his brazen lack of couth while in intimate positions, it’s hard to see anything to run from.”
“Oh, good.” She wasn’t curious, she was asking for a specific reason.
“Good?” I question.
She nods, then asks me for my email address. “I’m emailing you all of the analytics for the company and you can go over it later. It’s good you don’t want to run because his entire family will be here,” she pauses while she looks at her watch, “In ten minutes.”
“What? Why? The royals?”
She smiles and starts tidying the desk. “Yes. All of them. I think even Gam Gam is coming.”
My stomach sinks at the prospect of meeting his family, and a very specific, important family. Kieran lays a hand on my arm as she stands. “Don’t worry. They’re just like him. Very open-minded and… engaging. Their titles are customary, it isn’t a reflection on how they act. It’s not like in the U.K. They do as they please, and they have… a lot of money. Maybe a bit flamboyant, but they’re very accepting and kind.” She clips out of the room on her spiked pumps before I can say anything else. She has the air of being constantly busy. She’s important. To Luca and to his company.
I take deep breaths as I wind my way through the crystalline, modern hallways. I find Luca coming out of the home gym, a towel wrapped around his waist. His stoic face lights up when he sees me. “There you are. What’s the prognosis?”
I’m flustered by the sudden onslaught of his sculpted abs, and the fact that I’ll meet actual royals soon. “That you hire your vacation chicks, your family is visiting, and you didn’t tell me.”
He frowns. “I meant about the information Kieran gave about the position.” Walking up to me, he presses a kiss on my mouth and my lashes flutter closed. “And I only hired her because she was well qualified for that position. It’s ironic that it’s happening with you, too. What can I say? I choose well-rounded women.” Shrugging, he wraps a hand around my waist as we head to his bedroom. I walk over to the French doors that lead to a massive balcony and push my way out into the saltwater breeze. He dresses quickly and joins me.
“And what about your family coming here? This is going to be so awkward.”
