“It has the pool.” He pointed toward the open door behind her. “ Mine is across the hall and has a mountain view, not something you see in Miami.”
She glanced down and saw her one suitcase by his feet.
This was real. She twirled and joked, “Honestly, as an employee I half expecteda spot under the stairs, or an attic.”
Again she’d said that wordhonest. Her brain whispered to be that.
Matthew leaned against the door in a way his sister would have yelled at him for slouching as he sometimes did. “You’re going to be my girlfriend. The maid has to think it’s real. The gardener, and even the mailman. No one can think this is anything but legitimate.”
Herentire body zipped with energy. He hit way too close to home with his maid remark, and her pulse raced.
Besides, if she was ever to win his heart then honesty was the only path forward.
While he didn’t recognize her, if someone else told him who she was… well that was the end of her wish for him to see her, as her. She lifted her chin. “A maid huh?”
“Yeah.” He straightened.
He was way more striking and handsome when he stood tall like that. Her body grew warm as she nodded and gazed at his black shoes instead of his face to explain. She took a deep breath and started, “So speaking about family…”
But she couldn’t finish.
She closed her fingers into fists at her side to force herself to spit out the words.
But then Matt motioned with hishead to leave the white room, and she followed.
They headed toward the stairs leading down as he said, “My father never let me know he was my father. I found out at the reading of the will that the family banker was actually related to me.”
History. Yeah. She needed to tell him hers. She massaged the back of her neck. “I can’t imagine. I am not the daughter my mother wanted, butmy father, until he left, kept me sane.”
His eyes were sharp and haunted as he said, “I wouldn’t know what that’s like.”
Elizabeth, Luke, and Matt sounded like they’d had the worst of it with no one watching out for them.
“Boarding school. I read about it.”
He tensed before continuing down the stairs. “What else do you know about me?”
She’d mentioned being afan. That wasn’t her secret, so she shrugged and admitted, “Everything ever printed.”
His lips thinned. “Not all of what you read is true.”
Fair. She knew that, but on the other hand, she’d scrubbed toilets he’d used so she knew more of the truth than he did. She smiled at him and asked, “Do you like Spanish omelets?”
His gaze narrowed as he led her into the huge living areawith couches in a square, made for talking and no TV in sight. “Yes.”
She winked though she’d made them for him. “I read that in aHealthy Livingarticle.”
He crossed his arms like he was upset, but then nodded. “I see, but to make our relationship seem real I should know about you too. Let me get the paperwork.”
He headed toward a corner desk but she said to his back, “Beforewe sign the contracts at my house later, there’s something I want to say.”
He turned on his heels and gave her a charming smile. “Over a glass of wine?”
Yes. Alcohol would be preferable to spit out what she had to share with him.
Her fantasy was so improbable and it was good she hadn’t unpacked. Ashley nodded. “Sounds perfect. I’m slightly nervous.”
He walked to a sideroom as he called behind him, “Don’t be. I’m nice.”
