Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 67991 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67991 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
“Fair point,” she agrees.
“Dinner tonight? We can plan everything then.”
She nods, her lips pursing in an amused smile, except it doesn’t bother me the way Tansy’s does. Tempe is getting a kick out of this.
And maybe I am too.
We agree on a place to meet and Tempe slips through the swinging doors, back to whatever she was doing before I interrupted her.
As I leave the store, part of me can’t believe what I’ve gotten myself into. But another part is relieved. Maybe, just maybe, this could work.
CHAPTER 4
Tempe
I’m met with a waft of garlic and herbs when I enter the Italian restaurant that I suggested to Rafferty earlier. My stomach growls because I’ve been so busy today, I barely had time to shove a protein bar down my throat during my break. I jetted home when I got off shift, checked on my mom and Coop, changed clothes and then hightailed it here. Admittedly, I’m intrigued by this offer to be a fake girlfriend for Rafferty and I can’t pass up the opportunity to get a thousand bucks for a few hours of work. It’s going straight toward this month’s mortgage, and now I won’t have to worry about it for another thirty days.
Rafferty is already here, sitting at a corner table that offers a good view of the door and the rest of the restaurant. He stands when he sees me, which throws me a bit because it seems a little old-fashioned.
Not that I’m complaining.
The restaurant’s soft lighting catches the contours of his face, highlighting his strong jawline and the slight stubble that gives him a rugged yet refined look. He’s so damn gorgeous, I can see why he has a woman hell-bent on getting him. I note he’s wearing the same dark jeans and button-down he wore into the grocery store earlier, his unbuttoned peacoat now hanging over the back of his chair.
It was a shock when he told me he was a Pittsburgh Titan and yes, I had a slight moment of being starstruck. I’ve never met a professional athlete or anyone remotely famous in my life. And as I walk toward him, I can see that he is indeed an athlete through and through. His shoulders are broad and his entire frame is proportionally built. I’m tall for a woman coming in at five nine, but he towers over me by several inches, making me feel almost dainty.
“Hey, Tempe,” he says, warmth in his response. “Thanks again for meeting me like this.”
“No worries,” I respond, slipping into the chair he holds out for me. He waits for me to scoot in before sitting down himself, which is even more mannerly. I skim the menu as I admit, “I’m starved. The eggplant Parmesan is really good here, as is the butternut squash ravioli.”
I glance up to see Rafferty just watching me, his menu closed and resting on the table. He gives me a lopsided smile. “I’m a simple guy, so I’m going with plain spaghetti and meatballs.”
“For a simple guy, you sure did get yourself messed up in some drama,” I note, setting my menu on the table and taking a sip of the water that must’ve been poured when Rafferty was seated.
He shakes his head, scraping his fingers through his hair in apparent frustration. “I seriously don’t understand with the hell is going on. I’ve done nothing to make this woman believe I want to see her. It was a hookup—” He stops abruptly, grimacing at the admission. “Sorry… I know that’s crass and you probably think I’m the biggest asshole in the world.”
I shake my head. “No I don’t. You seem like a decent guy and who among us hasn’t had a one-night stand? I wouldn’t judge you on that alone, but why does she keep coming after you?”
“I have no idea. At first, I didn’t know she was related to the team owner, Brienne Norcross, or else I would have never messed with her. She didn’t tell me either. But after we went our separate ways, so to speak, she kept running into me, offering to get together. I kept declining as I wasn’t interested, but—”
“Why did you keep declining?” I ask. “I mean… she’s stunningly beautiful, clearly smart. You were obviously attracted enough to sleep with her. What’s not to like about taking her up on that offer again?”
Rafferty stares at me as if I’ve got horns growing out of my head but then chuckles low. “You seriously think that’s all men care about? Looks and sex?”
I stare at him, waiting for him to come to his own conclusion and finally, he laughs. “Okay, okay… men can be pretty basic. And yes, she’s beautiful, but there wasn’t enough of a connection for me to want to see her again. I can’t explain it, but I have this sense that she’s not trustworthy, and then add to that she seems to be stalking me pretty hard—I just want her to go away.”