Fake-Dating The Single Dad (Gems 0f Love Book 3)

by Agnes Canestri

  Did his brain freeze at the sight of Ginny, or was he more nervous about her meeting his ex-wife than he cared to admit?

  Ginny didn’t seem to find his shortage of words odd and rubbed her hands. “Fine, I’ll get my purse. See you downstairs in a second.”

  When she left to gather her things, Nick stepped into the corridor. From downstairs, Jacob’s excited chatter could be heard. He was pestering Marcia with the same questions he’d been asking him and Ginny all day yesterday.

  “Marcia, do you think Daddy is going to win? I wanna stay here and live with him and Ginny.”

  Marcia shook her head, patting Jacob’s back. “Eu não sei, little Sir. But I have faith. It’ll all go as it should. By the way, wouldn’t you also miss the good ol’ Marcia, if you were to leave?”

  Jacob rubbed his face against the housekeeper’s thighs, purring like a cat. “Of course I would. Very much. I like you, Marcia.”

  Nick’s stomach was in knots as he marched to the stairs. His son had grown so much in these past couple of weeks. He’d become more open about his emotions, more courageous about showing what he thought and what he needed.

  Before Ginny arrived, he’d been more of an introvert, and now he was able to handle close contact with others. Now he even seemed to desire it.

  It seemed like Ginny’s magic didn’t touch only Nick’s heart.

  Jacob noticed his father and rushed to him. “Dad, I wanna come too.”

  Nick sighed. “No, buddy, today you can’t. Maybe to the final court ruling.”

  Ginny’s palm touched his back as she stepped beside him. “Let’s do it the way we said, Jacob. Your dad and I go, and when we’re back we can play football and build a dinosaur together, deal?”

  A grin spread on Jacob’s face. “Deal. I’ll go and choose from my encyclopedia which type I wanna make.”

  Ginny caressed the child’s head. “Of course, go and pick a hard one for us.”

  Jacob sprinted up the stairs.

  Marcia raised her eyes to the ceiling, keeping her voice low. “My God, Miss Ginny, what will we do without you?” With a huff, she hurried back to the kitchen.

  Nick glanced at Ginny. “Marcia’s right. It will be hard when you leave us.”

  Ginny’s left cheek twitched, but her eyes blazed with a serene gleam. “Oh, I’m sure you’ll manage as you did before. Now, the most important thing is to get through this hearing without a glitch.”

  Nick peeked at his watch. “Well said. We need to get going. I already brought the car out of the garage. “

  Ginny’s eyes widened, and her apparent tranquility wavered. “Aren’t we driving with Chuck?”

  He clenched his jaw. “No, I think it gives a better impression if we arrive alone. According to Andrew, my lawyer, Heather is trying to convince the judge that financial success has gotten to me and that I spend too much time away from Jacob. I don’t want to confirm her dubious suggestions by arriving with a driver.”

  Ginny shrugged. “Okay.” But it sounded as enthusiastic as the last word of a dying man.

  What was her problem? Couldn’t she stand at all being alone with him? Had he scared her that much in the plane?

  Last night came to his mind when Ginny ended up going to sleep in her room, claiming that the air conditioning in Nick’s bedroom was giving her a headache.

  He pushed down the unpleasant memory and strolled toward the exit. Ginny’s sandals clicked on the pavement with an even beat behind him. Should he stop and wait for her?

  No, they could start pretending again once they got to the courtroom. Till then, he wasn’t going to force his company on her if she was so obviously better off without it.

  Chapter 21

  Ginny peeked at Nick from the corner of her eyes. He’d been silent during their ride. His hands were squeezing the wheel so hard that his knuckles were turning white.

  Was he worried about the outcome of today?

  Ginny swallowed hard. She knew she was. For the past few days, she’d put a minimal effort into keeping up appearances around Nick. After what had happened in the glider, she just couldn’t bring herself to feign those quick affectionate touches that they used in front of Jacob.

  She remembered Nick’s startled look when she’d told him the lie about the air conditioning last night. It had been so hard to find a moment to rest in the vacation house when her body was heated continuously from Nick’s skin only inches from her.

  Yes, her withdrawal was necessary. If she wanted to avoid falling deep for Nick, her only salvation was to stay as far away from him as she could.

  Only her job description was exactly the opposite of this. Especially today.

  With Nick’s ex-wife around, Ginny couldn’t take her fake role easily. Women had a sixth sense for lies. At least Ginny believed she did. If Ginny were to recoil from Nick’s embrace or twitch at his kiss, Heather would see right through them.

  “Are you okay to do this, Ginny?”

  Nick’s throaty voice made her flinch. She turned to see him looking at her.

  “Yes, of course. This is what we’ve been training for.” She didn’t want to blush when pronouncing the word training, but its apparent double meaning sent warmth to her cheeks immediately.

  Nick sighed. “Yes, we sure did.”

  “May I ask you a question, Nick?”

  He flicked his eyes back to the road but nodded. “Go ahead.”

  Ginny bit her lip. Why was it even relevant to know this? Not that it would change something for her and Nick. If anything, it was bound to make her feel miserable. But the question had itched at her for so long she didn’t want to swallow it back anymore.

  “I wanted to know how your relationship with Heather was before—you know, Jacob was born. Were you happy together? You must’ve been if you decided you wanted to have a family with her.”

  Nick’s lips pressed together, and his gaze darkened.

  Maybe it was a mistake to send him on a journey of reminiscence just before they were to face his ex. But Ginny needed to know this to be able to look into Heather’s eyes.

  She’d pictured the woman as a careless monster who abandoned her child and her husband for the hope of money and fame, but she must have had deeper motivations. Nick did say he’d pushed her not to abort.

  Nick tilted his head a little bit to the left then to the right, as if easing some tension in his neck. When he answered, his voice was emotionless and flat. “I was in love with Heather, or so I thought. I was ready to follow her dreams; that’s why we moved to L.A. together. Yes, I think we were happy. Or at least I was. But when the news about the pregnancy came, and the way she behaved about it…well, I started to doubt if I’d ever known her really.”

  Ginny chewed on her inner lip. She’d expected him to say something along these lines but pronouncing the word love in the same phrase with another woman shook her more than she was prepared for.

  Nick continued speaking as if her bold question had unlocked a stream of thoughts he’d kept bottled up for too long. “You know, before this whole thing, I was a really romantic kind of person. My folks had a nice, lukewarm relationship with each other. No mind-blowing emotions or passion but a safe, solid bond. I was crazy enough to believe that I could achieve both. Be with someone I truly desired and build a real home together, a haven against the world.”

  He clicked with his tongue and his forehead creased. “Naivety of youth, what can I say?”

  A bitter taste invaded Ginny’s mouth. Nick had just described the fantasy she’d been playing with ever since he’d kissed her in the kitchen.

  Was such a wish truly as impossible and stupid as Nick pictured it? Or was he the one who was mistaken?

  “I don’t think we should let any tragedy get the better of us. Just because Heather wasn’t the one for you, it doesn’t mean there isn’t a woman who could be.”

  Like me, for example.

  The tiny voice in her head whispered as quietly as a leaf crackling in the wind, but Gin
ny still heard it and slapped herself inwardly for allowing such a thought to surface.

  Nick smiled a tired, cynical smile. Not the one that made his eyes crinkle and Ginny’s heart warm.

  “To my point, the naivety of youth.”

  Ginny’s hands rolled into fists. She’d started this pointless discussion, but it didn’t mean that Nick needed to speak so dismissively to her. She might be a few years younger than him, but they definitely didn’t have a generation gap as an excuse.

  She wanted to throw back a spicy comment when her phone beeped.

  She fetched it from her bag, fearing that it might be Marcia. Maybe her proposition to Jacob wasn’t enough to keep him distracted. He’d been so jumpy and eager to come to this meeting. Ginny had secretly asked herself whether Jacob might be curious to see his mother, despite everything Nick had told her.

  But it was Giada’s number twinkling on her screen.

  She turned to Nick. “It’s my sister, do you mind if I get it?”

  “Why would I? We still have a few minutes before we arrive.”

  Ginny pressed answer and squeezed the phone to her right ear.

  “Hi, Giada. What’s up?”

  “What’s up?” Her sister imitated her in a high-pitched voice. A sign that she wasn’t in a good mood. As if to confirm Ginny’s assumption, Giada continued, “What’s up is that you missed our dinner on Sunday without even telling us. Mom was disappointed. She made your favorite lasagna.”

  Ginny gasped. “Is Mom in town?”

  “Was. She left on Tuesday.”

  How could she forget? It had been marked on her paper calendar for over two weeks. Their mother didn’t visit often, given that she had so much to do with the restaurant and her dad’s constant needs.

  Ginny sighed. “I’m sorry I didn’t come. I was…uhh…”

  What should she say? I was in Napa Valley, pretending in front of my boss’s son to be his father’s girlfriend?

  No, that would sound way too weird. Ginny wanted to tell her sister about the mess she’d gotten herself into once it was over. But not yet.

  Also, with Nick sitting inches from her, she couldn’t possibly be honest.

  Giada snapped at her. “You were what? Working? I thought Mr. Peterson agreed to keep your family time untouched. You’re already working too much for him as it is. You live in the guy’s house for crying out loud. You know slavery was abolished for a reason and—”

  Her sister’s soprano grew so loud Ginny was afraid Nick could hear her. She certainly didn’t want him listening to how her little sister depicted him as a tyrant.

  “Giada, it’s quite okay. I took a trip to the ocean with Jacob and Nick. I forgot about dinner because we weren’t home.”

  There was a silence on the other end.

  “Trip to the ocean? Like a vacation?” Giada asked after a few seconds. There was a calculating undertone in her question.

  Oh, no. This was worse than Giada thinking that Nick was a jerk who kept Ginny laboring like a slave-driver. If her sister got a hint that Ginny liked her boss, she wouldn’t be able to keep it to herself. Giordano would know about it in a jiffy, and then the news would spread, and damage control wouldn’t be possible.

  Ginny shook her head. “No vacation, just a trip.”

  Nick stirred and threw her a questioning glance.

  She ignored him and turned toward the window. “Anyways, Gia’, is there a reason you’re calling besides scolding me for missing mom’s lasagna?”

  Giada smacked her lips. “Yep, I wanted to tell you that Bianca’s stopping by my house tonight for a drink. She’s bringing Ryan along to meet us.”

  Ginny scratched her chin. “You mean Ryan, the guy who’s buying her restaurant? Last I spoke to her, she was in a war with him.”

  Giada laughed. “Well, you know what they say—there’s a fine line between hate and love. Anyways, they are a couple now, and he wants to meet her relatives. So Bi’ asked me to check if you can make it.”

  Ginny swallowed. It would be lovely to see Bianca and meet her cousin’s beau. But she couldn’t be sure how the hearing would go. Also, she’d promised Jacob they’d be spending time together. “I’m not sure, sis. Nick has an important meeting today, and he asked my help for the administrative matters.” Fine, it was a half-truth, at least. “Given that we’re out the whole day, I promised Jacob to play with him once we get home.”

  “Wow,” Giada gasped, “you’re really growing attached to that little boy, aren’t you? Anyways, just ask them to come then. My place is kid-friendly. There’s not much to break, and I have fries in the freezer. Bianca and I like kids, and Giordano would be thrilled if your boss signs one of his books for him.”

  The idea of letting her family get to know Nick and Jacob was the last thing Ginny needed. In front of her own people, she couldn’t act. They knew her too well. What if Jacob gossiped about her and Nick being together?

  Just as she was about to refuse, Nick’s fingers gripped her wrist. “I think it’s a nice idea. I’d love to meet your sister and brother. Especially if he’s a fan of my novels.”

  Darn it. So Giada’s voice was loud enough for him to hear.

  “Yippie! Great news. I’ll see you guys tonight at six.” Giada exclaimed, and before Ginny could correct the situation, she hung up.

  Ginny snapped her head to Nick, wiggling her hand free from his grasp. The place where his fingers closed around her skin throbbed as if her blood had been infused with his charm from this simple touch.

  “Why did you say that?”

  Nick’s eyebrows shot up. “Say what?”

  “That you would come to Giada’s with Jacob.”

  He turned the wheel to the left, exiting the highway. “Because we would. I know Jacob will be happy to go to a new place. I’m guilty of letting him go out very little. Your sister sounds like fun. Got her opinions clear and her claws ready to strike anyone who hurts the ones she loves.”

  Wow, Nick had managed to glean Giada’s personality from only a few words.

  How was he so blind to the way Ginny felt about him? Or did he know and he pretended he didn’t? No, Nick wasn’t that good of an actor.

  Ginny crossed her arms in front of her chest. “But you can’t come. Jacob would tell my family that we’re dating. And we aren’t.”

  Nick’s smile wavered, but then he shrugged. “That’s no problem. We can tell Jacob you want to keep it a secret for now because your cousin’s bringing home her new guy. Jacob’s a smart kid, and he’ll keep his mouth shut if we ask him.”

  This was a mess. Asking Jacob to lie about something they’d lied about to him wasn’t smart.

  She shook her head. “I’m not sure—”

  Nick lifted a hand. “Hey, if you prefer to go alone then no problem. I just had the impression your sister was glad we would join.”

  Ah, yeah. Her sister was probably already calling Giordano to say that his favorite writer was coming along for a drink. To her sister and brother, Nick was just a famous person. They couldn’t know that he was something very different to Ginny.

  She blew a strand of hair from her face. “No, I can’t cancel now. I’m sure my sister has told Giordano already, and he’s out getting your Diamond Heart’s favorite cigars and whiskey.”

  Nick chuckled. “But I don’t even smoke. Not all about my main character is based on me.”

  “No, not all, but his heart,” Ginny mumbled under her breath.

  Nick’s gaze darted to her. “What was that?”

  “Nothing, I said nothing.”

  He narrowed his eyes but didn’t press further. Maybe because they arrived in front of the courthouse.

  Nick parked the car and came around to open the door for Ginny. “Let’s go find Judge Martha’s office. Andrew should be waiting for us there.”

  He placed his arm on her hip, drawing her close to him. “Sorry, but from here on, we need to act like the happy couple we are.”

  Ginny’s knees became raw fro
m his closeness, but she plastered on a smile. “Of course, my dear. Let’s go.”

  As they strolled toward the broad stairs of the building, Ginny tried to get a grip of her slamming pulse. She could do this. If today she did right, maybe all this would be over, and she’d never again be pressed into Nick’s embrace.

  Though it was the only thing she truly desired.

  But she knew he didn’t feel the same way and this made the whole experience feel like she was standing at the gates of hell. Wishing for something that could never be hers.

  Chapter 22

  Nick stared at his ex-wife across the table while resting his arm on Ginny’s back.

  Heather had obviously prepared for this meeting. Her face was spotless like an ad in a magazine, but Nick noticed how her forehead seemed to stay smooth even when she arched her brows. Marcia’s comments about Heather fearing to get old weren’t so groundless after all.

  Heather’s heavily painted eyes were fixed on Ginny, while she twirled a blond curl on her index finger. “So you two have been together for what? A week?” His ex’s voice sounded challenging, but Nick detected the shrill undertone that she used when she was insecure.

  Ginny moved closer to Nick, giving him a peck on his cheek. “A few months or so, actually. But it seems a lot more. You know how it is when you’re in love? A minute can feel like a year.”

  A thrill rushed across Nick’s spine, swamping his body with butterflies. For a second, he forgot that Ginny was pretending; her eyes sparkled with such honesty when she blinked at him.

  Judge Martha nodded in agreement. “I know very well what you mean, Miss Biagi. I’m delighted to meet you and to know Mr. Peterson has given up on keeping up his parental responsibilities by himself. He’s been a great father, as far as we could ascertain, but a child needs a mother figure.”

  “No.” The squeak came from Heather. She was pale, and her eyes narrowed. “A child needs a mother, not a substitute figure.”