“Sorry,” she mumbled.
My phone beeped, and I looked down at it as Jude continued speaking. It was a text message from the girl I’d met on the plane, Violet. I made a mental note to check it later.
Maya raised her hand. “So how are you going to decide who gets paired with Magnus?”
“Well, that’s where Aidan’s nifty hat comes into use.”
“What?” Aidan was clearly never told that he was expected to play a role in all this.
“Everyone will get a piece of paper and a pencil and nominate someone to participate. This way it’s fair. The person with the most votes is the one who’ll work with Magnus,” Lacey explained.
“Can we nominate ourselves?” Maya asked. Aidan shot her a look and she mumbled, “Well, you can’t stop me from nominating myself.”
Jude handed out the little pieces of paper and I happily took mine and wrote Maya’s name on it. I’m sure she’d have a great time with Magnus.
Aidan removed his hat with a deep sigh and walked around collecting all the papers. “Lacey, you want to do the honors?”
“Sure,” she said.
She started counting the number of votes out loud.
“One vote for Maya.”
“Woohoo!” Maya shouted, shaking her arms in the air.
“Another vote for Maya...”
“Yes! That’s what’s up. I’m the best,” Maya said, much to Aidan’s consternation.
I giggled despite myself. Maya was hilarious.
“One vote for Lesli.”
I couldn’t help but smile but figured that vote had come from Lacey.
Votes for a few others were announced, but it was clear that Maya was the winner.
“Maya will be representing us. Congratulations, Maya,” Jude commended her.
She got up and started giving a speech as if it was an award ceremony. “I would like to thank all the little people—”
“Blah blah blah,” Aidan said cutting her off. “Let’s get back to work, people.”
We all returned to work and I felt a little disappointed that I hadn’t been selected, but I’m not sure what I had expected.
I got up to go to the bathroom and stopped at the vending machine on my way out. I bought some cookies and decided to get some air since it was such a beautiful day. There were picnic tables out front, I was happy to see. I sat down at the table and began snacking on my cookies with probably too much glee. I had a crazy high metabolism and I was always hungry.
“So, who’s the lucky winner?” asked a voice. I looked up to see Magnus standing there.
“Lucky winner?” I squeaked, not knowing what else to say. I couldn’t help but stare at him. He was hands down the hottest man I’d ever seen.
“Brain Pain? My partner?” he said, seating himself across from me.
I gulped hard, almost choked on my cookie and immediately starting coughing violently.
He got up quickly, wrapped his arms around my middle, pulled me up and attempted to do the Heimlich maneuver on me as my arms flailed in the air.
I continued coughing and was sputtering. “I’m fine,” I managed to gasp finally.
He kept trying to save me and I started hitting the flat of his palm on my back. “I’m fine,” I screeched.
“Sorry,” he said as he let go of me abruptly, allowing me to sink back down on the bench. “I thought you were choking.”
“You’re not supposed to perform the Heimlich maneuver on someone who’s coughing,” I said, outraged in order to get over my own humiliation.
“A thank you would have sufficed.”
“Thank you,” I snapped, and then narrowed my eyes. “Actually, I don’t have to thank you. You probably caused more trouble than help.”
“I tried to save your life.”
“I wasn’t dying.”
“You kids nowadays have no sense of gratitude.”
“Kids? You’re not much older than me.”
“Really? From the way you choked on a piece of cookie, I would guess you haven’t been around too long.”
I shot him a dirty look, but then couldn’t help but laugh. He was teasing me.
“Thanks for trying to kill me in order to save me.”
“You’re welcome.”
We sat there staring at each other until it became awkward for both of us.
“I’m not good at this,” he said with a disarming smile.
“Good at what?” I asked breathlessly, feeling ridiculous for being breathless in his presence.
“Making conversation with women.”
“I assure you, it’s no more complex than making conversation with men.” I tried to sound distant, as if the conversation didn’t matter to me at all. Inside I was beaming and yelling, “A desirable, sexy billionaire is chatting with me! Me! Nerdy me!”
He shook his head. “I wouldn’t say that. Women are more complicated. And if I say the wrong thing I’m either seen as a creeper or socially inept.”
“Well, are you?”
“Am I what?”
“A creeper?”
“Not that I know of,” he said with a little smile. “But I’ve heard I’m a little socially inept.”
“I’m sure that’s not true.”
“No, it probably is. I mean instead of asking you out on a date, I needlessly performed the Heimlich maneuver on you.”
“Ask me out?” I was confused and had to resist the urge to look around. Clearly, he wasn’t talking about asking me out? I hadn’t heard him right. Yeah. I was just imagining things. There’s no way Florida’s most eligible bachelor had just asked me out. I didn’t believe in Aliens, the Loch Ness Monster or Big Foot, so there was no way I believed a hottie billionaire was asking me out on a date. Actually, I had more of a chance of running into Bigfoot than being asked out by a billionaire, I thought to myself.
“You’re seeing someone?” he said, misunderstanding my silence. I was in shock, but I guess he thought I was trying to blow him off.
I found my voice. “No… I’m not seeing anyone. At the moment. But umm... you’re famous... I’m… not.” I instantly felt silly for my reply, but I’d been asked out literally twice in my life and not once was the person a hot billionaire. This was new territory. It was like seeing a unicorn. I just couldn’t believe this was happening to me.
He shook his head. “I’m not famous. I’m just rich.”
“Same thing.”
“Not really.”
I looked around. “Are there cameras around here or something? Am I being pranked? Did Jude put you up to this?
“Up to what?”
“This.”
He looked confused. “I’m pretty sure I’m asking you out on my own accord.”
“Cool story, but I’m not sure that I believe you.”
“What?”
I started to collect my things. I looked at the pack of cookies haplessly abandoned and sighed. My stomach growled loudly, and I tried to cough to cover up the sign of my hunger.
“Let me buy you lunch.”
“Um no. That’s ok.”
“I obviously interrupted your peace and quiet, it’s the least I can do.”
I didn’t want to sound like a pig, so I didn’t mention that I’d eaten less than a few hours ago. I grabbed my pack of cookies, murmured no thank you and turned to walk out. He kept pace with me. “Did I do something to offend you?”
“What? No. I just... you know, I’m a normal person. You’re a rich, famous person.”
“That’s a weird reason to not go out with someone.”
“Not to me.” I stopped and turned to face him.
His brown eyes studied mine and part of me desperately did want to say yes, but for what reason? It would just be a date that would go nowhere. We lived in different worlds. He was rich. I was broke. He was famous. I was unknown. I couldn’t think of one reason why he’d be interested in me unless it was just for sex. I mean, I wanted adventure in my life, but I wasn’t interested in becoming a notch
on some random billionaire’s bedpost. I knew any other woman probably would have jumped at the chance to date a billionaire, but I wasn’t like that. If life had taught me anything, it was that I was an anomaly.
“Listen, I’m flattered, but no. And Maya’s the winner. I’m sorry, but I have to get back to work.”
His eyes showed regret. “Well, let me give you my number in case you change your mind.”
Before he could do so, the door opened, and Jude and Maya appeared. Maya and Jude were talking, but upon seeing Magnus she stopped mid-conversation. Maya lit up at the sight of Magnus and made a beeline for us.
“Have fun,” I said furtively before walking away as Maya descended on us.
“Well, Magnus Deacon,” I heard her say as I walked away. “You, sir, are one lucky man because I am your partner.”
I couldn’t help but stifle a giggle as Magnus looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there.
Chapter Four
“Someone brushed her hair today. Nice job,” Lacey said with approval upon seeing me the next morning at work. Since I still didn’t have a car, I’d caught a ride to work with Jude so Lacey could get some much-needed sleep. We’d dropped Sebastian off with one of Lacey’s best friends named Misha. Misha had two little kids of her own and a couple of days a week, she babysat Sebastian while she worked from home.
I shrugged and made up an excuse about trying something different.
“Oh really?” she said. “Does this have anything to do with a certain man by the name of Magnus? I saw him talking to you.”
I blushed. “Of course not.” I was lying. I hadn’t stopped thinking about him since our brief conversation yesterday. In all honesty, I was questioning my decision on not taking him up on his offer. It wouldn’t have hurt to just go on one date with him, right? I’d spent most of the night restless, thinking about him, fantasizing about what it would be like to date someone like him. I’d finally fallen asleep imagining him taking me to an exotic locale where nudity was encouraged. I definitely didn’t plan to share that detail with Lacey.
“Come on. Tell all.”
“He asked me out.”
“I knew it! I saw him checking you out. So, when are you guys going out?”
I looked down at my sneakers and shuffled my feet. “I sort of told him I wasn’t interested.”
Her mouth fell open and she looked at me as if I were some poor lost soul. “Why’d you say that?”
I shrugged again and she yelled. “Stop shrugging. You have a PhD, use your words.”
“Ok, ok. I just wasn’t interested. I don’t think we have anything in common.”
“I had nothing in common with Jude, but I married him. We completely skipped dating, mostly because I hated him when we first met. But that’s all in the past. The fact is, I love him and we’re happily married yet we’re polar opposites with nothing in common besides Sebastian. I mean, think about it, Jude is fun-loving, impulsive, and laid-back. I’m a party pooper, a planner, and kind of uptight.”
She made a legitimate point. “You’re not that bad... usually.”
“Awww shucks, thanks, cuz. But seriously, have you lost your mind? That Magnus guy is a winner. Even Oliver thinks so. And it’s pretty hard to impress Oliver.”
“I’m not interested in Magnus. That doesn’t make me insane.” I crossed my arms over my chest, feeling defensive.
“If I weren’t madly in love with Jude and the mother of his child, I would totally have dated Magnus... not that he would have ever asked me, but you know what I mean.”
“Well, I guess I’ll tell him you said so?”
“You wouldn’t dare...”
“No no... I mean... Yeah, I would.”
“You’re not my friend.” She poked her tongue out like a little kid.
“You’re right. I’m family.”
We kept bantering when we heard someone yell, “Hello. Can someone get the door? Hello? A little help.”
I looked at Lacey and Lacey looked at me. The yelling was coming from the other side of the Ophelia’s Angels’ entrance. I went to open the door, Lacey following behind me.
It was a very frustrated and angry Maya standing there, well sort of kind of standing. She was balancing on a pair of crutches and looked miserable. Her hair was disheveled and she was wearing very old, faded sweatpants and a t-shirt. I didn’t know Maya too well, but from what I knew of her, she never left the house without looking her best.
“Oh my God, Maya, what happened?” I asked, holding the door open as widely as it could go.
Stoically, Maya made her way into the building, swearing the whole time. She was not in a good mood.
“I hate these stupid crutches...They’re the worst!”
I pulled a chair up and tried to usher her into it. “I don’t need your help, thank you very much,” she barked at me.
I instantly stepped back. I wasn’t used to being yelled at and I avoided conflict as much as possible. I didn’t want to piss Maya off any more than she already was, so I readily gave her space. I didn’t know what had happened, but apparently more than just her physical appearance was affected. Maya was in a truly foul mood.
She looked apologetic as she gingerly lowered herself into the seat I’d offered her seconds ago.
“I’m sorry I barked at you,” she said with a sigh as she placed her crutches on the side of her chair and took a deep breath. It was then that I noticed she had a cast on her right foot.
“What happened?” asked Lacey.
Maya sighed again and her shoulders slumped forward. Her eyes showed her annoyance as she started to recount the story.
“My stupid cat happened. Goldilocks, my cat, is easily startled. I mean, more than most cats. I dropped some change from my purse. The change hit the tile and I guess the sound freaked her out and she went sprinting across my apartment just as I was turning around. I tripped over her and my foot got caught on the leg of my sofa. And now I have broken bones. This sucks, sucks, sucks!”
“Ouch.”
“Never get a cat, Lesli.” Maya’s tone was mournful.
“I won’t.”
“Promise me,” Maya said dramatically.
“I promise.”
“Good. Now I can rest assured that no one else will suffer the same fate.” She tossed a hand across her forehead in a perfect woe-is-me kind of way. I made myself not smile. Yeah, she had a broken foot and some broken toes, but she was being pretty dramatic.
“You know what this means, don’t you, Lacey?” again Maya’s tone was sorrowful.
Lacey nodded. “You’re out of the competition.”
“Yes...” Maya moaned as if she was in pain. “My chance to be with Magnus is gone. Gone! Gone!”
She was practically howling now. She started to whimper when Jude appeared.
“What’s with all the howling? Did someone run over a cat?”
“More like a cat ran someone over,” Lacey said.
Jude noticed Maya’s foot. “What the heck happened to your foot? You can’t be on Brain Pain with a messed up foot. You can’t race on that.”
“No kidding, boss. Very astute observation.”
“I see you’re Miss Chipper this morning.”
“I have a broken foot, Jude, excuse me if I’m not a walking ball of sunshine. I. Can’t. Even. Walk.” She spoke each word with increasing anger, then folded her arms and glared at nothing in particular.
“Well, this is awkward,” Jude said nonchalantly. He turned to me. “Lesli, you’re up.”
“What?”
“You’re taking Maya’s place.”
“What? No... I can’t—”
“Why not?”
“Umm... Maya will be fine, right Maya?” She glared ahead and ignored me. Obviously, she wasn’t going to be much help. “I’m sure her foot will be fine. We just need to give her some time.”
“Oh my God, Lesli. Just take my place. This stupid cast isn’t coming off anytime soon. Apparently, my great love affair with Ma
gnus just wasn’t meant to be,” she said, looking forlorn.
I didn’t know what to say, but apparently, Lacey did. “Give it a break, Maya. You met the guy for all of two seconds, that barely counts as a great love affair. That’s not even a mediocre love affair.”
“Ouch, Lacey. You just don’t understand what Magnus and I shared.”
“Nothing. Not even phone numbers. He told me that you asked for his—” Jude reported.
“So that we could practice for the game show,” Maya hissed.
Jude looked dubious. “And he said you followed him home.”
“His security guards are terrible people. They wouldn’t let me in.”
I grinned. I loved how Maya was playing the victim in all this when she was actually a borderline stalker. Florida was turning out to be more of an adventure than I’d expected.
“Wow... imagine that. Those mean security guards. How dare they. That’s pretty terrible.”
“That’s how I felt!” Maya cried, not catching on to Lacey’s sarcasm.
“Trying to keep Magnus safe from crazy ladies, you know that’s only their job,” Jude added.
“I’m not crazy. I’m determined. There’s a huge difference.”
“Says the woman who tripped over her cat—”
“Goldilocks is no longer getting the fancy stuff. Dry food for her from now on.”
I stopped listening to the exchange as I tried to wrap my head around Jude’s abrupt decision.
“Jude? Can I talk to you really quickly?”
He stopped arguing with Maya over why dogs were better than cats, a sudden unexpected twist to the conversation, and ushered me into his office. Lacey stayed with Maya who she was now helping to our shared space.
“Be careful. I don’t want you to break your other foot too,” I could hear Lacey saying to an argumentative Maya as Jude offered me a seat in his office. I promptly closed the door behind us. I didn’t want to be overheard, especially by Magnus. He seemed to have an uncanny ability to just pop up whenever I was around.
“I don’t want to be Magnus’s partner,” I blurted out.
“Why not? He’s a nice guy.” Jude was clearly taken aback.
“I’m sure he is... but it’s just that... you know... I don’t think I’m the best pick for the role.”
Billionaire's Game Page 4