Page 19 of The Cinderella Arrangement

And I would visit London. I always wanted to go there. “Yes, I’ll do it.”

He slapped the desk. “Great! Well, it’s almost the end of the month, so I’ll pay you half of what we agreed. You can use it to buy clothes for the trip or whatever you want. I’ll get your plane tickets. We leave next week on Wednesday. I know it’s Thanksgiving, but itreally can’t wait.”

I wouldn’t be able to plan the Thanksgiving meal for the soup kitchen.Who cares? “Don’t worry about it.”

It will probably be the best Thanksgiving I’ve ever had.

I seized the contract in front of my nose. A few months was the intended duration.

“I don’t know how long my dad has, but I’ll renew it if he hasn’t gone yet.”

The cold matter-of-fact way he spoke about his father’s impending death made me feel uncomfortable.

Who am I to judge? I fantasized daily about slipping poison in my foster parents’ food.

Luke gave me the contract to sign, and my jaw dropped as he handed me a check made out to five thousand dollars. I held it as if it was made of glass and slipped it into my purse.

All in a day’s work.

“Thank you so much. You’ve no idea how much this will help me.”

“Likewise,” Luke said as he stood up. “Well, shall we?”

I took his offered arm, and he escorted me out of the winery. Agolden ball of warmth burned inside my chest at his closeness. I caught myself in the reflection of the elevator doors and couldn’t believe it.

Damn, we look hot.

His arm snaked around my waist and suddenly all the air left the room. Remembering I was supposed to act like his girlfriend, I fell against his chest, and his lips pressed against my head.

I had no memory of being held as though I was cherished. I got lost in the momentbefore Luke walked me all the way to the cars outside where dozens of people were getting ready to leave the winery. He gave a small wave to some of them, who waved back and did a double take. I could almost hear their thoughts: Who’s that girl with Mr. Pardini?

“My co-workers are still here. Perfect.”

His palm slid from my shoulder to grasp my hand. The path of his touch blazed such a trail, my desire for him flared up like a torch. I squeezed him, stunned by my body'sresponse to him.

I tensed inside his hand as Luke made a beeline straight for two older men in suits standing near the curb. Oh, no.

“Mr. Blackwell, Mr. Brown. I hope you enjoyed today.”

The portly Mr. Blackwell smacked his purple lips. “Oh, it was wonderful!”

“Yes, quite,” Brown agreed. “And who is the lovely young lady?”

Luke’s admiring grin flashed toward me. “This is Jessica, my girlfriend.”

My cheeks probablylooked as though they were on fire.

This is Jessica, my girlfriend.

Hopefullythey would think I was cold. Their rosy, smiling faces nodded at me as I shook their hands.

“I’ssa pleasure.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Are you ready to return to London?"

Mr. Blackwell’s face fell as he addressed me. “Am I ready to return to forecasts of endless, freezing rain? You Californians are spoiled rotten.”

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