Page 67 of Charming Deception

“Ugh. You’re too good to me.”

Really, I shouldn’t be drinking eighteen-dollar margaritas at all. But they’re delicious and I’ve been such a good girl. I’ve done everything I could do this week to get hired somewhere—other than anywhere owned by Jameson Vance.

My prospects going forward are not looking good. If none of the places I’ve applied at this week come through, I’ll have to start widening the search.

“Have you ever heard of a professional cuddler?” I ask Nicole before she can walk away.

She wrinkles her nose. “What is that? Some kind of code for escort?”

“I’m not sure. I’m scared to click on the ad.”

“Don’t get desperate,” she warns me. “You are far too gorgeous to get desperate.”

“Unfortunately, ‘gorgeous’ isn’t a qualification on any of the job postings I’ve seen.”

“Of course it is. You just need to read between the lines.” She leans in. “Speaking of your ravishing good looks. That guy keeps staring at you.” She hooks her eyebrow, and I glance past her shoulder at the man in the plain black suit who’s been loitering by the bouncers at the front entrance.

“I know.”

Jameson’s security guys have been following me around ever since I said no to his proposal. It’s not always the same guy, but they always drive a shiny black SUV and dress head to toe in dress blacks, and while I catch them watching me, none of them ever smile or approach me.

Tonight, it’s the guy I saw in Jameson’s front yard that first day. The one with the permanent scowl. He tailed me to and from Granville Island yesterday, and to a job interview and back a couple of days before.

I’ve let it slide. For now.

“I’m pretty sure he’s being paid to look at me,” I explain to Nicole. “He works for Jameson. They follow me around everywhere I go.”

“Really?” She glances over.

“Yup. I’d be upset about it, but I know this is just Cole’s way of stalking me to make sure I’m okay in the big city, and really, it’s the least of all evils. He hasn’t come to drag me back by my hair like a caveman, and I know it’s hard for him. When I called him to tell him I was leaving Troy, he threatened to come get me and tear Troy a new asshole—with a pitchfork—while he was at it. He meant it. I’m just doing what I can to keep him out of jail at this point.”

Nicole regards me with sympathy and maybe a little envy. “He cares about you.”

“Yeah.”

“So does Jameson,” she purrs.

“Not this again.”

“It’s so obvious he’s into you! He’s got muscle following you around!”

“He doesn’t know me.”

“Well, he saw something he likes.”

“He’s just being loyal to my brother.”

“Uh-huh. Did he text you yet today?”

I sigh. “He’s basically offered me everything but his left kidney to come back.”

“Megan. Open your eyes. The man is guarding you.”

I blink at her. “No he’s not.” I mean, I know he has a security guy literally following me around, but that’s just for general safety and spying purposes. “He’s just being nice. For Cole…”

“God, I love you.” Nicole shakes her head in wonderment. “But you are one crazy blind bitch, Megan Hudson. Go already. Run into the arms of that beautiful billionaire. Do it for every woman who’s ever found herself on a date with a total frog. Kiss the prince. Please.”

I laugh softly and Nicole kind of rolls her eyes, because of course, she’s serious. She turns on her heel to go get her things. “I’ll be back,” she says, in a tone that tells me I’m hopeless.

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