Page 46 of Charming Deception

I give her a disapproving look, really trying not to laugh. She shrugs and pokes her fingers into my open backpack. “And by the way, why do you have so many bungee cords?”

“Survival. You never know when your cheap-ass suitcase is gonna fall apart. Like right in front of a billionaire.” I cringe. “I hate to be caught unprepared. It’s a thing.”

“Ah.” Nicole sits on the edge of her bed, near me. “Look. If Cole is that close to this guy, maybe he’s a great guy. You just caught him on a bad day or something.”

I groan. “Why do I get the feeling you’re already mentally picking out your bridesmaid dress and flirting with his groomsmen?”

“Because I envision my girlfriends marrying every potential husband they meet. It’s a side effect of being a hopeless romantic and a pathological optimist. Honestly, though, I was envisioning you screwing him.”

I laugh abruptly, which was maybe why she said that last bit. “You seriously want to picture that?”

“Uh-huh. But now I’m picturing you marrying him.”

I shake my head as I toss underwear into the drawer.

Nicole snatches up a red lace thong that I ordered online for too much money last Christmas as a surprise for Troy that he obviously didn’t deserve. I don’t even know why I brought it with me. It was just such a waste of money otherwise.

“You would look great in this,” she says seriously.

“Thanks for noticing. Troy didn’t.”

She gives me a well-he’s-a-dick look, hands me the panties, and announces, “We’re going out tonight.”

“We are?”

“Yes. You get a proper ladies’ night to welcome you to Vancouver. I’ve already alerted the troops. And by troops, I mean Dani.”

“The sister-in-law to the hot rock stars?” I’ve heard of this girl, a lot, from Nicole, and I’m not sure I’m ready for Nicole’s version of a “proper ladies’ night.” Apparently, this Dani girl’s twin sister has two rock star husbands (though only one legally), and Nicole seems eternally in awe of what she imagines to be the “absolute kinkfest” of their three-way marriage. “Is this some scheme to introduce me to hot, sexually adventurous men?”

“Quite definitely. And may I remind you, you can’t say no.”

“I will live to regret the day I let you dub this the Summer of Yes, won’t I.”

“Probably.”

“Maybe we should preagree on the fact that every guy who crosses my path does not get a yes, though.”

“If they look like this and they’re a billionaire…” She flashes me another photo of Jameson—this time wearing a sharp suit—that I don’t need to see. “They most definitely do. Tell me you have anything higher on your wish list.”

“Hot and has money? Yeah, I can think of a few more important characteristics that I might want in a man.”

“Such as?”

“Let’s see. Warm. Generous. Fun. Smart. Handy with tools. But at this point, I’d settle for not emotionally abusive.”

Nicole softens with sympathy. “You left him behind, babe,” she reminds me gently. “That chapter is done. The book is firmly closed. Time to write yourself a new beginning.”

“Yeah.”

“And we know what a good writer you are.”

“Thank you.” Nicole is one of the very few people I’ve told, besides Mom and my brother, about my books.

Well, and Jameson.

“Also, you left out good in bed from your checklist,” she says.

“Great in bed would be better.”

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