Page 49 of Some Like It Hot

I step forward and hand her my cup. It’s still two-thirds full and apparently, she drinks it black too.

She looks down at the cup and then back up at me.

“Do you want to move to the woods all alone and become a hermit?” she asks.

I nod. “Very much so.”

“So you want to trick your grandmother into selling you the house?”

I hesitate for a second, but then nod again. “Yes.”

“Is she a terrible person?” Elise asks.

I give a short laugh. “No. Not really.”

“Would I like her?”

“Probably.”

“But you want me to lie to her too.”

I nod. “Yes.”

She laughs softly. “I do appreciate your blunt honesty.” She takes a breath. “Why would I do this to a nice old lady?”

“I said she’s not terrible, not that she’s nice,” I point out. “She’s trying to manipulate my life. It’s none of her business. She can’t make me get married. If I want to live alone in the woods, I should be able to.”

Elise is quiet for several seconds, then she nods. “Okay, I agree with that.”

Thank God. “If I try to go around this demand, she won’t sell it to me. Her attorney has strict instructions. And I don’t want her to manipulate me, but I do love her. I don’t want to fight with her. So, I need a fiancée. Ninety days. Someone to pretend to be planning a future with me until I own the house. Then we can break up and she won’t be able to do anything about it.”

Elise frowns. “And I’m your best option?”

“Your name was the one that popped out when she asked me about this fiancée of mine.”

She’s clearly surprised by that answer.

“It’s a favor,” I insist. “I know it’s huge. But I’ll make it up to you.”

Interest sparks in her eyes. “How?”

“However you want.”

She doesn’t say anything for a long moment. She just sits there, watching me.

I noticed that Simon’s hand is on her hip and he’s stroking up and down.

I narrow my eyes. “You don’t seem upset by this,” I say to him. He’s the only one in the room who’s actually slept with her. How can he be so completely nonchalant about two other men clearly wanting her? Is it really that casual between them?

“Why would I be upset? This is completely up to Elise. And you just said it would be fake,” Simon says.

“Still, I’m famous here in Chicago. If she’s dating me, it will make it into the media. Other people will think the girl you’re sleeping with is going to marry me.”

Simon gives me a cocky grin. “Seems like you should be the one who’s worried. Your fiancée is fucking me on the side.”

Suddenly, I kind of want to punch him.

Elise rolls her eyes. “Everyone needs to calm down.” She looks at Aidan, then looks over her shoulder at Simon, then back to me.

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