Page 26 of Perfect (mis)Match

“She still plays,” Vincent offered gently.

I shut my mouth because I wanted to learn as much as I could about Vincent’s family life. Every tidbit was a key to unlocking my enigmatic boss. I saw tension in Richard’s face. What had happened between them?

“Have you heard from her lately?” Richard asked.

Vincent nodded. “Yeah, we talked just the other day. She keeps saying she wants to make a trip up from Miami to visit.”

“Wonderful, it’s been too long since she’s left Florida. I’d love to meet her for lunch.”

Vincent’s mouth went into a tight line. “Dad, I’m not sure if she wants to see you.”

“No, we’ve been texting!” he protested. “We’re in a good place now. Or, a better place. I’m just not sure I should be the one to suggest getting together, but ifyoudo…”

Ah. They were moving past a contentious divorce. Interesting.

“We’ll see,” Vincent sighed.

“Maybe Piper could come along as well? I can guarantee Kathleen would love you,” Richard said as he glanced between us.

“Maybe,” Vincent said noncommittally.

The waiter brought out an appetizer we hadn’t ordered, which I learned was called an amuse-bouche, and it kicked off the most incredible meal of my life. Every time we put our forks down, the next dome-covered dish appeared, and by the time dessert and coffee came, I felt like I’d need to be rolled out the front door.

Conversation throughout the meal was lively, and as we finished our coffee, I wrapped up a story about my strategy for our upcoming trip to Hawaii, just to sell to Vincent that I was making good on all my promises to him.

“You’re something else, young lady,” Richard said, his eyes twinkling. “I bet you give this guy a run for his money.” He nodded toward his son.

“Oh, you don’t evenknow,” Vincent answered with a snort.

Richard and I were debating the merits of various golf gloves when someone sidled up to the table. I gasped when I realized it was none other than Maya Russo, supermodel of the moment and my fake boyfriend’s very real ex, looking stunning in a tight brown dress.

Yikes. Things were about to get interesting.

“Well hello! What a fun little tête-à-tête!” she exclaimed. I’d never heard her speak, so I wasn’t expecting the British accent. She looked at me wearing an overwide smile. “Are you a reporter working on a story, darling?”

It didn’t sound like an insult at first, but her subtext was clear; I wasn’t of the right class to rub elbows with the Fordes, so I must be here on official business.

“Maya, no, this is my girlfriend Piper Doyle,” Vincent answered before I could respond.

She ignored the introduction. “Richard, my love, you’re looking well! It’s been too long.”

Maya leaned down to give him a kiss on either cheek, which he accepted with a quickly hidden grimace. “Good to see you.”

She scanned our table. “Well, well, look at that,dessert! How charming. Calories clearly don’t matter to you, do they, Piper? Looks like you’ve had more than your share.”

She pointed at the plate in front of me that held the remnants of my dessert.

What the…?

I opened my mouth to answer her, but once again, Vincent spoke up first.

“The benefit of an active lifestyle is that calories aren’t a sole focus, Maya.” His tone was clipped. “Food can be a source of joy, but I don’t think that’s your experience, is it? At leastIcan’t recall you ever enjoying a meal.”

The blow hit the bullseye, but Maya played it off. “When the way you look doesn’t matter, I guess it’sisokay to eat whatever you like. How lucky for you, Piper, that Vincent no longer cares about his partner’s size. Howinclusiveof him.”

She smiled sweetly at me.

I briefly considered accidentally knocking over my glass of wine on her. A little red stain to match that smug smile.

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