Page 24 of The Backup Bride Proposal

“About ten feet from me, giggling in one of the clothing racks.”

“Bet that mom felt awful about arguing with your mom. And yelling at you.”

“Not really. She was pissed at us for keeping her from looking for her real daughter. As if we’d been the ones to hide her in the clothes rack.”

“She sounds like a piece of work. No wonder her daughter was hiding.”

Mae laughed. “Right? But that was my one and only brush with being confused for someone else.”

“That’s because you’re beautiful and unique.”

She took a sip of her beer and cocked her head to the side. “Do those lines usually work for you?”

“I don’t know. I’m not one to use lines unless I’m working. Do guys hit on you with cheesy lines?”

“More often than you’d think.”

He shrugged. “Some men have no game.”

She took a swallow of her beer. “Oh, and you do?”

“Of course I do. I’m suave and sophisticated and know how to talk to a woman by being honest and sincere.”

She gave him a look, then laughed. “Come on.”

“Hey, I gave it my best shot.”

“Try not to be so nauseating next time. You almost ruined my appetite.”

Their server brought their meals, and Kane figured that all conversation would stop while they shoved food in their mouths. But it didn’t. They ate and argued baseball—games and teams as well as individual players. Since it was nearing the postseason and both their favorite teams were likelygoing to be in it, they both had a stake and staunch opinions as to who was best. His team, obviously.

But he liked that she knew her sport and argued it so passionately.

“These sweet potato fries are good,” he said. “But this spicy caramel sauce? I want to bottle it and take it home with me and eat it every day.”

“Right? It’s so good. Though I couldn’t eat it every day. My ass would be huge.”

“Your ass is outstanding.”

He saw the way her cheeks pinkened and thought about how rare that was. Most of the women he knew accepted compliments like it was their due. Mae, on the other hand, was like a rare gem.

“Well. Thank you. And where is home?”

“Right now? On the Bellini property.”

She slanted a look at him.

“Fine. I’ve got a place in L.A.”

She popped a fry in her mouth, chewed and swallowed, all the while studying him. “Condo, town house, home, or sprawling mansion?”

He laughed. “Definitely not a sprawling mansion. Just a small house with some privacy.”

“Do you like living there?”

“I don’t really live there. It’s just a place where I stay when I’m filming at one of the studios.”

“So you don’t consider it your permanent home.”

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