Page 41 of The Billionaire's Heart

“Great. Do you want to call your publicist and have them join us? It’ll be best if we can hammer out the details in one sitting.”

I hold out Mia’s chair at the table for her to sit. “Mia doesn’t have a publicist. I’ll ask that you handle everything for the both of us.”

“Ah… I don’t think I need a publicist.” Mia says as she watches Brinna sit down across the table from us.

As Brinna loads food onto her plate, the girl can eat a horse and still be on the cover ofSports Illustratedswimsuit edition, “You most definitely need a publicist.” She says to Mia and then looks at me. “I’ll be billing double for you both.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything else from you, Brinna.” I smile at her and then turn to Mia. “Brinna is the best in the business.”

“I am.”

“And very humble as well.” I say sarcastically. Mia already looks a bit overwhelmed, so I fill up her plate with some Pad See Ew. “We eat first, then we talk business.”

Mia starts eating as Brinna closes her notebook and gives me a dirty look. “Fine. Mia, tell me about yourself.”

Mia wipes the corner of her mouth with her napkin. “You first.”

Brinna’s fork stops halfway to her mouth, and she smiles, “Oh, Ian. I like this one.”

“Me, too.”

We finish dinner and move to the couch in the living room. “Okay, Brinna. Give it to me. How much have I screwed up?”

Brinna sits down and opens her tablet and a notebook. “You’ve screwed the pooch, moneybags.”

“What does that phrase even mean, ‘screwed the pooch’? I’ve never understood that. I mean, I know what it means, but how the hell did it become a phrase to use? It’s so weird.” Mia questions.

“I’ve never really thought about it, but you’re right. It really is a weird phrase.” Brinna looks off into space but then shakes her head. “Either way, you’ve fucked up.”

“That phrase is better. How have we fucked up?” Mia asks as I just watch the two of them banter back and forth.

“You’ve fucked up by not telling me about it before the world got a hold of it and then not calling me the minute it hit the news. And then…”

“Okay, okay,” I hold up my hands in defense, “we get it. What do we need to do now?”

Brinna looks like she just won the lottery with my admission of guilt. “Well, we have a lot to get done, actually. First, we need to schedule either a press conference or do a sit down with one of the morning shows. I prefer the latter and the sooner the better.”

“Do we really need to do either?” Mia asks.

Brinna nods, “Yes, we do and the sooner the better. It’ll help with the rumors and vile things people are saying about you and Ian. Plus, since Ian is a public figure thanks to his mom’s interview last month, everyone wants to know about how you both met, your history, and what it is about him that you love. To be honest, everyone thinks this is just a move to help your business, Ian, and quite frankly, that’s exactly what it looks like right now.”

“Brinna, this has nothing to do with business. Mia and I met, and it was love at first sight for me. I’ve had to convince her tomarry me.” I turn to Mia and kiss the back of her hand and watch the blush crawl up her neck and into her cheeks. “And I’m so grateful that she’s agreed.” I turn back to Brinna. “What more do you need to know?”

I watch as she seems to reconcile whatever thoughts she has in her head, and she nods. “Okay, then. We’re going to need pictures and have that interview. I’ll have someone from theToday Showfly out tomorrow afternoon and do the interview. You’ll both need to clear your calendar. Also,” Brinna is writing in her notebook, “tell me when is the engagement party? This Friday night, right?”

“What engagement party?” Mia and I ask in unison.

Brinna looks up from her writing. “The one your mom is putting together? She contacted my office to let us know.” Brinna sounds confused.

She’s not the only one. “My mother is throwing us an engagement party?”

Brinna laughs. “Have you even spoken to your parents since this all broke in the press?”

I pull out my phone and dial my mother’s number and put it on speakerphone.

“Hi Ian.” My mother answers.

“Hi mother. What’s this about an engagement party you’re throwing?” I ask.

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