Page 25 of The Player's Obsession

Don’t blow it by forcing her into a box. Play it cool.

Easier to think than do. I take a bite of the cake. It doesn’t disappoint.

“I had a nice time tonight. I’d love it if you came to my game on Thursday. I’ll leave the tickets for you as planned.” I load my fork and take another bite of the decadent cake.

“Thank you. Lucinda and I will enjoy that.”

“Great.” That’s settled, and I smile. I don’t finish the cake, it’s too many calories.

Penelope eats half of hers and tosses her napkin on the table in defeat.

“Sorry, but I can’t eat all of it. My stomach has reached maximum capacity. Thank you for a lovely evening. The food was out of this world. Outrageously good, actually.”

“I’m happy you liked it.”

The server arrives with the bill. I slip him my black card. He returns, and I sign my name after leaving a generous tip. I slide the card into my wallet.

“Are you ready? We’ll have to come back in the summertime and sit on the patio.”

“That sounds lovely.”

I pick up our coats and hold Penelope’s for her to slide into it. I ask her to wait inside while I find the valet and hand him my claim ticket and a $20 bill. Once he pulls up with my car, I return inside and fetch Penelope. When she’s safely inside, I drive us home.

I want to ask if she’s made a decision on the fake fiancée plan but decided against it.

Maybe I’ve met my kryptonite.

CHAPTER12

Penelope

Dinner was amazing. I enjoyed the old-style bar. The rich wood décor is so typical for establishments in Maine. The atmosphere reminds me of those old estates where men had their own room to smoke cigars and converse over their brandy.

It was hard not to notice the female clientele with their hair perfectly coiffed and their dresses clearly purchased at boutiques, not the clearance racks at the mall. Their diamond jewelry far exceeded my silver hooped earrings. One couple looked like they were on their way to the academy awards with jewelry on loan from Harry Winston. I’m surprised the woman was able to lift her fork with the weight of her rings.

Dinner was enlightening. I was correct to assume Oliver doesn’t like to hear the word “no.” The meal took two hours, and, somehow, I managed not to maim him with a utensil.

He deserves to be called out on his oversized ego. He could have asked anyone to be his fake fiancée, why me?

He probably thinks I’m desperate. Well. Lucky for me, I have my bonus rolling in. It’s in my bank account, but I must wait for it to clear. It should be enough to pay off my exorbitant credit card debt. Otherwise, I’m in over my head in interest. If the rates keep increasing, I will have to survive on ramen noodles.

I haven’t heard from my brother and worry about what he’s gotten himself into. Honestly, I’d rather not know. He’s probably living out of his car and dumpster diving for food. It’s good that I have a one-bedroom and don’t have the space for him to live with me. I don’t trust any of his friends. My guess is he’s dealing drugs and using the proceeds to get high. The first time he didn’t pay off the dealers, I bailed him out. However, that’s the last time I bail him out. I don’t know if it’s even legal to do what I did. And that’s another reason why I can’t be involved in his life. I can’t have his problems becoming my problems. He needs to go back to New York, where winters are not as cold as Maine, and I won’t worry about him as much.

I feel responsible for him when he's near me, but as Lucinda said, he’s chosen his path in life. Until he bottoms out and wants to change, no one and nothing can save him.

Oliver is quite the gentleman and knows how to pour on the charm. I love his sultry eyes. Unless I imagined it, he was flirting with me over dinner.

“How cold is the stadium? I can’t wait to see a game. I’ve never been to a live sporting event.” I pepper him with questions because I hate silent car rides. They are as painful as a root canal.

“Not too bad. You’ll want to dress warm. You need a jersey, though. You can’t show up without mine.”

“Oh, really?” I challenge him.

He glances at me before he changes lanes in traffic.

“Yes, I’ll have one dropped off at your doorstep tomorrow.”

“And how do you do that? Every dropship takes more than a day.”

---