Page 75 of Say You Remember Me
I glanced up at him, and the intensity in his gaze stole the air from my lungs. But then his lips curved into a small, almost hesitant smile as he said, “You say that now, but…what happens when Theo texts you again? I mean, how am I supposed to compete with a hot, single dad?”
I blinked at him, caught off guard by the comment. Was he actually worried about Theo?
Because as awesome as Theo seemed to be, there was literally no competition there. Not when I was already falling so hard for my boss.
But when I tried to tell him that, no words would come out.
And I wasn’t sure if he could sense the words lingering on the tip of my tongue, the ones I was too afraid to say, but he sent me a carefree smile, stepping back as if to ease the tension and said, “Let’s get the matching shoes and a clutch for that one, shall we?”
I blinked, my heart still racing, struggling to catch up with whatever had just passed between us. His shift back to practicality was almost disorienting.
Glancing at the growing pile of items Ian and the store clerk had already gathered, I swallowed hard. It was so much.
“I don’t need all of this,” I said softly, my voice tinged with uncertainty. “Really. It’s…it’s too much.”
He tilted his head, his playful smirk back in place. “Maddie, I’m not just your fiancé—I’m yourbillionairefiancé. Spoiling you is part of the job description.”
“But—”
“No buts.” He winked, cutting me off. “Besides, it sells the act. Margot would never believe I’d let you get away with just one dress.”
Oh.His words brought me back to reality—the reality where this wasn’t real.
I’d been letting myself get too caught up in the moment, in the way Ian made me feel, and had started to forget this was all an elaborate show. An act. For Margot. For everyone watching.
Probably even for the store clerk.
Was that why he’d said that thing about me breaking his heart? Because he knew she was nearby?
My stomach sank as the realization settled in. He was playing his part perfectly, but I was starting to forget that I was supposed to be playing mine, too.
I forced a smile and nodded toward the fitting room. “I’m going to change out of this, okay?”
“Okay.” Ian nodded, stepping back to give me space. “But before you do, there’s one more dress I’d like you to try on.”
He held out another gown—a deep purple, floor-length piece that sparkled like a thousand tiny stars under the boutique’s lighting. My breath caught when I glanced at the price tag.
Twelve thousand dollars.
“I can’t wear this.” I stared at it, my face draining of blood. “It’s too much.”
“Just humor me. Please.” He shrugged, his gaze steady, unaffected. “I promise this is the last one. I just…” He trailed off, his voice softer now. “I just think it’ll look really good on you.”
There was something in his tone, something earnest, that made me pause. His eyes held mine, and for a moment, I couldn’t tell what was real and what wasn’t.
So, confused but unable to resist, I said, “Okay.”
I took the gown and returned to the fitting room, my heart thudding unevenly as I slipped out of the previous dress and into the new one. The fabric was heavier, but the cut was exquisite, the shimmering material molding to me in a way that made me feel like I’d just stepped out of a fairytale.
Once it was on, I glanced at my reflection, stunned. This dress didn’t just look expensive—it looked like it was made for royalty.
But as I reached for the zipper, it caught halfway up.
I twisted awkwardly, panic blooming in my chest as I tried to see what had happened.
But the zipper wouldn’t budge.
Crap! Have I just ruined a twelve-thousand-dollar dress?
