Page 30 of Roommate Wars
My stomach dropped and my breaths grew shallow. “And your uptight brand is better?” My retort was pure sass, but her comment had hit the mark.
She merely smiled at the same time I felt Jack’s arm wrap around my waist. He handed me a glass of white wine, which was my preferred drink when I was feeling fancy. I wasn’t sure how he knew that. Though I was beginning to realize Jack could be extremely observant for someone who spent his free time in VR goggles.
My body stiffened, and he glanced down with a questioning look.
“The investors are waiting for you,” Thalia said to him. “Don’t dawdle.”
“What’s this about investors?” came a deep voice from behind.
Max and Sophia skirted the couple behind us and made it to our side. My sister was wearing a simple black dress, and Max was decked out in probably the most expensive dark suit in the room.
The man had good taste. He’d also chosen my sister out of all the attractive women in the city throwing their panties at him, so good taste all around.
Jack didn’t respond right away. He delivered his next comment to a waiting Thalia. “I’ll follow you in just a moment.”
Thalia smiled at another guest and walked off, her long maroon gown flowing behind her.
I felt the burn of Sophia’s stare on Jack’s hand at my waist. Her gaze moved back and forth between it and my face. “What’s going on?”
Jack finally let go and stepped back. “Elise, do you mind filling in your sister on our status?” He emphasized the wordstatus.
I waved him away dismissively. “Go do businessy things.” I considered telling him what Thalia had said, but he already knew she was determined. It was the reason he’d brought me here tonight and why he’d sweetened the deal with new clothes.
Jack strode off, and I might have admired him from behind. The guy was hot in sweatpants and jeans, but something about a handsome, athletic man in a well-fitting suit proved a weakness. It didn’t help that he’d combed his unruly brown hair back off his forehead, highlighting high cheekbones and a strong jawline tonight. Good thing he was more of a casual guy, or this masculine display of beauty would be a challenge to ignore.
My sister nudged me in the rib, nearly knocking me off-balance. “Well?”
“Geez, Soph.” I rubbed my side. Her elbows were pointy like daggers.
She took in my dress. “You didn’t buy that.” She plucked the fabric. “This is expensive, and you’re as poor as a church mouse.”
Nice to have my sister rub in the facts. “Jack bought it.”
Sophia’s eyes widened, and she glanced at Max, who held an equally surprised expression. “What is going on?” she asked.
“Not what you think,” I said. “Jack needed a date tonight, but I have, like, five pieces of clothing in my wardrobe, so he offered to buy me a new dress.”
She scowled. “His hand was on you.”
I watched Jack meet up with Thalia across the room, noted her possessive touch on his back, and frowned. “That’s because I’m his fake girlfriend. Turns out Thalia is a shark in the dating waters as well as the boardroom. She’s been hitting on him left and right.” I shrugged. “He says he needs her to run the business, and he thinks this is the easiest way to throw her off without offending her.” I pursed my lips. “Not sure a girlfriend will stop that woman, though,” I said to myself as much as to them. “She doesn’t think I have enough class to date him.”
“What?” Soph’s face turned a scalding shade of red.
I grabbed my sister’s hand and tugged it. Hard. “Calm down. You’re drawing attention.”
But Sophia was looking back, bobbing back and forth like she was ready to brawl. “That bi-otch.”
“She kind of is,” I said thoughtfully. “I admire her success as a woman in a male-dominated field, and I can’t fault her taste in men, but yeah, I could do without the personal insults.”
The steam seemed to leave Sophia’s body. “It’s only for tonight, then? This pretend girlfriend thing?”
“Umm,” I said with a shaky smile. “No?”
Max blew out a slow breath and shook his head.
“How long?” Soph said, her voice a little too high.
I twisted my mouth. “We haven’t worked out the details.” There were a bunch of things we’d failed to work out. Touching rules, how long this thing would go on, etc. Though I suspected it would end as soon as my tenancy did.
