Page 49 of Surprise Best Man

“No. I came over here to tell you that I don’t need you to be buying me drinks.”

He cocked his head to the side, clearly not having expected that.

“Listen. I know I’m unemployed, and my financial situation is kind of a mess. Really a mess. But that doesn’t mean I need anyone’s charity or anything like that. I can still buy my own drinks, you know.”

More confusion on his face. Then he appeared to get it. “Shania. I’m not buying you a drink out of charity or whatever. I was trying to, you know, pick you up.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Pick me up?”

“You know. What single people do when they’re at a bar and see someone who catches their eye. Buy them a drink, and then you …see what happens. See if there’s any chemistry.”

I was beginning to feel like I’d gone off the handle a little bit.

“And you think there might be some chemistry between us?” I offered a small smile, deciding to go along with it.

“That’s what I was hoping to find out. Of course, it’s up to you whether or not you want to get to know the handsome stranger who’s buying.”

We shared another look, and despite how silly and broke and everything else I felt at that moment, I couldn’t help but grin as I stared up at the guy—too charming for his own good.

I turned back to the bar and caught the attention of the nearest bartender. Thirty seconds later, I had a gin and tonic in my hands and turned back toward Sean.

“OK, handsome stranger. You got some place where we can get to know each other a little better?”

He gestured toward a nearby high-top table, and we slid into the seats.

“I couldn’t find you,” I confessed. “Figured you were dancing with an adoring fan.”

He shook his head. “Nah. Went up to the top floor to get some fresh air and got cornered by some fans. Evidently I’d partied with them back in Osaka a few years ago and have no recollection of it.”

“The life of the famous.”

“Might be you someday.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Sure. You get this spa up and running and…”

“What,” I asked with a smile. “I become internationally famous as the Spa Queen of LA?”

He laughed. “You never know.”

I shook my head. “I’m not really in it for fame,” I said, meaning it. “Just want to have something with my name on it, you know? Something that’s mine, something that, maybe if I’m lucky, can make life a little better for the women who step through my doors.”

He regarded me for a long moment, some sort of sentiment playing in his eyes that I couldn’t quite make out.

“What? What’s that look?”

He took a sip of his drink before finally speaking. “The look is that I like what I’m hearing. And it’s making me more confident about what I have to say next.”

“And what’s that?”

“That I want to be a part of it. Your dream.”

I didn’t even know where to begin with what he’d said. “You want to…what?”

“I want to invest. I want to help get Shania’s Spa, or whatever you end up calling it, off the ground.”

I would not, in fact, be calling it that. I shook my head at the thought, trying to get myself back on track. Namely, to the giant piece of news he’d dropped on my lap.

“You want to what?”

“I want to invest. Provide you with the money you need to get your dreams up and running.”

He leaned in toward me, and I could see the sincerity in his eyes. If it was a joke, he was doing a damn good job fooling me.

“Are you serious? You can’t be serious.”

I took a nervous sip of my drink, feeling suddenly overwhelmed.

Was this really happening? Was another guy trying to buy me off? Panic set in as I played through the last conversation I’d had about the subject. With James. Was Sean going to pull the same kind of thing, thinking that lending me money meant he owned me?

“Why wouldn’t I be? You’ve got a killer idea, you’re good at your job, and you’re…well, you’re in a position to where you can give this thing your full attention.”

“Very diplomatic way to say I’m jobless.” I was joking more to calm myself the hell down than anything else.

“Well, that makes it the perfect time. All you’re missing is someone who believes in your vision.” He tapped his chest—his broad, cut chest that my eyes lingered on for just a little longer than they should’ve. “And that’s me.”

“What…what are you proposing? Some kind of charity donation or something? Because I’m not—”

He shook his head, and I stopped talking.

“No, not charity—investment. I provide what you need to get off the ground. Equipment, salary, lease for the space, whatever. And in return, I own a part of the business for a time. A little of your profit goes to me until the initial investment is paid off, and then it’s all yours. Simple as that.”

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