Page 79 of Mr. Not Quite Perfect

He started laughing then. “Oh, Molly, where did this come from?”

“What do you mean where did this come from? You barely even remembered that I was standing there as soon as she approached you.”

“I knew you were standing there, and I was trying to be polite to an old friend.”

“More like an old lover,” I said.

He pressed his lips together. “Oh, Molly.” He shook his head. “Anyway, what’s in the past is in the past.”

“Uh-huh, sure it’s the past. That’s why you kept letting her know I’m just your assistant.”

“I was doing that because you are the one that told me you wanted to make it very clear to anyone who saw us that you work for me and that nothing personal was going on. And I know Pascal, she’s a gossip. She works on a TV show that gossips about the rich and famous. I didn’t want you getting caught in the crosshairs.”

“Uh-huh, sure.”

“This may have gone over your head, but I am a very eligible bachelor, and I’m frequently on the news and in the newspapers. People want to know who I’m dating, and if they thought I was dating you, you would be all over the news, too. And I know you don’t want that. So I was trying to…”

“Okay, I get it,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“Well, if you get it, then why do you still have the attitude?”

“I don’t have an attitude. I’m just tired, and I’m ready to go home.”

“Well, let’s get us an Uber as well, and we can go back to the hotel.”

“Fine,” I said. “Let’s do it.”

“You’re not seriously mad at me, are you, Molly? We had such a lovely evening. Poppy was so much fun. I thought we all really got to know each other and…”

“I’m not mad. I’m not,” I said, staring at him and shaking my head. He made funny faces until I started laughing, and I rolled my eyes. “I’m not a baby, you know.”

“Well, you sure act like one sometimes, Molly.”

“It’s fine. I don’t care that you’ve slept with every beautiful supermodel and actress in the world.”

“I haven’t slept with all of them,” he joked. “Only about half.”

“Very funny, Travis.”

“What? You’ve had lovers before me.”

“Yeah, but not ones you’re meeting.”

“Well, I met Matthew.”

“And he wasn’t my lover.”

“He wants to be.”

“Sure, he wants to be. Every man wants to hook up with a girl he’s gone on a date with. That’s why they go on dates.”

“Well, I didn’t go on a date with you to hook up.”

“We’ve never been on a date, Travis.”

“Shall we go on a date when we go to LA?”

“No,” I said quickly.

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