Page 23 of Billionaire in Disguise

“As you can see, it’s fine. In fact–” He winked. “I even improved it.”

She should stay silent. Should hide the frustration that he fixed what she could not. Yet nerves were shattered, and her mouth decided to run away while leaving her brain behind. “Can it do the laundry?”

His lips curved up in a low, steady smile. “Why, of course.”

“Well, I bet it can’t fold clothing.”

“It sure can.” He winked. “It even puts them in the right drawers.”

“Now you’re just trying to impress me.”

“Is it working?”

Yes.

Not because he’d created the first clothes-washing, laundry-folding computer, but because he’d fixed the unfixable, and hadn’t deleted a file in the process. She’d asked colleagues and friends, had even emailed her college professor, about the issue. All of them agreed the computer was now a large paperweight. How could a man this gifted be a mere temp?

Or was he something else entirely?

“Wow.” She turned away from his all-too-knowing gaze, settled on the neat row of laptops. Tried to focus. “I better get started on those, then.”

“Actually, that’s unnecessary. They’re already done.” He relaxed back in the chair. “I fixed them this morning.”

How was it possible?

“Isn’t he wonderful?” her mother gushed.

“A big help,” her father added.

“A real keeper,” Aunt Mabel announced.

Yes, he was.Only she couldn’t keep him. This was a fake date, a fantasy. They didn’t actually know each other, or at least she didn’t know him. He’d seen a lot of her life, and thanks to a certain string bikini, of her. “How did you fix everything so fast?”

He shrugged. “I got up early.”

“A week ago?”

He grinned and shook his head, as her mother moved forward. “Just be grateful. Now you have more time to swim.” Her mother smiled at Nick, yet it wavered, and slowly faded. She squinted. “You know, you remind me of someone.”

Nick’s smile froze. What was wrong with him? By his expression, you’d think her mother offered him another dozen matzo balls. Of course, this was not the first time someone thought they recognized him.

“He’s been told that before. By the po–” She clamped her mouth shut. Her mother would be mortified if she knew they’d been confronted by the law. Of course, when she found out why, she’d break out the “good” wine. “By a man at the rest stop,” she finished quickly.

“Come to think of it, I thought you looked a little familiar, too,” her father said. “Are you related to the Liebermans?”

Nick swiftly shook his head.

“The Kaplans?” her mother guessed.

“The Franks?” Aunt Mabel offered.

“The Rosenbergs?” Uncle Nathan hazarded.

He grinned, yet it was strained. “I’m afraid not. I just have one of those faces. People recognize me all the time.” He wasn’t lying, yet the explanation revealed nothing.

The mystery that was Nick Walters deepened.

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