Page 7 of Billionaire in Disguise

He blinked.

She tried to appear a little less deranged. “You seemed interested in the work environment.”

A light entered his eyes, disappearing a second later. “I was just curious about the job.”

“Of course.” Obviously he was interested in learning about his new position, especially after the less-than-hospitable welcome from Dobbs. “Could it become permanent?”

“No.” The response was immediate, succinct and final. It also brought unexpected dissatisfaction.

“All right.”

“All right?”

His gaze was soft. “Why not?”

Why not indeed? “I’ll meet you after work.” She backed out slowly. “It’s the restaurant with the big party hat out front. It’s popular for people celebrating special occasions.”

His expression softened. “That reminds me of my parents’ anniversary next week. They’re travelling now, but I want to prepare a little something for them when they return.”

A sliver of tension melted. That their parents celebrated anniversaries on the same week could only be a sign.

Nick pulled out his phone and started typing. “I should make sure my assistant received the gift I ordered.”

Her smile faltered. “Your assistant?”

He froze. After a silent moment, he cleared his throat and held up his cell. “I mean my phone. You know, one of those AI programs.”

“Of course.” Obviously, no temp had an assistant. Yet she didn’t really know anything about him, except that he was a strange dresser and conducted mysterious conversations about who he really was.

And she was about to invite him to be her boyfriend.

* * *

Did she suspect the truth?

When Adrianna overheard his conversation, it seemed as if the investigation was over before it truly began. Mentioning his assistant was another unforced error, and she responded with clear suspicion. He selected personal gifts for his family and friends, but with his hectic schedule, an assistant was necessary. Hopefully, she’d accepted his explanation.

Since then, he’d caught her staring at him several times. The beard hid much of his famous face, yet it would not take much to discover the truth. Hopefully, she wouldn’t contemplate the billionaire CEO of the company would masquerade as a temp.

He had done a little investigating intoher. Her behavior had been just a tad too unusual, and he needed to ensure she wasn’t a reporter who somehow uncovered his ruse. The personnel file had revealed an impressive resume, a magna cum laude degree from a highly-regarded school and exceptional performance reviews. References described her as easy-going, down to earth and completely normal.

Not the least bit like a woman who would ask a perfect stranger on a date.

She actually seemed pretty amazing, the sort of woman he would have asked on a real date. Yet he’d bet his brand new Ferrari she had an ulterior motive for inviting him to dinner. Perhaps she really did want to share office gossip, or she was looking to network in a bid to change positions. He couldn’t blame her for wanting to escape.

Since he returned to his desk, Dobbs had instructed him to:

Run to the local coffee shop to fetch an extra-large, half-decaf, extra-whip, extra-caramel, light sugar and extra-milk coffee.

Water every plant in the office.

Clean up the mess when Dobbs spilled the extra-large, half-decaf, extra-whip, extra-caramel, light sugar and extra-milk coffee.

Unclog the toilet in the men’s restroom.

Return to the coffee shop to replace the extra-large, half-decaf, extra-whip, extra-caramel, light sugar and extra-milk coffee.

He could fire him. Should fire him. Yet first he had to learn the extent of mismanagement, and how it was related to the other offices. Regional managers should have caught this. Why they hadn’t was his first question.

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