Page 27 of A Case of Extreme Mistaken Identity

Dani wanted to take him up on it, but guilt caused her to shake her head. She’d already displaced him last night. It wasn’t very nice to do that to him again. “I’m fine. You can take the bed.”

He shot her a look that said, “You shouldn’t argue with me about this.” What he really said was, “I can’t make you sleep on the couch. Get.” He waved toward the bed.

“No. I’m fine, really. It’s softer than it looks.” That was a lie. The sofa wasn’t soft. But she felt too guilty to give in to him.

“My mother would be appalled if I made a woman sleep on a hard lump while I took the bed.”

“Your mother isn’t here.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Thank goodness.”

That made Dani laugh. “Okay, then let’s take turns. Last night I got the bed. Tonight is your turn. You do believe in equal rights for women, don’t you?”

He seemed to weigh his words carefully. “Yes, I do. But I also believe in being a gentleman.”

“Then give me what I want.”

Skepticism colored his features. “You really want the sofa tonight?”

“Yes.” It would make her feel much less guilty for mooching off him.

He sighed. “All right.”

Chapter 14

The late afternoon sun slowly lowered in the sky as Austin tried for the third time to get into the book he was reading. Everyone said it was good, but he couldn’t get past the second page. Maybe because his mind kept wandering. All he could see was Dani’s face over the text.

He shut the book and got up from the chair on the deck. This was ridiculous. He couldn’t sit there any longer. He needed to go somewhere or he was going to lose it. Maybe he could take another walk around the resort. Not that he hadn’t memorized the entire place. But maybe he would run into Dani.

Before he could find his sandals, a knock sounded on his door. Was Dani off work already? A quick glance at the clock told him that was possible. It was almost five. She might have finished a bit early. He’d given her a room key, but maybe she’d left it behind this morning. He ran a hand through his hair before pulling open the door.

A delivery kid stood there holding a vase of flowers, which wasn’t what Austin had expected at all. The kid checked a piece of paper, then lifted his gaze. A smile popped onto his face. “Hey, you’re Austin Scott.”

Austin nodded, still a bit dazed. “Yeah.”

“These are for you.” The kid shoved the flowers at him. “I’ve been a fan of yours forever. I had no idea I’d be delivering these to a major football star. The delivery instructions just say Austin.” His face flushed. “This is probably totally inappropriate, but I’m going to say it anyway. Can I have your autograph?”

Austin was used to people getting excited when they recognized him, but hadn’t expected to come across any fans at the Billionaire Club. He nodded and opened the door wide so the delivery kid could come in. “Sure.”

He placed the vase on the desk and then looked for something to write on while the kid did this little jumpy thing that made him look like he’d eaten a sugar factory for lunch. Austin held in a smile. “How long have you been delivering flowers?”

“Only two months. Nothing this exciting has ever happened, though. Wait until I tell my dad. He’s going to have a fit.”

The resort had left a pad of paper on the small desk, and Austin grabbed it. “What’s your name?”

“Derrick. I can’t believe I got to deliver flowers totheAustin Scott.” He swung his arms back and forth. “Hey, what are you doing here anyway?”

“Recovering.”

“Oh, that’s right. I heard you were injured. Your knee, right?”

“Yes.” Austin wrote a quick note to Derrick and then signed his name. He capped the pen and tore off the page. “Here you go.”

Derrick took the paper like it was made out of thin gold and could be damaged with too much handling. “Thank you, man. I hope you heal quickly.”

“Thanks.”

“Have a good one. And I hope those flowers brighten your day.” He pointed his index fingers at Austin and backed out of the room, closing the door.

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