Page 59 of Fake Dating My Billionaire Boss

He lowers the binoculars, adjusts his glasses, and starts rummaging in his messenger bag. “Prince Charming did?”

“Yes, and he caught me dancing and singing along to Missy Elliot. And he kissed me, right there in the middle of his kitchen, and said he wants to do last night again, and he wasn’t wearing a tie.”

“And all these are good things?”

“Well, everything except the singing.”

“It’s very hard to nail Missy's lyrics.”

“Very. But the rest is all good. Especially how he wasn’t wearing a tie. It’s symbolic if you think about it.”

Fizzy pulls out an earbud case from his bag and rolls his eyes as he opens it up.

I ignore his attitude because I have to get this out. “I think it means he’s willing to change up some of his ironclad routines and ways of being, you know? I mean… he usually wears a tie. But now I’ve seen him twice without one on.”

I poke up peace-sign fingers and then tick them off as I talk. “The first time was last night when we were hanging out. Hewore the softest cotton T-shirt. And then the second time was today—”

“Bella,” Fizzy interjects as he holds an earbud out to me. “Take this and put it in your ear. As much as I’d love to delve into all the hidden meanings behind Prince Charming’s subtle wardrobe changes, at the moment we have a job to do. You asked me to help you with this, right?” I nod as I take the earbud.

“And you want that envelope back, correct?” I nod again.

“Absolutely.”

“Okay, then let’s analyze your budding romance with Damian later.” He pulls a complicated-looking gadget out of his bag. It looks like a drone, but there are all sorts of extras attached, bumping up off the wings and body.

“Actually, that’s something I wanted to talk to you about. It feels like me and Damian somehow bypassed the ‘budding’ phase and went straight to blossoming. Do you think two people can click so fast, thatMroo mpph mmooo.” I have to swallow the rest of the words. It’s hard to talk with Fizzy’s hand clamped over my mouth.

He holds it there for a minute and we both listen as two Golden Horizons residents pass by mere feet away.“...yes, and I told her, darling, don’t be silly! Bridge is on Thursday nights. Wednesday has always been Backgammon…”

When Fizzy releases me, I can’t help but finish my thought. Call it a compulsion.

“Possible for two people to click so fast, that you go straight past ‘like’ to ‘love’?”

“Bella, I can see you’re not going to drop this, so I’ll give you an answer by posing a question of my own. How is that painting of yours coming along?”

“Really well. I mean, it’s all blocked in and I’ve started layering in shading and highlights. It’s coming along way fasterthan I hoped. I have a lot of finishing and refining to do, but all-in-all—”

“No, no. I don’t want an update. I’m really asking this: Is it abstract?”

“Er… no.”

Now I see where he’s going with this. And I don’t like it.

“Is it what Damianaskedyou to paint? What he’spayingyou for?”

“Ah… well, no.”

“ And how do you think he’s going to feel when he sees it?”

“Fizzy, you’re being a major buzz kill again. Can’t you be excited about this with me? I haven’t felt like this about a guy in a long, long time, if ever. I want to enjoy it.”

“I am excited for you. And I want you to enjoy it... But I also want you to be realistic…”

I frown down at the earbud and then jam it into my ear.

Reality bites.

Maybe Missy Elliot should have rapped about that.

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