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He waited, and she stared ahead Still, he waited Finally, she gave in and turned to look at him
“I completely and utterly messed this up I freely admit it I expected to have time to discuss this with you before we ran into my family”
She struggled to control her temper He obviously wanted a reasonable discussion when she was feeling anything but reasonable What she really wanted was to crack his skull on the coffee table and leave, but then she’d be without a roo to be her
“First, this has nothing—and Ito have to do that on your business and advertising savvy I’ my entire co else Can we at least be clear on that?”
She sed “That’s not how it looks to ot played for the fool and that you ledtoabout business Tell ned with Golden Gate? You owe me that much honesty at least”
Evan gripped a handful of his hair and closed his eyes “You’re pissed I get it You have every right to be, but will you please listen toleap, I’ll be more than happy to accoain”
“I think you know I don’t have any other choice,” she said helplessly
“I’ll try to make this as short and as concise as possible”
She nodded
“I didn’t have any intention of co I couldn’t care less if they live happily ever after and I have even less interest in being here to wish the that path to happily ever after
“Then ed me to come She orried that I wasn’t over Bettina and that’s why I wouldn’t coold, but she obviously knows nothing aboutto me the moment she left me for what she perceived to be the better catch”
“Harsh,” Celia murmured
“Is it? I’ed her bets and ith Mitchell as soon as he was named my father’s successor in the falamorous life I’d like to be a fly on the hen she realizes horong she is”
Celia’s lips curled in a a wee bit vindictive, are you?”
He gave a short laugh “I may not harbor any love for the woman, and I may not be a bit sorry that she’s out of my life, but she is a manipulative cat, and I won’t be sorry to see her suffer for the choice she made”
“So your mom doesn’t think you’re over Bettina That has what to do with ? Which I really resent by the way because yourher”
“I’ot off the phone with Mo and I said as a last- someone I fully intended to look up someone I’d seen casually in the past Then I re you and that this ical to co you out withtoto pitches
I’m ready to move”
“I’ abut here,” she muttered
“The but occurred when Bettina herself ca so She felt like it was a poke in the eye at her, and if you can believe, she honestly thinks I’ a fraud and of trying to upstage her at her oedding”
Celia burst out laughing God, he didn’t even see it How typical a clueless male was he
“What’s so damn funny?” he demanded
“She accused you of doing exactly what you’re doing! The audacity You crack me up”
He blinked and then looked a little sheepish “Okay, I get it I’o is obviously a fragile creature I think we can agree on that Yes, it occurred to orgeous, stunning woeured it was the best way to get them all off my back”
Her shoulders shook and she closed her eyes The ive him that much
“Celia, look at me, please”
His entreating tone had her turning once reen eyes He looked earnest, and he looked…worried
“I didn’t do any of this to hurt you, I swear I thought if I just came out and asked you to do me this
favor, you’d have never agreed to co to your pitch”
“So you lured me here and ambushed me instead,” she said drily
“It didn’t go exactly as I’d planned I’d hoped to have a nice dinner together in our suite and I was going to ask you to doto outline the entire charade and ask you to play along Just for the time we’re here But that all went to hell e immediately ran into my parents”
His hand crept over hers, and she didn’t pull away She should She should already be on her way back to San Francisco, and she should be calling Brock to tell hi Evan Reese on a platter to Maddox Communications
She pressed her lips together and tried to collect her scattered thoughts “So you want le the huge dia What happens after the wedding?”
Evan shrugged “We break up quietly later They’ll never know the difference We don’t see each other that often One day Mom will call and I’ll say ‘oh, by the way, Celia and I broke things off’ And that will be that”
She shook her head “All of this because you couldn’t stand the thought of your fiancée thinking you weren’t over her?”
Evan scowled “It’s not that simple There are other factors Besides, we’ve already established the fact that I’o back into that territory”
“Poor baby” She patted his arruntled look “I can’t believe I’ this”
His eyes glinted predatorily “But you are”
“Yes, daotistical round rules”
“Of course,” he said solemnly