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‘Well, yes’ She could see that froood ‘But is he creative?’

‘You should see his tax return’

‘I don’t know, Clea I think I prefer my men a little less…’ What? She slid Nicholas Cooper another quick glance Sexy? Wild? Gorgeous? ‘Dark,’ she came up with finally ‘I prefer blonds’

‘Well, he’s not a blond,’ conceded Clea, ‘but look at his feet’

Everyone looked

He wore hand-stitched Italian leather lace-ups Size twelve Wide

‘Of course, as his mother I can’t let you marry him unless you’re compatible, so maybe you should just kiss him and find out’

‘What? Now? Ah, Clea, I really don’t think—’

‘Don’t argue with your future mother-in-law, dear It’s bad form’

‘No, really, I can’t It’s not that, er, Nicky doesn’t have a lot going for him—’

‘Thanks,’ he said dryly ‘You can call me Nick’

‘Because clearly he does It’s just that, well…’ She cast about for a reason to resist Any reason Yes, that would do It wasn’t quite the truth, but little white lies were allowed in sticky situations, right? ‘I wouldn’t be very good wife ht now I have a broken heart’

‘Oh, Hallie, I’m so sorry,’ said Clea in a hushed voice ‘What happened?’

‘It was terrible,’ she murmured ‘I try not to think of it’

Clea waited expectantly

Obviously she was going to have to think of so Hallie leaned forward and tried to look suitably woebegone ‘He was secretly in love with his football coach the whole tiether!’

‘The cad!’ said Clea

‘Was he blond?’ said Nick ‘I’ beside her, close, very close, and she was kneeling there, her gaze directly level with…oh!

‘Are you sure you’re not interested?’ asked Clea

Hallie nodded vigorously and dropped her gaze, looking for carpet and finding feet Big feet ‘It’s this job,’ she muttered,Probably he had regular size-eight feet tucked into those enor the soft leather of his shoe, testing the fit for width and finding it tight Right She pressed her thumb down and felt for toes, found them at the very top of the shoe ‘Phew!’ She felt breathless ‘It’s a tight fit’

‘Always,’ he said, a in his eyes ‘But I’m used to it’

Hallie smiled weakly and scrah her cheeks It was his eyes His voice Possibly his feet Any one of theether? No wonder she was blushing

‘What my mother meant to say was that I need someone to pretend to beYou’d be reimbursed of course Say, five thousand the week, all expenses covered?’

‘Five thousand pounds? For a week’s work?’ There had to be a catch ‘And what exactly would I have to do to earn that five thousand pounds?’

‘Share a roo your broken heart’

Was he laughing at her? ‘What else would I have to do?’

‘Socialize with my clients; act like my wife’

‘Could you be a little more specific?’

‘Nope Just do whatever it is wives do I’ve never had one; I wouldn’t know’

‘I’ve never been one I wouldn’t know either’

‘Perfect,’ said Clea, bright-eyed ‘I’ it’s just not going to work’