Rush (Eligible Receivers #3)

Chapter Ten

Linc left to show Dan out and Nora plopped herself onto his vacated seat. What had she just agreed to? Not that a fake engagement was a huge deal in the big scheme of things, but what would happen once the custody battle ended and her life returned to normal? With Linc’s fame, the news would reach far and wide. There’d be no keeping it from her mom and friends back home. She’d come out the other end looking like either the jilted lover or the fool who let the catch of the century get away.

Not to mention, her and Linc were in a rocky place right now. It would be hard pretending to be in love when what she really felt like doing was hitting him over the head in hopes of knocking some sense into him. For the past few weeks, she’d had her emotions under wraps dealing with her one-way infatuation.

Until Linc kissed her.

Thinking Linc was attracted to her too, had put a whole new spin on her emotions. For about two-point-five seconds. Until he’d rocked her world again, only this time by abruptly killing her hopes. Talk about mental whiplash. She was still recovering from it and probably would be for some time to come.

Nora was staring off into space, still contemplating things, sipping on Linc’s abandoned coffee when he returned.

He sat down across the table from her. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

She set the cup down but kept her hands wrapped around the mug for warmth and shrugged. “If it will help you keep Sophie, then yes.”

“I don’t know what to say.” A warmth entered his eyes. One she refused to contemplate.

Averting her gaze, she stared down into the dark contents of the mug, her grip tightening on the glazed stoneware. Even though he’d insisted it shouldn’t, his rejection still stung. “You don’t need to say anything.”

“Thank you. You doing this means a lot… to me.”

Her eyes flew back to him. “Just so we’re clear. I’m doing it for Sophie and what’s best for her—no other reason. That little girl loves you and the last thing she needs is for her world to be turned upside down again.”

He studied her for a moment with downturned lips then he dipped his head in a nod. “What’s best for Sophie—right.”

The silence stretched again and she was just contemplating getting up to check on Sophie when Linc said, “Listen, I don’t want things to get weird between us again but, for appearances, when we’re in public we’ll have to act like a happily engaged couple. Holding hands, a few kisses, things like that.”

Something she’d already thought about. “I understand. Don’t worry, I won’t mistake it for anything but an act. I’ll remember I’m strictly your employee.”

His wince was minute, but she detected it and knew she’d struck a nerve. It was childish to throw his words back at him. Doubly so to feel any form of satisfaction from doing it. But even realizing that didn’t stop her from goading, “That is what you wanted, right?”

His jaw clenched. “Yes.”

“Good.” She stood to leave. “Then it’s settled.”

“One more thing,” Linc said as she started to walk away.

She stopped and turned, pasting on a smile. “Yes?”

“It would probably look better if you moved in here.”

That erased the smile from her face. She hadn’t thought of that but for the sake of appearances, she supposed living with him was a smart idea even if being in such close proximity to Linc for several weeks would be hard on her mending heart. She mentally shrugged. If she kept her walls up, she should be okay.

Or so she hoped.

Nodding, she tried to sound blasé and not as tightly wound as she felt when she agreed, “That makes sense.” She picked up the coffee cups to take into the kitchen. When she reached the exit, she couldn’t help one last parting remark, throwing over her shoulder, “But you get to be the one who tells Oz.”

She didn’t look to see his reaction, but she could picture it and her smile was back in place—a real one this time—as she stepped into the kitchen.

****

“What do you think of this one?” Linc pointed to an industrial bedroom set that looked made from items only found at an auto part store.

“It’s your house.” She glanced at Linc and then quickly turned away. Still getting used to his disguise of fake, stuck-on mustache and nerdy, black-rim eyeglasses, she could barely look at him without laughing.

“I get that, but it is going to be your room.”

“Only temporarily.”

They were in a big box store buying furniture for the spare bedroom she would occupy—which Linc had never gotten around to furnishing. It had been a stressful afternoon all around. First with the lawyer, then with Oz when they went to pick up her things from his apartment—explaining about her moving in with Linc and him arguing with them about it. Thankfully, when all the dust cleared, he conceded to the situation and even graciously volunteered to watch Sophie so she wouldn’t be bored while they went shopping. And now they stood in the middle of the furniture store, where they were supposed to look happily engaged but instead were acting like a bickering, old married couple.

“I’d still like your opinion,” Linc calmly said.

She’d known him long enough to know that tone. His patience was running thin. For the sake of appearances, she didn’t want things to escalate into a full-blown fight so gave him the answer he wanted. “Honestly, I’m not a fan. It’s very…” she tried to think of the right word. “Post-apocalyptic.”

He seemed to take her dislike of designer hardware in stride, but he didn’t make another suggestion. Instead, he turned the tables on her. “Which set do you like?”

There was one that she liked. She scanned the large warehouse and the small, decorated vignettes, trying to remember where she’d seen it. Bingo. She turned the cart and steered it in the direction they’d already been, stopping in front of a honey-brown, wooden sleigh bed that had a decorative headboard and came with matching nightstands and a mirrored dresser. “This one.”

Then she moved in closer and saw the price tag lying flush on one of the side tables.

Or not.

That sucker cost more than her first car. She read the fine print at the bottom. And the price didn’t include the mattress.

Next!

“On second thought, maybe something a little plainer would be better.”

“Plainer?” He sounded incredulous. And who could blame him? She was talking completely out her ass.

“All the embellishment may be a little too feminine for a guest room. You know, because of the flowers etched into the headboard.”

A line appeared between his eyes, visible even with the thick rim of his glasses marring the view. “I don’t think those are flowers. It’s just a swirly design. With neutral colors, it will be fine.”

“But—”

“No, it’s settled.” He grabbed the ticket with the item number off the nightstand, not even bothering to look at the price, and started for the back of the store. “Now, bedding.”

Defeated, Nora followed.

They had no trouble agreeing on a navy and beige striped comforter with matching sheet set. Very neutral and perfect for a guest room.

Linc picked out the wall art—four sea-side pictures to create a whole beach theme to match the color scheme—then they made their way to the register, their cart overflowing with other knick-knacks they’d picked up along the way.

Linc handed the cashier the ticket for the bedroom set. “We’ll also need a mattress and everything delivered as soon as possible. I’m willing to pay extra.”

The woman punched a few keys. “In that case, the first available slot is tomorrow morning between ten and noon.”

“That’s fine.” Linc whipped out a credit card and Nora tried not to cringe when she got a glimpse of the total on the register screen, reminding herself Linc hadn’t spent that money on her but to decorate a room in his house.

“Where to next?” Nora asked after Linc stowed the bedding in the back hatch and slid into the driver’s seat.

“Hardware store for some paint.” He clicked his seatbelt in place and looked at her. “Or would you rather have wallpaper?”

Nora threw up a hand. “I’m not that talented.”

Linc grinned. “Neither am I. But how hard can painting be? You just buy a few brushes and slap it on the wall.”

Nora studied his face to see if he was joking. She didn’t think he was. “Wait a minute. You’ve never painted before?”

Linc shrugged. “Never needed to. This is my first house.”

“What about Sophie’s room? It’s pink.” And Nora was certain it wasn’t that particular bright shade when he’d moved in.

“After I bought the place, I hired a contractor to paint and install new flooring, but I never finished the spare room, unsure what I eventually wanted to use it for.”

That excuse made sense. For the rich and famous, anyway.

Linc turned into the parking lot of a strip mall. One that, Nora noticed, didn’t contain a hardware store. He pulled into a parking space in front of a chain jewelry store she’d seen advertised on TV a million times and turned off the car.

“Why are we stopping here?”

“Quick detour.” He opened his door and got out. “Come on.”

Spidey-sense activated, she grudgingly climbed out of the SUV, meeting him on the sidewalk. “Maybe you should tell me why we’re here before we go in.”

“For our engagement to look real, you need a ring.”

“Okay, I get that,” and she even agreed, “but can’t we go to… I don’t know… Walmart or someplace and get something cheap?”

He looked at her like she’d grown a second head. “No.”

He started walking and Nora ran to get in front, halting him in his tracks. “Why not?” She wasn’t giving up that easily. A ring wasn’t something for him or his house that he could keep using later or something that could be returned when they were done with it.

“Because we want this to look real and nobody would believe you’re my fiancée if you’re wearing a shit ring.”

“No one would know it’s a knockoff but you and me.”

“Believe me, people would know. Not to mention...” He stopped mid-sentence, eyes narrowing and jaw locking.

“Not to mention what?” she prompted not wanting to let it go.

He didn’t answer. Taking her by the arms, he pulled her in close and planted his lips on hers.

She quickly recovered her stunned silence, mumbling against Linc’s lips. “What are you doing?”

“Paparazzi,” he murmured back, his fake mustache tickling her upper lip.

“What?Where?”

“White car, four slots down.”

She made to move her head.

His hand whipped off her arm to the back of her neck. “No, don’t look.”

“How do you know they’re paparazzi?” she asked, skeptical because his disguise was pretty foolproof.

“I saw the flash of a camera lens. Now put your arms around me so it looks like you’re enjoying yourself. You’re stiff as a board.”

Through no fault of her own as he sprang the kiss on her. But it was supposed to look real, so she placed her hands on his hips and relaxed her muscles. That was when Linc took things a step further, tipping her head back with the pressure of his kiss.

She forgot all about his mustache or that they had an audience or the fact they stood in front of an expensive jewelry store. All she felt, knew, breathed was Linc.

Head swimming, she hardly noticed when he pulled away and steered her toward the entrance to the store. And it wasn’t until they stepped inside that she realized she’d lost her chance to protest further.

The store was empty save for the cheerful saleswoman who stood behind the counter wearing a bright smile. “Can I help you find something?”

“We’d like to look at engagement rings.”

“Right over here.”

Linc had made his way to the ring case and pointed through the glass. “Can we see that one?”

“Of course.” The woman used a key strapped to her wrist to open the case. She pulled the ring out and Linc waved Nora over.

“Beautiful choice,” the woman said, handing the ring to Nora to try on. “A two-carat oval cut in a white-gold setting.”

Nora slipped the sparkling gem onto her finger. It was beautiful, but the band was too big and if she tipped her hand down even a little the damn thing would fall right off her finger.

“There would be no issue having it sized,” the woman was quick to assure, leading Nora to believe she worked on commission. It didn’t take an expert to guess the thing was worth a small fortune.

“We’d really like something she could wear out of the store.” Linc flashed the woman a smile.

Of course, she blushed. What woman wouldn’t from Linc’s attention?

Nora pressed her lips in annoyance.

After being handed the ring, the saleswoman slipped it back in the case. Then her calculating eyes with dollar-sign pupils sized up Nora’s ring finger and she pulled another ring out of the case. “This one should fit. It’s a 2.5 carat princess cut.”

The ring was stunning, and Nora would bet dollars to donuts it was more expensive than the previous one. Reluctantly, she slipped it on her finger. Of course, it fit perfectly and sparkled in a beam of light as she raised her hand.

“We’ll take it.” Linc seemed pleased as he whipped out his credit card, handing it over.

Nora gave the pair her back, not wanting to see the total, positive she’d be too frightened to wear the damn thing if she knew what it was worth.

The salesperson’s next words didn’t help that endeavor. “The GIA report will arrive in the mail in a few weeks for insurance purposes.”

After that bombshell, Linc had her out the door and in the car in under a minute.

Huffing as she caught sight of her new ring as she clicked on her seatbelt, Nora mumbled under her breath, “I should’ve fought harder for Walmart.”