The Engagement Game (Engaged to a Billionaire) (6 page)

"I'm getting there.
 
The point is why waste a perfectly good catch on something that happened by chance?"
 
She takes another breath and casually picks at her salad.
 
"I mean, it's not like we've both been seeing him for months right?"

"So who's going to step down?"
 
There's no way she was going to volunteer.
 
I had no choice but to follow up with a blunt add on.
 
"I'm not going to."

"You don't have to," she answers.
 
I move in closer, intrigued by her answer.
 
"We'll let Rex decide."
 
My cheeks go scarlet.
 
This is hardly fair.
 

"Are you seriously suggesting we both waltz in like a couple of middle schooler's and demand that he picks one?
 
Yeah.
 
That'll work out nicely."
 
And last time you left me hangin' at recess.

"Of course not," Holly shakes her head.
 
"Honestly Kat, sometimes I think you think I'm an idiot."
 
I stay silent.
 
She glares at me, then moves on.
 
"We're not going to tell him.
 
No way.
 
We'll just carry on like normal and eventually he'll have to choose one of us."

"Or neither of us," I mutter.

"Come on, Kat.
 
That won't happen.
 
Don't you think we all deserve a shot at happiness here?"
 
I lean forward with a smirk on my face.

"And what if he chooses
me,
not you?"

"No hard feelings," she immediately responds.
 
I narrow my eyes.

"Because I can see millions of ways this could play out horribly."

"I promise," she assures me.
 
"If this starts to ruin our friendship then I'll walk away.
 
But only if you promise to do the same."

"Duh."
 
The last guy that had come between us was Chad.
 
Only because him and Holly didn't get along.

"So what do you say?
 
You up for some friendly competition?"
 
She lets a wide grin cover her face.
 
My stomach goes sour.
 
Holly didn't like to lose and neither did I.
 
But we were always on the same team.
 
My head was already spiraling out of control at the thought of losing Rex.
 
I couldn't let Holly see it.
 
Her sex appeal gave her an unfair advantage.
 
My only edge was that I'd already had my first date.

"Okay," I agree.
 
Holly looks pleased.
 
She glimpses at the time.

"I better get going."

"Right."
 
My nerves told me to follow her.
 
Follow her and stalk her.
 
I blink a few times, trying to change my mind set.
 
She smiles and rushes off without even finishing her lunch.
 
I stare at her full plate of food and my half eaten sandwich.
 
I was going to have to kick things up a notch - push myself out of my comfort zone . . . and go on a diet.
 
I stand up and grab my purse.

You want a fiancé, Rex?
 
You go it.

Chapter Four

My hands shake as I dial Rex's number, hoping to catch him before his meet up with Holly.
 
I park my car in front of the grocery store, trying not to have a panic attack.
 
My head was filled with horror scenes of Rex telling me he'd met someone else.
 
A home cooked meal and me in heels and an apron was the plan.
 
No body guards.
 
No paparazzi.
 
No phones.
 
Just me and Rex.
 
Ringing fills my ears.

"Kat."
 
His voice is both lulling and nerve-wrecking when he answers the phone.
 
"Perfect timing.
 
I just stepped out of the office."

"Rex."
 
The tone of my voice goes up a notch.

"I want to apologize for yesterday," he responds.

"Then make it up to me."
 
I rub my forehead, hoping his response would be a positive one.

"Go on."

"Have dinner with me," I answer.

"This time I'll pick a better-"

"No," I interrupt.
 
"My place."
 
My chest pounds at the thought of Rex sitting in my plain, pathetic kitchen with a plastic plate.
 
It wasn't that impressive and nowhere near as fancy as Holly's loft, but it was the best I could do.

"Your place?"

"Yeah.
 
I'll cook."

"Hmmm," he sounds intrigued.
 
"I can't remember the last time someone made me a home cooked meal."

"So it's a date."
 
I pause waiting for Rex to confirm.
 
My stomach feels like its doing cartwheels. . .

"Definitely."
 
. . .
one-handed
cartwheels!
 
"I have some time on Friday free."
 
This brought me to my next point.
 
Holly worked fast.
 
I dig my nails into my fist.

"What about tonight?"
 
I clench my fists even tighter.

"Tonight?"

"I mean . . . why wait?"
 
My nails are digging into my skin, I might have actually drawn blood.
 
He collects his thoughts for a minute.

"Okay," he quietly replies.
 
"Tonight.
 
Your place.
 
Charles will be in touch."

"See you then."
 
I hang up, letting a giant breath escape from my lungs.
 
Beat that, Holly.

My brain goes berserk again as I grab a cart and walk down each aisle of the grocery store, hoping the perfect recipe will jump out at me.
 

"Kat!"
 
The sudden voice startles me and I jump.
 
I place a hand on my hammering chest.
 
Jack wasn't what I expected to
jump out.

"Jack," I scold, hitting him firmly on the shoulder.
 
His t-shirt is wrinkled but his dirty blond hair looks gelled for once.
 
"What the hell is your problem?"

"Not the greeting I expected but I'll take it."
 
He pushes his empty cart alongside mine.
 
"Big night tonight?"
 
His gaze settles on my cart.
 
The one thing I
did
manage to grab was a few bottles of wine.
 
Beyond that I couldn't concentrate.

"Actually yes.
 
I have a date."

"I see," Jack grins.
 
It was refreshing to see that he was back to his usual self, despite our last conversation.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You're trying not to laugh," I frown.
 
"Just say it."

"I'm not laughing."
 
He bites his lip and follows me to the baking aisle.
 
"That's great.
 
Good news."
 
I narrow my eyes.

"Instead of sarcasm why don't be helpful for once?"
 
I take a deep breath and stare at the baking chocolate.
 
Jack grabs a bag of milk chocolate chips and tosses it in my cart.

"There," he grins.
 
"Chocolate covered strawberries."
 
I nod.
 
"Are you making dinner?"
 
I nod again.

"That's if I ever figure out what to make."

"Nothing
light
or
low carb
," he teases.
 
"Make something real.
 
Something hearty.
 
Guys like that."
 
I shoot him a suspicious look.
 
"I'm serious."
 
I laugh.
 
Jack forgot to mention that a hearty meal would also make my date sluggish.
 
Too full to
perform
maybe?

"Thanks for the suggestion."

"No problem," he responds.
 
"That's what friends do, right?"

"I thought you weren't
down
with friends?"

"I never said that."
 
Jack shakes his head.
 
I quietly giggle.

"Remember a month ago when you brought me that hideous bouquet?
 
You asked me out again in front of Earl and I told you to spring for something that
wasn't
on sale in the hospital gift shop?"
 
Jack looks annoyed so I continue.
 
"And I asked you why we couldn't just be friends, and you said
because I'm not down with that.
 
Remember?"

"Vaguely," he admits.
 
"I wasn't aware you had a photographic memory."

"That was last month Jack," I chuckle.
 
"My memory is the same as a normal person's."

"Whatever."
 
His cart is still empty but he follows me to the next aisle.
 
"I'm telling you now I think we should be friends."

"Why?"

"Because that's better than nothing," he sincerely answers.
 
For once his eyes are soft and his expression looks genuine.
 
My chest feels heavy as I think of Earl, and the heartache Jack will experience through once he's gone.

"Fine," I sigh, unsure of his motives but I could use a good friend at the moment.
 
The one I already had was busy trying to steal my future fiancé.
 
"Then you should know
friend
that I met someone.
 
And . . . well let's just say things might be very different a month from now."

"How different are we talkin'?"

"Like bling-bling different."
 
The look on Jack's face is priceless.
 
He attempts to hold back a laugh aware that his face is an open book.
 
"It's true."

"I'm not disagreeing with you," he smiles.
 
"Wow.
 
So that's why I keep getting burned.
 
How long have you two been dating?"
 
My eyes dart across the selection of dry pastas.

"Um . . ."
 
I grab a package of linguine.

"Six months?" he guesses.
 
"Three?
 
Two?"
 
He follows me to the meat section.

"It's complicated."

"No Kat," he cringes.
 
"Don't tell me you
just
met this dude?"
 
My silence gives him enough information.
 
"Why?
 
What does this guy have that I don't?"
 
He jokingly shakes his head.

"A billion dollars," I reply with a serious face.

"I see."

I turn to him and stare at the blue in his eyes, disappointed at what might be going through his head.

"I'm not some kind of gold digger if that's what you think."
 
I try hard not to get too worked up.
 
Jack watches me flail my arms in the air.
 
"I've had it rough the past few years okay.
 
I'm allowed to dive head first into a relationship with a guy that has everything."

"You don't have to explain it to me," Jack replies.
 
"I get it."
 
I frustratingly turn my head towards a mound of fresh scallops behind the seafood counter.

"I doubt that."

"I do," he continues.
 
"You're looking for security.
 
Who isn't?"
 
The calming sound of his voice finally helps me relax.
 
In a weird way I was glad he seemed to get it.
 
It made me feel better for jumping into something with a guy I barely knew.
 
I reach for a scallop like it's a head of lettuce, forgetting about the plastic barrier.
 
I smack my hand against the counter and wince.
 
Jack automatically grabs my hand and I blush.
 
The warmth of his skin doesn't help.

"I'm sorry," I breathe, rubbing the side of my face.
 
"It's been a weird day and I think I'm about to go insane."

"Yep," Jack answers.
 
"Okay."
 
He grabs my hand and pulls me away from my cart.
 
"Come on."

"What are you doing?"

"I have just the thing."
 
Jacks pulls me towards the sliding doors.

"But the food-"

"Someone will put it all back," he continues.
 
"You can come back later."
 
My head is confused but my chest is thudding.
 
Jack leads me to the parking lot and begins speed walking down the sidewalk.
 
I sneak a glance at the back of his fitted jeans and the way they draped across his backside..

"Jack."

"This is it," he announces, holding his arms in the air.
 
"Tada!"

"It's an apartment complex," I comment.
 
"And an old one at that."

"I know."

"So . . . you live here?
 
This
is what you wanted to show me?
 
Your apartment?"

"No," he protests.
 
"I bought it."
 
He pauses and watches my reaction.
 
The place had potential but the few units within eyeshot looked like they needed to be knocked down and rebuilt.

"What?"

"Yeah," he smiles.
 
"This is my new project.
 
I'm gonna refurbish these babies."

"With what money?"

Jack frowns.
 
"I thought you'd be happy for me?"

"Well it
does
explain what you were doing at the grocery store."

"Told you I wasn't stalking you," he responds.
 
"Come on.
 
What do you think?"
 
My brain jumped to the millions of projects it would take to make a place like this look new.

"Well, it looks like a lot of work . . ."
 
He looks eager to gain my approval with a wide smile and hopeful expression.
 
He clasps his hands together.
 
". . . but I think it's doable."
 
He nods.