A Bet With Benefits. Karen Booth
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“I couldn’t get an invitation for the queen of England right now. Sophie has been moaning for months about how tight the guest list is, and now that we’re this close, she’s perpetually freaking out.”
Sam’s mind immediately leaped to a solution. He cleared his throat and prepared himself for another potentially insulting answer. “Who’s your date?”
A rush of pink colored Mindy’s cheeks. She batted her lashes and looked away. “I don’t have one. So what?”
“There’s no need to be defensive about it.” Sam had to fight the smile that wanted to cross his lips. He didn’t want to be so happy that Mindy Eden, one of the most extraordinary women in the city, didn’t have a date for her own sister’s wedding. But he was. “I could fix that for you. You’d be killing two birds with one stone. Getting your building and a date.”
“You’ll really sell me the building if I take you to Sophie’s wedding? That’s all you want?”
Sam was surprised Mindy had asked the question, a classic misstep in negotiations. Never let on that you think you’re getting a great deal. “Take me to the rehearsal dinner, too. You know, make it seem like I’m really in the inner circle.”
“I’m not sure this is such a good idea. You and I both know we don’t work as a couple.”
Sam shrugged and pushed off from the desk, taking his seat behind it. He was wary of the idea, only because he knew how frustrating it would be to spend time with Mindy and not be able to touch her. But he could get some real business done at Sophie and Jake’s wedding. He might even mend a few Eden fences. “Like I said, not struck with affection for you. But I think I could be convinced to keep you as a friend.”
Mindy’s blue-green eyes were full of questions, and maybe disappointment, too. He was okay with that. She’d taken him down many notches more than once. Let her know how much it hurt. “Okay. If you’ll sell me the Mercer Building for what you paid, I will bring you to her wedding.”
“And the rehearsal.”
“I’ll have to figure out how to play it with Sophie, but okay. The rehearsal, too.”
“For what I paid?”
“Yes. Not a penny more.”
“And as friends.”
She grumbled and plucked her handbag from the chair, hooking it on her arm. “If that’s what we’re shooting for, then yes. Friends.”
Sam got up to walk her out.
“I can find my way,” she shot at him.
“I know that. I just want to be sure you don’t steal anything on your way out.”
“Very funny.”
“Okay, then. You go ahead. I’ll just watch.” He leaned against the door frame, grinning to himself. Their impromptu meeting had been a win for him, especially the last part. He’d come off like a gentleman, when really he’d been after only a spectacular eyeful as Mindy walked away.
As Mindy left Sam’s office, only one thought was running through her head: What in the hell did I just agree to? Letting Sam be her date to Sophie’s wedding? On a long list of bad ideas, this not only belonged at the very top, it was the entire reason for making a list in the first place. Sam was trouble. Her family, for all intents and purposes, hated him. He was the king of underhanded behavior, which he always managed to explain away as somehow noble or good. Then there was the unavoidable fact that Mindy seemed to lose about fifty points off her IQ when she was around him. He had a real talent for making her do stupid things. Case in point, agreeing to let him take her to Sophie’s wedding.
Judging by the way she’d felt during their short meeting, it wouldn’t be hard for him to do it to her again. Her physical attraction to him was still off the charts. That was why she hadn’t taken a seat, even when her brand-new Louboutins were killing her feet. She couldn’t allow herself to linger or get comfortable, even when she’d wanted nothing more than to unbutton her jacket and ask him if he wanted to rekindle the flame between them. One more time. For old times’ sake. But Sam was too sly and clever. Whip-smart and devious. There were plenty of reasons to stay away.
Of course, he’d been clear that attending the wedding together would be only as friends. That one detail of their agreement had helped her decide she could escape this scenario unscathed. So she’d be on the arm of a ridiculously hot guy for a few nights, she wouldn’t have to go stag to Sophie’s wedding and she’d get the building her business so desperately needed. This was a win-win-win. As long as she kept her clothes on and her head out of the clouds.
Clay whisked Mindy off to Eden’s, dropping her off at the south entrance on Thirty-Sixth Street. She breezed through the store, past cosmetics and the perfume girls, through ladies’ accessories to the back elevators that would take her up to the executive offices. She still hadn’t figured out how to handle this news with Sophie, although she had an idea about an approach involving one of Jake’s groomsmen, Gerald, and his wandering hands.
“Hey, Soph,” Mindy said, knocking on Sophie’s doorway, which was almost always open. “Do you have a minute?”
“Sure. I can’t keep my mind on work right now anyway.” Her sister pushed back from her desk, gathering her sleek red locks in her hand and pulling them in a bundle over one shoulder. Always fashionable and put-together, Sophie was wearing a jade green floral dress with dramatic bell sleeves.
Mindy was making herself at home on Sophie’s gray velvet sofa when Emma appeared at the door.
“Discussing wedding stuff, by any chance?” she asked.
“Yes. Actually. That’s exactly why I wanted to talk to Sophie.” Mindy patted the seat next to her. “Join us.”
“You guys want to talk about the wedding?” Sophie asked, incredulous. “I always feel like I’m jamming it down your throat.”
Emma glanced over at Mindy and without words, conveyed their shared desire for the relief they would feel when Sophie’s wedding was over. “Oh, no. We love to talk about the wedding,” Emma said, putting on an excellent front.
“It’s the best part of the day,” Mindy lied.
Emma tucked her long chocolate-brown hair behind her ear and crossed her legs, showing off an incredible pair of cherry-red Manolo Blahnik pumps. The three sisters did enjoy outdoing each other when it came to shoes, although this was a daring choice for the otherwise more subdued Emma. Her charcoal tweed pencil skirt and jacket made a nice counterpoint. “Absolutely. Mindy, what’s your news?”
Mindy wasn’t about to stall. She wanted to get this over with. “I found a date for the wedding. If you can just let Jake know and have him somehow filter that news down to Gerald, that would be great.”
“Why don’t you tell Gerald yourself? Doesn’t he text you four or five times a day?”
This was true. Gerald had been putting the full-court press on Mindy from the moment he met her at the first engagement party. He was one of Jake’s business school pals, and Sophie had known him then, as well. He had it in his head that Jake and Sophie along with Mindy and Gerald would make the perfect pair of power couples. Mindy had been clear that she wasn’t interested, but she’d delivered that news gently, only because she knew she was going to see Gerald a lot at the various events leading up to the wedding. Apparently she’d been too soft with her approach. Gerald didn’t seem to be taking the hint.
“Yes. He does. I just don’t know how to work that particular detail into a text conversation.”
“Then call him,” Sophie said.
“I don’t want to encourage him. And this was all your idea in the first place.