“And, I have no idea how, but some pop news sites picked up information from a source that we’re an item,” he said. “Between that and social media, and the article in the Times, it’s gotten my foundation the attention it needs. If I stop here, it may all disappear, and I can’t risk that.”
Marti smothered her smirk. If he only knew. She was the “anonymous source” that leaked the information. “So you want to . . .?”
“Pretend to be a couple. It’s only been a few days. Imagine the impact after a few weeks or a couple months.”
“Months?” She arched a brow.
“Just a little while.”
“How long?”
“Two months, tops? Just until I can secure these deals.”
“Well, well, well.” Marti clucked her tongue. “You need me to help you. Can we take a second to appreciate this monumental occasion? Logan Love is asking the Queen of Single for help.”
The apples of his cheeks reddened, and Marti nearly died of happiness. Who knew Logan Love was capable of blushing.
“What do you have to say for yourself?” she asked.
He huffed out a laugh. “I won’t beg,” he said darkly. “You have the chance to help with something bigger than you or I. If you don’t want to, then . . .” He shrugged, and Marti could see he was desperately trying to be indifferent and act like it wasn’t a big deal, but he wanted this. She could see it in the tension of his spine, the angry set of his mouth. Coming there, asking her couldn’t have been easy after the hard time he gave her the first day they met.
Oh, it was almost too good to be true. Logan was coming to her with the exact proposal she needed to save her job. In some other life, Marti must have been a martyr because karma was finally repaying her in spades.
She suppressed the bubble of excitement threatening to burst her cool demeanor and forced a placid expression. “What’s in it for me?”
“The knowledge that you helped a foundation off the ground that can help tens of thousands of women and children.”
Marti tapped her lips. “Hmm, as enticing as that is . . . it’s a hard no.”
“Come on.”
“What?” She shrugged. “I do stuff for charities all the time. It’s not like I don’t care, but I can only endorse so much.”
“There must be something you want. Something I can give you.” He skimmed his heavy gaze down her body, the gesture full of meaning, and when his shimmering green eyes returned to hers, she glared at him.
“Again, you wish.”
He chuckled. “Name your price, then.”
Just as he said it, her phone buzzed. She craned her neck to glance down at the screen to see a text from her father.
Dad: I emailed you. We’re not done talking about this.
Ugh. The man was relentless.
She glanced back up at Logan, and an idea sparked. “Fine. Maybe there is something.” Other than the fact her job depended on it. “Go to my father’s wedding with me.”
His eyes widened, clearly taken aback by her simple request.
“I don’t have a date yet.” She sighed, annoyed that she had to share this with him. “It’s
a long story, but I don’t particularly want to go. Seeing as how I have to be there, a distraction that day would be nice. So, go as my date and find an excuse to get me out of there after the father-daughter dance I’m sure he has planned, and we’re even. This way I don’t have to make an already dreadful night worse by taking some guy with high hopes we’ll wind up together.”
He stared at her for a moment, seeming to consider her proposal, before he stuck his hand out. “It’s a deal.”
With a curl of her lip, she accepted his hand and shook on it.
He grinned in return, his grip firm. “Now all we need is a cover story.”