Page 44 of The Rules

Over the last hundred years or so, it had housed a museum, a law firm, and a strip club, among other things. Now it sat empty with its next life in the hands of a couple with more money than God, and a vision Dylan was still trying to get a handle on so he could convince them to trust him with it.

“Just remember I warned you,” he said, steering her over to a bar cart serving champagne. “This guy and his wife are total bores.”

“AndIam a master charmer. Remember me when I seal this deal for you. I like diamonds and shoes.”

“So, a simple girl.”

Dani smiled, all white teeth and red lipstick. She looked like a damn dream in a green dress that shimmered like some magical mermaid tail, her blonde hair pinned up in a complicated twist of curls. When he’d picked her up at her door, he’d nearly swallowed his tongue. It was one thing to see her all done up at the wedding, but to know she’d put that dress on for a date with him had his skin buzzing.

A fake date with him, of course.

“So, what do you think?” he asked.

Her heels put her almost at his eye level, and her black eyelashes and bright blue eyes sparkled as she took in the space. “It’s gorgeous.”

“Yeah?” He looked around again. He saw a cavernous room with out-of-date textiles and cracked veneers, dark corners that probably housed years of cobwebs. Easels were set up around the room with concept drawings of the revitalization the Jansens had planned, but he was still struggling to visualize it. It looked like the set of a haunted house movie, if you asked him.

Mrs. Jansen was across the room, speaking to a group of well-dressed older women. She was in her late seventies, plump from age and a good life. Her bright white hair was pinned back away from her remarkably unwrinkled face. When he’d first met her, he couldn’t help but think of his mother, a decade younger and twice as aged.

She spotted him, waving a hand over her head.

“That’s her?” Dani asked.

He nodded as she made her way over. “Dylan, darling. I’m so glad you came. I know you’re here to sell my husband on your firm, but I wanted the opportunity to show you why this project is so important to us.”

Her eyes slid to Dani and she beamed.Bingo.

“And who is this beautiful woman you brought with you?”

“This is Danica Petrillo.” He wrapped an arm around Dani’s waist. “Danica, this is Mrs. Juliette Jansen.”

Dani shot him a look but didn’t miss a beat. She reached a hand out to Mrs. Jansen. “You can call me Dani. It’s a lovely building. I can see why you fell in love with it.”

“Yes, it has so much history. And a little romance.” The older woman winked at Dani, and she cooed appropriately.

Pride warmed Dylan’s chest. Cat was right, Dani was superb at this. Having a beautiful woman on your arm never hurt when you were trying to win someone over, but Dani was more than arm candy. He could already feel the way she was studying Mrs. Jansen, trying to get a feel for this place. It was more than just her professional skills peeking out. She was helping him, and it was working.

He peeled his eyes off of her face just in time to see Mrs. Jansen attempt to pull her away. The woman clearly wanted a BFF for the night, but he wasn’t ready to give Dani up.

“I was just about to get Danica a glass of champagne,” he said, taking Dani’s hand. “Can I get you one?”

“Oh, no. Sparkling water for me.” She held up a glass. “Will you bring her out to the terrace when you’re done? I’d love to show her the gardens.”

“Of course.”

Mrs. Jansen waltzed away and Dani stepped into his side. “Bring me out to the terrace, will you,dahling?”

Dylan laughed. “I told you she was old-fashioned. Imagine if I had shown up to all this romantic nostalgia alone.”

“A playboy bachelor?” She covered her mouth in feigned horror. “No. She’s sweet. I don’t mind playing your adoring girlfriend for the night.”

He tugged her closer, breathing in her perfume. “Because you secretly adore me?”

“No. And Danica? Really? How did you even know that?”

Both Jansens were across the room watching them and he whispered in her ear. “Cat’s dad. At the wedding brunch, when you were pretendingnotto adore me.”

She whispered back. “I wasn’t pretending. You’re just not nearly as adorable with your clothes on.”

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