Page 42 of Hoax and Kisses
Matt’s eyes narrow, his brow furrowing. His skepticism is palpable in his posture, the way he leans back in his chair as if he’s trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces.
“An opportunity,” he repeats. “For whom?”
“I get it.” I stab another slice of pancake. “You probably think I’m just your typical corporate asshole looking to cash in on a small town. But I’m not. I’m not here to insult your home or turn it into the next Atlantic City.” I drag the square of pancake through the syrup on my plate. “I’m not gonna pretend I’m doing this out of the goodness of my heart either. It’s a huge move for the rest of my career. And there’s money to be made. But not just for Imperial Excellence. I see the potential. This town could flourish with the right push. The local businesses too.”
He shakes his head. “Potential, huh? You’re talking about it like we’re numbers on a marketing sheet. I’ve lived here for half my life and know Pine Falls beyond any potential you might see. We’re flourishing pretty well on our own. We don’t need a cookie-cutter hotel.”
Irritation swirls in my stomach, threatening to kill my appetite. “That’s not what I’m offering, and maybe you’d know that if you hadn’t been such a jerk last night.” The words slip out before I can stop them.
I slide a folder in front of him, the one that contains a detailed description of the project, and sit back.
“Why don’t you go over it and come back to me with your notes? From there, we’ll see what we can do about it.”
Matt studies me for a long moment, his brow furrowed. “I’ll give it a read, but if I catch you in the slightest lie, we’re done. Deal or no deal. This place is my home, Zoey. It’s not some project to me.”
I meet his eyes. I can’t tell if his words are a warning or a challenge. Maybe they’re both. And they spark something deep in my stomach, something resembling respect for this man who seems to care so profoundly about this place.
I lean forward, holding his gaze. “I’m not my father. I always make sure our projects benefit all parties involved. I want to build something that lasts. Something that fits in with the community and generates profits. And I can’t get there if the whole freaking town hates me. I need the chance to talk to them, to show them what I’m bringing to the table. But as things stand, I’m useless on my own. You’re my way in.”
For a moment, it feels like we’re standing on the edge of our fates, dangerously teetering between trust and doubt.
Then he lets out a breath and grabs the folder. “All right. I’ll take a look. If everything checks out, we’ll, uh, fake date. And in return, you’ll introduce me to the right people. But if this thing turns into some sort of mega resort complex at any point, I’m out.”
With a nod, I stick my hand out. “Deal.”
He slides his hand along mine and squeezes, the move firm but gentle. The moment stretches, the air growing charged around us as we stay that way longer than we should.
His fingers move almost imperceptibly, but it’s enough to make my breath hitch. Swallowing thickly, I slip my hand out of his grip and rest it on my lap.
“I want to apologize again for last night.” He pushes his hair back. “It was out of character for me. I was just… triggered, I guess. But hurting you like that didn’t sit well with me. I’m sorry for putting you through it.”
Without my permission, my stomach swoops. A man who takes accountability for his actions? Maybe this townisspecial.
“I accept your apology. Plus, you’re trying to rectify it by offering this fake dating stuff. You must have a lot of faith in yourcharming abilities if you think it’ll be enough to convince people to give me another chance.”
He takes a sip of coffee, his gaze never leaving me. “You tell me. How am I doing?”
I keep my expression flat. “Eh. Okay, I guess.”
He laughs, the sound so deep and rich it drips down my body like honey. “Might need to work on that before we go out on dates, then.”
On dates. Going out with this man. Go out and… do what? Oh fuck. Dread washes over the warm, sticky sensation, my pulse hammering with it. What did I just say yes to? What will I have to do to make the locals believe in this charade?
“We should go over what this fake dating includes and what we’re comfortable with,” Matt adds, as if reading my thoughts. “This will work better if we hash things out before we go out in public.”
I nod vigorously. “Agreed.”
Smiling, he brings his mug to his mouth. As he sets the coffee down, he flips over the bill the server left next to his plate and pulls a pen from his jacket. “Tell me your nonnegotiables. Stuff you don’t want to do. Your limits.”
He looks up, brows arched expectantly, his pen hovering above the crumpled paper.
I gape at him. Is he really about to take notes using a coffee shop bill?
Fine.
“No kissing,” I say, raising one finger. “Obviously.”
“Obviously,” he repeats, a smirk on his face as he scribbles on the piece of paper.
