Yeah, Xavier knew. The two punks would come up with a task even worse than the last. If he didn’t wear the suit or streak, they’d have him doing who-knows-what.
He sighed. “Fine. I’ll wear the suit.” He pushed the curtain aside and paused, putting the beaver head on and gagging. Something had died in this thing, but there was no point in saying so. Harry and Griffin would only find it more hysterical. “I’m still helping her.”
The sounds of his friends’ laughter lessened as he approached the distracted-looking cute blonde. “Uh, hey, can I help you?”
She squeaked and dropped everything—marbles, bookmarks, and business cards flying everywhere. "Aw…there go my marbles."
Xavier chuckled. “Lost your mind, huh?”
Her gaze found him, and she blinked.
Whoa. Up close, Sadie was seriously hot, and if Xavier had a box, she was checking it. Blonde, brown eyes, cute nose, meat on her bones, and freckles too? Geez, why did he have to be in this horrible suit!
Leaning back, a smile spread across her lips. “My marbles? I’m not the one in a six-foot…” She looked him over. “Weasel suit?”
“Beaver.”
A lone eyebrow hitched upward. “How can you tell? What unholy situation has that costume been in? I can’t even tell if you’re looking at me. That eye seems to be pointing over my left shoulder.”
“Hey, I’m trying to help you. You could be nice.”
She stood there staring at him so long, he’d be pulling at his collar if he could reach it.
“What?” he asked.
"I'm trying really hard not to judge the life choices that led you to wear an animal costume that needs to be burned. I mean…did you blacklight that thing before you put it on?”
Laugher barked from behind him, and he knew his friends were witnessing his current humiliation. The only positive was that this cutie couldn’t see his face.
“I lost a bet.” He crossed his furry arms over his equally furry chest and leaned back. “And you aren’t supposed to be judgmental, y’know?”
She waved a finger from his head to his feet. “Oh, the moment you put that on, the universe judged you. I’m simply giving it a voice.” A snicker popped out of her as she stooped to pick up her stuff.
His friends were so going to pay. He didn't know how, but they were going to pay. One of the perks of being a billionaire was that he could hire someone with an evil mind.
"Do you want my help or not?" he grumbled.
Peering up, she shook her head. “No, I’ve got it. My booth is a few tables down.”
“Okay, suit yourself.”
She chuckled. “You too. Try finding a better one next time.”
Xavier shuffled down the row of vendor tables, stopping in front of his friends. “I really hope both of you die screaming.”
They burst out laughing. “Totally worth it.”
He turned slightly and watched Sadie Baylor. If there’d been no suit, he might’ve had a shot, but now…there was no way she wouldn’t recognize his voice. His chance was long gone.
Stupid, stupid bet.
Chapter 2
Sadie watched the big weasel walk away. She hadn’t meant to be so blunt, but what did the guy expect showing up in that toxic-waste costume? Did it have bugs? Just the thought made her itchy, and she scratched her neck.
Finished with picking up, she walked to the table assigned to her and began setting up. She'd arrived extra early so she could get everything right. This would be her first year at the convention as an illustrator. Her fan base, tiny as it was, had been lighting up her social media accounts with promises that they'd be seeing her. If they kept their word, maybe her dream of living off her talent would come true, especially now that her gaming money was gone.
Heat traveled from her stomach to her ears. Buck Nash. Man, if she could, she’d beat him within an inch of his life, nurse him back to health, and beat him again. But she was the idiot for not seeing his true colors before dating himandlosing her fortune and company, Empire Designs, to the jerk. Which was why she was forty and starting over.
