Page 49 of Tuxedos and Tinsel
“Again, hewasa degenerate. All of that happened when he was drinking.” The ferocity of her defense surprised her, but she didn’t like Thomas’s tone. Her brothers didn’t know Lewis. They didn’t see the vulnerability in his eyes when he talked about his childhood. “There’s a lot more to him than the headlines would lead you to believe.” Her eyes glanced down at the newspaper and their photograph. “A lot more.
“Besides,” she added, “I would think you’d be glad for the potential publicity. It is the Christmas season after all.”
“Oh, sure,” Thomas replied, “I’m thrilled to death. Nothing says Merry Christmas like having the company name tied to scandal.”
“Oh, for crying out loud. There isn’t going to be a scandal.” Her big brother could be such a stubborn jerk. Once he got a notion in his head, he wouldn’t shake it. “I would think you of all people would be open to the idea that people change.”
That shut him up. They wouldn’t be having a Christmas Eve vow renewal if Thomas and his wife hadn’t learned to change. “Or do you think you and Rosalind have the monopoly on personal growth?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course, we don’t,” Thomas replied. “But…”
She finished the sentence for him. “Are you saying your relationship problems wouldn’t have made headlines?”
“No, they would not have because neither of us was headline fodder.” Implying that her “boyfriend” was and therefore their relationship would be in the press. It was all she could do not to tell him that was the point. In fact, if things went according to plan, the two of them would be all over the paper.
Her brother looked at her with the cool intensity he usually reserved for business meetings. “Two years,” he said. “Two years, it took for me to get this company stable again after Dad ran it into the ground. Doing so very nearly cost me my marriage. The last thing I want is for it to be dragged down now by a scandal.”
“For the last time, there won’t be a scandal.” The only way that could happen was if news of their fake relationship leaked out, and she and Lewis weren’t planning to talk.
“We just want you to keep your wits about you.” As he so often did, Linus moved in as the voice of reason and distraction. “Guys like Lewis Matolo know how to play women to get what they want.”
“You don’t know anything,” she told him. “You’ve never even met Lewis.” And, so what if he was using her? Lewis had never been anything but honest regarding his intentions.
“I don’t have to. Trust me, I know. We’re cut from a similar cloth.”
No, they weren’t.The defense sprang to her lips despite her having zero evidence beyond a couple conversations, one of which centered around him using her to get what he wanted.
Linus leaned forward so his face was level with hers. “Look,” he said. “We’re not trying to be jerks here. We’re simply looking out for our baby sister. We just don’t want to see you get involved with something that might come back to haunt you.”
Because God forbid her relationship have some kind of future.
That, she realized, was what really hurt. Not Thomas’s worries about gossip, but their automatic assumption that her relationship was doomed. Was it so unbelievable to them that a man like Lewis could be attracted to her?
Granted it was a business arrangement but her brothers didn’t know that. You’d think they would have a higher opinion of her choices.
But then why should they venture off script, right?
“I don’t really care what you want,” she snapped. Or what they thought of her either. “It’s my life and who I date is my business. Now, if you don’t mind, it’s the end of the month. I have a whole bunch of work to do and you’re sitting on my reports.” Plus she needed to call Lewis so they could discuss their next step.
“Do what you want,” Thomas said as Linus rose to his feet. “But you better be right about his being a different person. First negative article I see with the name Collier attached and I’ll have your boyfriend’s head on a platter.” The toughness would have worked better if Linus hadn’t snorted.
“He means his legal team will,” her middle brother said. “Still, be careful, okay? Players are called players for a reason.”
“Are we done with the lecture?” Susan asked. She really wanted to talk with Lewis now. Hoping they’d take the hint, she reached for her desk phone. It worked. They shut the door and left her in peace. Although Thomas did manage one last stern look through the glass wall.
Susan immediately picked up the paper to study the pictures again. Just who did they think they were, poking their noses in her love life? And Thomas calling Lewis a degenerate. Wait until the Collier’s Christmas Party. She and Lewis would show everyone exactly how wrong their opinion was.
Even if they had to pretend to do so.
Has Champagne Lewis given up his wild ways? The former goaltender was seen canoodling with a brunette mystery woman at the O2 arena last night.
Sources say this isn’t the first time the couple has been seen together. The two were spotted at Esprit last weekend enjoying a romantic Sunday brunch.
Lewis slapped the tabloid on the table with a grin. “Not bad,” he said. “Not bad at all.” There were two things the press loved: a good celebrity romance and a good redemption story. He should have thought of this plan months ago.
His eyes dropped to the photograph of him and Susan. Thankfully she wasn’t too annoyed about the “Mistletoe Cam” incident. Yes, keeping it a surprise was a dirty trick, but it also kept her reactions natural. The way her eyes widened in surprise, the way her lips parted. You couldn’t fake those kinds of things.
She wasn’t the only one caught by surprise though. The original plan was to share a quick peck on the cheek. Lewis hadn’t counted on her mouth looking so alluring, nor had he anticipated how good her kiss would taste. Licking his lips, he swore he could still taste her sweetness.
