Page 62 of Mail Order Valentine (Hawthorne Billionaire 2)

“Is there anything I need to know about how you behave in public when you are out showing off?”

“Not answering that question? I see. Okay that’s fine. For dinner, no, we just eat like normal people. I don’t suggest you go to any clubs. I like to dance, and you don’t dance.”

“You’re being stupid now. I dance.”

“You waltz. I dance. I gotta go, the chef just announced dinner is served. Have fun tonight living in my skin. How often do people get to do that, after all?”

I had twenty minutes to get across town. Gunner had messaged that he was in front of my office. I opened my safe and placed the ring in the red velvet box inside, then locked it up and headed for the limo.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Hawthorne. You look especially nice,” Gunner said, opening the door for me. “Ms. Imogen is waiting for you and looking quite beautiful.”

“Gunner, I’m proposing tonight and I’m crazy nervous. Don’t let me change my mind.” I frowned slightly. “If I start to falter, haul me out of the limo and slap me-gentlyslap me.”

“You won’t falter when you see Ms. Imogen. She’s a special girl,” Gunner reminded me.

We drove in silence for the rest of the ride. I Googled Asher to see a few tabloids to make sure I could act like him in public. A tux is a tux is a tux, so I didn’t have to worry about wearing his clothes.

Thank God for that.

“Mr. Hawthorne, we’ve arrived. I’ll be right here waiting for you.”

“Thanks, we’ll be out in ten minutes.”

I walked into the bar looking for Imogen. I saw a couple at a booth and a few singles at the bar. I looked to my phone to see if Imogen had texted to change where we were meeting. When I looked back up, Imogen stood leaning against the bar, smiling.

Oh my God. How am I going to survive giving her to Asher?

Chapter 45

IMOGEN

Iwas going to sit at the bar with my back to the door so I could dramatically spin around like in the moviePretty Woman.I’d been thinking about that movie all day with the specialtreatment I’d been getting.Instead, I stood off to the side and watched him come in looking for me. Then when he looked away, I stepped into his line of sight.

Lord he looks good in a tuxedo.

When he turned to find me standing in front of him, it filled my heart to see him do a double-take. He walked toward me in slow motion smiling like a man in love.

Where did that come from?

“You’re late,”I said, mimicking thePretty Womanscene.

“Your beautiful,” he replied.

“You’re forgiven.” I laughed out loud, surprised by his good sense of humor about it.

“Shall we?” He put out his elbow. “As you know. I’ve seen the movie.”

My cheeks hurt, I was smiling so hard, on the walk to the limo. Gunner was all smiles as we approached, until a camera flash went off. He went from loving grandfather to wild animal, walking over to the cameraman and yanking it from him.

Asher put me in the limo, then casually strolled over to the cameraman and Gunner.

“It’s okay, he can have that shot, Gunner. Thank you for reacting so efficiently,” he said, then turned to the cameraman and told him to get lost before he let Gunner loose on him.

Both men returned to the limo and we pulled away from the curb.

“That was crazy,” I finally said into the silence. “Is that what’s going to happen at the restaurant?”

“Unfortunately, yes it is, but much worse.” He rubbed his hand across his face. “I’m sorry that happened. I don’t know how it got out. The designers came to the penthouse.”

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