Free Irresistible? by Stephanie Bond Page A

glance. “Have you?”
    â€œNo,” she said quickly, not that it mattered to him anyway.
    â€œWho’s Manny?”
    For a split second, Ellie felt pleased he even cared, but his concentration on the road and casual tone indicated he was just making conversation. “Just an old friend,” she said and Mark nodded lazily, clearly uninterested. Her heart sank. “Is your mother a widow?”
    â€œYes,” Mark said, frowning slightly. “Dad died three years ago.”
    â€œI’m sorry,” Ellie said. “Were you close to him?”
    â€œAs close as you can be to someone with whom you have nothing in common.”
    Ellie felt a stirring of kinship. “My father was never around when I was growing up, either.”
    Mark’s low laugh held no humor. “Mine was always around. Couldn’t seem to keep a job. He was a great man, but a lousy provider.”
    â€œWhere do you live?” Ellie asked, searching for firmer ground.
    She thought she saw his lips tighten. “Dunwoody,” he said.
    He didn’t have to add “in a big, expensive home.” The one word said it all. “Do you have a large yard?” Ellie asked.
    Mark glanced at her sideways. “I suppose so.”
    â€œTrees?”
    â€œUh-huh.”
    â€œWhat kinds of plants and flowers?”
    Mark shrugged. “The usual stuff—azaleas, forsythia, a few bulb flowers and lots of ground cover. I might build a gazebo this fall.”
    â€œThat sounds nice,” Ellie said, and meant it. Room for a large herb garden was the only thing she yearned for that apartment living couldn’t give her.
    â€œI like it,” Mark said, his voice tight.
    From his manner, Ellie concluded he probably didn’t want her discussing domestic things like gardens and homes with his mother.
    â€œHow exactly do you want me to act?” Ellie asked. “And what should I talk about?”
    Mark smiled again, and she felt a rush of pleasure. “You’ve got a mom,” he said. “You’ll know what to say and how to act.”
    â€œDon’t you feel guilty about lying to your mother?”
    Mark shook his head. “I know my mom. It’s only when I’m not seeing anyone that she panics and puts me on a guilt trip because she doesn’t have grandchildren. The minute I do meet someone, she scolds me for neglecting my career and says I’ve got plenty of time to get married.” He relaxed his hands lower on the wheel. “I’d rather not have to stage this little charade, but no one’s getting hurt.”
    Ellie bit her tongue, and a little sliver of disappointment shook her heart. Speak for yourself, Mark Blackwell. She’d promised him a wacky performance for his money, but deep down she wished today could be different. It was easy to imagine herself as Mark’s girlfriend, on her way to meet his family at a picnic. But, a deal was a deal, and today she’d be everything Mark Blackwell wouldn’t want in a partner. The bad thing about it was, she wouldn’t have to do much of an acting job. She realized, for the most part, just being herself would be suitably unsuitable.
    Gloria Blackwell strutted out to the car exactly as Ellie had envisioned. Buxom and conservatively dressed in a shapeless jumper. Neat hair in a low bun. Plump elbows and arms full of pot holders and steaming casserole dishes.
    Gloria gave Ellie’s outfit a long glance, then offered a shaky smile. Introductions were cheery and forced. Gloria asked Ellie to move to the back seat of Mark’s sedan, citing her perpetual car sickness as the reason she needed the front passenger seat. As Ellie moved to oblige, she heard the woman whisper to Mark, “Isn’t she going to miss her prom?”
    â€œBe nice,” Mark whispered back.
    Ellie smiled wryly. This would be the easiest money she’d ever made. The thought did not ease her conscience.
    â€œEllie,