shame,â Violet said. âNot that you donât have a date for the evening,â she hastened to clarify, âbut that you date women who donât have enough brains to recognize the difference between fact and fiction.â
He frowned at that, obviously wondering if that was a dig at him, too. Which, of course, it was. But he said nothing, evidently thinking that best. Good man.
âSorry I canât help you out,â she told him. âBut Iâm not a dating service.â
He smiled at that. Well, okay, it was actually more like gritting his teeth. But she was going to give him the benefitof the doubtâunlike some Chicago business magnates she knewâand go for smile. âNo, youâre certainly not a dating service,â he agreed. âBut Iâm not here because I want you to fix me up with someone. Iâm here because you owe me.â
It took a moment for his meaning to gel in Violetâs muddy brain. âYou want me to go to this thing with you?â she asked incredulously.
âNo, I donât want that. But I donât have much choice. No other woman in town will be seen with me, thanks to you. And going to this thing alone would only illustrate that fact to everyone there.â
âWell, sorry, but I already have plans for the evening,â she said. âMaybe next time you could call first. Surely if you can figure out where I live, you can locate my phone number. Both are unlisted, after all.â
She started to push the door closed, but his hand shot out, his palm flattening against it, and he pushed it effortlessly to its limit again. âI donât think you understand, Ms. Tandy,â he said. âYou seem to think you have a choice in the matter. Like me, you donât.â
She turned her shoulder to the door and pushed as hard as she could. It didnât budge. She told herself it was because she couldnât get any traction on the hardwood floor wearing socks. But she didnât really believe herself. With a fretful sigh, she gave up and looked through the gap in the door again.
âYou owe me,â he said again. âAnd Iâm not leaving until you pay up.â
Oh, she really didnât like the sound of that. âDo you honestly think Iâd open my door to you after you say something like that? Not every woman is as dumb as Marta, you know.â
He narrowed his eyes. âI need an escort to the fundraiser tonight. I figure since it was your damned book that put mein this situation, and since thatâs how you used to make your living, you can help me out by going in Martaâs place. Itâs the least you can do.â
Actually, the least she could do was slam the door in his face, but sheâd already tried that and failed. It wasnât her fault Marta had bailed on him. The woman obviously wasnât the sharpest knife in the drawer. Gavin should be grateful she had bailed on him. Heâd made clear his disdain for Violet, so why would he even want her to fill in for the woman whoâd dumped him? That made no sense.
As if heâd read her mind, he said, âIâve called every woman I know. None of them will even take my calls. The ones who havenât read your damned book have heard enough gossip to know Iâm in it, and none of them wants anything to do with me anymore. The only reason no one rescinded my invitation to the fundraiser tonight is because Iâm one of their biggest donors. Money talks, even louder than gossip. Except among women who are easily slighted.â
Something in his voice almostâ almost âmade Violet feel bad for him. Until she remembered he was threatening her with a lawsuit that could upend her entire life and destroy a dream future she was that close to turning into a reality.
âCan I come in?â he asked, sounding almostâ almost âsolicitous. âI have a proposition for you.â
Oh, she bet he did. So much