urage to go inside. Through the large windows, she could see people in

ed jeans and a black sweater that hid most of the stains. It was the best she cou

nk she wasn't coming. Elena took a deep breath, pushed open the door, and ste

ch as to eat. Elena scanned the room and spotted Julian immediately-he was impossible to miss in his n

ng, which surprised her. Most men

ame controlled tone from last night, but in daylig

into the chair across from him. "H

it once, then returned to her face. "Would you lik

table and tried not to wince at t

e gesture that made servers appear instantly. "Two co

oned his hands flat on the table, perfectly aligned with the edge. When

have questions

for something to do with her nervous energy. "Starting with w

the recommendation of a colleague who said it was the kind of pla

of qualif

." Julian's fingers drummed once against the table before he caught hims

to think about how much this single cu

ed to find someone who can help me with a family situation. Someone who can learn quickly, presen

e you need

hreatened to introduce me to every eligible woman she knows if I don't bring someone home for Christmas. I n

"You want to hire someone to

pensive settings. She'd need to convince my family that she's madly in love with me, which

lling her, something that made his hands clench slightly

just find a r

r. "That's more complica

eems complica

esty surprised

you want to hire some classy girl

ing lik

elling me thi

s coffee cup. "Because I think you might know someone who'd be in

want her for the job-he just thought she might know someone more

ey are we talking

d really sell the performance?" Julian

clink. Several people at nearby tables looked over, but she barely noticed

couldn't fini

f her father's debts, get them both out of the hole they'd been drowning in since

on have to do?" she asked, tr

kind of woman my mother would approve of-refined, educated, from a good family." Julian's expression was careful

hing was fine when bill collectors called, acting tough when she was scared, putting on a brave face when

ve to convince your family that someone l

es

s possible? The tran

ould pull it off. Someone who's already proven she can handle pre

nd. He wasn't just looking for so

nd dollars,"

he day w

etween food and rent, who'd never been grabbed by strangers or had to fight their way out of b

enly, the words tumbling out

inked. "I

ger. "I'm smart, I learn fast, and I've been pretending my whole life. If you nee

customers. This is about fooling some of the most sophisticated people in California. My mother will sc

lazing with determination. "You've got two week

ot that

nervousness burned away by the possibility of escape. "You need someone desperate enough to

lently against the table. Elena could see him weighing options

d to worry he'd changed his mind. When he fina

ly different. New name, new background

nd dollars? I can

a decision that terrified him. "There are

e th

Not my sister, not the staff,

y wo

Expensive dinners, formal events, conversa

l le

love with me." Julian's voice caught slightly. "Th

erfect grooming, she saw something familiar: loneliness. The kind of b

fifty thousand dollars, I'll make

is contacts. "I'll need your number. We have a

ame precision he probably used in surgery. When he finished, h

"I hope you know what you

n their kitchen table, the men who'd started asking when payment was coming.

ing yourself into, too," she said

d he used a napkin to handle the door. Whatever his story was, whatever made a succes

Elena Martinez was ready to