“He can’t be too tall. You’d like to be able to look him in the eye. Equality is very important to you. He must have nice teeth because smiles are essential. He must think with his heart, not his head.” He sipped his drink. “An artistic type, perhaps, with or without money and have lots of charm.”
“I don’t go for artistic types. He doesn’t need to make as much as I do, but I would like him to have a steady income.”
“And he must be kind, handsome and love your mother.”
“No.”
“No? You don’t want a kind—”
“I want the first two, but he doesn’t have to love my mother. I love her dearly, but she’d drive any man insane.”
“There’s no father in the picture?”
“He left for other reasons, but her habit of driving men batty may have been one of them.” Brenna concentrated on her food, feeling his eyes on her. “Stop that.”
He glanced away. “I can’t do anything about my height, however I do have a stable job, I am in line for a promotion, and I’m handsome, charming and kind. I think I’ll do.”
She pointed her fork at him. “You forgot something.”
“What?”
“I haven’t seen you smile yet.”
To her surprise he looked embarrassed. “I’m afraid that’s not my strong point.” “Are you missing teeth?”
“No. It just doesn’t suit me.”
“Your smile doesn’t suit you?”
“That’s right.”
“That’s not possible. Everyone’s smile suits them in some way.”
He shook his head. “Okay, so there are two strikes against me, but I make up for them by getting along with parents, especially mothers. They love me.”
“You have to...” She stopped and fell forward. “What did you say?”
He began to repeat himself. “Okay, so there are two strikes—”
She waved her fork. “No, no about mothers.”
“They love me.”
She stared at him as a devious idea formed in her mind. She quickly shook her head. “No, I couldn’t.”
“Couldn’t what?”
It was a terrible, but tempting idea. If she could present Hunter as her boyfriend her mother would finally leave her in peace. Unfortunately, then she’d have to go to the banquet as his fiancée. She grabbed a roll and began to butter it. “Forget it.”
“Brenna—?”
“It’s nothing. So what are you looking for in a woman?” She expected a prompt reply. He surprised her by leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes.
“Medium height, healthy build, light brown hair.” He opened one eye. “I like a little imperfection, limps are nice.”
She stared at him stunned then laughed. Her limp was something people tried to ignore, he made it part of her appeal. Her heart swelled.
“The banquet is in two weeks so we’ll—”
“I didn’t say I would go.”
“I’ll pick you up in my Porsche.”
“I don’t care what car you drive.”
His expression turned serious. “A Porsche isn’t a car. It’s a driving experience.”
She bit her lip. “I beg your pardon.”
“Her name is Rhonda Goodnight.”
“That sounds like a porn star.” She shook her head before he could reply. “I don’t want to know.”
“It’s an interesting story.”
“I don’t care.”
He shrugged. “There will be a champagne waterfall, a spiraling staircase—”
Brenna clicked her tongue in pity. “And you standing there all alone.”
“I’ll buy your dress.”
She set her utensils down, feeling herself weaken. “Why me?”
“You fit my qualifications.”
She picked up her fork as her thoughts of romance disintegrated.
“Besides they’ll be expecting you.”
“They’ll be expecting me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I already described you and gave them your name.”
“That was presumptuous.”
“I was being optimistic.”
Brenna nodded. “Well, since it will be a night of lies you can find someone to pretend to be me.”
Hunter stared at her in consideration. “Why won’t you come?”
“Because the idea is ludicrous and second I’m not sure I like
“I don’t go for artistic types. He doesn’t need to make as much as I do, but I would like him to have a steady income.”
“And he must be kind, handsome and love your mother.”
“No.”
“No? You don’t want a kind—”
“I want the first two, but he doesn’t have to love my mother. I love her dearly, but she’d drive any man insane.”
“There’s no father in the picture?”
“He left for other reasons, but her habit of driving men batty may have been one of them.” Brenna concentrated on her food, feeling his eyes on her. “Stop that.”
He glanced away. “I can’t do anything about my height, however I do have a stable job, I am in line for a promotion, and I’m handsome, charming and kind. I think I’ll do.”
She pointed her fork at him. “You forgot something.”
“What?”
“I haven’t seen you smile yet.”
To her surprise he looked embarrassed. “I’m afraid that’s not my strong point.” “Are you missing teeth?”
“No. It just doesn’t suit me.”
“Your smile doesn’t suit you?”
“That’s right.”
“That’s not possible. Everyone’s smile suits them in some way.”
He shook his head. “Okay, so there are two strikes against me, but I make up for them by getting along with parents, especially mothers. They love me.”
“You have to...” She stopped and fell forward. “What did you say?”
He began to repeat himself. “Okay, so there are two strikes—”
She waved her fork. “No, no about mothers.”
“They love me.”
She stared at him as a devious idea formed in her mind. She quickly shook her head. “No, I couldn’t.”
“Couldn’t what?”
It was a terrible, but tempting idea. If she could present Hunter as her boyfriend her mother would finally leave her in peace. Unfortunately, then she’d have to go to the banquet as his fiancée. She grabbed a roll and began to butter it. “Forget it.”
“Brenna—?”
“It’s nothing. So what are you looking for in a woman?” She expected a prompt reply. He surprised her by leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes.
“Medium height, healthy build, light brown hair.” He opened one eye. “I like a little imperfection, limps are nice.”
She stared at him stunned then laughed. Her limp was something people tried to ignore, he made it part of her appeal. Her heart swelled.
“The banquet is in two weeks so we’ll—”
“I didn’t say I would go.”
“I’ll pick you up in my Porsche.”
“I don’t care what car you drive.”
His expression turned serious. “A Porsche isn’t a car. It’s a driving experience.”
She bit her lip. “I beg your pardon.”
“Her name is Rhonda Goodnight.”
“That sounds like a porn star.” She shook her head before he could reply. “I don’t want to know.”
“It’s an interesting story.”
“I don’t care.”
He shrugged. “There will be a champagne waterfall, a spiraling staircase—”
Brenna clicked her tongue in pity. “And you standing there all alone.”
“I’ll buy your dress.”
She set her utensils down, feeling herself weaken. “Why me?”
“You fit my qualifications.”
She picked up her fork as her thoughts of romance disintegrated.
“Besides they’ll be expecting you.”
“They’ll be expecting me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I already described you and gave them your name.”
“That was presumptuous.”
“I was being optimistic.”
Brenna nodded. “Well, since it will be a night of lies you can find someone to pretend to be me.”
Hunter stared at her in consideration. “Why won’t you come?”
“Because the idea is ludicrous and second I’m not sure I like
Similar Books
