Page 40 of The Billionaire's Heart

“The girl from your office the other day? Mackenzie something-or-other.”

“She’s not, not has she ever been, my girlfriend. She wants to be, but that will never happen, Mia. I promise.”

“Are you sure?”

He nods, “I’m sure.”

Relieved, I release my held breath, “Thank you.”

“But the same goes for you, as well.”

To break the mood, I decide to joke with him. “You’re right. I promise no women for me, too.”

“Hilarious.” He says deadpan. “I’m serious. No other men for you.”

“Deal.” Not that there was any danger of it, but I’ll let him think he won this one.

We stare at each other and I’m not sure what’s happening, but it feels more like we’ve made some kind of vow to each other, and this shit is getting real, quickly.

“Mr. Gallo. Dinner is ready when you are,” Paula says from the other side of the patio from where we’re sitting.

He nods quickly and I hear Paula go back into the house and leave us alone again. “Mia, I cannot tell you how much you doing this means to me.”

I only nod. What does a girl say to the guy who’s going to pay her a million dollars to be his fake fiancé?

He stands and pulls me up and into his arms and into a hug. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

After a few moments, he pulls back and looks at me and I think he may kiss me. I don’t think that’s a good idea because I don’t want to lose my heart in all of this, and I easily could without blinking an eye. But, god, do I want him to kiss me in the worst way.

Keeping Ian at an arm’s distance will be what saves both me and my bridal shop.

And my heart.

Chapter 20

Ian

I’m about to kiss Mia when my saving grace suddenly storms through the patio doors and onto the deck where Mia and I are standing.

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Why am I not the FIRST person you call? Why, Ian? How can I control this… this… mess,” she flails her arms around, “if you don’t call me? Why?” Brinna says as she approaches both of us.

“Brinna.” I try to calm her down, but once she’s on a rampage, it’s just best to let her rant.

“Don’t you dare ‘Brinna’ me, Ian. This is exactly what you pay me a shit ton of money for, but how am I supposed to help manage this if I don’t know about it until the press — THE PRESS, IAN — is blowing up my office?”

I take Mia’s hand, “Brinna Stewart, meet my fiancé, Mia McIntosh. Mia, this is Brinna, my very angry publicist.”

“You’re damn right I’m angry.” Brinna says and turns to Mia and holds out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Mia.”

“Hello.” Mia shakes her hand.

I lead Mia into the house. “Brinna, would you like to join us for dinner? We’re having Thai food.”

I can hear her huff and stomp her feet behind us. “Yes, I would, since we need to talk about a few things. Mia, do you mind if I join you?”

“No, of course not.”