Page 43 of Fake Dating Mr. Prince

I hung my head. “I searched, Henri, and I can’t find it anywhere. But that’s not all of it. She said something I’ve been wracking my brain trying to figure out where I’d heard it before. It came to me this morning, I’m ninety-nine percent sure my mystery girl said it at the ball.”

“What was it?”

“Something about when things get bad, they’re about to get better.”

“It could be a coincidence.” Henri didn’t sound convinced.

“I realize that, but that wasn’t the only tip-off. She kissed me.”

“She kissed you? No fucking way. Why are you saving all the good stuff for last?”

“Oh, shut it.” Henri had always been one for dramatics. “Yeah, and those lips. I know my memory might be blurry, but I swear it felt like her.”

“Holy shit. And she hasn’t said anything to you about the ball?”

I yanked the towel from around my neck and tossed it into a nearby bin. “No, which is why I think I’m making this up. If she recognized me, she’d say something right?”

“Maybe she’s waiting for you to say something?”

“Henri, she’s the one that took off. Not me. Maybe she doesn’t want to be found.” God, I wanted to ask her why she left without a word. I wanted to kiss her again, touch her, feel her close to me. Hell, the list of the things I wanted to do with her was long. Very, very long.

“Or maybe she’s not the same as those vapid women you choose to date,” Henri grumbled. “If that’s the case, then I approve of her already. There are plenty of reasons why she could’ve taken off. Since when are you a chicken shit? Ask her. You’re not doing yourself any favors sitting on your ass and doing nothing about it.”

“You make it sound so easy.”

“It is, moron. She technically works for you, Dean. Maybe she’s afraid to say something and get fired.”

“Maybe.” I hadn’t thought of that.

“Are you attracted to her? With or without her being your mystery woman?”

“Fairly certain.” Fuck, she was all I could think about when I was lying in bed alone. There was no doubt about my attraction for her. My dick reminded me several times a day how attracted I was.

“What’s holding you back?”

“She’s different. I know my mystery girl walked away after our night together, but this girl...Ashlyn doesn’t seem like the type to be one and done.”

“Well, there’s only one way to find out.” I could picture him rubbing his hands together in glee. “And I, for one, am dying to know what happens.”

I laughed. “Yeah, you and me both.”

Henri joined in. His chuckle echoed around the room. “God, wouldn’t it be crazy and amazing if she is one and the same?”

It would be. But I didn’t want to get my hopes up. “Yeah, I’m probably totally wrong though, and will thoroughly embarrass myself.”

“And that’s new how?”

“Shut up.” There was a distinct advantage and disadvantage of being friends with someone since your early twenties—they knew all the stupid shit you’ve done over the years.

“And if she is your mystery woman, you already know you have an intense attraction to each other.”

I raised my brow. “Where are you going with this, Henri?”

“Do you think she might be willing to help you out?”

“How so?” I had no idea what Henri was suggesting.

“Maybe she’d pretend to date you. You mentioned she seems different than most of the girls you’ve been with. Besides that, and most importantly, your mystery woman was clearly okay with walking away after a one-night stand. She’s less likely to develop real feelings for you, and you can then keep your cold, dark heart from cracking open.”