Page 68 of Fake Dating Mr. Prince

“Oh yeah. That was the most excited I think I’ve ever seen you.” Jaxon was the more serious one of our crew.

He bumped my shoulder with his own. “Asshole.”

I grinned.

“The University is putting pressure on me to write a journal article about it. Especially after I signed over temporary ownership to them in exchange for them finding someone to work with me.”

“You must really need their help. I didn’t think you’d let that book go.” I chuckled. He was not amused.

“Technically, the rights revert to me. Otherwise, I’d never have signed it. We know one person who’s an expert, but we haven’t been able to locate him. I’m hoping the University, with its resources and connections, can help.”

“If they’re willing to help, what’s the big deal?”

“There are some discrepancies with the authenticity. They’re trying to find someone that can help me who not only can authenticate it but knows the language. If they can’t find the guy I’ve been looking for, we’ll need to find someone else.” He heaved a heavy sigh.

I knew there was more, so I crossed my arms over my chest and waited. My problems could also wait.

“I can’t move the book.”

“What do you mean? You pick it up, carry it and put it in your car.” I teased him. Trying to get him out of the solemn mood he was now in.

He laughed. “Jerk. It needs some restoration. If I move it before, I might damage it.”

“I’m still lost, man. What the fuck does this have to do with why you’re frustrated?”

“The person they find will have to stay with me. I already relocated it to my family’s summer cottage before I signed their paperwork.”

Jaxon had grown up with as much wealth as I had. His summer cottage was a mini-mansion. His mother was from England and liked to refer to that home as their summer cottage, and the name stuck. It was far out in a rural area of New York. “You do not do the roommate thing well.”

“I know. I hate sharing my space.”

“Dude,” I chuckled. “You’re like a beast about it.”

He sighed again. “Enough about me. What’s going on with you?” Jaxon asked.

“I’m fine.”

He snorted. “Seriously? You were like a giddy school girl Saturday night. Trouble in paradise already?”

“I don’t friggin’ know. Things were perfect Saturday. Then Sunday, BAM, it’s like she wants nothing to do with me. I don’t get it.” I clenched my jaw so tight it hurt. No matter how often I replayed the weekend over in my mind I still wasn’t able to see where it went wrong.

“And you weren’t a dick to her? You don’t do relationships. Maybe you’re a little rusty.”

“Bullshit, I’m rusty.” I shot him an annoyed glare. “Things were good.” I shoved my phone at him to let him read our text messages from Saturday night until today.

“I don’t need to read you sexting each other.”

“Just read it, Asshole.”

His fingers scrolled fast as he read. Finally, he raised his eyebrows. “Yeah, she’s hot and cold. Maybe she changed her mind?”

I breathed a heavy sigh through my nose. I thought we had a good thing going when I’d left on Saturday. “I can’t see why. It’s not real.”

Jaxon turned his head to look at me. “Come again?”

I decided to come clean. I needed someone to talk to about all this, and it was hard to connect with Henri with the time difference. “Ashlyn and I both need each other’s help. My image repaired by exclusively dating her and projecting a wholesome reformed bad boy to the board, and she gets the start-up funds for her business.”

My friend’s eyes narrowed. “Did you give her the money already?”