Page 52 of Face Off With Fate

“What can I say, Trouble? I’m feelin’ a bit needy.”

Holy fuck.

I was like a live wire under his gaze. The air crackled with tension. I opened my mouth to say something I definitely shouldn’t, when a squeaky wheel cut me off.

“Okay, I have the food,” Goldie announced. She donned a pair of mismatched plastic heels, a tiara, and a mini apron that read “Daddy’s Little Helper.”

The heat rising in the room abruptly cooled.

“Daddy, what you wanna eat?”

“Wow.” He looked over the side of the table, peering into the metal basket with a face like he was really thinking through his decision. “You’ve got a lot of great choices here, Golds⁠—”

“Chef,” she corrected, in the same deadpan voice I’d heard her father use.

“My apologies, Chef.” Monroe’s eyes found mine. “We watch a lot of Beat Bobby Flay, too,” he explained. “Well, Chef, I’ll take your corn on the cob, and my beautiful date here will take your cake.”

Blood rushed in my ears. Beautiful.

Was that for the role-playing, or had we never really been doing that?

“No, Dad, Gracie gets to order her own food,” Goldie said.

Neither of us looked at her.

We were locked in another stare down, but this one charged with something other than irritation.

“Yeah, usually you’re right, Golds, but Graciella was going to order the cake. Weren’t you?”

Monroe’s smile was like a shot of adrenaline straight to the heart—and maybe between my thighs.

“You don’t know that.” I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to hide how my heart pounded behind my ribs.

“But I do. You’re the type of woman who’d order dessert first because others would tell you not to. Am I right?” he asked, daring me to deny it.

Water. Water would have been ideal in that moment, because I was swallowing desperately, trying to moisten my throat to throw back a retort.

“Gracie?” Goldie’s little voice broke whatever weird moment we were having. “Dis what you want?” She held out the plastic piece of cake dotted with pink frosting and strawberries.

“Yeah, Golden Girl. I’ll have the cake.”

FIFTEEN

MONROE

HE’S ON A DATE WITH SOMEONE ELSE BUT CAN ONLY THINK ABOUT HER >>>.

Graciella:

DON’T GRUNT

Graciella:

Make sure you don’t frown the whole time. There’s going to be ppl snapping photos.

Graciella:

How’s it going?! It’s been like an hour. This is message number 3 already…