Page 21 of Best Mistake Ever
Now Monty’s eyes narrow. “Don’t you have two roommates?”
I can’t believe he remembered that since I’ve only mentioned them maybe once. Twice at most.
“I can’t ask them to stay home all weekend long to babysit. But I’m sure Maggie and Wyatt could watch him for a small fee.”
“I’m sure they could,” he agrees. His friend is a serial slacker who is always between jobs.
“How about a thousand?”
“Dollars?” Monty exclaims.
“Fine. Two-fifty a day.”
“Done,” he says before wincing. “You caught me on an off day.”
That’s the truth. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so…distressed. And stressing is one of Monty’s favorite hobbies. His only hobby?
How far would he go to get me to come along with him to play his fiancée?
“There’s also this really cute cat tree condo I’ve had my eye on for Mr. Jingles. It looks like an actual palm tree.”
It’s the craziest thing I can come up with on the spur of the moment.
Rolling his eyes, Monty asks, “How much is it?”
“It’s a little pricey since its custom made. Five hundred.”
“Fine. Put it on the business card.”
“Really?” I say in surprise.
“Yes. If accounting questions it, tell them Mr. Jingles is our new brand ambassador.”
A gasp slips from me. “Oh my god. Could he really be Crawford’s little mascot?” I ask.
“Yes, fine.” Monty checks his watch, which means his patience is wearing thin. “Anything else?”
“I’m a little worried about you, Monty. This is an enormous lie, you know. I was never good at lying to my mom.”
“You don’t know how persistent my mother can be.”
“I’ve talked to her a few times.”
“What?” he exclaims, blue eyes widening in concern.
“Just when she calls for you.”
“Oh. Right.”
“Well, I’ve got a lot to think about…”
“Go talk it over with Maggie,” he says as he opens the door, then closes it again when I approach it. “Just to be crystal clear, I don’t expect anything from you other than for you to go along with the lie.”
“Don’t worry. I know that, Monty.”
After all, he picked me because I’m not his type, or the type of woman his mother would want for her son.
He may not have come right out and said it, but he’s made as much clear over the years we’ve worked together.
