Liars Like Us

44

“No, and I don’t want to.”

“Over two million dollars.”

Dani says, “Oh my God, Ry! What did she just say? And how do you know how much it cost, anyway?”

“It was featured in Car and Driver magazine last month. They said only five hundred of these were made.”

Two million bucks for a car. What a waste of money.

“I guess that means we shouldn’t have cocktails after shopping. A fender bender would probably cost a hundred grand. I’ll have her back in a few hours, Ryan.”

We pull out of the driveway, then head out of Dani’s neighborhood toward the 405, where I realize how dumb it is to own a car that can probably move faster than the speed of light when you live in a city with the most congested freeways in America.

We crawl along in traffic, waving at all the other motorists gawking at us, until we exit on Santa Monica Boulevard and arrive in Beverly Hills.

Then I have my Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman moment, going from one expensive boutique to the next while every salesperson looks at me in horror as if I’m wearing a dress made of fresh turds.

In each case, it’s incredibly satisfying when I slap that black Amex down on the counter.

I have to call Arlo on the batphone for the address of the house to have all the packages sent to because the damn Ferrari doesn’t have a trunk.

By the time we’re finished, it’s dark. We hit the same restaurant where Callum took me to lunch, and lo and behold, Sophie’s working the hostess stand. She brightens when she sees me walking up.

“Miss Eastwood! Welcome in!”

“Hi again, Sophie. How are you?”

“Just great, thanks!”

“You seem great.”

She blushes, clutching a pair of menus to her chest. “I got a raise, thanks to you.”

“Thanks to me? How?”

“Because you told Mr. McCord I deserved one. Right after you left that day, he asked to see my boss. The next thing I know, my boss tells me I’m getting an increase.”

“Wow.” I don’t know what else to say. I’m happy for her, but also surprised. I suppose I shouldn’t be, considering I already know how generous Callum is.

But this is more than generous. It’s thoughtful.

It’s kind.

As he did when he sent the police away from my apartment building, he once again used his rich-person superpowers for good.

If only he wasn’t so irritating the rest of the time.

Sophie seats us, and we have an amazing meal. We talk over everything that’s happened, including what Callum put in the contract about a job for Ryan.

Dani can’t believe it. She also can’t believe Callum said I could have a boyfriend if I wanted.

“I mean, it’s a dream come true. You should buy a lottery ticket. Your luck is incredible.”

“I would, but I don’t need one. I’ve got twenty million in a trust in my name.”

We stare at each other across the table for a moment. She says, “I have to admit, for someone who self-medicates with liquor like an eighties rock star, you’re handling this whole thing extremely well.”

“Only on the outside. On the inside, I’m winning a gold medal in the Panic Olympics.”

“So how long is he going to be gone?”

“No idea.”

“Was it for business?”

“He didn’t tell me. He just left and gave Arlo his credit card.”

She shakes her head in disbelief. “It’s the perfect relationship. He gives you twenty million bucks, tells you that you can do whatever you want, then goes out of town and leaves you a credit card with no limit and a garage full of luxury cars.”

I chuckle, taking a sip of water. “And a whole bunch of rope.”

Dani looks up from her plate of pasta with furrowed brows. “Rope?”

“Yeah, I was snooping around in his dresser drawers and found all these bundles of pretty colored rope in a black case.”

Leaning forward over the table, she says, “You found bundles of colored rope in his dresser drawer?”

“Congratulations. Your ears work. Why do you look so weird?”

She gazes at me in silence for a moment, then starts laughing.

“What the hell is so damn funny?”

“You are.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re not that clueless.”

It’s my turn to furrow my brow. “What are you talking about?”

She sighs, wipes her mouth with her napkin, then throws it on the table in disgust. “Honey, think. What would a man be doing with rope in his bedroom?”

After mulling it over for a moment, I blanch. “Oh shit.”

“Oh s**t is right,” she says, cackling.

My heart palpitating, I go over the conversation Callum and I had in the car, thinking of his surprisingly filthy language and how he said he’d punish me. The idea that he also has a b*****e kink makes me squirm in my chair.

But it’s not as if I need to worry about it, since we won’t be sleeping together.

This marriage is for convenience only. For both of us.

Sex is off the table.

Except I’m pretty sure we both want it, which is going to be a problem.

Dani laughs harder at the expression on my face.

At that moment, the batphone rings. Lying beside my water glass on the table, the strange little thing launches into a sly saxophone rendition of the main theme from The Pink Panther. Then the screen lights up. A single word appears on the pale blue background.

Daddy.

I know immediately who it is.

“No,” I say forcefully, glaring at it. “No way am I calling you Daddy.”

Dani leans over and looks at the screen. Then she snickers. “Maybe it’s your father calling from beyond the grave.”