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Lauder inched his hands into his pockets. “I need your help.”
Willow’s head slowly turned toward him, uncertainty dancing on her pretty face. “My help?”
“Let’s sit,” he said, resting his hand on the small of her back and leading her to the sofa.
For the next several minutes, Lauder explained everything to Willow. He couldn’t read the stony expression on her face. Was she considering his proposal or thinking he was crazy as hell?
Then out of the blue, she laughed. This wasn’t a ha-ha-you’re-funny kind of laugh. It was a struggle-to-catch-your-breath, aching-sides, belly roll.
“You’re not serious,” she said between fits.
Lauder leaned forward and rested his elbows on his thighs. “As a heart attack.”
Willow’s amusement dried up, and she eyed him with a gaped mouth. “There are a thousand women who I’m sure would jump at the opportunity to play your love interest.” Her brow furrowed. “Why me?”
He shrugged. “We have history.” Maybe not the best, but history nonetheless. And chemistry. But he kept that part to himself. She didn’t need him to point out something he was sure she felt, too. Such a potent attraction was hard to ignore or deny.
“Huh.” Her gaze slid away. “I’m not...” Her words trailed off. “No. I can’t—”
“I know this is a lot to process. Don’t answer now. Take some time to think about it. This could benefit the both of us.”
She whipped her head toward him. “How in the world could this possibly benefit me?”
He debated whether or not to mention what Chuck had told him about her adoption attempts, but deciding it would help strengthen his case, he said, “I know you’re trying to adopt.”
Willow pushed her brows together. “Should I even bother asking how you know this?”
“It doesn’t matter, Willow. All that matters is I may be able to help.” Lauder could see her mulling his words over in her head. To sweeten the deal, he added, “There are perks to dating a politician,” and hoped she’d agree.
“You’re okay with deceiving your constituents?” She gave a single, humorless laugh. “Of course you are. You wouldn’t have approached me with this if you weren’t.”
Chuck’s passionate argument had persuaded Lauder to go along with this needing-a-girlfrend-to-improve-his-image charade, but the judgment present in Willow’s voice made him question whether or not he’d done the right thing. Standing, he moved back to the window. “Do a little harm to perform a lot of good,” he mumbled more to himself.
“What?”
Lauder turned to Willow. “Nothing.” Sliding his hands into his pockets, he said, “I have big plans for this state, Willow. Including the foster care system. Especially the foster care system. A system that failed you. A system that failed me. A system that’s still failing kids every single day. You have seen this firsthand.” Offering his hand, he said, “I’ll escort you back downstairs.”
She ignored his outstretched arm. “I can find my own way.”
It was evident she was attempting to escape him, so he didn’t protest. A second later, she was gone. And he doubted he would ever hear from her again.
Willow hadn’t slept well for the past two days. Every time she placed her head on the pillow and closed her eyes, Lauder’s handsome face filled her thoughts, along with the ridiculous request he’d made. Pretend to be his significant other. For votes.
Clearly, he hadn’t changed all that much. The same old deceptive Lauder Tolson, just in larger and more exquisite packaging. She punched the mound of clay she’d been working on, chastising herself for finding him so attractive and being unable to ignore the intense chemistry between them.
“Uh-oh. Whenever you knead clay like that, all rough and barbarian-like, you’re upset,” Hannah said, moving up behind Willow.
Willow hadn’t shared with Hannah the conversation she’d had with Lauder. Not because she didn’t trust her best friend with the information, but because she was still in shock by it herself. “It’s nothing.”
“Out with it.”
Willow really didn’t want to discuss it, but on the other hand, she did. She needed to vent to someone about just how insane this all was. She sighed and faced Hannah. “Total secrecy.” It was something they said when what would follow had to be taken to the grave.
“I understand,” Hannah replied.
Willow spent the next twenty minutes telling the story as it had been told to her. Including the part about them both benefitting from this ludicrous scheme. At the end, she waited for Hannah to burst out laughing just as she had. Nothing.
“And you said no?” Hannah said.
“Of course I did. This proposition is insane. I won’t get caught up in his web of deceit.”
“Let’s discuss the pros and cons of such an arrangement.”
She must have been nuts for even entertaining Hannah, but she sighed and nodded.
“Con: you’d have to give up this thing with Reggie. But if he’s as lousy in bed as you claim he is, that shouldn’t be much of a hardship.”
“He’s not lousy in bed. He’s just...unadventurous.”
Hannah grinned. “I bet Lauder is plenty adventurous.” She bounced her brows twice. “Anyway, severing ties with Reggie might not be such a bad thing. It could definitely be a pro.”
Reggie was familiar. They both got what they wanted, then went their separate ways, until they needed more. Out of curiosity, Willow inquired, “Why?”
“Because he’s falling for you.”
Willow laughed. “What? No, he’s not. Reggie and I are just friends with occasional benefits.”
“You may not see it, because ‘just friends’ is what you agreed to, but he has a thing for you.”
Could Hannah actually be right? Was Reggie falling for her? The idea might have put a smile on most women’s faces. Not hers. She didn’t want any arrangement she couldn’t easily walk away from. She didn’t do attachments. In her mind, they exposed you to potential heartbreak. Something she’d had far too much of in her life.
Hannah’s words broke into Willow’s racing thoughts.
“Lauder was right, you know? There could be a major perk to dating him.”
“Like what?”
“Your adoption application. Or have you forgotten about that?”
Of course she hadn’t. It always lingered in the forefront of her thoughts. Waiting for that call revealing whether or not she’d be allowed to give a child the love she’d never had was daily torture. “No, I haven’t forgotten. You know I want to adopt a child more than anything in this world.”
“Lauder’s proposition could be the answer. A senatorial candidate has clout.”
For the first time, Lauder’s proposal had her attention. But it only lasted briefly. “I don’t agree with what he’s doing.”
“But we can agree that it’s not the worst thing in the world. If it’s not you, babe, it’ll be someone else.”
For some crazy reason, the idea of another woman playing the role she’d been handpicked for troubled her more than it should. Actually, it shouldn’t have