No Foolin' (Willowdale Romance Novel) Read Online Free PDF Page B

blood drain from her face. “That photographer told everyone you were here.”
    Teague shook his head. “Any photographer would’ve loved an exclusive piece. No, that guy didn’t unleash these hounds.”
    Kate looked to the heavens. What were the penalties for killing a cop? “Tommy. He’s got TV reporter friends in Asheville.”
    “Looks like Chief Larsen made a few phone calls. So much for keeping mum.”
    Kate turned around, trying to count them all. “How did they get here so fast?” She imagined the whispers that would follow her around town when this news broke.
    He frowned. “All the tabloids and magazines have stringers across the country.”
    Kate twisted her hands in her lap. “What do we do?”
    Teague smiled. “I can think of one way to handle this.” He took a deep breath. “Pretend you’re my girlfriend.” His grin widened.
    Kate tried to swallow her laugh. “Oh, I don’t think so, sugar.”
    He raised a hand of reason. “Strictly business. I’ll hire you for the summer to pose as my girlfriend. Today is June fifth, let’s say we break up .  . . August first.”
    “No way.” He was the absolute last person she needed to spend more time with. “I’ve got responsibilities here. I can’t just fly around the world to bail out your behind.” Kate looked out at the throng of reporters. She looked back at Teague. “What’s with the grin?”
    He turned up his hands and shrugged. “They already think you’re my girlfriend,” he said. “So does your cop friend. Oh, and Delores, too. No one’s going to believe you’re not. Plus, that job you were going after is filled.”
    Teague looked way too smug. Kate tried to slow her breathing and find her composure, though it was usually nowhere to be found. She let out a sigh for the ages. “What does being your girlfriend entail?”
    “Like I said, strictly business. But we need to spend some time together and you need to come to the Sunshine Film Fest this week.”
    “Pose as your girlfriend.” She reached for the coffee cup in the console and took a deep gulp. Why couldn’t it have been Scotch? She looked over at Teague. How could she ever go back home when it was over? And how could she agree to be part of such a preposterous lie? It’d be the juiciest gossip to ever hit Willowdale. Folks talked for weeks when Tonya and Tommy had started dating—and then for weeks after they broke up. What would they say about this?
    But then she thought of all that money she needed to keep her mother’s house off the auction block. Kate gently bounced her head against the back of the car seat, trying to lodge some great idea in her brain. But the only solution that seemed possible was Teague’s ridiculous .  . . impossible . . . fool suggestion.
    People were going to be talking about her anyway, once they saw these pictures. Somehow, Teague’s proposal seemed like the sensible thing to do. And Kate was all about sensible these days. It was exhausting, really.
    “Fine,” she said through her teeth. “I’ll pretend to be your girlfriend. But I want ten-thousand dollars.” She raised an eyebrow.
    “Let’s make it twenty.”
    She sucked in a breath. “But only for one month.” She poked his chest with her finger. “And do not think I’m going to fall for you. I have zero interest in someone like you. Let’s make that clear from the get-go.”
    Teague grabbed the finger pressed up against his chest and pulled her knuckles to his mouth. “Sorry, don’t want the press to think the lovebirds are bickering.” He kissed her hand and looked up into her eyes. “And an extra twenty thousand says you will fall for me.”
    She snatched her hand away. “Fall for you? Pigs will not only fly, they’ll open their own airline before that happens. And by the way, I get to break up with you.” She would not suffer another round of sympathy after a humiliating public breakup. This one was going to be on her terms.
    He shrugged. “Go ahead,