phone call , maybe we’ll actually make it to the restaurant tonight.”
Papa Bear walked up and handed over her things. He eyed Travis’ car, then gave the younger man a deliberate look as he said, “Take care of her, and drive safe.” Turning back to Cara, his face relaxed into a gentle smile. “Keep me updated so I don’t worry.” His smile turned playful as he added, “I don’t need to know what you’re doing, just that you’re safe.”
She smiled and stepped to him to give him a hug. “Of course, Papa Bear. Thanks for worrying about us. And thank you so much for helping me negotiate with Magnus last month, and then navigate everything today. I don’t know what I’d have done without you.”
He looked embarrassed. “It’s what I’m here for.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “Yes, I know it’s your job, but you do so much more than I think anyo ne expects. You care about us, and it shows. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Have fun.”
Chapter Ten
Dinner was something straight out of a fairy tale, and the conversation flowed easily between them. They talked about her art, his tech projects , and the graphic jobs she’d been doing.
A heavyset man walked up and snapped their picture while they ate, and a manager quickly escorted him out. The restaurant owner apologized profusely before the manager had the man out the door , offering to provide their dinner free, but Travis smiled and said, “Nonsense, these things happen. If you could just help us with our exit when it’s time to go?”
Once the owner and manager left them alone, Travis looked at Cara apologetically, placing his hand over hers as he said, “I’m sorry, but it appears the paparazzi have noticed I’m on a date. I don’t know how many’ll be outside the restaurant, but try not to look at them, and don’t say anything. They’ll bring the car as close to the door as they can, and I’ll walk you to the passenger side and put you in.”
Her stomach dropped to her feet. “Am I going to be all over the gossip sites again?”
He nodded. “I’m afraid so. The restaurant won’t take any new reservations until we leave, to keep anyone else from disturbing our meal. We can’t stay in here forever though, and the longer we’re here the more photographers we’ll have to face when we leave.” He sighed. “Once another picture of us together goes live they’ll assume we’ve had more than the two dates they’ve seen, and we’ll have a handful of the nosy bastards assigned to us for a while. I’m so sorry.”
“Why do they care? I don’t get it?”
He shrugged. “Gossip about my sex life sells, apparently. I was...” he stopped, took a breath, and started again. “I knew you wouldn’t tell them, before. You were mad, but I still trusted you. Thank you for that — for not telling my secrets. I know they never found out who you were, so they didn’t offer you anything personally, but you have to know the y’d have paid handsomely for... yeah. You do remember, if someone offers you money you can come to me and I’ll match it, right?”
She brandished her hand, brushing his comment away. “I promised I wouldn’t tell, so I didn’t.” She paused, and added, “I don’t want your money, Travis. There’s no reason you’d have to give me quiet money to get me to keep my word.”
She put her head in her hands. “Oh, god. They’ll get it started all over again that I’m a high priced whore. Shit.”
He sighed. “I’ll get my PR people on it when we get in the car. They’re pretty good at damage control. I should warn you, once they get your name, your website will be hammered.” He sighed again, looking stricken as he seemed to realize something.
“You’ve been seen in that dress by a whole lot of journalists and society people this evening. There’s a much better chance the assholes will find out who you are this time. If you want to edit or
Papa Bear walked up and handed over her things. He eyed Travis’ car, then gave the younger man a deliberate look as he said, “Take care of her, and drive safe.” Turning back to Cara, his face relaxed into a gentle smile. “Keep me updated so I don’t worry.” His smile turned playful as he added, “I don’t need to know what you’re doing, just that you’re safe.”
She smiled and stepped to him to give him a hug. “Of course, Papa Bear. Thanks for worrying about us. And thank you so much for helping me negotiate with Magnus last month, and then navigate everything today. I don’t know what I’d have done without you.”
He looked embarrassed. “It’s what I’m here for.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “Yes, I know it’s your job, but you do so much more than I think anyo ne expects. You care about us, and it shows. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Have fun.”
Chapter Ten
Dinner was something straight out of a fairy tale, and the conversation flowed easily between them. They talked about her art, his tech projects , and the graphic jobs she’d been doing.
A heavyset man walked up and snapped their picture while they ate, and a manager quickly escorted him out. The restaurant owner apologized profusely before the manager had the man out the door , offering to provide their dinner free, but Travis smiled and said, “Nonsense, these things happen. If you could just help us with our exit when it’s time to go?”
Once the owner and manager left them alone, Travis looked at Cara apologetically, placing his hand over hers as he said, “I’m sorry, but it appears the paparazzi have noticed I’m on a date. I don’t know how many’ll be outside the restaurant, but try not to look at them, and don’t say anything. They’ll bring the car as close to the door as they can, and I’ll walk you to the passenger side and put you in.”
Her stomach dropped to her feet. “Am I going to be all over the gossip sites again?”
He nodded. “I’m afraid so. The restaurant won’t take any new reservations until we leave, to keep anyone else from disturbing our meal. We can’t stay in here forever though, and the longer we’re here the more photographers we’ll have to face when we leave.” He sighed. “Once another picture of us together goes live they’ll assume we’ve had more than the two dates they’ve seen, and we’ll have a handful of the nosy bastards assigned to us for a while. I’m so sorry.”
“Why do they care? I don’t get it?”
He shrugged. “Gossip about my sex life sells, apparently. I was...” he stopped, took a breath, and started again. “I knew you wouldn’t tell them, before. You were mad, but I still trusted you. Thank you for that — for not telling my secrets. I know they never found out who you were, so they didn’t offer you anything personally, but you have to know the y’d have paid handsomely for... yeah. You do remember, if someone offers you money you can come to me and I’ll match it, right?”
She brandished her hand, brushing his comment away. “I promised I wouldn’t tell, so I didn’t.” She paused, and added, “I don’t want your money, Travis. There’s no reason you’d have to give me quiet money to get me to keep my word.”
She put her head in her hands. “Oh, god. They’ll get it started all over again that I’m a high priced whore. Shit.”
He sighed. “I’ll get my PR people on it when we get in the car. They’re pretty good at damage control. I should warn you, once they get your name, your website will be hammered.” He sighed again, looking stricken as he seemed to realize something.
“You’ve been seen in that dress by a whole lot of journalists and society people this evening. There’s a much better chance the assholes will find out who you are this time. If you want to edit or
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