“Deal.” He pulls out his wallet and places a credit card on the table. “So when would you like to get started on putting in the work, as you called it?”

“I’m available this weekend. I’m thinking we should visit each other’s homes. You can learn a lot about someone by seeing them in their living space. Besides, if we’re supposedly roommates, I should get a sense of your neighborhood and the layout of your place, right?”

He nods as he chews on his bottom lip, then says, “I like the way you think. Text me the times you’re available. I’ll be in the office most of the weekend, but I’ll take a break whenever you need me to.”

“All work and no play makes Dean a dull boy, you know.”

As soon as the words leave my mouth, I know they’re the wrong ones. I may as well be twirling a lock of my hair and batting my eyelashes.

Unbothered by my flirtatious dig, he trails a finger across the scar above his eyebrow and gives me a lopsided grin. “Don’t let my meticulous appearance fool you. I’m never dull when it counts.”

Oof. I don’t appreciate that information. At all. In the hands of someone with a dirty imagination like mine, it’s titillating. And Dean very well knows what he’s insinuating, which makes him dangerous. While I may have some unfinished business to sort out this summer, being this man’s rebound is definitely not in my plans.

I rise from my chair, internally tugging at the net Dean’s thrown over me. I’m doing him a favor. Nothing more. Better to remember that and be on my way. “I’ll see you this weekend. Come prepared to tell me everything I need to know about Dean Chapman that isn’t in the dossier.”

“That’ll take more than a weekend,” he calls after me.

“Too bad,” I call back. “That’s all you’re going to get.”

Chapter Seven

Dean

Saturday afternoon, I’m sitting in my office prepping for an appearance in one of my landlord-tenant clinic cases when I get a text from Max:

I heard.

It’s been two days since Solange agreed to be my fake girlfriend. I’m surprised it took him this long to start poking his nose into the situation.

Me: Heard what?

Max: About you and Solange. The scheme. Shit like this never works. Lina and I know.

Me: I don’t have a choice. I fucked up. You know what making partner means to me.

Max: Right.

Me: This isn’t a game, it’s my future.

Max: I know.

Me: It’s only a few fake dates.

Max: Make sure it stays that way.

Me: Okay.

Max: I mean it, D. You do not want to get on Lina’s bad side.

Me: She has a good one?

Me: Kidding.