“Marisa, could I have a minute?” My hands shake as I grip the door handle. This is the first time we’ve met since she gave the ask to Valerie.

She looks up from her screen and frowns. “I suppose.”

A vicious stab of embarrassment cuts through me, but I push it aside. I know that what I’m about to say will redeem me.

“I have good news,” I say, taking a seat. “Archer Stratton has agreed to consider our proposal.”

Marisa’s mouth falls open.

“I even have a verbal agreement,” I add.

“How…but when?” Marisa sputters.

I smile. “This past Thursday. I was going to tell you Friday, but I wanted to put together a draft agreement first.” I extract a sheet of paper from my leather portfolio and slide it across the desk.

Marisa stares it, her mouth still agape as she grabs the draft. Her eyes flick over the words for a moment before looking at me. “He agreed to begin payments as early as next month?”

I nod. Damn right, he did.

Her face transforms into a smile. “Quinn, I’m thrilled! And shocked!” She leans forward and takes my hand. “How did you manage this? Valerie met with him, and he was awful. The poor girl couldn’t get anywhere.”

“Poor girl?” “Awful?” Archer was a total douchebag during my meeting, but while Valerie got pity, I got yanked off the project. Typical.

“We ran into each other downstairs, actually. We spoke, and he reconsidered.” I stuck to the truth…just without the tiny detail where I agreed to be his girlfriend in exchange.

“I can’t believe it,” Marisa says breathlessly. “This is wonderful, Quinn, really great work here. The whole twenty million—and so quickly!” Marisa jumps up and skitters around her desk, wrapping me in a tight hug.

I smile. It hasn’t felt real until this moment. “Thanks, Marisa. This will be great for the museum, it'll really make a difference.”

Marisa starts for her door. “I’m going to spread the good news. Peter will be so pleased—” She stops and smiles at me. “I’m impressed. You must know this is a game changer for you. Why don’t you take the rest of the day?”

“Really?” I ask. Marisa never hands out time off.

“Of course!” She wags a finger at me. “You certainly deserve a rest after netting one of the biggest gifts the museum’s ever seen.”

“Then…thank you,” I say. I could use a day off to tie up a few loose ends before the craziness starts. Archer’s assistant had emailed me a schedule over the weekend, and I was still reeling from the sheer number of events covering the page.

“Oh, Marisa?” I say. “I almost forgot. Mr. Stratton has requested that I attend a few events on behalf of the museum to promote the gift. My schedule will be a bit unpredictable for the foreseeable future.”

Not bad. Sounds believable, and it’s technically the truth.

Marisa steps toward me. “The Strattons want you to attend their events?”

“Yes?”

On second thought, maybe the excuse sounded better in my head.

“This…is…wonderful!” She claps her hands together. “Do you know the caliber of donors you’ll be exposed to? We need to get you a list of fundable projects and talking points—have Valerie put together something for you. The Strattons are our priority, Quinn. If they want you to attend an event, you’ll attend, regardless of work. Do you understand me?”

I feel pimped out, but I nod. That was my agenda, just for GAC.

“Good. In the meantime, I’ll have Valerie take over some of your work.” Marisa gives me another hug and trots down the hall.

I’m walking on cloud nine the whole way back to my office. My boss is thrilled, I’ve got a promotion waiting for me, and my nemesis is going to pick up my slack while I attend events she’d kill to get access to. I grin. Valerie’s going to love that.

Todd flies into my arms as I round the corner. “Quinn! Marisa just called on her way to Peter’s office. I can’t believe you got the ask.”

Wow, Marisa moves fast. “I know,” I reply, smiling. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you first but—”

“Girl, please. If Marisa found out that she wasn’t the first to hear, she’d have your head.” Todd stands back and grins at me. “I think this calls for a celebration. Drinks tonight?”

“Love to, but Marisa gave me the rest of the day and I’m taking her up on the offer.” I walk into my office. “I have a million things to do before life gets busy.”

“Yeah…” Todd says, leaning in my doorway, “I noticed your calendar got crazy full. What’s going on?”

I bite my lip. I forgot that Todd has access my schedule. “The Strattons want me to promote the gift by attending a few events.”

“A few?” Todd tilts his head. “Looks like they’re putting you under the wire.”

“I know, but it’ll be great for us, and Marisa is thrilled.”

“I bet she is,” Todd says dryly. “By the way, Jonathan called. Said to come by anytime next week.”

Jonathan! I forgot about my promise to meet with him. “Thanks, Todd—”

“Where is she?” a woman snarls in the hallway.

Todd and I exchange looks. “I can kick her in the shins for you while you climb out of the window,” Todd whispers.

I laugh. “Tempting, but no thanks. I’ll handle her.”

Todd hightails it out of there as Valerie storms into my office. “Quinn, I want a word,” Valerie spits out.

“Valerie.” I lean back in my chair. “How can I help you?”

“How the hell did you net that ask?”

I shrug. “I was in the right place at the right time, I guess. That, and a great deal of finesse.”

“I bet. Archer Stratton is a total prick. He walked out on me—walked out! Just left me there halfway through my pitch.”

At least she got to give her pitch.

“He’s difficult,” I admit, “but he came around to the idea in due time. I exerted a little patience.”

More like boatloads. Archer Stratton would try the patience of a saint.

“You’re lying,” Valerie snarls.

“Excuse me?”

“I’m not an idiot. Anyone could tell he had absolutely no interest in giving us money. It was like talking to a brick wall.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way,” I say, omitting the fact that she is totally correct. A brick wall that could lob nasty, annoying comments at you.

She jabs a finger at me. “And now I have to take over your work while you flit around town, going to Stratton events? What the hell!” she shrieks.

I hold up a hand. “Calm down. You’re getting emotional.”

“Damn straight I’m getting emotional. You scooped that ask right out from under me—”

“I had it first.”

“But then you messed up, and Marisa handed it to someone with actual skill.”

“Apparently not,” I say, glaring at her.

Valerie plants her hands on her hips. “I’ll be watching you, Quinn. Something’s wrong here, and when I figure it out, you’re going down.”

Valerie twists on her stilettos and stalks out of my office, leaving me reeling from her threat. I glance at Todd’s desk, needing a friendly face, but it’s empty. I don’t blame him for retreating to a safe distance with Valerie nearby.

I turn to jelly in my chair. Now, on top of everything else, I have a maniacal bitch sniffing for the truth. What would happen if Marisa finds out I’m dating Archer? Maybe nothing. It isn’t like dating a donor is illegal. It isn’t even taboo. It just doesn’t tend to happen.

What is at stake is my reputation. The timing of our relationship with a twenty million dollar gift would raise more than a few eyebrows. Well, maybe I should’ve thought of that before I agreed to date a rich megalomaniac.

I grab my phone, attacking the first thing on my to-do list. I’m making this time off count, dammit.

Silence.

I wait for Holly’s response, tapping my fingers on my desk. She never makes me sweat like this. She must be more upset than I realized.

* * *

“You’re dating who?” Holly demands, snatching up a French fry.

“Archer Stratton,” I repeat. “He’s the CEO of Stratton Fin—”

“Oh, honey, I know who he is.” She shoves the fry in her mouth and reaches for another. “I read the gossip columns.”

“No way.”

“Yes, and you should start.”

“Ew, why?”

“Research,” Holly says, grinning.

I roll my eyes. “Well, what do you think about Archer Stratton based on your ‘research’?”

“Only that you lucked out. Sexy, powerful, confident—”

“Yeah, right! What they don’t say is that he’s haughty, obsessed with himself, domineering, controlling—” I pause. “I can go on.”

Holly sighs and stares off into the distance. “Damn, I love a good alpha.”

“He drives me nuts!”

“He can drive me nuts any day…”

I scrunch up my nose. “Sometimes I wonder if this is worth it.”

Holly grabs another French fry. “How much was the proposal for?”

“Twenty million.”

The fry tumbles from her fingers. “Holy shit!” She narrows her eyes. “He must really like you.”

I shake my head. “Not likely. We kinda hate each other.”

“Opposites attract, you know…like in Bridget Jones’s Diary!”

“This isn’t some movie, Holly. I can’t stand being around him or his smug face. And the way he talks to me? It’s so condescending. Sometimes I just want to—”

“Okay, I get it!” She snags a nacho. “Then what are you going to do?”

“Be his girlfriend, what else? I don’t really have a choice and I can pretend for a few months. I talk to difficult people all the time in fundraising.”

Holly studies me quietly with her hazel eyes.

“What?” I ask.

“I’m worried about this—about you.”

“Why?”

“You act tough, but I remember your call after that event. I think this is going to be harder than you think.”

“I’ll be fine, Holly,” I say, scooping up a bit of cheese with a tortilla chip. “I can handle Archer.”

Holly shrugs. “Fine, but promise me one thing.”

“What?”

“Don’t fall for him.”

I stare at her for a moment and then dissolve into laughter. “I don’t think…you have to worry…about that,” I say, gasping for breath. “He’s not my type.”

Holly sighs and reaches for her beer. “You say that now, Quinny, but I have a feeling that Archer Stratton is every woman’s type.”