nched out quite a bit after college.”
“I thought you worked for a medical supply company.”
Sebastian frowned. That was probably his fault. He liked to keep the details of his work vague. “Not exactly. BioTech is a medical research and development company. My partner Finn and I develop new medical technology.”
“Your partner? You mean you don’t just work there?”
“Eh, no. We started the company together out of college. I own it.”
Harper frowned, wrinkles creasing her forehead. “Are you serious? I offered you every penny I had in savings to go on this trip and you’re the CEO of a company? You probably make more in an afternoon than I do in a paycheck.”
Sebastian held up his finger in protest. “You offered me the money. I never said I would actually take it. And I’m not going to, of course.”
“So you’re rich. Why didn’t you say something? Like when Quentin asked about your company?”
At that, Sebastian shrugged. “I’m not the kind to flaunt it. Finn is the face of the company. I’m the mad scientist behind the scenes. I’m happy with the anonymity. I’ve seen how being well-known and wealthy has complicated his love life and I’m not interested in that.”
“In a love life?” Harper asked with an arched brow.
“In a complicated love life. Or, hell, maybe a regular one. I work too much for any type of relationship to succeed.”
“But you’re going to drop everything and go with me on a trip to Ireland on short notice?”
Sebastian sat back in his chair and sighed. It would be easy to tell her that he’d had a heart attack and was on mandatory vacation, but he didn’t want to. He didn’t like people knowing his business, especially when it changed how they perceived him. Whether it was knowing he was rich, or sick, or used to be poor...it didn’t matter. He liked private things to stay private. “When you’re the boss, you can do what you want,” he responded instead.
She shook her head. “I can’t believe you didn’t say anything until just now. What if I hadn’t asked? Would you have waited until someone recognized you on the plane and I looked like a fool for not knowing my boyfriend is a millionaire?”
“Of course not! I would’ve told you. And you’re one to point fingers, Harper. You’re keeping plenty of secrets yourself.”
She straightened in her chair and narrowed her gaze at him. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“I saw you walk out of Neiman Marcus with your friends. Then you ditched them and came back ten minutes later to return everything you’d bought. What is that about? It’s not buyer’s remorse, I’m pretty certain.”
Harper’s lips twisted in thought as she considered her answer. “I’m trying to save money.”
Sebastian looked at her with a pointed expression on his face. There was more to it than just frugality, of that he was sure. He’d done his research since they’d met. Her family owned Orion Computers. She lived in a really nice apartment on the Upper East Side. But she only had two grand in her savings account? That didn’t add up in his mind.
His silence prompted her to keep talking. “I’m having a bit of a cash flow shortage. I’m embarrassed about it, so I haven’t told anyone, even my friends and family. Until I get things straightened out, I’m trying to be smart about my money, but I have to keep up appearances.”
“Like blowing a fortune on designer clothes and then immediately returning them?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t they notice you never wear them after you buy them?”
She shook her head. “You need a map to get through my closet. Things disappear in there, never to resurface.”
Sebastian nodded thoughtfully. “Sounds like a complicated charade to keep up. Pretending to have a boyfriend should be a piece of cake.”
“Well, thankfully it’s a short-term thing. I should be back on my feet soon and then no one needs to know I lied about it. And as for you and me...well, I’m sure we will have a sad, but not unexpected, breakup not long after we get back from the trip. Not so soon as to be suspicious, but we can’t wait too long or people might start inviting us to things as a couple here in town.”
“Sounds tragic. I’m already sad.”
Harper looked at him with a smile. “I’m enjoying your sarcastic sense of humor. We might actually be able to pull this off.”
“I think so, too. Of course, over time I think you’re going to become too clingy for me and we’re going to want different things from our relationship.”
She groaned. “Ugh. You sound like Quentin. Don’t do that or we’ll have to just break up now.”