“Right.” Christ, this felt way too easy.
“Is she a corporate woman?”
He shrugged.
“A mom?”
“No,” Daniel said. “A teacher, I think.”
God, it was like he was a professional liar.
“Something practical would be good,” Harper said, standing.
Damn. That wasn’t at all where he was trying to lead this. He scrambled for something else.
“So, her husband died.” Christ, he was burying himself. “I thought I’d get her something special.”
“Like jewelry?” He nodded, and she shook her head. “That seems romantic.”
Romantic? Is that what he was doing here?
Nope. Noooo, nope, nope. He just wanted to treat her.
“There can be nonromantic jewelry. Girls love that shit,” Daniel said, leading her to the store he wanted to shop at, before he could dig himself a deeper hole. “Come on.”
They stepped inside Cartier and the manager walked up and greeted him personally, shaking his hand. The Dufort family was well known around the world as a hotel dynasty, especially by luxury brands such as this.
“Aloha, Mr. Dufort,” the man said and shook his hand.
Harper gave him a look, and he winked at her.
“Aloha.”
“Will you just be browsing today, or is there something I can show you?”
“I’m looking for a gift,” Daniel replied, purposely glancing at Harper, and the man nodded. This wasn’t his first rodeo.
“For his cousin,” Harper said, leaning into the conversation. “She’s a teacher, so nothing too flashy.”
Daniel held back a smile. The manager maintained his professional expression and nodded.
“Let me see what we have that could be suitable. Please look around and I will put together a selection.” The man left the two of them alone.
“Wow, you don’t even have to find it yourself.”
Daniel snorted. He found himself enjoying shopping with Harper.
She grinned at him. “Seriously, though. Our lives are so different.”
“Yes.” His smile fell. “They are.”
Her words sat in his chest uncomfortably. All his life he’d known his wealth separated him from others and he’d never cared before this moment. Harper saw him as someone she could never be with outside of this thing they had together, and perhaps she was right. But it didn’t mean he liked it.
What if he did want her?
Theoretically, of course.
A store assistant offered them a glass of champagne, which he declined, and Harper accepted. “When in Rome.” She grinned, lifting her flute, then moaned. “Oh god, this is good.”