I asked the hostess if I could sit at the table behind them; luckily, it was available. I would likely be able to hear everything they said from that spot. This was really getting exciting. Maybe I did enjoy spying on people after all. I had to ask myself why I was doing this. Part of it was out of concern for her safety, and the other was pure curiosity. I ignored the idea that I was keeping tabs on Addison for Darcy’s sake.
I craned my ear to hear what Julian was saying. “So, you’re Darcy Blackwell’s younger sister?”
Addison smiled back at him, and I recognized the flirty look on her face. I’d seen it many times on the women I hit on (if they were interested). A pang of guilt stabbed my heart, then subsided quickly. If Darcy ever found out that I knew this was going on and I didn’t do something to stop it, she would hunt me down and cut me into tiny little pieces. I smiled. Anything that pissed her off was worth doing. Besides, Addison was 21, so she could make her own decisions.
Julian took Addison’s hand in hers and said, “You are a really special girl, and I’d really love the pleasure of getting to know you better. Would you like to go sailing with me tomorrow?”
I cringed. Maybe he wasn’t so skilled at this after all. That was a really raunchy come-on, but Addison smiled and nodded, saying, “I would love that.”
Crap! I knew exactly what Julian was up to since I’d done it myself more times than I could count.Classic, Julian.I shook my head. A romantic ride on the boat and likely a meal from some fine dining restaurant and finish it off with some wine.She’ll be putty in your hands. Well done, Julian.
I could intervene. Ishould intervene. It just depended on how afraid of Darcy’s wrath I was. I contemplated this for a few more minutes and ordered my food. I kept it to a small dinner to ensure I was finished before them.
Darcy would never find out because neither Julian nor Addison had seen me, but the night wasn’t over yet. I listened to them go through the get-to-know-each-other questions and found out that Addison and Darcy’s father was in jail.How did I not know this?I craned my ear, hoping she would give more details.
Right as she was telling Julian, my waitress came by to ask me how my dinner was.Dammit!They continued talking for another half an hour, but it was all general stuff, nothing I cared to know about.
“Now, I was hoping you wouldn’t mind keeping our relationship just between us for now. Remi is now your roommate, and I don’t want a relationship with you to jeopardize my working relationship with her. Business is business. I hope you can understand,” Julian told Addison.
“Oh, I do. No worries, but if this blossoms into something meaningful, can we come out to the public then?” Addison asked, batting her eyelashes.
“Of course, that’s my hope, beautiful girl,” he said, taking her hand in his and lifting it to his lips to graze a kiss on her knuckles.
Man, this guy is good! And pathetic.
Julian and Addison exchanged phone numbers, and I heard Julian tell her he’d text her tomorrow about the time for their sailing expedition. I’d love to be a fly on the wall for that, but I had other plans.
Addison left first, which gave me a great opportunity. It was a last-minute idea, and it just might work.
Standing up, I took a deep breath and then walked over to Julian’s table, sitting down before he had a chance to object.
I smiled knowingly at him and shook my head. “Julian, Julian, Julian.”
He looked confused. “Thane? Can I help you?”
I laced my fingers together on the table and eyed him for a few moments.Let him wonder for a few minutes why I’m here.“I know what you’re doing.”
He tilted his head to the side. “And what exactly is that, Thane?”
Laying my hands flat on the table, I answered, “Addison is Darcy’s sister, and you know it. Need I say more?”
Julian feigned shock. “What? I had no idea.”
“Give me a break, Fletcher. I know you’re lying. I heard you two talking. Now, listen. I have a proposition for you.” I lowered my voice so that no one else would hear.
“Why should I listen to anything you have to say, Erickson?” There was heavy exasperation in his voice.
“I really don’t think you’d want to deal with Darcy’s wrath if she found out you were dating her younger sister, am I right?”
“Yeah, that woman has a real scary demeanor. I wouldn’t want to meet her in a dark alleyway,” Julian said, laughing at his own joke.
“Or get on her bad side,” I reminded him.
“She’ll never find out about Addison. I’ll only be with her a short time anyway,” he assured me.
“Well, unfortunately for you, I know about it and would be delighted to tell her. However, if you help me with something, I could be persuaded not to spill the beans.”
Julian sat up, seemingly interested in what I had to say. “What is it?”