Chapter 22 Juniper I dont get home until past eight oclock .
My apartment building has been through a world war , the hippie era , and probably the meteor that killed the dinosaurs , if the mold on the stairs is anything to go by .
The stuff thrives in the muggy atmosphere .
The elevators out of order again , too , so Im forced to climb the stairs to my unit on the top floor .
You might wonder how 1 make it without passing out cold .
So do 1 .
But Ive signed a two year lease on this place and rent hasnt skyrocketed as much as other places in the city the past few years , so I count my meager blessings .
Inside , I toss my keys on the counter with a sigh and open the fridge , looking for water .
Im surrounded by paperwork and bills on the counter .
Water first , then wine .
Todays definitely a wine day .
A scratching sound in the corner draws my attention .
Still at it , huh ? I smile when I see him .
Catness paws at the same hole in the wall he was working on this morning .
Probably from the mouse hes been after forever .
Get a cat , they said .
Theyll deal with rodents for you , they said .
The big lazy tabby mostly uses his mouser skills for show .
The last time he actually caught a mouse , he dropped it in my lap as a gift for his hunting challenged mama .
Fun times .
Whatever you do , keep it out of the bedroom .
You hear me ? I say firmly .
-Catness just gives me a yawn and a dramatic stretch , flicking his tail .

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Its been a day and Im so not interested in ending it in a mouse panic .
Lets get this over with .
First things first … I dont bother pouring my wine into a glass and just chug it straight from the bottle as I grab Dexters envelope from my purse , rip it open , and scan the contents .
Bad move .
Before I can stop it , Im spitting wine on the sofa .
The check inside is for fifty thousand dollars .
Fifty thousand flipping For me .
For what exactly ? Thats enough to buy monster pastry orders for an entire convention .
I scrutinize the check closer .
It has my name on it .
Its inexplicably mine , and Im apparently free to do whatever I want with it .
But wait .
Theres something else in that envelope .
My hands shake as I pull out the note .
God , even his paper is extra thick , textured rich guy stuff with a stylized Dexter Rory header .
Theres no way I could forget who sent this to me even for one second .
His note is short , businesslike , and reads more like a contract with everything written in short , bossy lines .
The check is a deposit , I guess .
Ill receive the other half after 180 days of pretending to be his fiancée .
But it seems he doesnt want to do this as much as me , because hes also written that to make it as painless as possible for both parties , there are negotiable terms and minimal appearances together .
Theres even a lawyer set up to keep this nice and legal .
Rory only expects a few brief interactions to ensure his deal goes through .
I snort as I reach the end .
We can keep this strictly professional without any improper contact , Miss Winkley .
No kissing , no touching , no sharing beds , 16:43 Love Betrayed : A Journey of Separate at 24.1 % Chapter 22 Unless , of course , youd like to negotiate that part too .
Oh my God .
Gag me .
Theres no earthly way I would ever willingly kiss Dexter Rory much less sleep with him and I do mean sleep so thats going to be a requirement of any deal .
Or anti requirement or whatever .
No kissing .
No sweet caresses .
No holding hands .
No anything .
There are enough married couples in the world who treat their spouses like they have the plague .
Its not that weird if we always keep a few fen between us , right ? I drink another mouthful of wine and swallow too quickly , coughing in my hand .
When its written out like this , the arrangement sounds ever so slightly less insane than his first proposal .
It doesnt excuse his little ambush at my store , though .
Whatever he wants , he can leave my family the hell out of it .
I turn the note over , feeling the paper under my fingers .
Hes got good handwriting , too , the bastard .
At the top of what looks like Dexters personal letterhead , theres an address .
I take another gulp of wine and set the bottle down on the counter .
Dexter isnt the only one who can spring surprises .
And wouldnt it be fun to see where he lives when hes not stomping around barking orders ? I wonder what sort of outrageously lavish pond Big Fish calls home .
For luck and courage I take a few more swigs of wine .
Then I open a can of cat food and dump it in Catness bowl He comes darting over instantly , swishing his tail and singing the dinner song of his people .
Dont worry , boy , Ill be back soon , I tell him , grabbing my keys before I head out the door .
If he wont leave me alone , its time to get even .
Time to pay Dexter Rory a visit and remind him what an absolute vile dick he is in person .