I stood there for a long time without saying a word.

She was right. And she saw the world more clearly than I did.

I went back to the banquet hall. Dad had his phone out.

"Giles, let me add you on social media. We should keep in touch."

Panic shot through me and I sprinted over.

If Dad saw the relationship announcement on Giles's profile, everything would fall apart.

"Mr. Gilbert, Giles's phone died. Maybe next time."

I leaned close to his ear and whispered.

"You're a major executive. Adding a junior employee looks a little odd, don't you think? People will talk."

Dad paused for a moment.

"Fair point."

He put his phone away.

Giles looked confused, but he didn't call me out.

On the drive home, Giles sat in the passenger seat in total silence.

I knew he was angry, but I couldn't figure out what had set him off.

The second we walked through the door, he ripped off his suit jacket and hurled it onto the couch.

"So this is what you really are. Shameless."

I stared at him, stunned.

"You were way too cozy with Mr. Gilbert tonight. What, did you sell yourself to land the deal?"

I frowned.

So that was what this was about. He'd gotten the wrong idea.

But I didn't feel like explaining.

"Why? Jealous?"

Giles let out a cold laugh.

"Jealous? Please." He sneered. "You're just number twelve. I'd rather not taint what I had before you."

There it was again. Number twelve.

If it weren't for our one-year agreement, I would've slapped him across the face.

"Giles, what about you, then?"

He looked confused.

I stared at him, a cold smile on my lips.

"You've dated twelve women and that doesn't make you dirty?"

"You used every single one of us as a stand-in and that doesn't make you dirty?"

His face turned an even deeper shade of red, his voice climbing.

"That was loyalty to love! Loyalty to my heart! Lissa is the only woman I've ever loved. Everyone else was just passing through!"

Loyalty to love.

He made playing with people's feelings sound so poetic, I almost wanted to give him a standing ovation.

I'd dated my share of boyfriends. Giles was number fifty.

The reason I cycled through them every two or three months was simple: every single one of them, without exception, asked to borrow money.

My rule was clear.

Ask for money, and we're done.

I loved dating, but I wasn't anyone's fool.

I could look any of them in the eye with a clean conscience.