Page 29 of Fake It For Love (Faux Love)
CLAIRE
Istretched out on the chair. The sun was beating down on my skin. It felt good. It felt right. I inhaled deeply and turned my head to look at Norah in the chair beside me. She was wearing a tiny little bikini that just barely covered her lady bits. I chose to keep my swimsuit coverup on. It was sheer and allowed for plenty of sun to warm my skin.
“This is the life,” I said with a smile.
“Here you go, ladies.”
I pushed up my dark sunglasses and accepted the smoothie from the waiter.
“Thank you,” I said.
I sucked on the straw before putting the glass on the small table between me and Norah. “So, how did the date with your John go?” she teased.
“Stop,” I groaned. “He’s not a John.”
“Your date then,” she said.
“You are never going to believe who my date is,” I said. I knew I technically signed a confidentiality agreement, but I was certain there was a best friend clause.
“A celebrity?”
“No, not quite,” I said. “Close.”
“Who?” she asked. “You’ve left me in suspense all morning.”
“Ryan. Ryan Jones.”
“Ryan Jones?” She looked confused. Her nose was all wrinkled. “Who’s that?”
“Ryan? Your ex! The guy that rolled up in his own personal plane.”
She sat up. “Ryan!”
I shushed her and looked around. “It has to be a secret. We’re not supposed to even be talking about this.”
“Ryan is paying you to be his date?” she asked.
“Yes. Well, no. It’s a little more than that.”
“What more could there be?” She stretched back out in the chair. I held up my hand and waggled my fingers. “Uh, is there a ring on your finger?”
“Yes, yes there is,” I said. “A ring from Ryan.”
“What does that mean?” she asked.
“It means he changed the arrangement,” I answered. “He wants to pass me off as his fiancée.”
Once again, she sat up and looked at me. “I don’t get it.”
“Are you mad?” I asked.
“No. I’m confused. So, so confused. How did this happen? Why? Why him?”
“You’re upset,” I said. “I’ll tell him I can’t do it. Initially, I did tell him no way. It’s not like we got along all that great back then. I got pissed and walked out of our date. He followed and we talked things out.”
“Why’d you walk out?” she asked.
“Because he’s your ex,” I said.
