Page 13 of Fake it For Good
“You’re thirty-six and you should be getting laid on the regular,” he said with a sad sigh. “I feel partially to blame. I should have been pushing you to get out more. I’ve failed in my best-friend duties.”
“I don’t need you in charge of my sex life,” I said dryly. “Trust me, I want you nowhere near my bedroom.”
“I think you should do it,” he said. “If not for yourself, for the company. It’s time to get your face back out there. The company was a success because you were out there making yourself approachable. People liked your story. They likedyou. You made everyone feel like they were buying toys made in your little workshop. You’ve faded out of the spotlight and it’s showing in the numbers. We’re good, but we could be better.”
Everything he was saying was true. We were getting stale. I could feel it. I had to up my game or I was going to slip from the top. Once you slipped, it was worse than a snowball rolling downhill. It would wipe us out.
“Fine,” I heard myself say. “I’ll check it out. What’s the name of this place?”
“Faux’s.”
“Say what?” I asked.
“Faux’s,” he replied. “Like fake. Fake dates. Fake girlfriends. Fake whatever.”
I wasn’t convinced and didn’t plan on it actually going anywhere, but Denton had never led me astray. He was the one who had warned me about Kelly a couple of years into our marriage. I suspected he had heard rumors of her cheating and just didn’t want to tell me. When I saw it with my own two eyes and told him, he didn’t seem surprised. I supposed I wasn’t all that surprised myself. It was just a shock to actually see it.
He was messing around on his phone while I ate my burger. “Done,” he said and put the phone down.
“What’s done?”
“We’re going over after lunch,” he said.
“Going where?”
“To Faux’s,” he answered. “It’s not too far from here.”
“Really?” I asked with surprise. I knew the real estate value of the area. If the agency was actually close, then it would be in an upscale commercial district, which was a pleasant surprise.
“Yes,” he said. “I have a meeting with the owner. We’ll check it out. If it feels off, we leave.”
“I guess I have nothing to lose.”
“And everything to gain,” he said.
When we got to the agency, I was impressed. It was clean and professional. I expected women’s pictures to be plastered all over the walls with numbers on them, like a catalog. It was an understated reception area. Nothing garish and nothing that really said what the agency was all about.
“Della will be right out,” the young woman behind the reception desk announced.
When the woman appeared, I looked to Denton, who for the first time since he brought the agency up looked just a little apprehensive. After the introductions, she led us to her office. I sat down and sized up the woman and her surroundings. I felt like you could tell a lot about a person based on what they surrounded themselves with. Della seemed to be the kind of woman that had a basement full of whips and other toys. I was not getting that same good feeling. In fact, I was ready to get up and leave.
“I understand you would like to inquire about our service,” Della said before I could run.
“We would,” Denton answered. “Before we take too much of your time, can you tell us a little more about what it is you do here?”
“I pair clients with dates that are picked based on the needs of the client and my instincts,” she answered. “And I have very good instincts.”
“This is legal?” I asked.
“My girls are not whores,” she said bluntly. “They are companions for a night or however long you need them to be. There are strict rules in place. They arenotsex workers. They are paid companions that will ensure you impress whoever it is you need to. My girls are intelligent, beautiful, and witty. We can, of course, narrow down the age, physical features, and other personality traits. I have never had a disappointed or dissatisfied customer. We take pride in what we do.”
It all seemed just a little too good to be true. “I pick from a catalog?” I asked.
“I have a form you will fill out that tells me a little about you and what you’re looking for. I find the right woman for you. If I’m wrong, which I never am, you can tell me, and we’ll go back to the drawing board. I have a diverse group of women who are waiting to be a date. You choose until we get it right. For first-timers, I recommend a meeting of some sort, whether it’s coffee or dinner to see if you hit it off. I believe you know from the first meeting. I’m a strong believer in first impressions.”
“And do I pay for every one of these meetings?” I asked skeptically.
“Of course not, but it wouldn’t be terrible if you offered to buy her a cup of coffee,” she said with a bright smile.
