Page 96 of Fake it For Good
“Wonderful. I’ll see you then.”
I was pretty sure she was going to tell me I had forfeited my money because I slept with him or I somehow benefited from the party. Honestly, I couldn’t refute the accusations. Although I didn’t think there was anything in the contract that forbade sex or suggested I nullified the payout if I slept with him. I didn’t care. I had decided at some point I didn’t want his money. It made me feel like a hooker.
I showered, pulled on jeans and a hoodie, and put my hair up in a messy bun. I wasn’t trying to impress anyone. My plan was to go down there, get my lecture, get fired, and go home. I was planning a night of wine and popcorn. With the money I spent, I was going to be living off popcorn for a while. Today, I sulked. Tomorrow, I would pull myself up by my bootstraps and start the job search once again.
I walked into the agency and gave my name. While I sat and waited, it reminded me of waiting outside the principal’s office. I knew I was in trouble. It wasn’t the first time.
“Noelle, dear,” Della said.
She didn’t look like she was going to yell at me. “You look very festive,” I commented. It was the closest I could get to a compliment. The outfit was loud. It was in the running for the ugliest Christmas sweater. But she rocked it. It was very much her style and it looked good on her.
“Thank you!”
She closed her office door behind me. I sat down and waited for what was to come. She took her seat behind her desk and pulled an envelope from her drawer. “How was your first job?” she asked.
“Is that a rhetorical question?”
“Did something happen?” she asked.
“Cane didn’t say anything?”
She waved the envelope. “He released the funds. Your check is here.”
I was very confused. I opened the envelope and saw the check for twenty-five-thousand dollars. It was my name on the line. All I had to do was sign it and take it to the bank. My bills would be paid. I could buy Christmas jammies for the kids. I closed my eyes and counted to three. It was a mental check-in. I had made up my mind last night.
I stuffed the check back into the envelope and pushed it back at her. “No thank you.”
“Excuse me?”
“I don’t want it,” I said.
“Did you want more?” she asked.
“No,” I answered. “I want nothing. I don’t want anything from him.”
“You do understand this is a job,” she said. “You were paid to do a job.”
“Yes, and after doing the job, I’ve decided it’s not my thing,” I said. “I’m not cut out to be a fake girlfriend. My friend Marie seems to get it. She has had a couple of dates, and while they weren’t great, she was able to walk away.”
“And you’re having a hard time walking away?” she asked gently.
I blew out a breath. “My relationship with Cane evolved.”
“Ah,” she said. “You wouldn’t be the first one to fall for the guy.”
“I guess it’s hard when the lines are blurred,” I said. “I don’t know how to pretend to be with someone and not actually be with them. Yes, we crossed the line. I probably shouldn’t have done that.”
“The two of you are definitely not the first to cross that line,” she said, laughing. “You were put together because you have something in common. You were matched because you would make a good couple in real life.”
“Technically, we weren’t matched,” I said. “You put him with my friend.”
“And then after reviewing your file, I realized you were a much better choice,” she said. “Tell me why you don’t want the money.”
“Because he thinks I used him,” I said. “He thinks I was using him to get contacts. I did talk with some of his colleagues and competition, but only after I spoke to Cane about it. He was okay with it. He actually brought it up several times. He gave the contacts his number to reach out to. I thought it was good. Then last night, he accused me of using him. Basically, he accused me of double dipping. I was getting paid by him and then getting the benefit of meeting the right people to help my nonprofit.”
“Is there a reason he would think that?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” I said with frustration. “I don’t know what happened. We had so many good moments. We clicked. Yes, we had sex. We spent time together outside the contract requirements. I fell for him. That was stupid. I was a fool. I can’t take the man’s money. That makes me feel like a hooker. I did get the contacts. That’s enough payment for me. I’ve nevernotearned my way. I will never take advantage of someone. I’m poor. I own that. It doesn’t mean I take without earning. I’ll beg for money for my kids, but not for myself. I work for what I need. Cane doesn’t feel like I earned that money. I’m not taking it.”
