His Fake Girlfriend

by Amber Nox

  “I don’t think I am.”

  “I beg to differ. You surprise me at every turn.”

  I nestle against him, just enjoying the warmth of his touch. He doesn’t speak for a long time, and when he does his words surprise me.

  “I don’t want this to be a one-time thing.”

  I lift my head, so I can meet his gaze. “You’d want to see me beyond this?”

  He tucks my hair behind my ear, his eyes locked on my face. “If you’d be open to it, yes. Evelyn, I’ve never had a connection like this with another woman. I don’t want to walk away without exploring it.”

  While I agree with him, the logistics make it somewhat problematic. There’s a small matter of us being over two hundred miles apart.

  “But I live in London. You live here.”

  He kisses my forehead and I sink into the gesture. “We’ll make it work, somehow.”

  “Jake—”

  “We’ll make it work,” he repeats.

  I want to believe him. I want to believe him so badly, but I’m not sure I do. Our lives are in different places, walking down different paths. I don’t know how we reconcile a relationship within that—or if it’s even possible.

  “You don’t even know who I really am.”

  “I know enough,” he counters.

  When I open my mouth to speak again, he places his finger over my lips. “Tell me your real name when you’re ready, not because you think I need it now.”

  “Jake…”

  “Names are not important. What’s important is how we feel here and now.”

  I should counter this, but I don’t. I’m too content lying in his arms, and I don’t want to do anything that might jeopardise it.

  We lie in bed for a while then finally push ourselves to get up. We take a shower together that involves a lot of touching and not a lot of washing and head downstairs.

  I feel different, freer. It’s a strange, but heady feeling.

  I find Jake at the coffee machine. He slides a filled mug in my direction. It’s my coffee, exactly as I take it.

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. What do you fancy doing today?”

  Jake seems more relaxed too, less on edge. I suppose because we’re no longer playing. This is real and the way we feel is real. It might be new, but it feels like we’ve been in this routine of playing house for a long time. It doesn’t feel like he’s a man I met less than a fortnight ago.

  “Did you have something in mind?”

  “I need to go down and see how things are going with the harvest.” He rubs at the back of his neck, his tone apologetic.

  “So, let’s go down.”

  “You want to come too?”

  “The vineyard is a part of you. I want to see what you do here.”

  He smiles, and I vow in this moment to make him smile every day. It changes his entire face completely. He seems softer.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Absolutely. Lead the way.”

  He holds his hand out to me and I take it without reservation, ignoring the chastising voices in the back of my head. I know I shouldn’t be doing this, but I can’t stop myself.

  Hand in hand, we walk through the courtyard and up towards the vines. There are numerous workers already bustling about, collecting in the grapes for harvest. As we move through the plants, I feel a tingle of excitement, particularly when Jake stops and pulls me into his arms for a stolen kiss.

  I’ve never belonged anywhere before and the thought of belonging with him and his family is too much to hope for. His father has yet to thaw to me, but his mother… I think we’re on the same page now. I think she sees me as something good for her son. I have no idea if this will still be the case once she realises who I really am, but for now, I can’t think about that.

  Jake pulls back, breathless, but smiling. “I’ve wanted to do that all morning.”

  “You have?”

  “Yes. Kissing you is fast becoming my favourite pastime.”

  It’s becoming mine too, but I don’t say this. Instead, I say, “What will you tell your parents and friends, about me, I mean?”

  His gaze goes distant. “I don’t know. I haven’t really thought that far ahead, but maybe we just don’t make a huge deal of it. It’s no one’s business what you do or how we really met.”

  He’s naive if he really believes that, but I don’t want to get into it with him, so I let it slide. “I guess we cross that bridge when we get to it.”

  We walk through the vines, helping to pick the grapes. It’s hard work, but I’m having such a great time being out in the sunshine with Jake.

  When I catch him staring at me, I ask, “What?”

  “I was just thinking how beautiful you look.”

  I feel heat rise in my cheeks. “I’m hot and probably sweaty. I don’t think I look beautiful.”

  “You’d be wrong about that.”

  I flush deeper, and feel pleasure climb through me.

  “I don’t mean to embarrass you,” he says. “I’m simply stating the truth.”

  “I’m not used to being complimented and someone actually meaning it.”

  Usually, the men I’m with want to get into my knickers. They’d say anything to make that happen. I’m not obtuse, I do know I’m an attractive woman, but when Jake says I’m beautiful, I get the impression he’s talking about more than just what can be seen on the surface. I feel like he really sees me.

  “Well, those others are idiots. I see you, Evie. I see beyond the masks you present to the world and the acts you play. You’re a good woman.”

  “You’re a good man, too.” I hold the basket closer to my side, the grapes weighing me down.

  Jake moves to me and takes it from me, placing it on the ground.

  “I’m a difficult man. I work long hours, I can be sullen and I know I’m opinionated.”

  “That’s quite the list,” I tease.

  “I just mean, you should be aware of what you’re getting yourself into.”

  “I am, more than aware, but we have to try, don’t we?”

  He nods then presses his forehead against mine. “We have to try. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. I don’t know that I ever will again.”

  “Same. You knocked me off my feet, Jacob.”

  We kiss again, this one softer, gentler. “Come on, let’s finish up here and head back to the house.”

  He slips his hand into mine and we walk back towards the house. It’s hard to believe it’s only been eight days since we first met, and it’s harder to imagine my time here is coming swiftly to an end. I don’t want to leave. When I took this job, I thought a fortnight seemed like forever. Now, I’m thinking it’s not long enough.

  As we approach the back of the building, I see Juliet and Robert sitting in the living room through the bi-fold doors. With them is Serena. My heart rate starts to quicken, although I don’t know why. Her being here isn’t a big issue—as much as I dislike the woman—but something seems off.

  Clearly, Jake also thinks this because he squeezes my hand, a silent reassurance.

  We move into the house and the living room. Robert and Juliet instantly come to their feet, pushing up from the sofa and I’m greeted with dual looks of shock and horror.

  “You’re an escort?” Robert accuses.

  And my heart sinks.

  18

  Scarlett

  I freeze at the accusation, my mind reeling. This can’t be happening. I risk a glance at Juliet who looks nauseous, and then slide my eyes to Serena, who looks positively gleeful. Does she think this will help her get Jake back?

  My spine stiffens as my thoughts whirl. What do I say here?

  Jacob takes control, though. He turns to Serena. “I think you should leave.”

  “But Jake, she’s been playing you—”

  “I wasn’t asking. Leave.”

  Serena looks to his parents for confirmation, but neither of them meet her gaze. She snags her bag fr
om the chair and takes off.

  Good. She’s the last person I want to do this in front of.

  Robert turns his angry gaze towards me. “You’re an escort,” he repeats the words with more venom this time, and I feel my stomach turn inside out.

  I have no idea how to combat this situation. I’ve never been in one like it, so my mouth opens then closes as I look to Jacob for answers.

  “Serena had a contact of hers do a background check on you. Your face appears in a great number of photographs online, all with different names attached.”

  I try to avoid having my photograph taken, but this is a possibility. I have attended charity functions in the past, other events where there were cameras, media there. How Serena was able to link this to my escorting is another matter. I suppose it wouldn’t be too difficult to discern—particularly for someone with expertise. I know Francesca does have safeguards in place, but in this modern age of social media, it’s hard to be a rose among the thorns and all webs can be unravelled with enough patience. She must have gone straight home after the meal and set this up. Did the woman really hate the ‘competition’ this much?

  “It didn’t take much of a leap to get your driver’s licence with your real name on it, Scarlett.”

  I swallow bile and I pull my hand free from Jacob, also putting a little distance between us.

  “I am an escort, it’s true. Your son had no idea. I lied to him.”

  “You’re scamming him?”

  I’m not, but I don’t want this to come back on Jake, so I’ll do what I need to in order to protect him.

  “That’s not true,” Jake says. “I knew Evelyn was an escort. I hired her.”

  Juliet gasps. “You hired an escort? But why?”

  “To keep you off my back about potential marriageable women in our circle. I thought if I had a girlfriend you’d back off, which you did.”

  His mother looks a little queasy. “I didn’t… I can’t… Jake, this is crazy.”

  “It was a desperate plan to keep our relationship from falling apart, Mother. I didn’t want to fight with you the whole time you were here, which is what would have happened. Evelyn gave me a legitimate reason to stop talking about settling down.”

  “But an escort, Jake…”

  He shrugs. “Desperate times.”

  “Desperate times lead to you hiring a hooker?”

  Pain lances through my chest. I’ve been called this before, but never by people who meant something to me. Hearing his mother call me a hooker gores me. I swallow down the shaky breath and hold my chin high.

  “I’m going to pack, Jake. I think it’s time I left.”

  “Wait.” He grabs my wrist as I start to move away and I see the desperation in his eyes. “Don’t leave.”

  “I think it’s for the best.” I drop my voice low. “Tensions are high and I’m fuelling the fire by being here.”

  “I want you to stay.”

  I want to stay too, but this is too messy, too difficult, so I shake my head. “Give it time for things to calm down. Then we’ll talk.”

  “Evie…”

  I run my hand over his cheek. “It’ll be okay, Jake. You’ll be okay.”

  He will, although I’m not sure I will. I feel like my entire world is being decimated right now. And I know whatever feelings Jake held for me are going to disappear now our secret is out. He’ll never be able to love an escort. I was an idiot for thinking he could, that I was anything more than a distraction.

  When I’m certain he’s not going to follow me, I turn and leave the living room. The argument starts up as soon as I’m out of the room. I don’t listen. I flee to the bedroom. Part of my contract was to have the wardrobe he bought for me, but I don’t bother packing it. All I grab is the belongings I brought with me—my makeup and toiletries. I call a taxi while I’m doing it and fire a text off to Francesca to tell her things have unravelled.

  Unsurprisingly, she tries to call me, but I ignore it. I don’t have the energy to field questions, and I don’t know that I can lie about my involvement with Jake either.

  The cab messages to say it’s here and I grab my bag. As I move through the house, I can hear the explosive argument that is taking place in the living room.

  As my hand hits the front door, his voice sounds behind me. “Stay.”

  I stare at the door, my mind racing. “I can’t. You know I can’t.”

  “Yes, you can.” He comes to me and turns me to face him and I see the vulnerability stripped back bare for all to see. “Please.”

  “Jake, your mother thinks I’m a prostitute.”

  “I don’t give a shit what she or my father thinks. I love you, Evie.”

  My heart sinks. “You love Evelyn. You don’t love me.” I meet his gaze. “We need space to work this thing out.”

  “I don’t need to work out anything.”

  “You don’t think of me as me, Jake. I’m a dream, conjured up by your ideal of what you wanted in a partner.”

  “I know the real you.”

  “I’ve played roles for so long, I don’t even know who the real me is. This between us will never work. We’re from two different places in our lives.”

  “Sweetheart, don’t say that.”

  “Everything I am, everything we are, is a lie.”

  “What we felt wasn’t.”

  It wasn’t. I can’t deny that. I won’t deny that. I raise my hand to stroke over his jaw. “We were just caught up in the moment.” Even as I say it, the words taste like ash in my mouth. Nothing about it felt like we were caught up. It felt real.

  But he needs to get his life back on track, and he can’t do that with me here.

  “My cab’s waiting.”

  “Scarlett, please.” He uses my real name, and it sends a shiver of pleasure through me, hearing my name on his lips. It’s not enough, though. I need to protect him from our lies, and the only way to do that is to come out of the equation.

  “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for causing this mess and leaving you to clean it up, and I’m sorry I fell for you and I’m walking away. Goodbye, Jacob.”

  He steps aside to let me open the door, and I step through it and leave him behind.

  19

  Scarlett

  London is drab and grey when I return. The train journey home was long and tiresome. I felt nauseous the entire time, wondering if leaving Jake was the right move or not. Fleeing was, without a doubt, cowardly, but staying wasn’t an option, not now our secret is out. I would have been more hindrance than help, anyway. Robert and Juliet were not in a place to hear from me—the secret escort who defiled their son’s reputation. Staying away is the best option, for all of us.

  Why, then, does my chest ache so much?

  I missed Jake the moment I stepped on the train. All I could think about was him and if he was doing okay. I wanted to call him desperately, but I refrained. No contact is best all round. It won’t stir up feelings unnecessarily.

  When I finally get back to my flat, I find it’s too small, too bleak. I miss the open spaces of the vineyard, the views, the greenery, the clean air. I toss my belongings onto the chair and head straight for the shower, needing to wash the grime off me—both real and imagined.

  I need to meet with Francesca and explain what I did. She’s going to fire me almost immediately, I’m sure, but I need to be forthcoming with her.

  Once I’m showered, I dress and grab my handbag. Then I call a cab. The ride to Clerkenwell, where her office is, should have my heart in my throat, but I feel oddly calm. I don’t understand it.

  When the cab pulls up outside her office, I see the lights are on, even though it’s after seven p.m. No doubt she’s scrambling, trying to make sense of my text message.

  Knowing I can’t wait outside forever, I step inside the building.

  Francesca glances up as I enter, and I see a myriad of emotions cross her face—first and foremost relief.

  “Oh, darling. Are you all right? What happened?”
<
br />   I signal for her to sit down and take the seat in front of her desk. It feels like a thousand years ago I was sitting here getting this assignment. I had no idea I would be found out and fall for my client. I had no idea any of this mess would occur. My happy bubble has been popped, but in reality, that would have happened once the two weeks were up. Jake and I were never meant to be. It was a pipe dream to think otherwise.

  Slowly, I tell Francesca everything that happened, including the fact I slept with Jake and how Serena outed me.

  She listens without a word, and when I’m finished she doesn’t speak either, just clasps her hands together on the desk.

  “I surmised I’m out of a job,” I say, breaking the silence. “I am truly sorry, Francesca.”

  “I’m just surprised you of all people would overstep those boundaries we have in place.”

  “So was I, but I couldn’t keep away from him.”

  She tilts her head to the side. “You love him.”

  I consider her question. “Yes, I do.”

  “Then why are you here?”

  Her question surprises me. “What?”

  “If you love the man then why are you sitting in front of my desk looking like the Grinch stole Christmas.”

  “I slept with a client,” I tell her again, unsure she caught on the first time.

  “So you said, and while I’m not happy about it, I’m also not stupid. Things happen. Do you think you’re the first girl I’ve hired who has done it? You are the first one to openly admit it, though. I assume it was consensual and that you both wanted it?”

  “Of course.”

  “And is Mr Hansen angry with you?”

  “For leaving… yes. He wasn’t angry about us sleeping together. He wanted to give things a go.”

  Francesca sighs. “I’ll not pretend I’m not disappointed things turned out as they did. I am. I’m worried about protecting the firm’s reputation beyond everything else, but it’s not as if you forced yourself on Mr Hansen. He took you to bed quite willingly.”

  “I am fired, aren’t I?”