Fake It

by Mia Ford

  It was Jackson’s shirt, and I ended up with it back in school. I didn’t wear it because I was pining away for him at all, but it felt like I had support this way. It made me feel less alone as I looked into the mirror and took slow breaths.

  I could do this. I had help for the time that I needed it and now we were on our own. My parents would visit us and we’d go there as well. I preferred to go there so they wouldn’t have to get a hotel room because we had no room here. Perhaps once I was settled a bit more and in a house I could welcome guests, but not now.

  I sent my parents a text to tell them that my first day went well, and that I was sorry I didn’t call them earlier. Things happened so fast and I told them that we’d call the following night. I smiled as I plugged in my phone and crawled under the covers, thinking about Mason for a moment. He would never want a woman with a child and I was nowhere near ready to date someone or introduce them to Kendra. That was going to be tricky when the time came and I would have to go about it the right way.

  I could never date my boss to begin with.

  I imagined dating again and my eyes filled with tears. I remembered when Jackson broke up with me to date a college cheerleader and when I found out that I was pregnant. It hurt knowing that I was doing this on my own and I cried when I told my parents. I sobbed as I admitted to them that I wasn’t always careful with Jackson and regretted it now, but I wanted to keep my baby.

  Mom soothed me and assured me that they would help me. They both knew that I wasn’t going to be the kind of mom that would make them raise the baby. They wanted me to succeed and would help every step of the way. It was a tough choice to make but aborting my baby was not an option. Adoption would be a reasonable thing to consider but I already wanted this tiny being growing inside of me. I might regret Jackson but having this baby was not his fault as much as it was the responsibility of both of us. I never even told him, hearing around town how he moved on easily.

  Mom suggested that I contact him as the pregnancy progressed but I told her that he wouldn’t be interested. She didn’t like him to begin with so she didn’t push the idea.

  I was so grateful to my folks for being there for me throughout the pregnancy and for my mom for holding my hand through the long labor. We both cried when Kendra was born and she slept on the couch in my room, just in case I needed help.

  I closed my eyes and reminded myself that things were different now. I was a single mom working to support my daughter, and I didn’t need that much help anymore.

  I still didn’t know what to make of my new boss but it wasn’t worth stressing over. It was impossible on so many levels to begin with. He was gorgeous, but I needed to focus on my little family. I needed to focus on my future.

  I got up early enough to shower and get dressed before waking Kendra up. She was looking forward to school and dressed as I finished in the mirror, looking critically at my appearance. I sipped my coffee and laughed to myself, reminding myself that Mason would never want me. I saw how pretty the girls were in the building and assumed that he’d seen someone there at some point. Come to think of it, he had an interesting relationship with the girl in HR.

  “Are you ready, sweetie?” I called out as I left the bathroom to slip my shoes on.

  “All set.” Kendra appeared before me with her lunch in hand and a sparkle in her bright blue eyes. Jackson’s eyes. She looked at my dress as I slipped on the sweater and wrapped her arms around me as I smiled. “You look so pretty, Mommy. They must like you at work a lot.”

  “I hope so,” I murmured as I held her close, being mindful of this moment. I knew that they would fly by and she wouldn’t be my little girl forever.

  CHAPTER 6

  Mason

  I looked in the full length mirror on my closet as I perfected the knot on my black tie. I had a meeting with some possible new clients today and I wanted to bring Isabelle along. It was a lunch meeting but she would make a good impression on them. I could also spend some more time with her and smiled as I ran a hand through my dark hair.

  I found it comical that I fired my last assistant for being too much into me but liked this one enough to get to know her. I could see a lot behind her eyes, suggesting that she’d lived some hardships before getting the job. Hannah also hinted to that fact, and I walked into my kitchen to finish my coffee before leaving for work. I made a mental note to pick her brain for more information, knowing that she wouldn’t budge.

  I left the condo and headed to my car, breathing in the cool morning air. I’d ran a few miles in it earlier this morning as was my usual habit in good weather. I had a gym for the winter months but I had some time before that to enjoy and I wondered what Isabelle would be wearing to the office today.

  I drove in and parked in my spot, joining the others that worked in the building as we headed to our respective offices. I looked around for Isabelle, surprised to see her sitting at her desk sending a text as I approached her. I smiled and set down the coffee that I grabbed on the way in for both of us, watching her jump as she looked at me with big eyes. “You caught me off guard!”

  “Is everything okay?” I asked her as she looked at her phone with a soft smile.

  “Yeah, it is. Thanks for the coffee.” Isabelle smiled and pulled it towards her, sipping it slowly. “Should I start on the next book today?”

  “You know you don’t have to read them that quickly. We have reasonable deadlines.” I looked into her pretty face as she blushed and shrugged. Isabelle was fucking beautiful.

  “I just naturally read fast. I won’t if I feel like I need to slow down. This is an important part of the process.” Isabelle smiled, and I felt my phone in my pocket. I pulled it out and glanced down to see that the client was emailing me.

  “Oh, there is a lunch with potential clients today at one. I hope you can make it so you can get a feel of the process as well as give me your thoughts. I think we make a good team so far.” I held her eyes as Isabelle flushed again and nodded.

  “I’d like to be there. One?” She confirmed as I nodded and watched her do something on the computer.

  “It’s just a few blocks down and we’ll be meeting them. I’ll come out just before.” I smiled. “Don’t get lost in your book today.” I turned and walked into my office, playing back my words as I cracked the door. Was I flirting with my assistant? I’d slept with a few women but I typically tried to keep it separate from the work place.

  I opened up the book that Isabelle completed and started to read her notes as I drank the coffee I bought in the lobby. It happened to be cinnamon, and I smiled as I inhaled the spicy scent. Isabelle already showed me something new, and I glanced at the door for a moment. Her notes were good, and I admitted that while she read fast, Isabelle seemed to comprehend things just fine. In fact, she had some great insight, and I told myself that I needed to think of her as just an assistant. I had a good thing going at this company and could not fuck the staff, no matter how hot they were.

  I heard Hannah’s voice a little while later and glanced up as I rubbed my eyes. She made her way into my office, tapping on the door before walking in and grinning at me. Hannah and I got along well, and I appreciated her honesty, most of the time. “How’s it going?”

  “It’s great. I think she will be a great help to the company.” I reached for my coffee as Hannah dropped into the seat across from me.

  “You’re behaving yourself? I saw the way that you were looking at her yesterday.” Hannah told me as I leaned back in my chair.

  “She spilled coffee all over me moments before we met. I was surprised to see her,” I informed her as she raised one of her perfect brows.

  “I hope so. I don’t think you’ve gone that route here and doing it with your own personal assistant is not a great idea.” I frowned at her, wondering why she was so intent on this subject.

  “I didn’t plan to. I take my position here seriously and I had her hired here to help me, not hinder me.” It annoyed me that she was one of the few pe
ople that could read me.

  “I hope so.” Hannah said as she glanced towards the door. “I did a great job with her, didn’t I? Something about her resume stood out and I liked her the moment that I met her.” Hannah was the one that took care of it while I was gone on a trip. She’d done it a few times for me when the assistants became too interested in me and I contributed that to this behavior.

  “Did you ask her if she was into women for me? You seem so worried about us.” I said softly, seeing that Hannah closed the door behind her.

  “She’s not.” Hannah smiled sweetly, and I laughed. She was into women and seemed to have a good radar about the ones she had a shot with. She burst out laughing and leaned her head back, her dark eyes filled with mirth. “Not at all.”

  “What is it about her that you’re being so weird about?” I demanded as her face fell and she went serious.

  “Nothing. I tease you a lot but I know that you wouldn’t get involved.” Hannah excused herself and closed the door behind her as I watched curiously. I went back to the document and realized that her notes matched what I’d write myself. That was hard to manage, and I glanced at my clock to see that I had another two hours before lunch. I didn’t take a lot of breaks here at the office and ran a hand through my hair as I considered a quick walk to the break room, possibly the break room for some hot coffee.

  I stood and left, glancing at Isabelle as she smiled at something in the book. She blushed as she met my eyes and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. It was down today in loose curls and I wanted to feel the silky locks. “Don’t rush.” I warned her before continuing down the hallway and turning into the break room.

  CHAPTER 7

  Isabelle

  I heard the beeping on the computer and blinked as I realized that lunch was soon. I ran a hand through my hair and reached for my purse to take a quick look at my face in a compact. The cool air in this office did the job, and I didn’t look sweaty despite the fact that I was nervous about today. I was happy to go to lunch and learn about every part of this place but spending time outside of the office with Mason unnerved me.

  At least we weren’t going to be alone.

  I grabbed my purse as I heard his door, standing and sliding my hands over my dress. “Ready?”

  We walked down to an upscale cafe, and I looked around as Mason opened the door for me. He glanced around and headed to a table in the corner, his stride strong and confident. I glanced at his ass in the slacks that fit him perfectly, blushing as he greeted some people in front of us. Mason shook the hands of the couple before us, telling them that it was great to meet them before he turned to me. “This is my assistant, Isabelle Evans. I invited her to sit in and get some experience in this. Isabelle, this is Mark James and Monica Norris. They have a new manuscript that they’d like to pitch to us.”

  We ordered, and I sipped my water as the two told us about their new adult romance. It was a common genre, but they seemed to have an interesting idea that would draw the readers that didn’t involve the idea of a stepbrother. I was tired of those books even if they did sell well. The food was amazing, and I took small bites of the hot pastrami, trying not to make a mess or inhale it the way that I wanted.

  Mason was seated in the booth with me and I felt his heat through his pants. It was a small booth, and I shifted slightly as I reached for my water. Mason kept talking steadily to the other two as he twirled pasta onto a fork, eating it smoothly as they responded to a question.

  The man was flawless, and I fell quiet as I observed the conversation. I memorized his heat and the way Mason made me feel again even if I wasn’t going to do anything about it. Monica smiled at me and asked what I thought of the plot and I considered my answer as I sipped my water to wash down the sandwich. “I like the fact that it is a bit different from the rest. It has the usual young girl going through a transition, but the fact that she is doing it at a job over college. I like the fact that she’d been through something and it growing from it.” I felt Mason’s eyes on me and smiled at the petite blonde woman. “I think that it has promise.” I glanced over at him as he nodded encouragingly at me and turned his attention to them.

  He told them to send him the manuscript before we all shook hands. We left first, and he held open the door as he watched me lead the way down the sidewalk. “So, what did you think?”

  “I loved their enthusiasm and thought the story had potential. I mean, it is a common genre, but it stood out to me. That was great.” I looked at him as we walked down the sidewalk. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Thanks for joining me.” Mason said as I licked my lips and stared forward.

  “The food was fantastic. How often do you do things like that?” I asked as he chuckled.

  “They are co-authors of a New York Times best seller. I make time for people like that.” Mason told me as my mouth dropped open. “They were indie authors that are looking for a deal with a traditional company. They picked the place and bought the lunch. Get used to it.”

  “Best-sellers?” I asked as he nodded.

  “That’s who I like to take on.” Mason assured me as he met my gaze for a long moment as I paused. I realized what was happening and started to walk again. I couldn’t look at my boss that way because I was a mom that had a daughter to take care of, not some single woman flirting with her boss.

  Her gorgeous boss.

  We got back to the office, and I sat down to start reading again. I was stuffed and shifted in my seat as I wondered what to make for dinner. I didn’t normally eat such big lunches and might never eat again, at which point my mind wandered to something that Kendra liked all on her own. I idly opened the document and found where I left off and thanked God for this job even if I did have the most gorgeous man in the world for my boss.

  Life just wasn’t fair but even if he wasn’t my boss, I wasn’t willing to risk my heart with someone. It hurt when Jackson left us alone and I wouldn’t let Kendra meet anyone just to be left alone again. I made that vow when I had her and stuck to it, never tempted by anyone before Mason. I looked at his cracked office door and let out a slow sigh, knowing that I needed to ignore this.

  The story was great once I managed to focus on it and I made the usual notes as I read along. I looked at the corner of the monitor and realized that it was almost time to leave. I had such a great job, and the salary was more than I could have ever expected. I thought about my paycheck next week and considered the budget for the moment, grinning as I decided to get pizza for Kendra. She loved it like most kids but it was a very rare treat.

  “What are you smiling about?” Mason asked as I blinked and looked up at him, my face dropping.

  “I was just thinking about something.” I stammered as he searched my face.

  “Do you have a date tonight?” Mason pressed as I blushed and bit my lip.

  “No. Nothing like that.” I glanced at the clock again and saved my work, telling him that I didn’t finish the story this time.

  “I don’t expect you to.” Mason assured me again before he turned to return to his office. The look in his eyes was intense as he spoke and I wondered if he asked about a date for his own personal reasons. I gathered my things together and turned off my computer before standing to join the rest of the people at the computer, not waiting for Mason. I didn’t want to think about him and hurried to my car to go and get Kendra to surprise her.

  CHAPTER 8

  Mason

  Isabelle looked beautiful with the smile on her face, making me pause and question it. I immediately went for the question about a date since she looked like she was thinking about someone that she cared for. Her answer made me wonder just what it was, but I sensed that she wasn’t going to tell me. She seemed to freak out, and I wondered what was going on but chose to leave it alone. I watched her hurry out of the building, following the crowd as I watched her walk to her car.

  Isabelle was a complex woman and while I saw some pain in her eyes as I looked at her, I also s
aw a deep-seeded need there. Isabelle was a woman, and she had an interest in me whether she admitted it or not. I had not wanted a woman the way that I did her for some time, but it felt like more to me.

  I met my friends for dinner and drinks, opting to go home alone instead of bringing a woman with me. I worked the following day though my friends pointed out that they never stopped me before, making me tell them to shut up. I sounded irritated and could tell by the looks on their faces but I wasn’t ready to talk about Isabelle yet.

  I knew the rules of the office but for the first time, I didn’t care. I wanted her. Not only did I want to fuck her, but I wanted to know her as well. Isabelle was not the kind of woman that you slept with once, but she was also a fantastic assistant. Hannah warned me against doing anything to pursue her but there was something between us from the moment that she crashed into me. I feigned the irritation there because I thought that she was one of the most beautiful women that I’d ever laid eyes on. I was drawn to her and ran instead of asking for her number, but my luck made me bump into her within the hour. It caught me off guard and I’d been arguing with myself ever since that day.

  I was used to women and their needs and wants. I romanced them as much as casually sleeping with them and I walked to my car to start the engine and head home for the night. I barely drank at dinner so I knew that I was good to get there and unlocked the door and walked inside, looking around the spacious living room. I lived here with my best friend, who worked as a traveling photographer for National Geographic. Most of the time, it was like living alone.

  I showered and dressed in shorts to sleep in, turning on the television low as I grabbed my laptop. I still had some energy, and I pulled up the document that Isabelle forwarded to me. I read further into the story, still liking her suggestions for the strong plot as I weighed the option of pursuing her. Was it worth it? I’d lost a few due to their attraction to me that wasn’t returned and Isabelle was the best one yet. I could fuck nearly any woman that I wanted but there was a challenge to her that made me much more interested in sex.