Fake Me

by Bonnie Edwards

  Tragedy had brought this man to his knees. Had made him hide away from life at the Landseer and, as Delphine had explained it, Farren’s business plan for the motel was meant to bring him back to life. That was what Delphine had said and now that Farren saw the way he’d let himself go, she agreed. But he wouldn’t come back to life through a romantic connection. No. Never. And especially not with Farren. She wasn’t the type to attract high-powered men.

  She was too short, too curvy, too small town. Sure, she had great eyes and black wavy hair, but they could only get a woman so far. Farren could attract men, she just couldn’t keep them.

  Delphine had spent considerable time talking about how to bring her beloved brother back to life and how Farren’s business would convince him it was time to move back to New York and leave the motel in capable hands.

  Farren had told Delphine about her housekeeping job at the Landseer and her experience at the Sands. She’d said the motel was the best venue to launch Singles Fest. With Farren’s unique understanding of the motel’s operation, she’d be able to manage the re-opening. Delphine had been pleased with the perfect match of needs and skills.

  “You seriously believe your sister sent me here because she thinks we’d be attracted to each other?” His looks were enough to send most women running into the night. Clearly, he hadn’t seen himself in a mirror in months.

  He shrugged as if his conclusion was self-evident.

  Farren did hold the key to Grady’s return to life. He didn’t see it yet because he was focused on his sister’s romantic interference, rather than Farren appealing to his entrepreneurial spirit. “This isn’t what you think it is.”

  His ocean-dark eyes zeroed in on hers, changing his gaze to predator status. Farren refused to cower and straightened her back.

  “Tell me then, what is this about if not Delphine wanting to set us up?” His rough-edged voice softened.

  Chapter Three

  “YOUR SISTER ISN’T SETTING us up,” Farren insisted, but Grady knew better. This poor woman was delusional. He settled into his seat, tossing up the footrest. A quick glance at his feet told him he had a hole in the toe of one sock. Come to think of it, there could be a hole in the sole, too. He didn’t care enough to check.

  “You’ve quit your job for this?” He pressed, shaking his head. Delphine had a lot to answer for.

  She nodded once. “My boss wouldn’t allow me to have a sideline business. He said Singles Fest would directly compete with the hotel by hosting events. I had no choice but to leave. The more my plans came together, the more committed I became.” She looked frustrated.

  “Did you sign a non-compete?” Maybe Delphine hadn’t suggested she leave her job. Then again, she knew people at the top over at the Sands. Someone or something drew her back here on a regular basis. He wouldn’t put it past her to put the idea of discouraging Farren into her boss’s head.

  “A what?”

  He sighed and realized he’d need to slow down.

  “When you were hired,” he said in a reasoning tone, “did you agree that if you left you wouldn’t compete for their business?”

  She frowned, but this was important, and she shouldn’t need her hand held, not if this would be her new career. Going into business for yourself was not for the weak-kneed.

  “No, I didn’t sign anything like that.” She waved both hands. “Besides, there’s little chance of competing. I’m after a different demographic. Most single parents can’t afford a place like the Sands. Not everyone who’s divorced or widowed and raising children is a doctor or lawyer or stockbroker.” She snorted. “Those people don’t have any problem finding second wives and husbands and they can afford the Sands.”

  He detected a slightly bitter undertone to her last comment. He set that aside as too personal. He didn’t care anyway.

  “To be clear, you want to make a living from broke people. That’s an interesting demographic.”

  Her brows knit and she looked confused by the question. He reacted to the way she nibbled her full lower lip in consternation.

  “Well, when you put it that way—sure, it sounds less than ideal—but I’ll go for quantity.”

  “Bargain basement matchmaking,” he said with a note of wonder. She believed this would work. No one could be this naïve.

  “Sort of. But not that.” She looked so sure of herself, so committed, it took his breath. “When you make a decent living wage but have children, the money needs to go further and can’t stretch to dates or meeting for a glass of wine or going to the movies and using a babysitter.” She glared at him as if her troubles explaining herself were his fault.

  He rubbed his chin and felt the lack of a shave. How long had it been, anyway? He scrubbed the scruff. A haircut and a shave were overdue.

  “I must look like a bear,” he muttered as the hole in his sock seemed to grow bigger as the seconds ticked by.

  Startled, she giggled. The sound was crystalline and chiming. He almost smiled back at her.

  “Yes, a bear. That’s exactly right. But not a sleek black bear, more like a brown one. You know the ones you see in nature shows rubbing their backs on trees?”

  He stared at her, but she was still lost in her imaginings of him in the woods. Her eyes shone with humor and her pouty soft lips curled up at the ends.

  “Fine, I’ll do something about it,” he grumbled. She’d just compared him to a grizzly. At least the bear had an excuse.

  She shrugged her beautiful, smooth shoulders. “No skin off my nose if you want to look like an old coot.”

  Old coot? Now she was being deliberately rude.

  “I’m thirty-four.”

  “Big deal. Old is in your attitude, not the number of years you’ve lived.”

  “Now, who sounds like a senior citizen?” he prodded. “Would I be welcome at Singles Fest? I’m recently single again.”

  He hadn’t thought of his situation in these terms before, but it was true. And he needed to get a handle on the market she was targeting. She seemed mixed up about where the profit would come from.

  She shook her head no, which proved how confused she was. “Your situation is different. You were dealt a terrible blow, and everyone needs to grieve. But, given time, you’ll find someone. When you’re ready you’ll have loads of women falling at your feet. You’re Grady O’Hara and infinitely eligible.”

  “You called me an old coot and disparaged my attitude, not to mention the bear in the woods comparison and you think women will find me attractive?” This was fun. And somewhere Delphine was laughing. He’d call her when this was over. Despite cutting her out of his life, he wanted to rub her face in this mess.

  “You’re rich and single. With no children. Unless you’ve got some hidden away?”

  At his head shake, she went on.

  “Also, you’ve shown yourself willing to commit to marriage. Any woman in the market for a man would want you. Despite your supreme grumpiness. Besides, you don’t have children, so technically you wouldn’t fit in with what I have in mind.”

  He wanted to growl like the bear he supposedly was.

  “You can’t make a living on single parents alone. You’ll need to expand to other markets. Your boss at the hotel knew that you’d come to that conclusion, given time.” If she knew he was rich and single and showed no interest in him other than what his motel could bring to her business, then he could let her talk. And if thirty-four was an old coot, then how young was she?

  Farren looked to be near his own age, but he was a poor judge of women’s ages. Veronica had seemed young and carefree when they’d met. She’d been willing to travel the world at a moment’s notice as his assistant, never complaining about the lack of personal time.

  He knew why that was now. Hindsight and all that. He closed the door on the memories of how easily he’d been taken in. She’d been efficient, kind, and caring. The other employees sang her praises and Delphine had taken to her. Of course, she had because Delphine had hired her.
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  He snorted and Farren jumped at the sound. An idea formed but before the kernel could sprout, he crushed it. No.

  Still, what if?

  It would certainly get Delphine out of his hair. Maybe she’d give up on her relentless pursuit of a wife for him. You’d think she’d have learned the same way he had, but no. Here she was, sending this hapless woman to him.

  A woman who likely needed a lot of guidance to get this idea off the ground. Or, conversely, needed to be scared off her plan.

  Either way, he was the one to help her.

  “I have a proposition for you,” he said with the same smile he’d tried earlier. But this time, she didn’t startle so easily. Good. She must be getting used to him.

  “You’re going to help me? Because the Fourth of July is right around the corner.”

  Clearly, he’d missed some salient points, but whatever. “Sure, I’ll help. But first, I have a condition.”

  She looked wary but interested.

  “I hate Delphine butting into my life. For lots of reasons, I want her to back off. I need you to pretend we’ve hit it off.”

  “In what way, exactly?” She leaned forward, avid. Farren Parks had no poker face. None at all. He had her and he knew it. This time when he smiled, she didn’t flinch.

  “Romantically.”

  “You want me to what?” Shock drained her face of color, but this was not the time to pity the woman.

  “Tell my sister you got in here and I turned on the charm and now, we’re dating. Tell her I’m helping you with Singles Fest. In return, you can do whatever you want with The Landseer. Fill it with parents and children if you want. Bring in a swinging singles club if that works. But you have to spend the summer here and pretend that we’ve got something going on.”

  Her face had now turned blood red and her neck looked ready to explode.

  “Need a pat on the back?” he offered. That might help this all go down easier.

  Chapter Four

  “THAT MAKES NO SENSE,” Farren sputtered after the shock wore off. Grady wanted to pretend they were dating. “Delphine won’t believe it.” Not after what she’d said about her brother being in deep grief.

  He’d been hiding from the world. Everyone knew it. His fiancée had died, and he’d disappeared. Delphine was supposed to believe that one look at Farren would rock his world? She wanted to snort. Her brothers would howl if they heard.

  “Her ego is so huge she’ll believe it,” Grady said. “Trust me on this.”

  Farren didn’t know what to think but she couldn’t fall in with his plan without knowing more, without pressing for details. Without being guaranteed the Landseer.

  “Is this sexual harassment?” The question popped out uninvited. Of course, he wasn’t interested in her in that way.

  “You’re not an employee of mine. And did I ask for any sexual favors?”

  “Dating implies—”

  “It’s not like that.” He shook his head. “No offense, but you’re a little too sweet for me. Not my type at all.” His gaze tracked her from her feet to the top of her head. No spark appeared in his eyes. She shouldn’t feel deflated, but this was no surprise. She wasn’t tall and willowy. He’d had his pick of New York models and gorgeous heiresses. Before his engagement, she’d seen pictures of him at The Met and movie premiers with high profile women. His fiancée had been lovely and statuesque, but a nobody before Grady.

  No, Farren wasn’t his type. The opposite in fact. Relief blended with a strange disappointment, but she set both aside to stay on track.

  “I see. I’m too sweet. Of course. Nothing I haven’t heard before.” She should be relieved instead of vaguely insulted. He had no idea if she were sweet or not. She could be wildly inappropriate at times. Sort of. She’d had two glasses of wine with Delphine and spilled her guts, hadn’t she? And she’d come here for three days just to push for something she wanted.

  “You’re no prize yourself,” she tossed at him. Shaggy, unkempt, and with the personality of an alligator, Grady O’Hara was not her kind of man. He wore socks with holes in them and a shirt that had lost half the buttons.

  “You won’t have to do more than hold my hand occasionally, maybe let me throw my arm across your shoulders.” He raised his hands palms out. “And that’s only if Delphine’s around. I haven’t seen her in months, though, so those occasions would be rare.”

  “She’s been staying at the Sands for a couple of weeks.”

  He shrugged. “Funny that she hasn’t stopped by.”

  “Funny that you haven’t invited her,” she pressed. Another thought struck. “If we’re dating, we’ll have to be seen in public together. Not only for Delphine’s sake.”

  “We’ll go for lunch or dinner occasionally. The J Roger’s still around, right? We could walk the beach if you want.” He sighed as if the idea of being outside with her would be an ordeal. “We won’t have to do much to get gossip started.” He firmed his lips and gave a brisk nod.

  Last Chance Beach kept gossip rolling, even when there wasn’t much to say. She cast around for more benefits for herself. She needed more from him because he was asking a lot of her. While she was busy pretending for months that they were dating, she had to behave as if she was involved with him. Which meant if anyone interesting came along, she couldn’t pursue a relationship.

  She wasn’t a cheater, not even if the relationship was fake. “If I agree to this cockamamie”—she scored a point with the jab— “plan of yours, then it’s taking time away from my social life. I’m thirty-four, too and I can’t date anyone else while I’m tied to you.”

  “Likewise for me,” he pointed out. “But thirty-four is hardly ancient.”

  “It is if you’re a woman who wants what I want.”

  He nodded. “Gotcha. The clock’s ticking.”

  “Yes. Frankly, it is. I’d like to meet someone great and have a family with him.”

  “You’ll still have time when we’re done.” He glared at her, insistent.

  She moved on with a nod. “I need to see more people about my plan,” she said consideringly. “You could come along some days.” Scrap that. “No, what I mean to say is: I’ll need you to come with me. You’re not the only person who’s been reluctant to see the benefits of my idea. And you did say Delphine should think you’re helping me.”

  Barnacle Bill’s Minigolf didn’t want to offer group discounts in high season.

  “The summer is when most of the businesses make their profit. I believe I can make Singles Fest popular at other times of the year, too, but for now, it’ll be summer.”

  “Starting with the Fourth. Which is coming up fast,” he repeated what she’d said earlier.

  “Exactly. I’m running out of time. Wasting three days trying to get in to see you has been hard on my timeline.” She was no pushover, and it was time he knew it.

  “You’ll want my support. You’ve got it.” He nodded as if he were offering a blessing from on high. He could be quite full of himself. Another thing Delphine had said about him confirmed.

  “When people learn you’re behind me, it could make a difference.” Some advantages came with his scheme, but tricking Delphine was the only reason he’d come up with the idea. “Do you think we can pull this off with your sister? Will she believe it?”

  “Given what she put me through before, she’ll jump at the idea that she’s made things right for me.”

  According to online gossip he’d met his fiancée through work. And his sister was head of HR for his company. “Delphine found Veronica for you?”

  “She convinced me to hire her as my assistant. Things went from there.” He frowned and shifted in his seat. He snapped the footrest down and stood up, clearly in no mood to elaborate. Natural, given the terrible end of his fiancée. “Are we agreed?”

  She nodded, although blaming his sister for Veronica’s tragic drowning seemed off.

  “Only until such time as my business is off the ground or for one year whichev
er comes first.” There were some other stipulations she wanted, like him joining her for talks with reluctant venues. He agreed to everything. “I’d like a signed agreement if you don’t mind. Simple language, please.”

  “Done. That’s wise for both of us.”

  “I’ll be a casual girlfriend. That’s fine with me.”

  “Agreed.”

  “No more than occasional hugs and or kisses as warranted in a public place or in Delphine’s presence.”

  “Great. I’m glad you see this the same way I do.” He let his gaze rove over her from head to toe. “And you’ll see no one else. No other dates. No other men.”

  “I’ll give up a year of prime dating time for this. I expect you to do the same.”

  “Exclusive. Got it,” he agreed.

  There was no way around giving away a full year of her life in her mid-thirties. She hoped her sacrifice was worth it. A year at her age was more valuable than in her twenties. She wanted to raise children with a committed partner. Finding one might take time.

  She stood and held out her hand to shake his. He clasped it and gave her one brisk shake. She didn’t feel a thing but warm fingers clasping hers. No zip or zing or attraction. Good. Being attracted to Grady O’Hara would be a new level of hell.

  “How soon do we start?” she asked.

  “Tomorrow’s fine. Come over in the morning and we’ll do a walk through the motel to check things over.”

  She’d been in his presence for less than an hour and her whole life had been turned upside down. For the next year. Nerves fluttered in her low belly. This seemed simple enough, so why the nerves?

  She had what she’d come for; access to the motel, his approval to include the motel in her promotion of Singles Fest, and, as a bonus, his advice on her business plan. She’d be a fool to pass all this up.

  She had little to lose. Her job was already gone. Her acquaintanceship with Delphine could suffer, but they hadn’t been real friends. And her pride could take the knock when this fake relationship came to an end next year. Meantime, though, it might prove helpful for clients to think that Singles Fest had already worked for her and Grady.