by Lexi Cross
“That depends. Is there a Mrs. Jake Hall out there somewhere?” I fired back.
He laughed. “You should know me better than that.” There was a gleam in his eye. He was pulling me in, whether I liked it or not.
“Maybe it’s been too long and I need a reminder.” I raised my eyebrows, hoping he would take the bait.
“That’s a shame really,” he said, lowering his eyes but unable to hide the smile on his face.
I realized how silly it was to think that I could have used Jake to satisfy the marriage condition my father had just sprung on me. He probably had his own romantic life to worry about. Surely, he did. He was a professional athlete who had just renewed a multi-million-dollar contract with his team. I wouldn’t have believed it if anyone had told me he didn’t have women all over him.
“Well, it was good to see you,” I said as I started to walk past him.
“Hey, wait.” He stopped me with a gentle hand on my arm.
I turned back towards him, hoping he would say something to keep me there. We hadn’t seen each other a long time, and there was a good chance it would be another long time, but I really did want to make the most of it, even if I wasn’t going to ask him to marry me for my father after all.
“What are you up to these days?” he asked me.
“Same old, same old. I run my father’s company.”
“You haven’t taken it from him yet?” Jake joked with me.
I laughed. “Not yet. In fact, that’s what we were talking about today before I came to the store.”
“So you are actually considering it,” he said.
“Oh yeah. I’ve been running it for the last ten years, and for the last five, I’ve been doing it mostly without him,” I explained. I could feel myself getting heated, and I didn’t want to go off in the produce section.
“Yeah, I thought you’d been working there for a while now.”
“Yep, but how’s football?” I asked, taking the first opportunity I saw to change the subject.
“You mean you don’t watch me every weekend on TV?” He almost sounded genuinely upset, but I hoped he was only joking. He should have known I didn’t really care much for sports.
“I catch the occasional game,” I told him, which wasn’t a lie. I had watched him a couple of times. I just didn’t make a habit of it. Watching football wasn’t one of my hobbies, but there had been a couple of times when I had seen his name on the screen as I was scrolling through the channels, and on those occasions I stopped to watch. Not that I could tell one player from another in their uniforms.
He chuckled. “Right. No, I get it. It’s not for everyone. Besides, I’m only messing with you about it. But it’s going well. Our team just got a new owner, so we’re having to make some adjustments to his way of thinking.”
“That’s never fun, is it?” Now we were entering the realm of small-talk. I didn’t know what to say to him. I had only ever had one job, and my father was the owner of the company.
“Not really. I just want to play, you know? He’s got some ideas that get in the way of doing that,” he confided in me. I could tell there was more he wanted to say, but he cut himself off. “All that’s for another time. You should come down to watch us practice sometime.”
I was shocked that he would invite me, especially knowing I wasn’t much of a fan. “Maybe I will. When do you practice?” I knew the question would give away my utter lack of football knowledge, but he had just put himself back in the running for a potential fake husband to throw my father off. I wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to get close enough to talk to him about it.
“Every day, pretty much. You know, better yet, why don’t we go out sometime?” he asked.
“I’m sorry? I mean, yeah, it sounds like a great idea.” I was even more shocked, but going out on a date sounded like a much better opportunity to spring my business proposition on him. We had a history. We went way back, but that only meant he should have been more likely to agree to help an old friend out.
It wasn’t like I was going to hold him to the marriage or anything if he agreed to it. It was just for show, just so I could get the company moved over into my name. I didn’t care what he did in the meantime.
“There’s a new sushi bar I’ve been meaning to check out downtown. I’d like to take you there if you have the time. Maybe tomorrow night?”
“Tomorrow night sounds perfect,” I told him. I couldn’t believe I was agreeing to a date with him.
“Great. I’ll pick you up around eight.” He fished out his phone, and we exchanged numbers. He gave me a light hug with his free arm, and I could feel his muscles tightening around me as he hugged me. I kicked myself for ever breaking up with him.
I tried to hide my excitement as I walked away to finish my shopping. I had his number now for the first time since we’d dated briefly in high school. I debated calling him after I left the store and offering to cook him dinner instead of letting him take me out to eat, but I figured if my plan was to keep it just business and not actually get personally involved with him, cooking dinner for him was a bad move.
“It’s just business,” I reminded myself a few times as I walked through the store and picked up a few more things for dinner. I found myself distracted. I just sort of wanted to put everything back and grab a pizza instead. Seeing Jake had eased my nerves from my earlier conversation with my father. Instead, I had butterflies in my stomach over trying to approach someone who had almost become a complete stranger over the years with a business proposition.
Who was I kidding? Jake Hall wasn’t just someone. He was the one who got away. Even in high school, he’d been a gorgeous example of masculinity. His body had been sculpted by the hands of the gods. As far back as I could remember, he’d been in perfect shape. His muscles were always toned and ripped. He was always so perfectly lean.
I remembered how his skin had felt under my touch all those years ago, and I wondered if he would still feel as firm and smooth after a decade of abuse on the college and professional fields. I was sure he’d had his share of lovers in the meantime, and I wondered what those women had shown him, what he had to teach me.
I absolutely had to get my mind out of the gutter. Just like before, we had run into each other at the worst possible time if we wanted to make anything real out of it. Back in school, we had dated briefly just before graduation. Between Jake’s football scholarship to an out-of-state university and my acceptance into a business program in another, we didn’t stand a chance.
Now, he was a big-time athlete, and I was trying to completely take over my father’s company. He spent the majority of his time with the team, either playing, traveling, or practicing. I spent most of my time in board meetings or handling other company business. Neither one of us had time for marriage, nor did either one of us want it, I was sure. I knew I didn’t. Until my father had mentioned it, marriage had been the farthest thing from my mind.
However, our mismatched schedules would work perfectly for a marriage of convenience. Jake wouldn’t have to give up his lifestyle, and I wouldn’t have to play housewife to some egocentric jock who was used to women swooning over him.
I grabbed a pizza and handed my full basket to the cashier, telling her I had decided not to get all the real food I had picked up. No, I was just going to settle for supreme goodness fresh out of my oven with minimal preparation. I was too distracted to cook.
Chapter Two
Jake
Running into Brooke Scott at the grocery store was a revelation. She’d been my girlfriend before, and she certainly could have played the part again. Judging by her shock when I asked her out on a date, I figured she wouldn’t mind.
It certainly would have been nice to have her on my arm at events or other photo opportunities for the paparazzi. I couldn’t have allowed myself to be seen with someone who didn’t look as good as I did, and Brooke met that requirement like no one else I knew. When I saw her in her black business suit and skirt, with h
er white blouse open to show off the tender skin above her breasts, I kicked myself for not being able to pursue her outright.
I just needed someone to pose as my girlfriend so I could make the new owner of the team happy. I didn’t need a real girlfriend. That was the last thing I wanted. Regardless, Brooke would have been great as either one.
I picked her up the next night around eight, just like I had said I would. I knew I didn’t have to tell her to make sure she wore something classy and photo-worthy. That was her style. She also had her own image to maintain as the daughter of one of the most successful businessmen in the city. We were sure to make a splash stepping out together.
When my driver opened the door for her to slide into the back with me, I caught a glimpse of the evening gown she wore, the way it hugged her body perfectly.
“Just as delicious as I remember,” I told her as she slid into the car.
“Stop it,” she said, smiling and blushing.
She wore her golden hair swept up from her shoulders, revealing the smooth skin of her neck and the top of her back. Her long, thin arms stretched down from the straps of her dress to her thin hands and long, dainty fingers. Her blue eyes sparkled with the jewelry she wore—the necklace that spilled down the front of her dress and the bracelet that dangled from her wrist.
I wanted to skip dinner and take her in my arms. I wanted to take her straight to my place and pick up where we left off so many years ago. Forget all this business nonsense. Forget Mr. Clark! I wanted Ms. Scott.
My appetite for women hadn’t affected my game so far, though I was sure it was going to now that I had to watch what I ate, so to speak. I had always kept my appetite at bay, and soon it would threaten to consume me.
“You look very lovely tonight,” I complimented her, trying to take my mind off of what waited for me underneath her dress. The last thing I needed to do was spend our evening trying to get her in bed with me. I needed her for something much bigger than that.
“Thank you,” she said demurely. “You look stunning,” she added as some of the usual strength and power in her voice returned.
“Thanks.” I smoothed my suit jacket down. I was glad she noticed. I hoped she would be as impressed by dinner.
When we reached The Dragon Steakhouse and Sushi Bar, we were seated in one of the quiet, dimly lit booths off to the side of the main dining room. I would have considered taking one of the high tables in the middle if we had just been there for a few drinks and some of what they were calling the best sushi in town, but we were there on business.
I had to convince Brooke that she wanted to play the role of my girlfriend for at least this one season, or until Mr. Clark forgot about this whole role model business.
After we were seated, the wine was ordered, and when it was brought to our table, we ordered our sushi. I steered the conversation to small-talk while we waited on our food to be brought out. We talked a little bit about our lives since high school. Brooke told me about working for her father remotely during college while she worked on her business degree. I told her about playing college ball and studying marketing, just in case things hadn’t worked out with football.
Of course, I left out all the parties and the girls. I caught myself trying to look as good as I could for Brooke. I wanted to convince her I was worth her time as a business partner. Not as a real boyfriend.
Once our food was delivered and we were eating, I figured it was time to lay my cards out on the table.
“It’s really good to see you and see that you’re doing well,” I started.
“You, too,” she said back, a little overenthusiastically. “I really mean that.”
I smiled. I didn’t want to dismiss her kindness, but I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to go ahead and talk to her about what I needed from her.
“Brooke, I didn’t just ask you out because I thought it would be nice to reconnect with you,” I started.
“Oh?” She cut her eyes up at me from her plate as she grabbed another piece of sushi with her chop sticks. She didn’t look surprised.
I had no idea how she was going to take what I was about to tell her, but I was on the move already. There was no turning back.
“When I saw you yesterday at the store, I mentioned having to get acquainted with the team’s new owner.”
“I remember that,” she said with a hand over her mouth while she chewed.
“Well, here’s the problem. He wants us to be positive role models,” I said. I realized I was drawing it out, taking my time telling her what I needed to say. It wouldn’t have been so awkward if I had bought into the idea myself, but I still didn’t believe it wholeheartedly. Having to stage a relationship was more of a necessary evil than something I really thought was a good idea.
“Role models? You’re athletes. People want to watch you win games and live the life they can’t,” Brooke said through her laughter.
“I feel the same way,” I told her, relieved that she saw it the way I did. I started to feel like telling her my plan was going to be much easier than I had feared.
“So, what does he want you to do, get married?” she asked, laughing at the idea.
“Close. He wants us to have steady girlfriends,” I replied in a serious tone.
“You’re kidding me.” The humor left her face. “Is that why you asked me out tonight?”
I nodded. “When I saw you, I realized you are exactly the kind of person I need on my arm for my image. You’re beautiful, successful, and powerful. You don’t have to actually be my girlfriend. I know you’re busy with work. But, when I need to make appearances at events or if I go out to eat, for instance, I need you to accompany me,” I explained.
“Interesting.” She didn’t seem offended. She leaned forward on the table on her elbows, open to my suggestion.
“I feel like I should let you know a couple of things before you agree to this though. I’m not looking for love. You will pose as my girlfriend, but there is no commitment. We can’t be seen with other people, but I’m not going to hold you to the role all the time. And I’m not looking for marriage, just for a temporary pretend-girlfriend,” I explained.
“That’s a problem,” she said thoughtfully.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I didn’t accept your invitation tonight because I wanted to rekindle our fire, Jake,” she said bluntly.
I laughed. “That’s a relief, actually.”
“I’m in a similar predicament,” she continued. “My dad won’t turn the company over to me unless I get married.”
I closed my eyes and shook my head. I did not want to get married. I did not want to settle down or invite all the complications that came with even a staged marriage into my life.
“Look, I understand. I don’t want to get married either. I’ve survived this long on my own, without someone else’s help, and I know you’re off doing whatever you do week after week. I get it. But think about it, Jake. Marriage would solve both of our problems, and it would only be a business arrangement. Like you said, we have to play our roles publicly, but that’s all. No love, no real commitment. Just help me get my company. And to top it off, getting married will go over really well with your team’s new owner.”
She was right, even though I didn’t want to admit it. Our new owner would love the idea of marriage as opposed to just dating someone. It would be an opportunity to show Mr. Clark that I was really serious about the team. But I still wasn’t sure.
“I don’t know,” I told her hesitantly. “I’m going to need some time to think about it.”
“Sure. I know it’s a lot to take in, but how funny is it that we both had the idea we needed to fake a relationship?” She chuckled and went back to eating.
I did find it an odd coincidence that we’d both gone into our date thinking about asking each other to pose as a significant other of some sort. I just really wasn’t expecting to be asked to marry someone. Real or not, marriage was a tall order.
I wa
tched Brooke finish the last few bites of her sushi. She really would have been perfect. She would have been beautiful by my side, the image of the perfect girlfriend, and she definitely was wife material, as far as any curious eyes would have been concerned. If anyone did any digging, they would also see that she was the successful heiress to a considerable amount of wealth and power. She would have completed my image, and as an added bonus, we had a history that made us instant friends when we came back together.
It would have been a win-win, but she needed more. They always needed more. A little was never enough.
I wondered if there was another way, if I needed to find someone else to be my fake girlfriend, someone who didn’t come with strings attached the way Brooke did. There wasn’t any harm in looking, certainly.