Just Pretend

by Juliana Conners

  “I’m coming,” I tell her, as I feel the release I didn’t even know I’d been waiting for so eagerly. “You make me come so fucking hard.”

  “Me too,” she says, grabbing the bed posts to which I’ve tied her, squeezing them as we both come together. “You make me come so hard and so much.”

  “Come for me, because I’m coming for you,” I tell her, and when I get done I just stand here for a minute, trying to pull myself back together.

  What the fuck was that? I wonder, as I take off the condom.

  What it was, apparently, was out of the world sex like none I’d ever had before. I didn’t even know sex could be so good.

  Holy shit. I’m in over my head and I have to get out of here.

  I untie her and begin getting dressed. She looks into my eyes, searching for signs of what I’m feeling, but I’m not about to let her in on the fact that I’m way more into her than I intended to be.

  “Meet me at Radish on Tuesday at 6:30,” I instruct her. “That’s when you’ll meet my father and we’ll let him know we’re engaged.”

  “Okay,” she says, as if waiting for more.

  But I can’t say anything to her without her finding out how crazy she makes me feel. It’s nothing like I’ve ever experienced before and I have to admit I’m overwhelmed by it.

  We walk out separately and she goes over to another girl waiting in the lobby.

  “Stacy,” she says, throwing her arms around her. “What are you doing out here?”

  I hadn’t realized she’d come with a friend. Then again, I hadn’t known anything about her before I just fucked her silly— and allowed her to fuck me silly as well.

  “Oh, just waiting for my ‘john’ to get dressed so he can take me to dinner,” her friend says, smiling a goofy, but charming smile. “He paid for that, and some other stuff of course.”

  I can’t help but continue to ease drop on my way out the door.

  “You look like you’ve had fun,” Veronica says.

  “So you do,” Stacy says. “But we’re still going on that double date this weekend. Nothing’s changed, right?”

  “Well…” Veronica hesitates.

  Tell her no, I silently will. Tell her you’re mine.

  I know I’m being ridiculous. I have no right to claim exclusivity over Veronica. I hadn’t made that part of the agreement and I definitely don’t own her. I’m only getting fake married to her, not real married to her.

  She looks up and sees me lingering at the door, so I push it open, acting as if I wasn’t paying any attention at all.

  “Sure, I guess, why not?” Veronica finally answers, causing my heart to fall down into the pit of my stomach.

  Fuck. Why does it bother me so much that she’s going to have dinner with some other guy before she has a fake meet- her- future- father-in-law dinner with me?

  Don’t worry about it, I tell myself, as I head to my car. It was just a one-time thing. It’s only a fake engagement and that’s it.

  I wish I could get my heart to believe what my head is trying to tell it. I have a feeling that these next few days are going to feel like some of the longest ever.

  Chapter 12 – Veronica

  I couldn’t wait for today to get here. As I walk into the swanky Radish restaurant, I keep an eye out for Isaac, excited to see him again even though our parting after our first encounter had been awkward. I could swear he wanted to say more, do more, but was holding back.

  I know it’s not my place to question why he does the things he does. This is just a paid arrangement. Isn’t it?

  I know logically that it is, but emotionally, I can’t help but wonder if there’s something more to it.

  I look down at the huge rock on my hand, still in awe of its size and beauty. It might represent a fake marriage, but it’s the most beautiful piece of jewelry I’ve ever owned.

  Isaac isn’t here, but when I tell the hostess that we have a reservation, she leads me to table near the back. An old man is seated in a wheelchair at a table and an even older woman is opening a napkin and placing it on his lap.

  “Oh hello there,” she says, looking up at me with kind eyes.

  “You must be Jessica,” the old man says, interrupting her. “The rare unicorn who my son has finally agreed to marry.”

  I’m taken aback by his abrasiveness, but Cora’s sweet temperament overrides his.

  “Oh Jim,” she says, patting his shoulder. “You’re always confusing names. This is Veronica, remember?”

  He shrugs, glaring at me.

  “Isaac goes through so many of them I can’t even keep up,” he mumbles.

  I notice that Cora pinches him on his shoulder. I smile at her, to let her know that I’m not bothered. If I were Isaac’s real girlfriend, I probably would be— to hear what a player is. In fact, I feel a pang like a dagger in my heart, wondering how many girls he’s been with just like he was with me the other night.

  But I know I have no right to possessive. It doesn’t surprise me that a handsome, rich man like him has his pick of women. And since this is all a fake arrangement, I’m determined to go with the flow.

  I’ll do anything for Isaac because he’s paid me so handsomely. I’ve already arranged with the clinic who is doing Mom’s experimental treatment, to pay them anonymously so that she won’t know it’s me. However, she’s been acting suspicious, telling me she doesn’t understand how they’re now covering the cost of what they said would be too expensive, and asking me what I’ve been up to and where I’ve been going.

  The truth is, almost nowhere, except to the Exchange Club last week— which I certainly wasn’t going to tell her about— and out with Stacy over the weekend, which only lasted about half an hour. I took one look at the blind date I was being set up with and made an excuse that my stomach had been bothering me.

  He wasn’t bad looking, but I guess I couldn’t help compare him to Isaac. I had no interest in sitting there having dinner with him. I suppose it makes no sense, but until I finish this business with Isaac, it doesn’t feel fair to anyone for me to be dating other guys as well. That’s what I tell myself, anyway, even though I know that I’m so gaga over Isaac that no other guy comes close, and even talking to one just doesn’t even feel right.

  So that night I came home early and watched cheesy 80’s movies in my room, daydreaming about what it would really be like to be married to a filthy rich, sexy man like Isaac. Perhaps I should have never let him take my virginity. Because now I can’t get him out of my head.

  “Please don’t pay any attention to Mr. Morris’ grumpy mood,” Cora says. “He’s been very excited to meet you.”

  “And very excited that my irresponsible son is finally settling down,” Mr. Morris adds.

  I’m not sure whether to laugh or feel horrified. I’m beginning to see what Isaac has to go through and even though at first I was dubious about his plan to fool his father with a fake engagement for whatever reason, now I’m beginning to get a glimpse into why he might feel the need to do whatever it takes to pacify this seemingly incorrigible old man.

  “Darling,” a newly familiar voice calls out, and I turn around to see Isaac rushing into the restaurant, holding a large, beautiful bouquet of flowers. “Sorry I’m late. I was just looking over something very important to the family business.”

  As he hands me the flowers and pulls out my chair for me to sit down, I’m impressed by his chivalry. His father, on the other hand, leaves a lot of manners to be desired.

  “It’ll only stay in the family if you two actually tie the knot,” he says.

  Poor Isaac. I can’t believe he has to put up with this all the time. I decide to go all out and really play the part for Isaac’s sake.

  “Of course we will,” I tell him.

  Then I turn to Isaac and ask, “Have you been downplaying the seriousness of our relationship to your own family? Honey, I know you never thought you’d settle down, but it’s about time you admit I caught you hook, line and sinker.”
/>
  My charm must work because Mr. Morris gives me a small grin. Cora breaks into a laugh. But the best reaction comes from Isaac. His handsome face breaks into a big smile.

  “You’re right,” he says, playing along perfectly. “And that’s why I had you come meet my father and Cora finally. You knew I wasn’t going to do it until just before our wedding day so that I could be sure I’d really go through with it. Even though I have cold feet when it comes to commitment, I’m actually ready to take this big step.”

  Cora shakes her head at Isaac.

  “Now you be nice to your fiancée,” she says. “It looks like you have a real keeper here.”

  She winks at me and I nod at her appreciatively, sincerely glad she’s here.

  The waiter takes our order and as dinner progresses I begin to see more and more of Isaac’s father’s personality. Isaac keeps trying to bring up something that he talked to his friend Dan about but his father keeps dismissing him.

  “I’ll talk to Charles about all that later,” Mr. Morris says. “Let’s just eat now. I’m sure you’re confused anyway. You rarely really know what you’re talking about.”

  Isaac looks crushed, but he presses forward.

  “Dad, what I’m saying is that we’ve ordered an audit for the books to be gone through and I really think it’ll be a good thing because there are some discrepancies.”

  Isaac’s father coughs and is unable to answer. I realize that his condition is severe. In his frail state, I’m surprised he could even come to dinner.

  It must be incredibly important for Isaac to pretend to be getting married to me. I decide to try to step in and help the situation because it’s obviously also important for Isaac that his dad hear what he’s trying to say about the books.

  “Well, you know honey, how I’m a mathematics major and I’ve take taken some accounting courses,” I say. “I’d be happy to look at the books if you’d like to show them to me.”

  Isaac looks at me with more interest than his father does. I can tell he wants to ask me if I’m really a mathematics major but that would give away our little ploy. So, he says nothing.

  After dinner as we stand to leave, Cora gives me a hug and says, “It was such a sincere pleasure to meet you. I hear the wedding is next weekend and I can’t wait to attend.”

  It takes all my willpower not to glare at Isaac. He planned our fake wedding for this weekend and didn’t even tell me? That’s such a guy thing to do.

  I’m going to have to tell him Stacy about it. I hope she doesn’t have plans and she can make it. Even if it’s a fake wedding, I need her to be my bridesmaid.

  As we’re walking out, I’m wondering when I’m going to get to see Isaac again. But I don’t have to wonder long.

  “Follow me to my apartment,” he instructs, as soon as we’re out of earshot of his dad and Cora.

  By the way his jaw is clenched and the nervous way he’s jostling his keys in his hand, I can tell that he’s been wanting to see me as much as I’ve been wanting to see him. He’s trying to hold himself back but he wants me.

  I’m beginning to think this relationship isn’t as fake as we’re trying to make it seem.

  Chapter 13– Isaac

  As soon as we’re in my apartment my hands are all over Veronica’s body. I just can’t seem to help myself. I silently curse myself, wondering why I have no self-control when it comes to her. I just need to see and feel that sweet pussy of hers again.

  But she doesn’t seem to want to let me off easy.

  When I kiss her she kisses me back but then she pulls away and says, “So, next weekend, huh? When were you going to tell me?”

  I grab her ass and squeeze it hard, pulling her in close to me.

  “I’m the one who asks the questions around here,” I tell her. “I bought you fair and square.”

  “Yes, you did,” she says, her body tightening up and her face looking a bit surprised.

  Now I feel bad. I didn’t mean to scare her. I just have no control over my emotions and I don’t want to show her what she’s doing to me.

  I hadn’t even planned to bring her back here to my place. To have sex with her again. But ever since I saw her shape accentuated by the dress she wore to the restaurant– and, I have to admit, the beautiful way when she handled my father and helped me out at dinner– it’s all I can think about and all I want to do.

  “Is this weekend alright with you?” I ask her. “I have a friend who is a wedding planner and another friend who manages the local branch of the Ritz-Carlton so I thought we could do it there and I pre-arranged everything already.”

  “Really?” she asks, looking up into my eyes. “The Ritz-Carlton?”

  For a second I start to think that maybe we’re on the same page emotionally. Could she be actually falling for me like I am actually falling for her?

  No, I tell myself. It’s just that every little girl dreams of getting married at the Ritz-Carlton. She’s obviously more in love with the whole fake wedding affair than she is with me.

  “I’ve been meaning to ask you,” she says, and then falters. “I clearly haven’t told my parents about any of this and I don’t think it would be a good idea to.”

  “No,” I tell her. “Probably not.”

  She hasn’t even told her parents about me so she can’t be feeling for me the same things I am for her.

  “So, I was wondering how that’s gonna work?” she asks, looking up into my eyes.

  Damn. Those green eyes of hers leave me weak in the knees.

  “Oh. Because you need parents at the wedding, of course,” I tell her. “I’ll see who I can pay to be there. Don’t worry about it.”

  “So, you don’t think your dad will be able to figure out they’re not my real parents?” she asks me.

  So many questions. She really has thought of everything. Before I can answer, she continues.

  “I was also wondering if were actually going to sign the marriage license,” she asks. “Will the officiant ask us to? Will we just not file it or what if your dad looks at some public records to make sure we did? I’m not sure how that’s supposed to work…”

  I realize that she’s actually wanting this to go well for me, which is touching.

  “Don’t worry about those details,” I tell her, but then I realize that I haven’t worried about them enough myself.

  Perhaps my dad is right and I’m completely incompetent, unfit to run a company let alone manage a fake wedding.

  “Look,” I tell her, trying to brush off my confused feelings. “One way or another it’ll work out. I think my dad just wants me to get hitched. Once he sees it happen, he’ll hand over the company to me. He doesn’t care too much about the details. In fact, I think he’s beginning to go a bit senile and he is leaving complete control of the company up to his business partner Charles, which I don’t think is a good idea now that my friend Dan and I have looked at the records. Something’s just not adding up.”

  I shake my head, convinced of it.

  “But anyway,” I continue, to get back to the issue at hand. “Worst case, if we have to, I guess we’ll file the marriage certificate to prove that it’s legal and then after…”

  I drift off, not wanting to say the words “after he passes away.”

  As if reading my mind, she takes my hand, which gives me the strength to continue.

  “Afterwards, we’ll just get divorced if necessary. Is that included in my two million, or how much extra will that be?”

  She looks up at me and then down at the floor.

  “That’s fine,” she says. “You’ve definitely paid enough. Whatever you need is included in the price.”

  “I’m sorry,” I tell her, taking her into my arms. “I didn’t mean to be insensitive. I just really wish I knew what was going on with my dad’s business. It’s really bothering me and I can’t figure it out.”

  “Well, I meant what I said at dinner about looking at the books,” she says. “I might be able to figure something
out for you.”

  “So, you’re really a mathematician?” I ask her. “You’re majoring in mathematics?”

  She laughs and it’s so contagious that I do too.

  “Yep.”

  “Wow,” I say, scratching my head. “So I’m fake marrying a real math nerd.”

  We both laugh again.

  I look at her green eyes and get lost in them despite myself. I never fucking thought I’d end up with this type of girl. In high school I was a popular jock and I never even talked to the academic nerds. But I guess life can take strange twists and turns. And I’m very glad that life lead me to her, no matter the unique journey it took to force us together.

  I kiss her without realizing what I’m doing. She kisses me back. Then I realize that I’m standing here talking to myself about “ending up” with her when this is just fake. Even though this moment, this kiss, this touch, all feel very fucking real.

  To rip myself out of the crazy trance I’m in, I turn on my computer and show Veronica the QuickBooks report that I already had up on my screen earlier. Dan had been trying to figure something out but hadn’t been able to and I had to rush off to dinner.

  “It seems that something is off with these numbers here,” I tell her, pointing. “I worked on renting out this property here and I know it brought in more money than that. I really think there’s some money missing.”

  “Okay, how much was the property rent?” she asks, becoming business-like and efficient.

  I have to admit that seeing her in this mode is sexy. It turns me on but I try hard to concentrate on the data before me. I answer her questions to the best of my ability, sometimes looking up other records.

  “I feel like such an idiot,” I finally confess to her. “I guess my dad’s right and I don’t really know much about the business at all.”

  She puts her hand on mine and looks directly into my eyes.

  “That’s nonsense and you know it. It sounds like your dad didn’t give you much opportunity to learn about the business and then he punishes you for not knowing about it.”

  “I guess it’s a pretty accurate statement,” I tell her.