R.L. Kenderson
Five Dates Only
Copyright © 2019 by R.L. Kenderson
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This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
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First edition
ISBN: 978-1-950918-01-0
Editing by Jovana Shirley, Unforseen Editing
Cover art by Wander Aguiar - Photographer
Cover art by Zack Salaun - Cover Model
Cover art by R.L. Kenderson - Cover Designer
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Contents
Acknowledgement
Blurb
Prologue
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-One
Twenty-Two
Twenty-Three
Twenty-Four
Twenty-Five
Twenty-Six
Twenty-Seven
Twenty-Eight
Twenty-Nine
Thirty
Thirty-One
Thirty-Two
Thirty-Three
Thirty-Four
Thirty-Five
Thirty-Six
Thirty-Seven
Thirty-Eight
Thirty-Nine
Forty
Forty-One
Forty-Two
Forty-Three
Forty-Four
Forty-Five
Epilogue
Also by R.L. Kenderson
About the Authors
Acknowledgement
Thank you to our fans! We love having you as readers! We’re incredibly lucky.
Thank you to our beta readers and our ARC readers! You ladies do such a wonderful job. We are so lucky to have you as part of our team.
Thank you to all the bloggers and readers who help us promote our book. And an extra-special thank-you to those of you who read our work and post a review. We couldn’t do it without you!
Thank you to Wander Aguiar Photography for the beautiful photo of Zack Salaun that we were able to purchase to grace the cover of our book.
Thank you to Jovana Shirley of Unforeseen Editing. We don’t know what we’d do without you.
Last but definitely not least, thank you to our families for your support and for understanding that writing is more than a hobby. We love you!
Blurb
Sloan
What do you do when your best friend’s guy cheats on her?
Help her get revenge, of course.
Getting caught by his brother isn’t part of the plan. The brother’s price for not turning us into the cops? I pretend to be his girlfriend to help him close a business deal.
I’d rather go to jail than play the part of Caleb Stanton’s latest conquest, but my friend has been through enough.
Caleb
What do you do when your boss won’t sell you his store because he thinks you’re a flight risk?
Produce a girlfriend, of course.
Blackmail isn’t normally my thing, but I’ve got less than twenty-four hours.
I’d rather extort Sloan for a date or two than disappoint my boss.
We agree to a fake relationship in return for silence. We agree to act like we care about each other. We agree to five dates only.
But we don’t agree to what happens next.
And we certainly don’t agree to falling in love.
Prologue
Sloan
I watched my best friend throw herself down on my couch, head practically in my lap, in a fit of tears.
“Why? Why did he have to do that? Why do men have to be such dogs?”
I rubbed Melanie’s back. “I don’t know, honey. Because men suck?”
She looked up at me, her brown eyes watery. “They do suck. You got that right.”
She slammed her blonde head back down, and Bear, my Newfoundland-mix dog, put his big brown head on Melanie’s back.
“I’m sorry he cheated on you,” I told her because I really was.
Neil Stanton and I weren’t fans of each other, but I would never want my friend to get hurt.
Melanie had just come over after her dumbass boyfriend had accidentally synced his iPhone to her iPad, letting Melanie read every one of the sexy text messages he’d exchanged with someone who wasn’t Melanie. It was the same iPad he’d given her for her birthday because he’d been late to meet her for dinner and felt guilty. He’d probably been boning his side chick. Oh, the irony.
“I hate men.”
“Me, too, Mel,” I said in solidarity.
She looked up at me again. “Yeah, but you hate men for no real reason. I hate men because they’re cheaters.”
I looked away and rolled my eyes. “Fine, then I don’t hate men.”
Mel’s lower lip wobbled. “But you just told me you hated them.”
I sighed and rubbed her back again. “Yes, I hate them. Just for you, Mel.”
She laid her head back down and sniffled. “Thank you.”
After Melanie could cry no more tears, I helped her to the guest room and tucked her in like she was a child and I was her parent.
The next morning, I was sitting at my kitchen table, drinking coffee and scrolling through social media, when Melanie came out, rubbing her eyes.
“Hey, hon. How are you doing?” I asked.
Melanie plopped down in the chair adjacent to me and held up her phone. “He didn’t even ask what happened to me last night. I was supposed to go to his house.”
I turned off the screen of my phone and set it down. I propped my arms on the table and leaned in close. “So … what do you want us to do about it?”
Her eyes narrowed. “I want to fucking get even.”
I grinned like the Cheshire cat and practically rubbed my hands together. “Let’s do it.”
I couldn’t wait. Nobody walked all over Sloan McCarthy’s friends and got away with it.
One
Caleb
“Thank you, sir,” I said to my final customer of the day and breathed a sigh of relief when he walked out the door.
I’d spent almost an hour with him, and he hadn’t bought a single thing. I didn’t work on commission, but it was still frustrating.
I looked around the used sporting goods store. I wanted this place to thrive, for more reasons than one, and it wasn’t going to happen when people continually came in and didn’t buy anything.
“It’s five, guys. I’m done
for the day,” I told the three staff members on the floor.
“Okay,” one of them said without looking my way.
Yeah, they were going to miss me.
I walked back to the break room to grab my stuff before I headed home.
My phone buzzed. It was my mother.
Mom: Don’t forget about dinner tonight, sweetie.
I groaned. I loved my family, but I had been looking forward to doing my own thing tonight.
Me: I’ll be there. Just getting off work now.
I grabbed my wallet and keys from my locker and headed for the door, but I stopped when I saw my boss—the owner of the shop—sitting at his desk in his office. I’d been wanting to speak to him all week, but he hadn’t been around much.
I knocked on the open door.
Ted Goldman looked up from his paperwork and smiled at me. Unfortunately, it was strained, which didn’t bode well for what I wanted to speak to him about.
“Hey, Caleb. Can I help you with something?”
I walked into the office and took the chair right across from him. “I wanted to know if you’d considered my offer.”
Ted was almost in his seventies now and getting ready to retire. His wife had done so the year before, and the two of them wanted to do some traveling. While Ted had some good managers running his store, it was still a full-time job, and he was looking to sell.
And I was looking to buy.
I was one of the good managers Ted had on staff—correction, I was a great manager. I’d been working at the store since I was sixteen, minus one year back when I was twenty, making my total years of employment fourteen.
I had the most seniority and loyalty, and Ted was like a second father to me. I figured I was his first choice. In fact, I figured I wouldn’t even have any competition, but the look on Ted’s face said I wasn’t going to like what he had to say.
Ted set his pen down and sighed. “I have thought about it, but I’m going to have to say no.”
“No?” No? I’d thought he’d at least counter my offer. A flat-out no wasn’t something I’d even considered. “Did you change your mind about selling?”
A look of regret filled Ted’s face. “No. I’m going to sell it to Rick.”
“What?” I said as I flew to my feet. “Rick?”
“Shh,” Ted said. “Close the door.”
I did as he’d requested because I didn’t want people listening in on our conversation any more than Ted did.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Rick has only been here a year and a half. He’s not even full-time,” I argued.
Rick was Ted’s nephew and had only started working here after his wife and kids left him. He was trying to make extra money to pay for his lawyer and child support.
“I know, Caleb. But, if I sell the place to Rick, he can work here full-time and spend more time with his kids because he won’t be working two jobs.”
“This is fucking nepotism.”
Ted’s chair screeched as he pushed it back and rose to his feet. “You will not swear at me, young man. And this is not nepotism.”
I held out my arms. “Young man? Ted, I’m thirty-one years old. I have been here since I was sixteen. I’ve been a manager for nine years. You explain to me why this isn’t nepotism, and I won’t fight you.”
Ted rubbed his hand over his eyes and sat down. “I started this store back in the late eighties. I’m the only one who’s ever owned it. It’s my baby. And I can’t just leave it to someone …”
I sat down again. “Someone what?”
“Someone who might sell it in a few years.”
I frowned. “Why the hell do you think I would do that?”
“You have nothing tying you down, Caleb. You rent your apartment, you’re not married, and you don’t have any kids. Plus, you don’t have the best track record.”
“Excuse me?”
“You quit college. You almost signed up for the military but decided at the last minute to go backpacking through Europe for a year.”
“That was over ten years ago,” I protested.
“I realize that, but I still don’t know that you’re not going to decide to do something like that again. Maybe ten years is your tipping point. And, like I said, you have nothing tying you down.”
“I have my family,” I pointed out.
“They didn’t stop you from leaving them the last time. Meanwhile, Rick has a mortgage, child support, and children keeping him around. He’s not going anywhere.” Ted folded his arms on his desk. “Look, you are both excellent workers. You know you’ve done a lot for this store. I know you’ve done a lot. But I have to look at this objectively.”
I wasn’t ready to give up yet, and a plan was forming in my brain. “Have you told Rick this yet?”
“No.”
Yes! I exclaimed inside my head.
“Why?” Ted asked as if he almost wanted me to have another reason.
There was still hope.
“Because what if I told you that I’d been looking for houses and that there was actually a special woman in my life?”
Ted sat back in his chair and narrowed his eyes. “I’d ask why you never said anything. You always tell us about your girlfriends.” He crossed his arms. “And why wouldn’t you have mentioned house-hunting?”
Think fast, Caleb.
“I didn’t mention the house-hunting because I didn’t want it to influence your decision on selling the store. I see now that it was a mistake.”
Damn. I was so impressed with that lie that I was mentally patting myself on the back.
Ted’s arms fell. He believed me. “And the girl?”
“Woman, I corrected.” I looked down at my feet like I was embarrassed. “I really like her.” I looked up at Ted. “Don’t laugh, but I think this one might be special.”
“Hmm …” That was an I’m not sure I believe you quite yet hmm.
“You know I’ve never said that about anyone before.” I might talk about the women I’d dated, but I’d never said any of them were special.
“This is true.” He studied me, and I could tell he still didn’t quite trust me. “What’s her name?”
My phone started playing my special ringtone for my mother.
Saved by the fucking bell.
I held up my finger to Ted and answered my cell, “Hello?”
“Caleb, I need you to pick something up on your way here.”
“Okay. Hold on one second, Mom.” I pulled the receiver away from my mouth and stood. “Sorry, Ted, I have to go. Please, can we continue this conversation later?” I begged him with my eyes to reconsider.
“Fine.”
I grinned. “Thank you.” I turned and walked out the door. “Mom, I’m back. What did you need?”
“But, Caleb?” Ted said.
“Hold on again, Mom.” I spun back around outside the door. “Yes?”
“Bring her to dinner tomorrow night.”
“Who?”
Ted’s eyebrows jumped to his hairline. “Your girlfriend.”
Oh shit. I laughed nervously. “Yeah, okay.” I pointed to my phone. “For a second there, I thought you were talking about my mom.” Awesome save, Caleb.
Ted shook his head. “Get out of here. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
“Okay.” I spun again and bolted away before he could say anything else. “Mom, you still there?”
“I’m here. Did I interrupt anything important?” she asked.
Just my future. “Nothing that can’t wait.”
“Oh, good. Can you pick up an extra package of hamburger buns on your way here?”
I hurried out of the store before Ted. “Sure. Not a problem.”
“Thank you. See you soon then?”
“Yep. I’ll be there soon.”
I hung up my phone and unlocked my car.
My to-do list was now buying hamburger buns, finding a realtor, and convincing someone to play my girlfriend. All by tomorrow night. I suddenly had an extremel
y busy weekend.
Two
Sloan
Melanie and I decided that the best revenge against Neil was to go after the thing he loved most in the world. His 1969 Chevrolet Camaro.
Unfortunately, that was easier said than done.
Neil never left his car parked outside, and Mel and I both decided that it would look too suspicious if someone broke into his garage and vandalized his car.
Our next option was work, but his employer’s parking lot had cameras in it.
We considered doing the job when he was at Melanie’s place, but we thought it might point the finger at us. Plus, half the time, he asked to park in the extra stall in her garage. It would seem suspicious if she told him no and then his car turned up, ruined.
We might be conniving, but we weren’t stupid.
Also, Mel and I decided that we had to be around to see Neil’s reaction. It wouldn’t be any fun if we only got to hear about it. That was why Melanie hadn’t broken up with Neil yet. That, and she’d be the number one suspect if they’d recently broken up.
Finally, the perfect opportunity came up. Almost perfect. Neil’s parents were having a family dinner. It still had some risks, but a better opportunity wasn’t coming along. They usually lasted at least a couple of hours, and as long as no one walked outside, we’d be fine.
Our plan was for me to drop Melanie off for dinner, and I was going to pick her up later for a ladies’ night, which was when the car would be discovered. It was going to be great.
“What time is it?” I asked, holding the binoculars up to my eyes.
“Almost five thirty,” Mel said.
I lowered my hands. “Are you sure Caleb is coming?”
“Yes.”
“What is taking him so long?” I asked, not expecting an answer. “If I don’t drop you off by six, Neil is going to wonder what’s up.”
“Are you sure? I feel like he hasn’t given a shit about me lately.”
I put my hand on Mel’s arm. “I’m sorry, honey. But remember that feeling you have right now when we’re coating his car with brake fluid.”
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