It's Only Temporary: A Stand In Fake Fiancee Romance

by Iona Rose

  “A drink?” I was buying time, looking for an excuse why I couldn’t go.

  Bianca looked at me over her shoulder and nodded vigorously.

  “Say yes,” she mouthed.

  Tony and I agreed to meet after work on Friday. “Will you manage okay without me?”

  Bianca laughed. “Of course I will. You need time with your friends. I hate to be the one monopolizing all your time.”

  I leaned forward to nuzzle her neck. “I like it when you monopolize my time.”

  She let out a soft laugh. “Romanic but unhealthy.”

  “I suppose you’re right.”

  She was silent for a while before she spoke up again. “Are you, Tony and Mathew childhood friends?”

  “No, we met as adults but we became close pretty fast,” I said. “Life gets in the way sometimes but we try.” I was glad that Bianca had pushed me to go out with them that Friday.

  “There’s something poking my ass,” Bianca said trying to stifle a laugh.

  “I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about,” I said and pushed my hard-on harder against her.

  “I’m not complaining,” she murmured.

  I moved my hand up to cup her breast. It was crazy to be horny for your woman twenty-four seven. I’d never felt for another woman the myriad of feelings I felt for Bianca.

  Bianca

  I wasn’t surprised when I heard my sister’s key in the door half an hour earlier than we had agreed. I grinned as she followed her usual routine of making coffee before coming to the studio.

  She walked through the door a few minutes later. I grinned and grabbed my crutches to stand up.

  “Don’t stand!” she said and placed the coffees on the table and bent down to hug and kiss me.

  I took that opportunity to touch her belly. “Hi there, I’m your Auntie Bianca.”

  “Can you believe that I’m going to be a mom and you’re going to be an auntie?” she said as she sank into a chair. She looked around the studio. “God I’ve missed this place. I can’t wait to come back.”

  I laughed. It was just like Eva to think about work instead of enjoying her short unplanned vacation.

  “How do you feel about the baby now?” I asked her.

  I couldn’t imagine having a real live child growing in my belly. I’d never considered children in my future, not seriously anyway. But since meeting Connor, the thought of children had started hovering at the back of my mind. I’d even voiced to him in an unguarded moment that if I did have children, I’d want to be there for them.

  I loved that I worked from home.

  “I’m getting there. It’s growing on me though sometimes it’s terrifying. So many what ifs. What if Brian and I don’t make it as a couple? I’d hate to raise a child the way you and I were raised.”

  I knew that fear all too well. “No child should grow up like that.”

  We were both quiet as we were transported to the past. I hated listening to my mother bitch about my father and his new wife. She would rant almost all day, pacing the living room as if she had lost her mind. She would spew threats that scared the daylights out of me saying she was going to take us away to another continent. Then my father would never see us again.

  Of course she didn’t mean it, but to a child, it was a real threat and I got constant nightmares about it.

  “I think you’ll be a wonderful mom who’ll do anything to protect her child,” I said.

  Eva’s hands dropped to her belly. “I will. I’ll protect her with my life.” Tears filled her eyes. She waved her hands in front of her face like a fan. “Don’t pay any attention to me. Every little thing makes me want to cry.”

  I laughed. “Better you than me.”

  “How is it going with Connor?” she said.

  “Very well actually. We made it official last night.”

  Eva’s eyes almost popped out of her head. “Why is all this happening when I can’t celebrate with a glass of bubbly?”

  I was glad to see that pregnancy hadn’t made her lose her sense of drama. I rolled my eyes. “I’m pretty sure that I’m not the first person to change their relationship status.”

  “But the rest are not my sisters,” Eva retorted.

  “Yeah. So, I have a boyfriend. Not a fake one this time.”

  Eva took my hand. “I’m so happy for you. I have a good feeling about Connor.”

  “Thanks. He’s a good person.”

  “So tell me about this Jenna, what is she like?” Eva asked, switching topics without a warning.

  I described Jenna’s energy and sweet personality, including her reaction to finding out that her fiancé had once been my boyfriend.

  “So many good things are happening while I’m away. I can’t wait to meet this woman.”

  I glanced at the time. “Speaking of which, we should go. I’ll call for an Uber.”

  Eva carried our coffee mugs to the kitchen while I tapped on my phone app to get an Uber. When I was done, I hobbled into my room to grab my handbag. Eva took it from me when we met in the living room. That was another thing I’d discovered about crutches.

  It’s almost impossible to walk with them and carry a handbag at the same time. You could though, but you risked hitting someone with it as you walked and swung it to and fro.

  The Uber was already waiting downstairs when we got down. It felt like a treat going out and feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin.

  We both kept our eyes glued to the window as the uber drove to the store address. Traffic was light and soon we were on Madison Avenue. Shortly after, the Uber stopped in front of a gorgeous bridal store. The name of the store was written in white over a black background.

  Jenna’s Designs.

  I turned to look at Eva.

  “Oh my God,” she said and we turned to look at the store again. It looked expensive and classy. I couldn’t believe she wanted our pieces in there with her bridal wear.

  After paying, we got out of the Uber and made our way to the front door. The first thing that struck me when we entered was the sheer space of it and the beauty of the bridal gowns displayed around the store on mannequins.

  I spotted Jenna immediately speaking with a party of five women. She waved at me and raised a finger to mean that she would be with us in a minute. Eva and I walked around the store ahhing over the gowns.

  “You would look really lovely in this kind of a gown,” Eva said stopping to admire an off the shoulder satin gown.

  It was gorgeous. “I’d have to be getting married to wear it.” Sure, Connor and I had agreed to be exclusive but that didn’t mean that we’d be walking down the aisle any time in the foreseeable future. I was enjoying things as they were and I hoped we’d stay that way for a long time.

  “When you decide to be in a relationship with a guy, marriage is the next level,” she said. “Otherwise what is the purpose of it?”

  “Companionship,” I said.

  “You sound middle aged,” she said.

  Footsteps sounded behind us followed by Jenna’s unmistakable voice. Unlike the previous day, when she had been dressed in casual pants and a top, she was dressed in a black power suit and heels that made me cringe at how high they were.

  “Welcome to Jenna’s Designs,” she said, her manner warm and welcoming.

  I introduced her to Eva and she made the usual comments people made when they met us.

  “I can’t get over how alike you are,” she said. “If it wasn’t for Bianca’s cast, I’m pretty sure I couldn’t tell you apart.”

  She gave us a tour of the store and excitedly showed us where she planned on setting up our jewelry, which was at the very center of the room.

  “They’ll be like the centerpieces of the room,” she said, clasping her hands together.

  I was glad that she was just as excited as we were. After the tour, we went into her office and brainstormed the details, after which we agreed on the way forward to make our new partnership a reality.

  “I
feel so adult,” Eva said as we walked out of the store later.

  I laughed. “The baby in your belly is what should make you feel like an adult. I know what you mean though. This is so next level. Who knew our little online business would one day have a physical address?”

  We stood outside chatting for a few minutes and then said goodbye and entered different Ubers. I was on a high on the drive back home. The possibilities for Biva designs were endless and I was super excited for us.

  I fished out my phone and saw a message from Connor.

  Connor: Hey sweetheart, how did the meeting go.

  Me: It went great. The store is perfect!!! I’m on my way back home.

  Connor: Can I take you out to dinner?

  My instinctive reaction was to suggest dinner at home. Going anywhere with crutches scared the shit out of me. I reminded myself that I was in an uber by myself and I had managed all right. I could even have gone to see Jenna’s store alone.

  Me: I’d love to.

  Connor and I had agreed that he’d pick me up at half past six. I changed clothes three times before I settled on a flowing burgundy dress that was semi casual and went all the way to my feet. That way, my cast would be hidden from view. I held my hair up and wore one of our designs, a silver necklace with matching earrings.

  A knock came on the door and puzzled I grabbed my purse and went to open it. I flung it open and grinned at the sight of Connor standing at the door holding a bunch of beautiful red roses.

  “What happened to your key?” I said, staring at him from head to toe. He looked entirely edible in a pristine white shirt, unbuttoned at the top and a black jacket.

  “It’s not very romantic to pick up your woman for a date and open the door yourself,” he said, a smile playing at the corners of his very kissable mouth.

  I giggled and took the flowers from him. “These are beautiful. Thank you.”

  “Not as beautiful as you are,” he said.

  It was corny but I liked it. Pleasure flushed through me and I stood there blushing like a school girl.

  “I’ll take them in for you,” Connor said and as he took the flowers, he leaned forward to kiss me lightly on the mouth.

  I hobbled after him and showed him where the vase was. He filled it with water and arranged the flowers inside. Five minutes later, we were ready to leave.

  “The Whispering Grill is not too far from here,” Connor said as he helped me into the Uber.

  He was right. Barely minutes after the car started moving and we were already there. I’d never been but it seemed to be a popular spot and it was almost full. Luckily, Connor had called to reserve a table.

  We got a nice spot, in a quiet corner with a candle lit table.

  “I haven’t gone out on a date in years,” I said as I settled down.

  “That’s not true. We went out to dinner every evening in Colorado,” Connor said.

  I rolled my eyes. “Not a date. I was your fake fiancée, remember?”

  Connor covered my hand with his large one and sparks flew between us. “And now you’re my girlfriend.”

  I laughed at the awe in his voice. Connor made me feel ten feet tall and all woman. I pulled my hand away when the server brought us the menu.

  “I want to eat everything,” I said eyeing the menu.

  “I think they have a platter where there’s a bit of everything. Do you want us to share that?” Connor said.

  My heart skipped a beat and I wasn’t sure if it was from the food or from the way Connor was staring at me. As if he wanted me to be his dinner. “I’d love that.”

  “So tell me how it went,” Connor said when the server left.

  I described the store for him and took him through the agreement we had reached. I wanted to pinch myself to be sure that I hadn’t dreamed the whole thing up.

  I’d forgotten how nice it was to share your happiness with someone else and to share your sorrows with the same person. Connor was an attentive listener and he asked thoughtful intelligent questions that got me thinking as well.

  The platter of food was better than my imagination. I felt like a kid in a candy store as I tried everything on it.

  “I love how enthusiastic you are about everything,” Connor said when we were halfway through. “You make life fun.”

  I met his gaze. “You do the same for me.”

  Connor

  I could barely keep my mind on the mock presentation by the creative team. It wasn’t just me either. Everyone of them looked tense and unnatural. We were all on edge, not knowing what was going to happen in the next couple of day.

  I was glad it was Friday and I couldn’t wait to meet the guys later for a drink. I hadn’t been completely honest with Bianca when I told her that I wasn’t really worried about my job. I was but mostly because I loved it and I wasn’t looking forward to sending my resume everywhere, looking for another job.

  A knock came on the door of the conference room and before any of us could answer, it swung open. I knew immediately that something was up when Marjorie entered the conference room, her face pinched as if she was going to be sick.

  Then Samantha Morris walked in and my jaw fell open. Everyone in the advertising industry knew who she was. She was the CEO of Lunar Agency and had once been the president of American Association of Creative Agencies. Lunar Agency was one of the largest advertising agencies in the country.

  Joe who was standing at the front leading the presentation sat down.

  She was stick thin like Marjorie, with an arresting face and an energetic manner. It was easy to see the power she wielded just by looking at her.

  “Good morning everyone,” she said, her voice authoritative. “I see some of you recognize me and I can only imagine what’s going through your minds. I’m the new owner.”

  I tensed up. The temperature of the room went down, filling it with a chill.

  Marjorie tried to smile and failed. Samantha Morris hadn’t gotten to where she was by being nice. We all knew that we were in trouble.

  “I’m well aware how frightening it must be for everyone but I really don’t bite. All we want is to grow this company to reach even higher levels than it has.”

  Marjorie cleared her throat. “If I may point out, we’ve experienced a five percent growth for the last five years.”

  I cringed. If I would have been near her, I would have pinched her to shut her up. Samantha hadn’t meant what she said as a form of criticism. She was just stating her vision for the company.

  She was also taken aback by Marjorie’s statement but when she spoke again, she didn’t comment on it. I told myself that Samantha wanted the same thing that we all did. A thriving company.

  “I’ll meet everyone one by one in my office,” Samantha said. “Of course I’ll make some changes but there’s no reason for anyone to panic. I look forward to getting to know everyone.”

  When they left, there was stunned silence. I couldn’t believe that Samantha Morris was our new boss. She had more or less said that she was going to get rid of some of the employees. I really hoped that I would not be one of the ones going.

  “Let’s continue with this tomorrow,” I said, knowing that we wouldn’t be getting any work done, while we were all waiting to hear our fate.

  We filed out of the conference room and headed to our offices. I worked on answering my emails which needed very little concentration while listening out for any activity in the main office.

  I left my office at lunch time and bumped into Joe as he was coming from further down the hallway where the former owners’ offices had been.

  “I’m staying,” he said when he got close to me.

  I slapped his shoulder slightly. “Congratulations! I’m glad to hear that.” Relief surged through me. With a new baby, he needed his job more than I did.

  “I put in a good word for you,” he said.

  “Thanks,” I said, touched that he could think of someone else when he had enough worries of his own.

  In t
he afternoon, Samantha had interviewed everyone in the office. Two people lost their jobs which didn’t really come as a surprise to me.

  Then it was time to go which meant that my meeting with her would be on Monday. I texted Bianca before I left the office and updated her.

  There was a happy Friday evening buzz on the streets with people looking forward to the weekend. I would have preferred to enjoy the weekend knowing my fate. Marjorie and I were the only ones who didn’t know whether we were staying or going.

  I got to the Ace cocktail bar and memories of Bianca swamped me. I looked around and saw no sign of Mathew or Tony. I made my way to an empty table at the end of the room and shrugged off my jacket before sitting down.

  “Good evening and welcome to the Ace cocktail bar,” a male server said.

  “Thanks,” I said and gave him my beer order.

  Mathew and Tony walked in together a minute later.

  “Surprise,” Tony said pulling the chair back. “I expected you to be the last one. Is there trouble in paradise already?”

  I laughed. “Of course not. Just in the office.”

  Mathew and I exchanged pleasantries as they settled down.

  “What’s going on at the office?” he asked after the server had brought my beer and taken their order.

  I told them about the company being sold unexpectedly and the new owner.

  “Honestly, I’m not worried about you losing your job. I don’t know anyone who works harder than you,” Mathew said.

  “I second that,” Tony added. “You’ll be fine.”

  It was nice to get their vote of confidence and some of the tension I’d been feeling started to ebb away. It was nice hanging out with them and soon we were laughing about one of Tony’s stories.

  “Tell him about Kate,” Mathew urged.

  “Who is Kate?” I asked, taking a long swig of my beer.

  “It’s a girl he met,” Mathew said. “This one’s special. He met her when you were in Colorado.”

  I waited for Tony to say something dismissive about Kate but instead, he sat there grinning like an idiot.