“Stop it.” I snatched my clothes away from her. “You’re freaking me out.”
“How am I freaking you out?” She sat on the couch and crossed her arms over her chest. Celine’s reaction took me back to when we were younger. She was two years older than me, so we were very close. My mother used to dress up in matching outfits all the time.
“You just are. It’s like I’m your ticket out of poverty.”
“Gimme a break. Why aren’t you as excited about all this like me?”
“Because I could get hurt in all this. I’m in unchartered territory. They aren’t our people. Our kind. What if I forget who I am when I’m surrounded by all the glamour and rich people?”
“You’re bumming me out.”
“I’m giving you a reality check. It’s me who has a lot to lose.”
“And gain. Don’t forget the money.”
“You’re always about the freaking money. Money doesn’t matter to me.”
Celine growled with frustration. “Now you’re being ridiculous. Any sane person would have jumped at the chance.”
“I need to get dressed.” I took the garment bag into my room and shut the door.
“Holler if you need help,” my sister shouted.
I was more than capable of getting dressed on my own. My sister drove me crazy, and I needed some quiet so I could prepare for my evening with Fabio.
Obviously, Celine didn’t understand what I was going through. We’d disagreed a lot about a lot of things growing up. People used to say she was more like our Puerto Rican mama, and I was more like our Italian dad. I never knew what that meant but I agreed, my sister and I were quite different.
I exhaled a deep breath as I scanned my small bedroom. Next year at this time, I could be living in a different place. Maybe in a home I owned. One I could decorate the way I wanted. I’d deck the halls in every room like my mama did. She was always super extra about everything. She would put a tree in every room, and it would have its own theme. I loved it and missed being home where it felt festive and magical during the month of December.
“Let’s do this…” I unzipped the bag and removed its contents.
Valentino and Jimmy Choo jumped out at me. A gorgeous Valentino tan fur coat and a handbag had me gasping, along with a pink sweater dress.
I opened the shoe box to reveal Jimmy Choo gold metallic platform heels. My heart was racing as I looked at the most expensive pile of clothing. In a small black velvet back was a gold Gucci coil ring and diamond earrings.
Fabio didn’t need to pay me to be his fake girlfriend after spending a fortune to outfit me in these luxury brands.
I took off my clothes and tried to mentally prepare myself to put on the new ones.
Being a billionaire’s fake girlfriend was just a job. I was going to make a killing in the three weeks. Celine and I could shutdown our cleaning business and move out of San Francisco.
I’d never have to see Fabio Ferrari again.
7
Fabio
Event 1: The Nutcracker
I didn’t think it would be so awkward sitting beside Cyndee in the backseat of my G-Wagon. The tension was indescribable. I couldn’t tell if it was good or bad, but something told me I would regret ever asking her to be my fake girlfriend.
When she appeared in the clothes my sister had picked out, I couldn’t speak. Or breath. Or think. Cyndee was absolutely stunning. She smelled incredible and I was nervous as fuck to be with her.
I wasn’t prepared to be so attracted to my cleaning lady.
“Mr. Ferrari, what should I expect tonight?” she asked in a soft voice. “I wish you would have prepped me beforehand. I don’t want to look like an idiot.”
“Well, you can’t do that.” I appreciated her breaking the ice and was ashamed of myself for not doing it first.
