one
Sea
As usual, my lovelife is a mess, thanks to a selfish, egotistical hockey-playing ex-boyfriend. You would think that after a string of failed relationships with pro athletes, I would have learned my lesson.
Unfortunately, I'm attracted to the bad-boy athlete—the one who takes what he wants without looking back or caring who he hurts along the way. My current ex-boyfriend has only recently joined that list. From the NASCAR driver in Atlanta to the Major League baseball player in New York, I've had my fair share of duds.
Kyle dumped me six months ago, saying I was too boring in bed. He needed space to explore his sexual side. Little did I know, he was already exploring it with a group of puck bunnies after his hockey games.
To make matters worse, I received a wedding invitation in the mail today, asking me to save the date for his upcoming wedding, with a picture of him and an over-tanned, over-bleached woman flashing the camera his grandmother's wedding ring, which was supposed to be mine.
I should have known it was too good to be true. Kyle McGuire might be a great winger for the Indiana Freeze, but he's a terrible boyfriend. I wasted three years of my life on him, and for what?
"So, as you know, I asked you here to help rebuild one of my client’s reputations."
I slow blink, my brain trying to catch up with her words. "I rebuild businesses, not people." I finally say as her words register in my now fully functioning brain.
Stop thinking about Kyle or who knows what she'll have you agreeing to.
Lake is my older sister, and I love her dearly, but there’s only so far I'll go for sisterly love.
“Come on, you haven't even met him yet. Besides, you're my favorite sister." Pasting on her best big sister smile, the one that got us out of numerous messes growing up, I almost cave and give in to her request for help.
"Rebuilding a man is not high on my priority list." I trace my fingers along the wood carving of one of her very expensive chairs.
How does she have expensive hand-carved mahogany chairs in her office while mine only has a desk chair and a ripped beanbag for guests? Sure, it's a home office, and my only guests are my cats Prince, Bowie, and Jagger. I'm one feline away from being a crazy cat lady.
My consulting job can be done from anywhere, which is a good thing since I packed up my apartment after breaking up with Kyle and moved back home to Hope Peak. I'm like the Marie Kondo of the business world—instead of organizing and reshaping your home, I do it with businesses. I'm proud to say I've overhauled numerous stale businesses, turning them into Fortune 500 companies.
“It's only for a couple of weeks during the holidays. All you have to do is pretend to be his fiancée to improve his image until he signs a multimillion-dollar contract with a major sports company.” She shrugs as if it's no big deal to be in a fake relationship. But then again, she wouldn't recognize a real relationship from a fake one if it bit her in the butt. I can'tremember the last relationship she's been in, let alone gone on a date. "And don't try to tell me you can't fit it into your busy schedule, because Brooke already told me you're free for the next six weeks."
Our baby sister, Brooke, is seconds away from being banned from sleeping in my guest room. She's currently between apartments because her live-in boyfriend decided he preferred men over women and moved his boyfriend into their place.
Brooke handled it better than most people in her situation would have, graciously stepping away from the relationship and the apartment. He offered to let her stay with them until she found a place of her own, but like the kindhearted person she is, she declined, saying they needed their privacy as a new couple.
Personally, I would have kicked his ass out whether he had a new boyfriend, a new girlfriend, or both. Cheating is cheating in my book. But I guess to my romance author sister Brooke, love is love.
Brooke's ex-boyfriend, Jeremy, is a decent guy. He always treated her well, but they behaved more like siblings than lovers. He must be good in the bedroom because Brooke's romance novels are some of the spiciest I've ever read.
“I'll make you a deal. I'll meet Milo, but I reserve the right to decline if I don't believe I can help fix his reputation or if I think he's a creep.” I'm not ready to tell Lake everything that happened between me and Kyle and our breakup. I was looking forward to hooking up with a rebound guy before moving on to a new relationship—not that it would be a real relationship. It'sjust that I haven't had sex in over a year, and I was so eager for some down-and-dirty, treat-me-like-the-bad-girl sex with a guy willing to accommodate my wishes, knowing there's no future.
Isn't that every man's dream?
Now, I'll be back to playing the perfect girlfriend to yet another puck boy of a pro hockey player.
"Deal." Lake extends her hand for me to shake, sealing my fate a bit sooner than I would have liked. It isn't until I finish shaking her hand that a knock sounds on her office door, and I realize my older sister has duped me.
Lake drops my hand with a sly smile, "Right on time." She lifts her gaze from me to the door and raises her voice to the mystery person behind it. "Come in."
Everything seems to move in slow motion as the office door opens, revealing the most handsome man I've ever seen. His brown hair is a few shades darker than mine, only lacking the auburn highlights I have. His easy smile and warm, chocolate brown eyes draw me in. Coupled with his tall, muscular build, he's my dream man. His eyes land on Lake as he greets her before shifting his gaze to me.
I am so screwed.
“Hi, Milo. This is my younger sister Sea, the one I told you about—the one who's going to fix your reputation by Christmas.”
He doesn't speak as his eyes scan up and down my body, making me feel all hot and tingly just from one look. He's the perfect guy for breakup sex—only he can't be my breakup sex guy.
Why does the universe have to be so cruel?
