Forty grand. Forty fucking grand.
It’s too good to pass up, how cananyonepass up an offer like that? And for what? Pretending to be his boyfriend for a few days?
It shouldn’t be that hard, considering I’ve already built Prince Charming’s persona, and he was enticing enough that meeting him for a handful of minutes made his parents ask to bring him along. But there’s a part of me that feels like this—taking on this job—is dangerous. Not physically, but…
Because it means I’ll be with Mr. Perfect all week, knowing it’s fake. And I’m not sure my heart can take that kind of long-term pain.
One date is one thing. But seven days of looking at Aaron and pretending I’m in love with him? Seven days of kisses and dancing and laying out in the sun and beingin love? Can I manage to protect my heart while selling this man to his parents like a Disney Vacation?
When I get in, Noah’s in his pajamas on the couch, playing Zelda again, a box of half-eaten pizza on the coffee table. My books are scattered everywhere and I think there’s a piece of cheese hanging off my copy of Bre Rose’sChasing My Bliss.
Gross.
“How’d it go?” he asks, not bothering to look at me. His gaze is intently focused on his battle.
“He offered me forty grand to be his boyfriend for the week.”
The controller falls out of Noah’s hand as he turns to look at me slowly, his mouth agape.
“Are you fucking serious?”
I nod as I sit on the couch next to him.
“Dead.”
Noah pauses the game and shoves the controller aside.
“You said yes, right?”
“Noah…” I groan, running my hands through my hair and over my face.
“You said yes, right?” he says, his voice kicking up a notch.
“I said I’d think about it,” I say, my heart dropping.
“What the fuck is there to think about, Jake? It’s fuckingforty-grand.”
“It’s a week!” I say. “I’m not even sure Foxy can give me a week off, with how booked I am, I’d need to call her and—”
“I’ll cover your bookings.” He says the words like they are the easiest thing in the world.
“Noah, no, you can’t, I have like—”
“It doesn’t matter. This is a gig of a lifetime, Jake. It’s your chance to live out your own Pretty Woman dreams, man. With your dream book boyfriend.Andget paid for it.”
I consider his words.
“It’s insane.”
“Yeah, and when do you ever do anything crazy?” He shifts his position. I scowl at his words because the way he says them is like an insult. He’s right, Idon’tdo anything crazy. There’s a reason for that.
I’m not impulsive or spontaneous. I like knowing how things are going to go. It’s why I make sure to prepare in advance for my jobs, because I don’t like surprises. Yes, I can improvise and think on my feet, but I don’t like feeling out of control or like things are getting away from me.
Especially because those moments Ididlet myself “live a little” came back to bite me in the ass, and I believe in not making the same mistake twice. Or three times.
“It’s one week, Jake. I can handle it. Foxy can handle it.”
“Oh, really? You can handle it?” I bite. His eyebrows furrow.
