Page 45 of My Real Love Affair

I’d been waiting for this. Cleo had texted me seventeen times between when I got home and when I woke up this morning,each message more demanding than the last. I had been putting it off. I couldn’t explain why. I always told Cleo everything, but last night, I had wanted to cherish the moment just a little. It was silly, but I supposed I liked the idea of pretending it could be real.

“It went well,” I said carefully, heading behind the changing screen in the corner. One of the three bedrooms in the townhouse had been transformed into a studio with proper lighting and a variety of backdrops.

“Well? Well! Girl, I need more than ‘well.’ Did he try anything? Was he a gentleman? Did you kiss? Did you take him home?”

“Cleo.”

“What! I’m invested. I spent an hour helping you get ready for that date. I deserve details.”

I emerged in high-waisted jeans and a cropped sweater, bare feet padding across the hardwood floor. “We talked. Had dinner. It was nice.”

“Nice.” Cleo’s eyes narrowed. “You’re being suspiciously vague. What happened?”

I took a breath. “He asked me to fake date him.”

Silence. Complete, utter silence.

She frowned. “I’m sorry, what?”

“It’s a business arrangement. He needs his family off his back, I need help rebuilding my reputation. It’s mutually beneficial.”

Cleo stared at me like I’d grown a second head. “Let me get this straight. Austin Bancroft asked you to be his fake girlfriend?”

“Yes.”

“And you said yes?”

“I said yes.”

“Why in the hell does he need a fake girlfriend? He must have at least a hundred women on the bench.”

“Because he doesn’t want a real girlfriend. He wants an arrangement.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

“Yes.” I nodded.

“Melody!” Cleo threw her hands up. “This is crazy! And amazing! Do you know what this means?”

“That I’ve lost my mind?”

“That I get to train him!” Her eyes lit up with unholy glee. “You said he has to do a boyfriend training session with me, right? That was one of your rules?”

“It was.” I slipped into the heels we’d chosen for this look. “And I’m warning you now, he’s going to be difficult.”

“Good. I like a challenge.” Cleo was practically vibrating with excitement. “Oh, I’m going to have so much fun with this. Does he know what he signed up for?”

“Probably not.”

“Even better.” She grabbed her camera again. “Okay, we need to get through today’s content schedule, and then you’re going to tell me every single detail of this arrangement. And I mean everything.”

We spent the next two hours shooting. Outfit changes, different poses, and a few backdrop changes. Finally, we settled in my living room with iced coffees and the laptop, reviewing and editing the photos we’d taken.

“Okay,” Cleo said, pulling up an editing program. “Now finish spilling everything.”

I walked her through it all. Cleo listened, her expression cycling between impressed and concerned.

“It’s smart,” she finally said. “Really smart, actually. But, babe, have you thought about what happens after?”