Page 131 of The Plus One Pact

"You've put Ivy first," he says. "Put Cynthia first. Put me first. If the business plan checks out, okay. I'm in. I can't start until after the honeymoon, in January. And we still need mom’s money. But once we have it, we can hit the ground running. I like this new version of you, the one with a girlfriend."

Everything I want.

If I can keep Ivy around until January.

Chapter Thirty-One

Romeo

On the drive home, I try to think of a way to pitch this to Ivy. This could be a regular thing.

She makes appearances as my girlfriend in exchange for benefits.

Hell, I can pay her.

I have the money for it.

She's right. I should have hired someone in the first place. Then I'd be in control. Then we'd both know exactly where we stand.

Money for time.

No questions about feelings.

No confusion about how much I like her.

Or whether or not I could do this sort of thing for real.

I haven't had a girlfriend since college. And I wasn't exactly boyfriend of the year then.

And with my job—

How the hell could that ever work?

And what if it's the only thing that does?

Maybe I want this too. For another six months. Two years.

Indefinitely.

By the time we arrive home, I'm ready to offer her cash. Or sex every night we're together.

Is that what she wants?

Or does she want what every normal person wants?

A partner who loves her.

After a quick lunch, we move on to our next activity, an intimacy exercise. Thirty minutes to sit across from each other, hands pressed together, staring into each other's eyes as we share anything that comes to mind.

The idea is to build a safe space. A place to say anything. Even if it feels uncomfortable. Even if we're afraid of how our partner will react.

Ivy nods along with Mom, but the second we're alone, in her room, her posture shifts. Her shoulders tense. Her body curls inward.

She's uncomfortable.

Why?

I want to know. I want to ask. I want to stare into her eyes and spill my deepest secrets. But what would I even say? For years, I've been lying to everyone I know. It's as natural as breathing.