Page 16 of The Companion Love Trap

The first man sat at a table off to the side with his back to the door. So unless he was an asshole testing people to see if they would approach him as part of the interview, I didn’t rate Backwards Bobby high as J. Caldwell.

The second was a woman enjoying a martini at the bar, her eyes scanning the area every few seconds. While I didn’t know the gender of J. Caldwell, my gut told me it wasn’t Martini Sugar Momma.

Which left the guy sitting at an angle from the door. He was dressed more casually than the other two in jeans and a button-down black shirt with the top two buttons open. He wore long necklaces, silver rings, and a fancy smartwatch. His sun-touched skin glimmered under the lights, making him look more golden than jaundiced, like the other patrons. But despite his casual appearance, I knew his entire ensemble cost more than most guests made in a month. He was high-fashion even if he didn’t look it.

That, combined with a leather portfolio in front of him containing a pad of paper and a shiny pen on display, gave off the vibe he’d been taking notes. And I doubted it was on the cuisine, considering he only had a glass of water in front of him. One that showed considerable condensation, leading me to believe he’d been here a while. With his head down, it was hard to make out his features; but I’d bet my last Oreo Hottie McFashion was J. Caldwell.

My mind made up, I strutted closer to the table, my hips swaying with each step as my shorts threatened to ride up—thick thigh problems.

Hottie McFashion lifted his head when I was a few feet away, a smile spreading across his face and stopping me in my tracks.

“Jace?”

“I knew we’d meet again, firecracker.”

His voice felt like sunshine, warming me from the inside out. His hazel eyes roamed my body, able to take me in more now that I was out of my barista uniform and not standing behind a counter. I stood stunned for a few seconds as I tried to piece things together.

“Not that I’m not excited to see you, but how did you find me?” he asked, pulling me out of my daze as he leaned back.

“I didn’t. I mean, I didn’t come here for you.”

His smile dropped, and he swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing and doing something to me. Oh, to lick that spot.

“Right. Gotcha.” His smile was tight, and I felt a pressure I wasn’t used to in my chest.

“No. It’s not like that. I’m here for an interview, not a date. In case that’s what you thought.”

Jace’s head perked up, his eyes shining again as he leaned back and crossed his ankle over his knee like he’d just won the lottery. “Well then, have a seat, Sailor Moon. Have to say, anime over comic books was a bold choice. ”

“What?” I asked, my brain not wanting to admit what I already knew. Jace was J. Caldwell. He had to be if he knew my answer to the interview question.

“You must be Everly,” he said, motioning for me to take the empty seat again when I just stood there.

Flustered, I followed his instruction and scooted in. My usual confidence took a break as I tried to wrap my mind around the fact that mere hours earlier, I’d made this man a coffee, and now I sat across from him after answering an ad.

“How is this possible?” I asked.

“Do you believe in fate?” Jace replied, his eyes never leaving mine. He motioned for a waiter who placed a fresh glass of water and a basket of bread in front of me.

“I suppose. Though I suddenly feel like I’m in an after-school special on why you shouldn’t answer online ads, and you’re going to take me to your cabin in the woods and slowly eat my body.”

“The only eating I want to do to you, Firecracker, you’d enjoy. Promise.” And now I suddenly wanted to climb over the table and be his meal.

“And crazy as it sounds, this isn’t a con. My best friend is clueless when it comes to women and has a huge opportunity coming up where he needs to show investors he’s a safe bet. Having a girlfriend will help him paint the right image. Everything is outlined in the contract and is aboveboard. I swear to you.”

He handed me a piece of paper from the portfolio. I skimmed it over briefly, finding everything listed that had been on the ad, along with provisions for any changes to the original contract. It was comprehensive and included a fancy law firm’s contact information.

“Okay, say I believe it’s real. What kind of things would I have to do? It wasn’t very detailed.”

“Kieran has to attend dinners every night where you’ll need to dress appropriately and demonstrate proper etiquette. You listed on your CV that you’ve had experience?”

I nodded, grabbing the carb security blanket known as bread. I tore it in half and placed a piece in my mouth as I deliberated over the information.

“Outside of the dinners, there are a few activities he has to participate in that could range from salsa dancing, zip-lining, and snorkeling. Kieran is an avid snorkeler and diver, so if the opportunity presents itself, it will be done. But that all depends on how much the investors want his attention.”

“Those don’t sound too horrible. So, basically, we’re on vacation as a couple, and I need to make him look good to some snotty people,” I said around my bread ball, crumbs flying out of my mouth at high speed. I blushed, covering my lips as I brushed the flakes from the table.

“Yes, that’s essentially it. The most important part is just pretending to date Kieran and make him look like a responsible and reliable choice.” Jace watched me, clearly not disgusted by my poor emotional eating etiquette.

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