Page 17 of Fake Out

I blow out a long breath. “Holy shit. How did you line up that many meetings? You must be something special.”

Her face turns pink. “Let’s just say I’m persuasive.”

As we continue discussing the details of the upcoming meetings, I struggle to concentrate on anything other than her — the way her fingers dance gracefully across her tablet, the smooth curve of her neck, the playfulness in her eyes.

Maybe it’s just been too long since I’ve been with a woman. Since this whole scandal started, I’ve been living like a hermit.

I should call one of them up and distract myself for a night or two with a good time. And yet… I already know that won’t be enough. None of them hold even a fraction of the allure that Marissa does.

“Charlie?” Her calling my name snaps me out of my reverie. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, just… just excited about the meetings,” I lie, swallowing hard. “It’s a big opportunity.”

“Absolutely.” She nods with the eagerness of a bobblehead. “And I’m confident that we can make the most of it. We’re about to show the world a whole new you.”

“A fake me,” I add with a chuckle.

She gives me a funny look. “Was that fake when you poured out all of your liquor?”

“I… No. I meant that. I’m quitting.”

She nods. “Exactly. And this relationship between us might be fake, but your commitment is real. Don’t underestimate that.”

Damn. I wasn’t expecting to receive such a pep talk tonight. The only thing I can do is nod since my tongue is all tied up and my throat is thick with emotion.

Marissa opens a new document on her tablet, revealing a neatly organized list of team names and dates. “Here is the meeting schedule. We’ll need to leave in two days, so you should start packing soon.”

I nod and scan the list, but my mind is racing with anticipation and nerves. This is the break I’ve been hoping for, and it’s all thanks to Marissa’s hard work. It’s a strange feeling to be so grateful to someone who’s become more than just an agent.

“Thank you, Marissa. Seriously, I can’t express how much this means to me.” My voice cracks slightly.

“Of course. We’re a team, remember?” She smiles warmly, and my heart skips a beat.

“Right.” I chuckle nervously. “A team.”

“Okay, so now we just have to attend these meetings and convince everyone that we’re madly in love.” Her tone is light, but I can sense the underlying seriousness. And — maybe — nerves? “Sounds easy enough, right?”

I swallow hard, trying to ignore the knot forming in my stomach. While I’m no stranger to flings and flirting, I’ve never been in love. Hell, I’ve always avoided it, based on how things shook out with my parents.

I’m not sure how to act like I’m in a loving relationship, but I’m certainly ready to give it a go. At this point, Marissa has already done a lot for my career, and so I trust her lead.

“Sure.” I shrug. “How hard could it be?”

“Great!” She claps her hands together, her enthusiasm infectious. “Let’s start by going over some ground rules and strategies to make our relationship seem as genuine as possible.”

“Sounds good.” I force a smile. “I’m just…”

“What?”

I lace my fingers together behind my head. “What if we don’t, you know, look like we’re in love?”

She blinks at me. “I see. Well… what was it like the last time you were in love?”

“What do you mean?”

“How did it feel? How did you act?”

“I’ve never been in love.”

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