Page 46 of It's Not All Fake

“You’re my girlfriend.” Liam grins, shrugging.

My eyebrows knit together. That’s not an answer, and he damn well knows it. I’m his fake girlfriend, and he’s never told me otherwise.

I raise an eyebrow at him but decide to let it slide for the moment, choosing a playful response instead. “Are you trying out method acting now?”

Liam chuckles. “Something like that.”

He pulls a chair out for me, and I sit, still pleasantly surprised by his chivalry. No man from my past has ever been this considerate. Thank you, Olivia, for instilling such good manners.

As Liam sits across from me, a waiter appears out of nowhere with white wine. I accept a glass, but mentally vow to cut it off at two drinks tonight. I need to be clear-headed if I have any chance of making good decisions around Liam, especially since I’m technically still on the job.

To my surprise, Liam raises his glass in a toast as soon as our drinks are poured and the waiter leaves.

“To my beautiful girlfriend,” he declares, his smile warm and eyes earnest.

He really knows how to lay on the charm. What’s his game?

“Thank you.” I laugh nervously as we clink glasses. I take a modest sip. “And thank you for all of this.” I gesture around us—at our intimate table set on a glamorous yacht slicing through the waters toward a horizon painted purple and orange.

It really is unbelievable.

He returns a subdued smile. “How was your day today?”

His question catches me off guard. It’s so normal, contrasting with the surreal setting of our date.

Then it hits me—what if he’s practicing? This is a pretend relationship, so maybe he’s using it now to test out how to act, how to be in a relationship. He surely wouldn’t have fully realized it himself, but it could be a subconscious motive for this camera-free date. His hardened exterior has softened just enough that he’s ready to experiment with vulnerability, and I'm the perfect candidate for that.

As his employee, I pose no real emotional threat. I'm safe. I exist outside the boundaries of his real life.

The idea that I'm not just a fake girlfriend, but essentially a training wheel girlfriend, brings a mix of emotions. A twinge of sadness for myself, but also a sense of pride that Liam is finally taking steps to open up.

I decide to latch on to the latter emotion and play along, for him.

I take a breath. “Well, I had a couple of challenging clients.”

“More challenging than me?” He grins playfully.

“No, not by a long shot,” I respond with a light laugh.

Liam smiles, waiting for me to go on.

“They’re stuck repeating the same old patterns even though it’s making them miserable,” I explain, keeping details vague to protect their confidentiality.

“Well, they’re in good hands,” Liam suggests, the intensity in his gaze making me squirm.

“Hopefully I can help.” I take another sip from my glass.

Liam waits patiently for more. I know he’s using my own coaching techniques against me, drawing out more with silence.

I clear my throat. “The only other thing is that my ex might be spying on me,” I announce, then quickly take another sip of my wine, hoping to seem casual.

Liam's demeanor changes instantly. He sits up straighter, his face contorting with concern. “What?”

I frown, the reality of it still sinking in. “Your tech person found spyware on my computer. He suggested it might be my ex.”

“Did he say if he can find out?” Liam is tense now, even angry.

“Um, he said he’d get a friend of his, a forensic computer guy, to take a look on Monday,” I explain, trying to sound calm.

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