Page 141 of Pretend Girlfriend

“What are you doing, Joanna?” Theo said, coming closer now.

“I hate you.”

“Be serious,” Theo replied. “This man is from the TSA. And no, that does not stand for Tushy Sex Administration.”

“We’re in Jamaica. The TSA is America only.”

Theo grinned broadly. “Yeah, but the acronym is funnier this way.”

Once they verified that the vibrator was not a security threat, I collected my bag and hurried along with the others right beside me. “I can’t believe you did that!”

“Your face is bright red,” Austin said.

“How?” I asked. “Did you slip them into my bag while the cars were being loaded at the resort?”

Theo wiggled his fingers in front of his face and said, “Magic.”

“Theo delivered them to our room while you were in the shower this morning,” Landon revealed.

“Aww man,” Theo whined. “It would’ve been more fun if she had to keep guessing.”

“You know, I think I’m going to stay single forever,” I mused as we walked through the terminal. “I’m done dating.”

“Then you’ll definitely need that vibrator,” Austin replied.

The four of us giggled on the way to the gate.

Epilogue

Joanna

Just like the flight to Jamaica, I was sitting next to Danicka on the flight home. For the most part, she pretended like the events from two days ago had never happened, and that she had never revealed that she knew I was only pretending to be Landon’s girlfriend. She mostly talked my ear off about the potential clerkship she was lining up for me. She’d scheduled an interview with one judge for Monday morning, and if that wasn’t a good fit, I would have an interview with a different judge on Thursday.

“And if neither are a good fit, then you’re on your own,” she said. “I only have so many favors I can call in.”

“You have no idea how grateful I am,” I reiterated to her. “Getting a job interview for me… it’s more than just saving my butt. You’re giving me a chance at something really special. When I got my law degree, I never thought I would get to clerk for a judge!”

“You need to learn to dream bigger, dear,” Danicka said while sipping her Bloody Mary. “A clerkship is only a stepping stone. I’m setting you on a path toward becoming a judge.”

I chuckled at that. Becoming a judge was a long, difficult process with steep competition. I doubted that was in the cards. But if she wanted to think about my future, I didn’t mind.

“You handled the whole scandal surprisingly well,” she added.

The change of subject almost caught me off guard. “Yeah, we got lucky.”

“Luck had nothing to do with it. That was a shrewd way of handling the entire affair. Well done.”

“I meant what I said,” I told her. “The promise I made about Landon. I won’t toy around with him.”

Danicka smiled patronizingly at me. “Oh, I know that. The way you two look at each other, I can tell you’re going to be together for quite a long time.”

I smiled politely, but I doubted she could infer that much from the short amount of time Landon and I had spent together. We were going to start with a date and see where it went. No pressure.

Clark tried very hard not to look at me while we deplaned. It seemed that he was intimidated by a woman who wasn’t afraid to have multiple simultaneous sexual partners. Marisa, however, was quick to give me a hug when we left baggage claim.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better replacement bridesmaid!” she said. “I feel like I gained a husband and a sister!”

“Me too,” I said, and I almost kind of meant it. Marisa was nice.

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