Page 11 of The Fake Dating War

Glorious victory is going to be mine.

But, before all that, I’ve got to survive this wedding.

Thirty-five, divorced, and alone, I can’t show up without having made some progress in my love life.

I know I shouldn’t have lied about finding someone… but I did.

So, will Leo find me a replacement in time?

On his phone,Finderis chiming away.

Does that mean I have some matches?!

8

JAKE

I thought her sighing was torture, but the sound of that fucking dating app is much fucking worse.

9

JAKE

Patel needs a date for her sister’s wedding. It’s probably why she was asking that lawyer douche out in the cafeteria. I feel my nostrils flare. Did she think that would work? The wedding is next week. That lawyer is a nitwit tripping over his own feet. He wasn’t going to solve any of her problems, let alone this one.

I go to the company calendar and click on her name. There it is. Blocked out in grey is a whole week of vacation. Considering I’ve never seen the woman take a sick day in over a year, the time-off wouldn’t make sense if it wasn’t a family obligation.

I understand family.

Grant, Alister, Oliver, Evan.

I’m the oldest of five.

Sure, I’ve joked Patel comes from a cryogenic pod, but logically she must have parents and other blood-related people on earth close to her. There are no personal photos on her desk, but neither are there decorations. Leo tried giving her a cactus once. The poor thing shriveled in a week before it got dumped in the trash.

I move my mouse and highlight her vacation on my screen. She’s not the one who set the date for the wedding. That’s not the issue. What’s bothering me is why Patel is not coming apart or completely obsessed with the scoreboard. Even without the clients I’ve not entered, I’m pulling ahead of her.

Sure, she is working at her normal, aggressive speed, but she is also taking these little breaks to talk aboutdatingmatches with Leo.

A muscle leaps in my jaw.

It makes no sense.

Something is fucking going on.

10

REEMA

“It’s Monday and I’ve only got one week left,” I tell Leo. “You said Finder would work!”

“If I don’t find you a fake boyfriend by this Friday, Jamaica is off.”

“What? No! That’s not what I meant. Stop being so dramatic.”

Okay, yes. I would love for him to cancel Jamaica because it would solve everything, but there is no way I am going to ask him to do that. Wyatt and Leo have been trying to adopt a baby for a while. Lately, the stress has been wearing them down. Truthfully, theyneedJamaica.

He opens the dating app again. That very distinct Finder welcome ping goes through the office. I whip my head around, hoping no one has heard it. Thankfully, all heads are down. Other departments are busy with their own deadlines coming up, but what about him? My eyes flick over to Coleman. He’s got his headphones on.Good.

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