Page 2 of Falling for My Billionaire Fake Date

Leaving my ‘inner sanctum,’ as my assistant calls it, I see she is still at her desk. “Marty, what the heck are you still doing at work?”

She bursts out in a huge smile, patting her mammoth belly. “Jake, this is it. I stayed late to clean up some projects and to say goodbye.”

At first, I’m confused but the dumbstruck look on my face gives way to my own broad smile, immediately replaced with a panicky stare. “You’re in labor? No, are you really?

Why have you continued to work so many months when you could have taken time off before this . . . this . . . this all begins?” I ask, with my arms flailing about like a crazy man.

“Are you okay? Where’s John? Is he coming to get you? Do you need a wheelchair?” I’m rapid-firing bullets and she is just smiling. What’s wrong with her? Doesn’t she understand this is important? Why is she just sitting there?

“Jake, you obviously have had no experience with a woman giving birth. This is so preliminary. I know it’s going to be soon, but not in the staff bathroom, for goodness sakes! I’m just feeling a little twinge now and then, so I know we’ll probably have a few hours or more before we need to pack it up.

This IS my third baby, you know!”

I hug her tightly and come back down to earth a bit as her husband walks in to collect the mommy-to-be. We get a little while to talk, and he lets me know her car will be here untilhe gets time to pick it up. Telling him that I’ll have one of the security guards drive it to their house in the morning provides him with a bit of relief. One more thing not to worry about.

Off they go, and I realize how much she and her family mean to me. They are such great people—including their short ones: Jimmy and Josh. Very soon those boys will have their world turned upside down when Mommy and Daddy come home with a bundle of pink bliss.

I know that feeling personally because I have a little sister who entered my life in one of those bundles. Isabella was and is the sweetest person I know.So, watch out guys, it’s going to be a great ride, I think, as I jump into my own car, now soaked to the skin.

I’ll need some temporary help while Marty’s away. I ponder on the way home. I hate breaking in new people. It’s certainly not my strong point since I don’t really know what she does all day. She just takes care of me.

It’s probably a lot more complicated than that. Probably? I laugh to myself.

Maybe the perfect personal assistant will drop from the sky. One can hope.

Chapter three

Aurora - The Build Up

In my room I carefully lay the dress on the bed. I love to apply my makeup before I dress up, it’s a me thing. Wearing clothes before putting on my makeup makes me feel weirdly incomplete, like I’m forgetting something. I go light on the makeup—nothing obvious, and nothing glamorous. Just a subtle sweep of mascara on my lashes and a dab of lip gloss. I run a brush through my naturally wavy curls a couple of times until they’re smooth and bouncy.

Grinning to myself, I remember what Brittney once told me about my hair. According to her, it’s the sort of hair girls “would spend a thousand dollars weekly just to get the same shade of gold, waves, curls, texture, and the ‘bounce of life’ that comes with it.”She cracks me up and I love her for it.

Satisfied with my look, I wiggle into the teal blue gown, almost the color of my green eyes. It’s truly breathtaking—the short length is obviously ‘designed to make a statement, whilestill maintaining an air of simplicity and elegance,’ and as the sales lady told me. It has a stylish halter neckline, delicately framing the shoulders.

The back plunges low, revealing plenty of skin and giving me a feeling of allure and confidence. The open back is complimented by thin, delicate rhinestone straps that elegantly crisscross. I run my hand over the luxurious silk fabric. It’s smooth to the touch and has a subtle shimmer that catches the light when I move sideways, checking myself out in the mirror.

OMG, I can’t believe I am actually thinking those words. Am I a walking advertisement for the designer or what?

Honestly, I feel a little bit self-conscious. I don’t want Ryan’s friend, the supposed ‘eye candy,’ feeling that I dressed to impress him. But what do I care anyway? Britt is probably trying to be polite when she describes him as eye candy. He’s probably not that great to look at. Maybe he’s a scrawny dude who slurps his drinks loudly.

And why am I still trying to figure out someone I haven’t even met yet? My hands shake a little, and I realize that I’m actually nervous. I shouldn’t be, but this is an unplanned blind date obviously, and me not bailing on my friends the moment Britt inadvertently made mention of Ryan’s friend shows my willingness to go along with their plan.

I don’t know why, but I don’t have the usual feeling of running for the hills when a plan like this is concocted by my friends.

Well, maybe I’m just curious enough to see what Ryan’s friend is like.Yeah . . . keep telling yourself that ‘til you believe it,my subconscious snorts at me, and I roll myeyes. Looking into the mirror one last time, I go to my closet to select a pair of sandals.

Grinning to myself when I see a pair of sneakers, I imagine the cardiac arrest I’d give my friends if I appear in this stunning gown with a pair of sneakers. That would teach them not to sneak a date in on me. I end up choosing my favorite pair of sandals. Not as comfortable as the sneakers and less of a ‘statement’ I laugh to myself.

But then again, I could truly blow my buddies away coming in with those sneaks on. Would it be worth my embarrassment to see that? I need to admit to myself that I am really torn up. It’s really my style to do it, but it’s probably not worth the chuckle if I embarrass Ryan in front of his friend.

The only accessories I have on are a pair of teardrop earrings and a silver bracelet. I decide against the black sequined clutch. I’m going to unwind with my friends, not going on a date as the Grim Reaper’s shiny human girlfriend.

Chuckling to myself, I go for a small silver purse instead. One last look in the mirror has me winking at myself.Where did that come from?

Swiping my car keys off the center table, I assure myself that I have my phone and my wallet. Locking my apartment door, I get myself seat belted and switch on the radio. A pop song comes on, and I find myself nodding my head to the beat. I wonder if the rest of the evening will be a hit or a miss.

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