Page 4 of It's Only Make Believe

“No one at the company has seen me,” Louisa says. “There’s no reason why they won’t. And this way, we both win. You will get paid for doing the sort of thing you want to do, and I will get my father off my back because he will think I’m doing the internship. And the reference at the end can easily be used by both of us, we just need to make a copy and change the name.”

I can feel myself on the verge of saying yes, although it still feels like I’m not getting the whole story.

“It pays eight hundred dollars a week after deductions,” Louisa says.

“Ok. I’m in,” I say.

Fuck the catch. That will pay for my rent which is almost fifteen hundred dollars a month – a bargain for a one-bedroom apartment in downtown Chicago I am assured by Louisa – and leave me with enough left over for utilities, food, and maybe even a bit of a social life.

“Congratulations on the new job,” Louisa grins. “You start at nine o’clock on Monday morning. I’ll text you the address and the details. I’d say don’t be late, but you’re meant to be me, so feel free.”

She laughs and I roll my eyes and laugh with her. When we stop laughing, Louisa goes to the bar and this time, we’re drinking something called a Mellow Marshmallow. It’s sweet and a bit coconutty and I like it. While she was gone, a question came to my mind. I’m about to ask it, although I’m not sure I really want to know the answer.

“Louisa, I have to ask. This internship. It’s paid which is practically unheard of. Even the odd paid internship I’ve heard of pays closer to six hundred dollars a week and this is eight hundred dollars after deductions. Is there something I should know?” I ask.

“Well, now that you mention it, there was something about disposing of dead bodies, but it’s only now and again, and you probably won’t have to do more than one or two,” Louisa says with a grin.

I laugh and shake my head, and she turns serious again and shrugs one shoulder.

“I assume they are paying a bit more than average because they think it’s actually going to be me and my dad is on the board of directors,” Louisa says.

My mouth drops open. I think I would have preferred the first explanation. There’s no way I can take this job now. It explains why Louisa was careful not to mention the name of the company. I didn’t notice at the time, but I do now. If she had mentioned it was Sold sooner, it would have been an instant no from me. I have already purposely avoided looking for any positions at the company after learning Enrique is on the board because I didn’t want it to come out that I knew his daughter, and have it look like that’s why I got the job. Now, she’s suggesting I should pretend to be her there. How could that ever work?

“I’m out,” I say. “You told me no one at the company knew what you looked like. I think your dad might know your face. And he knows me too.”

“That’s the beauty of it. He and my mom leave tomorrow for a cruise around Europe. The internship will be done by the time they return. My dad will hear how wonderful I was, because obviously it’s you and you rock, and you will have some high powered job by then,” Louisa says.

“I don’t know,” I say, looking down into my almost empty glass.

“Look at it this way. You pretending to be me isn’t a crime. The worst thing that can happen if it does come out, is my dad will be pissed at me, which he is right now anyway and you’ll get fired, meaning you won’t have a job, which you don’t right now anyway. See what I mean? In the worst case scenario, things go back to how they are right now, that’s it. And in every other scenario, everything gets one hundred percent better for both of us,” Louisa says.

She grins at me, nodding her head ever so slightly as I think. I don’t even know why I’m thinking about it. Or at least pretending to be. The money sold me, but I can never say no to Louisa anyway, although this is the first one of her schemes or ideas that I can see seriously backfiring on us. But fuck it. I am actually going to give this a shot.

“Nine o’ clock Monday morning. Sold, here I come,” I say.

Louisa whoops and then drains her drink and motions for me to do the same. I finish it up and Louisa gets up, pulling me up with her and leading me out of the bar.

“But Monday at nine o’clock is almost thirty six hours away. So, let’s go to a club and dance and drink and celebrate your new job.”

“That is the best idea you’ve had in ages,” I say with a grin, and I turn towards the road and flag down a passing cab, and we get in it to go to the club.

Chapter

Three

LUKE

It’s ten to nine on Monday morning and I’m waiting for Enrique’s daughter to come to my office which is where she was told to go in the brief I sent her. I hope she isn’t late, because that’s a really bad start and although I have promised Enrique that I will ride her hard, and I meant it, I don’t really want to have to sack her before we have even said hello. I’m pretty sure that wasn’t Enrique’s aim either.

I’ve already decided that for at least this week, Louisa will be working directly under me. I won’t let her loose in the web development team until she has proven herself. I want to be able to give them someone who will help them, not a lazy spoiled brat who will slow things down for them.

It’s eight minutes to nine when there’s a quiet knock on my office door.

“Come in,” I call.

The door opens and a beautiful blonde woman steps in. She’s tall, about five foot eight or five foot nine, and she is slim tothe point of her sleek body being almost androgynous looking, although there is nothing androgenous about her face. She is stunning, with bright, ice blue eyes that I feel like I could drown in and long, white-blonde hair. I have no idea who she is or why she’s here, but she has certainly brightened up my morning.

“Can I help you?” I say after a pause when it’s clear that she isn’t going to speak first.

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