Page 6 of From Fake Dates to Forever Goals

I sigh. “How am I supposed to get into a relationship in a week?”

“With your track record, it shouldn’t be that hard,” he says, laughing at his own joke.

“You know what I mean, Sam. How am I supposed to do this seriously?”

He stands, buttoning his jacket. “If you want a serious relationship, Sebastian, you need to start taking life seriously. That’s the first step.”

Sam pulls out a few hundred-dollar bills and tosses them onto the table. “I wish you luck. You’re going to need it.”

With that, he leaves, and I’m alone with my thoughts and the crushing realization that my life is spiraling out of control. There’s not a bone in my body that is ready for a serious relationship, but I know I have to do something that will ensure I’m not struck from my father’s will.

Back at the apartment, Jimmy takes one look at my face and whistles. “That bad, huh?”

I collapse onto the couch without a word. Jimmy tosses a paper onto the coffee table.

“You might want to see this,” he says.

I lean forward and open it, expecting the usual fluff about my social life. Instead, I find an analysis of my last season—and it’s brutal.

“You didn’t score well,” Jimmy says matter-of-factly.

“And they’re blaming it on my social life?” I snap, throwing the paper down.

“If you don’t take this season seriously, I’m afraid they might replace you.”

I narrow my eyes. “Who have you been talking to?”

“Winston,” he admits.

Winston, my former manager, always knows what’s going on behind closed doors.

“He says the competition this year is fierce, and if you don’t turn things around, you’re done.”

I rub my temples, the pressure mounting. Jimmy isn’t wrong. I’ve been too caught up in my personal life to give my game the focus it deserves. Now, everyone’s noticing.

Taking a deep breath, I feel the weight of the decision before me. On one hand, I could continue living recklessly, knowing it’s destroying everything I’ve built. Or, I could change—sacrifice the distractions for the career and future I’ve always dreamed of.

Jimmy watches me silently as I stare at the paper.

“I have to fix this,” I finally say, the determination in my voice surprising even me.

Jimmy nods. “Then you’d better start now.”

The more I thought about it, the clearer it became—it wasn’t a hard decision at all. The real challenge was figuring out where I could find someone willing to be in a committed relationship with me.

It’s not like I have trouble meeting women. I’ve dated some of the most stunning women in the country. The problem isn’t attracting them—it’s finding someone who actually wants to stay.

three

Ava

“I can’t believe someone could be so freaking self-centered they’d hog all the attention!” I stomp my foot on the ground, my frustration bubbling over.

“He sounds like a jerk,” Annie says, nodding sympathetically as I vent.

“You have no idea.” I roll my eyes, replaying the events of the night before in my head. Sebastian Kane is infuriating, and my anger at him makes it nearly impossible to focus on work.

“Why don’t you go for a walk? I can handle things here,” Annie suggests, noticing my growing agitation.

---