Page 3 of Fake It 'Til You Feel It

Because I know I am.

Chapter Two

NATHAN - THE GAMBLE

Iwatch her walk out, heels clicking like a countdown to my insanity. Dana Roberts—sharp eyes, quick wit, and the only person who’s ever told me my tie collection is a crime against fashion.On her first day, no less.

She’s everything I shouldn’t want, but I do.

On top of this emotional tug-of-war, I’ve just convinced her to spend an entire weekend pretending to be my girlfriend.Brilliant move, Clarke.

I push off the desk and exhale sharply. This is risky, but I’m out of options.

The Montclair suburban development would change everything—luxury retail, high-end residential, the kind of project that builds empires.

But Wallace Harris controls the zoning board, and he sees single men as liabilities, not visionaries. To get his support, I need to prove I’m stable, reliable—exactly the kind of man he wants shaping the future of his community.

Dana solves that problem. She’s polished, articulate, and knows how to handle difficult clients. For years she’s been running interference—talking down angry board members, charming potential investors, and quietly restructuring our operations to cut unnecessary costs.

Most people would have nodded and said, “Yes, sir.” Not Dana—she questions everything, challenges inefficiencies, and somehow makes the company stronger for it. The way she pushed back just now? It wasn’t the first time. And that’s exactly why I need her.

I return to my office chair and flip open my laptop, but my focus wavers. Three years ago, she was just managing my schedule. Now, she’s restructuring entire projects and becoming one of the few people I’d actually trust to do so. I’ve watched her turn her personal assistant role into something more—something indispensable.

It’s no wonder investors listen when she speaks.

No wonder I do.

And this weekend, while we’re pretending—when I don’t have to keep my hands to myself, when she’ll have to smile at me like she means it—I could push that boundary to see how deep the attraction really goes.

It’s dangerous.

I drag a hand down my face, shaking off the thought.

Get it together, Nathan.This weekend is about securing Harris’s support. It’s about proving that I’m more than the ruthless developer he thinks I am.

I glance at my schedule, noting the early departure. If we leave by eight sharp, we’ll have enough time to settle in before the first item on the itinerary.

The intercom buzzes. “Yes?”

“Just confirming,” Dana says, her voice crisp but laced with exasperation. “We leave at 8 a.m. tomorrow, correct?”

“Correct.”

“Should I bring anything specific?”

I smirk. “Just your best impression of someone madly in love with me.”

There’s a pause, and I can practically feel her glare through the line.

“I meant for the client briefing, Mr. Clarke.”

“My answer remains the same,” I tease, testing the limits of how much flirtation I can get away with before I lose myself to her.

The intercom clicks off sharply in response, and I laugh under my breath. She’s going to make this weekend hell for me.I probably deserve it.

I arriveat her apartment building at exactly 7:57 a.m. She never gave me her address, but I’ve had it on file for years—for business, for emergencies. For other reasons I don’t let myself examine too closely.

Dana’s punctual to a fault, so I’m not surprised when she’s waiting in the lobby with a small suitcase in hand.

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