Page 14 of Fake Dating the Prince

BRAYDENwas half terrified when his phone rang at eleven o’clock in the morning. He was just puttering out of the shower, debating how fancied up to get when he knew Celine would be picking him up in an hour to be professionally fussed over.

He was so flustered that he answered without checking the caller ID—rookie mistake.

“So this party you’re going to with this guy who’s not your sugar daddy,” Lina said, without waiting for him to say hello.

Brayden blinked and then checked the time. “Isn’t it, like, four in the morning where you are?”

“I wanted to make sure you didn’t have an excuse to blow me off.” She yawned into the phone. “Anyway. Talk.”

Brayden sighed, plucked his fancy new underwear from the box, and put them on. Then he immediately took them off and put on regular, plebeian underwear, because they felt entirely too good to wear while he was on the phone with his sister. “About what?”

“About what, he says.I don’t know, about whatever event you’re going to that’s so fancy you’re not only going to wear a tuxedo, but having someone tailor one for you?”

Brayden decided he’d better not tell her that actually, he was pretty sure Bernadette was going to make the whole thing from scratch. “It’s a charity ball. A fundraiser for a scholarship program that sends underprivileged kids all over the world to art school, or something.” He could have described it better, but that ran the risk of Lina googling the thing and realizing who Brayden must be attending with. No, thank you. He could do without his sister marrying him off to a prince, even in her head.

“Mm-hmm. So we’re talking multiple thousands of dollars a head. Not including your tuxedo.”

“Look, I met him at work, okay? He flies my usual Toronto to Paris and back. First class every time. Yeah, he’s rich. So what? A couple grand means nothing to him.”

Lina huffed. “Must be nice.”

“Right?”

“But okay. He’s rich. And you said he’s super hot.”

“Like the face of the sun,” Brayden confirmed.

“And this is just a favor. You’re not his real date, and he doesn’t expect you to put out at the end of the night, even though you totally would.”

“Succinctly put, thanks.”

He could practically hear her rolling her eyes. “Shut up. I’m trying to understand. He’s rich, he’s hot, he dates… but notyou. He’s been recommending local places for you to go, so he’s obviously not a total asshole.”

“So…?”

“So what’s wrong with him, Bray? Is he a serial killer? Does he have BO so bad you need a hazmat suit to get within ten feet? If he’s so great,why doesn’t he have a real date?”

Brayden opened his mouth to reply, then realized: “I have no idea.” Put like that, itwasa bit strange that Flip didn’t have a cadre of suitable men on tap. Certainly he had to know someone more appropriate than Brayden, who was going to spend the whole night using the wrong fork, making crass jokes, and probably being a royal embarrassment. Whydidn’tFlip have a date?

But why did it matter? It wasn’t likeBraydenwas looking to date him, no matter how hot and charming he was. That was punching above his weight.

“I’m just saying,” Lina said. “Why you? Is it just coincidence? Or is there a story there? You know I love you, bro, and I’d never ask you to change. But, like, consider that maybe this guy does actually like you and maybe try not to break his heart.”

Brayden had not yet recovered from that bombshell when the hotel phone rang, probably to announce his ride had arrived.Shit.“Okay. I promise I’m not running away from this conversation, but I have to go. My car is here.”

“Your car that your mystery man sent for you,” Lina deadpanned.

Because he’s a prince!Brayden wanted to say.He doesn’t have time for stuff like that! He’s used to having people do things for him!But he couldn’t tell her. She’d never believe him anyway. “Love you,” he said desperately. “Bye!”

“Remember what I said,” she admonished and then hung up.

Brayden answered the hotel phone and promised he’d be right down, only to realize he was still mostly naked and wearing the wrong underpants. He’d better move fast.

BYthe time Brayden had dressed for his final fitting at Les Fils Royaux, he’d talked himself down from his panic. Lina didn’t know anything. There were plenty of good reasons for an eligible person not to date. Such as not being interested in dating, like Brayden. Such as being asexual or aromantic. Such as significant past trauma. Such as having the paparazzi all up in one’s business.

Brayden really didn’t blame Flip for doing his solo thing, though obviously, if this tux didn’t make him want to bone Brayden, he was hopeless.

“Well,” Bernadette said as she stood back after adjusting the hem of his pants over his shiny new shoes, “what do you think?”

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