Page 1 of Flynn

Chapter One

Chiara

Most people would think going to an ex’s wedding would be awkward.

Those people would be right.

But that was justoneof the awkward things about this wedding. The list started as follows:

List of Awkward Truths

1. Will be attending ex’s wedding.

2. My best friend is the bride.

3. I am a bridesmaid.

Yup. My ex-boyfriend, Ellis, and my best friend, Sofia, were getting married. It’s not what you think. They had my blessing from the get-go considering Ellis and I had dated in high school and never slept together. We’d been more like friends anyway with zero chemistry.

Things were made more complicated by my big mouth and by me uncharacteristically downing several drinks during our first night on the island we were staying at for the wedding. Apparently, I’d claimed my boyfriend wanted to come to the wedding but would be unable to attend.

Here's the kicker—I don’t have a boyfriend.

Addition to List of Awkward Truths

4. Made up a fake boyfriend

I don’t know if someone misheard me, or if—for whatever reason—I’d genuinely gone and told a room full of drunk women that I was dating someone, but the consensus was that, yes, I had indeed said that. I was now officially the loser kid in high school claiming to have a boyfriend no one could verify because he went to school in another country.

None of this would have been an issue, however, if Chloe—the bride’s sister—hadn’t cancelled at the last minute. An emergency involving her husband’s parents had her stuck back home, and I was promoted from bridesmaid to Maid of Honor.

Yay, me!

Please read the above exclamation with equal parts sarcasm and panic.

Reprised Section of List of Awkward Truths

3. I am thebridesmaidMaid of Honor!

I sighed and looked around the small café situated onL’Amour Island.We’d arrived at the island early to prepare for the wedding and have all the joyous festivities here.

Glancing at my watch a little impatiently, I heaved a sigh.

He was late, and we only had this afternoon to get our story straight. We had to get to know each other, go over the terms of our agreement and gather the courage to go through with this ridiculous charade.

Yeah, things were about to get alotmore awkward for me.

Panic, late-night shopping, and wine didnotmix and deliver a favorable outcome.

Maybe my parents were right and drinking reallywasa badidea. All of my worst decisions had been made when under the influence of alcohol, and this latest one was a doozy.

During a session of self-loathing and desperation when we first arrived on the island, I’d been scrollingRateItfor a solution to my problem. The popular social network platform allowed for people to post a possible solution to a problem they were having and for strangers to rate whether or not it would work for their situation or suggest changes.

Tipsy Me went looking onRateItfor solutions to my problems, and thanks to the advice of an internet stranger, I found myself onFoxy’s Rent-A-Datewebsite. Apparently, it was a site where a woman such as myself in the situation I’d created by having a big mouth and low tolerance for alcohol, could find a man to pretend to be my boyfriend and go along with whatever backstory I needed him to follow.

It was somewhat comforting to know I was not the first woman who needed this service.

After speaking to a lovely woman by the name of Jovette—who found my entire situation hilarious—I received an email. Once I’d agreed to the terms and conditions, created a profile, and signed confidentiality agreements, I spent the next two hours reading through profiles of men to rent for the duration of this wedding festivities and the ceremony itself.

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