Page 25 of Boss's Baby: A Fake Fiance Romance

Or maybe they only wanted to screw me.

Either way, I didn’t need it.

“Hey. Busy with work tonight. Maybe some other time.”

A frowny-face reply came almost instantly. Sorry to disappoint. Well, not that sorry. I had bigger matters to worry about than making sure there was a warm body in my bed that evening.

As soon as I tucked my phone back into my pocket, my eyes were back on the screen. I settled into the couch in my living room, the lights of the city twinkling to my right out the large window overlooking my patio. But I was far more interested in what was happening on the screen. After what had happened to Dad, I needed an escape, and these flicks were always good for that.

Things were getting good. This movie took place in LA and featured a high-powered movie agent named Shannon Swaine and her equally high-powered movie-star-fallen-on-rough-times client Hunter Maxton. After a highly publicized breakup with actress May Thorne, Hunter had an equally in-the-tabloids breakdown, complete with booze and an expensive sports car wrapped around a telephone pole on Santa Monica.

No one had been hurt, but the damage to Hunter’s career had been catastrophic. He’d gone from the top action star in Hollywood to a breakdown-in-progress that no director wanted to touch with a ten-foot pole.

In the scene I was watching, him and Shannon are trying to brainstorm ways to mend his reputation. And I was there for it, bowl of popcorn and M&Ms at hand.

“The problem is you look like a wreck,” said Shannon, all serious-faced and power-suited as she sat on the edge of her desk. “Who wants to hire an actor who might screw up production with another screw-up like that?”

Hunter ran his hand through his million-dollar hair, shaking his head. “But that’s not the man I am. I’ve been in this business since I was a kid—why should this one thing ruin my whole damn career?”

“Looks like you’re learning the hard way that all it takes is one mess-up to undo what you’ve worked so hard for. And—”

“And?” asked Hunter, raising an eyebrow.

Shannon sighed. “Look, what you do in your personal life is none of my business. Well, I take that back—it’s exactly my business.”

“What’re you trying to say?”

“Hunter—you’ve been a fixture on the front page of every gossip blog in this town, you and whatever up-and-coming actress you’ve been having your fun with that week.”

I snort-laughed. Pretty relatable protagonist, if you asked me.

“I know, I know—”

“And it doesn’t help that, as Matthew McConaughey once said, you get older and they stay the same age.”

“What, I’m not allowed to date?”

“Of course you’re allowed to date. But when you date like that, people are going to have their opinions on the matter.”

“But what does that have to do with this?”

“Point is that people have been expecting something like this to happen—they’ve been hungry for it.”

Hunter stood up and stepped over to the window of Shannon’s office, the view of the sweep of Hollywood. “Happy to give them some meat to chew on, in that case.”

“Well, I’m not—I’m the one who has to clean up your messes.”

“Isn’t that what I pay you for?”

Shannon narrowed her eyes. “Keep up that attitude, and you might find yourself without an agent.”

I grinned. Sure, they liked to fight. But it was all about the sexual tension, of course.

“Sorry, sorry. Just frustrated.”

“That makes two of us.” Shannon looked away thoughtfully. “We need to clean up your reputation, show everyone that you’re turning over a new leaf.”

“And how can I do that? Unwreck the car and undate the women?”

“Too late for that. We need to focus on moving forward. And we need something drastic, something that shows you’re ready to be a family man.”

“But I’m not—not even a little.”

“Oh, I know,” said Shannon with a wry grin. “I’ve only known you for five years.”

Damn, five years of sexual tension. Hell of a long time for them to hold out.

“But we need to get them to think that.”

“And how do you suggest we do it?”

Shannon glanced away in thought, her intelligent eyes narrowed.

“Wait a minute,” said Hunter. “When’s the last time you dated someone?”

“Huh?” asked Shannon, surprised. “What the hell does that have to do with anything?”

Hunter grinned. “I mean, I know the answer, and it’s not a happy one.”

“Better watch your back, buddy. But get to the point.”

“What about this story—‘Hunter Maxton Ties the Knot with Longtime Agent’.”

I leaned forward in interest. This was getting good.

Shannon was beside herself with shock.

“What!? Please tell me you’re not planning on proposing to me or something.”

“That’s exactly what I’m planning. But get this—a fake proposal.”

“Fake?”

“Fake. You and I pretend to get hitched.”

Shannon’s big brown eyes nearly bugged out of her skull.

And so did mine.

“OK—I’m going to pretend you didn’t seriously suggest that.”

But Hunter’s grin made it clear he wasn’t screwing around. “Think about it—I get to revamp my reputation as a man who’s ready to settle down, get some decent media play for once. And on top of everything, your firm gets a nice little publicity boost.”

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