Page 10 of Faking it with My Boss' Son

My face lit up, and I held her hand tightly, ‘‘I have an idea. And only you can help me with it.’’

‘‘Me?’’ Michelle’s voice quivered, ‘‘How can I help you?’’

‘‘Can you be my fake girlfriend?’’ I said, almost in a begging way.

It set her back on her heels, ‘‘Absolutely not, Ryan. It’s wrong. I can’t do it. I cannot trick a person who has given me a job of a lifetime and could take that away at any time. And plus, you are my Boss’s son.’’ She opened her eyes wide.

‘‘Please, Michelle, just for my sake.’’ I pleaded.

‘‘But for how long, Ryan? Your dad will expect you to get married one day. Then what? You can’t fake it forever. And there is no probability that you will find your Ms. Perfect anytime soon. Plus, the whole concept is not only vague but just absurd.’’ She said as she walked to look out the window.

‘‘See… Michelle, see. Listen to me. Listen to me carefully. I only need to fake it for the next few months. In the next six months, I’ll be starting back to soccer, and I will tell him that I want to focus on my last year without disruption. I want to enjoy my off-season without being hounded by my dad about finding a girlfriend. Dad thinks I’m lying about being in a relationship, but once he is convinced that I have a girlfriend, he will stop nagging me. Once the season is here, I’ll tell Dad that it didn’t work between us, and we parted ways. See… I won’t put any blame on you. I’ll say that things didn’t work from my side.” I said as I walked over to her and turned her to face me.

‘‘And, do you have any idea how awkward my position will be working in the same office with your dad as my boss after we break up?’’ She said, concerned.

‘‘Believe me, it won’t be. I’ll manage things in such a way that you’ll appear innocent, and my dad, being soft-hearted, will feel sorry for you instead of being angry. Do you think I would do anything to harm you or your job? Do you think I would ever create any problems in your life? Don’t you trust me?’’ I raised my hands in the air, frustrated.

Michelle pursued her lips, ‘‘I do trust you; that goes without saying.’’

‘‘Don’t think so hard, Michelle. Trust me. I’ll never make it hard or awkward for you.’’

Michelle forced a smile and nodded. She agreed to be my fake girlfriend.

Chapter four

Michelle

Playing the role of the fake girlfriend was something I did reluctantly. I couldn’t say no to Ryan, as he had always been at my beck and call. There were mixed feelings in my heart, an eerie kind of feeling. I was feeling too much at one time and thinking about so many things. The biggest challenge that was awaiting me was meeting Ryan’s dad, not as my Boss but as my boyfriend's dad. I was at my wit’s end as to how to face him, knowing that this was all a sham. At work the next week, I tried to avoid Mr. Pearson as much as possible because I didn’t know how to act.

He wanted to meet his son’s girlfriend and had invited her for tea. Ryan had told me that he would come to pick me up at 11 a.m. on Saturday to go meet him. Earlier, we had decided to meet him over tea because Ryan had to attend a party later that evening, and he wanted me to come with him to convince his dad that we were, in fact, in a relationship and did things together as couples do. There will be people there who know his Dad, and word will get back to him that Ryan was there with a girl whom he will introduce as his girlfriend. I was tied up in knots and had no courage to face him, knowing I was playing my part in fooling a very kind man.

He was going to be thrown for a loop when he discovered that the girl who was working in his office was also his son’s girlfriend, and no one had told him. I had no idea how to face this awkward situation, but since Ryan said that he’d answer all the questions that his father might have, I felt a big weight lifted off my shoulders. I decided I was going to keep my mouth shut and answer the questions only when it was necessary.

I hardly slept a wink Friday night. I was imagining sitting before Mr. Pearson in their palatial mansion;him sitting upright, dressed impeccably in an Oxford shirt and relaxed-fit chinos, smoking his cigar and asking me all sorts of questions in an authoritative yet reassuring tone. I tossed and turned in the bed, and I could hear my heart thud as I formulated those imaginary questions that I presumed he’d be asking me.

I woke up feeling fidgety. I threw off the blanket and sprung out of bed, although it was still early. I took a shower, hoping it would calm my nerves. I got cold feet as the clock struck 9:30 a.m. I couldn’t imagine eating breakfast, as I had a feeling that I would throw up. So, without bothering, I got ready to meet Ryan’s dad.

I dressed in an indigo and white polka dot knee-length skirt and a geometrical peplum top with black stockings. I tied my hair into a small ponytail putting on minimal makeup. I was ready and waiting for Ryan in the living room, biting my nails, when the doorbell rang. I nearly jumped out of my skin, even though I knew that it was Ryan. He had stopped using his key shortly after I moved in.

‘‘You look gorgeous!’’ He looked me up and down. ‘‘I’m sure you must be excited to meet Dad.’’ He joked.

‘‘No… I am certainly not excited, and you know it. I am a nervous wreck.’’I exclaimed.

‘‘Why? I’ll be there for you. You don’t have to feel nervous. Besides, you know that Dad doesn’t talk much.’’ He said as he walked me to the car.

‘‘I hope that I can answer whatever questions he has.’’ I sighed as we headed toward Hidden Hills.

***

As we pulled into the driveway, I kept thinking how foolish I was to go along with this idea. Hopefully, we’d be able to convince him we’re dating.

We walked into a beautiful mansion when Mr. Pearson got the shock of his life as he gaped at me, realizing I was the consultant he had hired just a few weeks back. “I’m sorry. I don’t remember your name.’’ He pressed his temples, thinking hard.

‘‘It’s Michelle Harvey, Mr. Pearson.” My heart was beating so fast that I was sure one more question would make me collapse there and then.

‘‘How do you guys know each other?” He said with confusion. It looked like someone had dropped a bombshell on him. ‘‘I am flabbergasted. Would you mind explaining it to me, Ryan?’’

My cheeks were burning. I looked at Ryan.

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