Page 11 of Fiancé for Hire

“I’ve been taking a break from dating, but I have a couple of events coming up this summer that I didn’t want to attend alone.”

“So, no male buddy you could call on? No friend with benefits that you’d prefer to go with?”

She shook her head. “Nope. It’s just me. I’ve had my heart crushed one too many times. Now I’m embracing my singleness with no intentions of ever getting into another serious relationship.”

Antika had been thinking about this a lot lately. She had once dreamed of getting married and having a family. When Patrick came into her life, she thought they could have it all. Happy marriage. Kids. A love of a lifetime.

Yet, their marriage had collapsed like a building made of playing cards. It took her awhile to bounce back from his betrayal and the hurt. Then, before she realized it, she ended up in one dead-end relationship after another.

No. Marriage and having a family were no longer for her.

Drevon was watching her in that way that he’d done earlier. It was as if he could see deep into her soul and knew her darkest secrets. Like he could tell that no matter how she tried to convince herself otherwise, the hurt—specifically from Patrick and Edward—was still lingering just below the surface.

His expression was a little unnerving, but on the other hand, she liked that he was listening to her. She didn’t always get that with some of the men she’d dated, and it was kind of refreshing.

“All right, we have the jumbo lump crab cake and vegetables for you,” the server said and set the plate down in front of Antika. “And for you, Mr. Ross, we have the grilled Atlantic salmon with asparagus instead of the squash. Can I get either of you anything else?”

Drevon glanced at Antika.

“No, this looks great,” she said.

He turned to the server. “We’re all good here. Thanks.”

She flashed him a seductive smile and nodded.

“How does it feel to be recognized wherever you go?” Antika asked.

“You get used to it. Sometimes it’s a benefit.”

“Like when you can get the best seat in the restaurant?”

Drevon chuckled. “Exactly. In this case, it pays to be friends with the general manager,” he whispered. “But there are times, like when I’m out with a pretty woman, that I wish people didn’t recognize me. Overall, though, as long as I’m not approached while I’m eating, it’s not much of a bother.”

Antika nodded. She would never want to be famous enough that her life and privacy was no longer hers. She didn’t hang out on social media much. Only enough to where she saw how invasive the public was when it came to a celebrity’s personal life. They acted as if they had the right to know everything about them, especially during a crisis or if the celebrity had screwed up in some way.

For the next few minutes, small talk flowed easily between them, and Antika found herself relaxing even more. She could already tell that Drevon had a cool, calm, confident demeanor. She was used to being around arrogant, self-centered, high-strung men, and she found he was refreshing.

“Even though you agreed to meet me for lunch, I don’t want to assume this…but are you still willing to be my date for some events that I have coming up over the next few weeks?”

“Yes,” he said without hesitation, and giddiness bubbled inside of her, but she tried to look cool.

Surprisingly, she liked Drevon, and because she was wildly attracted to him, she’d have to make sure she reminded herself that this was a business deal. Nothing more.

“Oh, I almost forgot to ask you. Are you related to Mrs. Ross? I didn’t catch it at first, but you two share a last name.”

He grinned. “She’s my aunt. My dad and her husband are brothers.”

“That explains why you guys seemed so familiar with each other. There was a moment, when you were getting ready to leave the office, that I thought she was going to knock you upside your head.”

He chuckled and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “She probably would’ve had you not been there. So thanks for that.”

Antika smiled. “You’re welcome, but I have to ask. You seem very successful. Why are you letting your aunt fix you up with women?”

“You’ve met my aunt,” he said with humor in his tone. “She doesn’t take no for an answer. Maybe one day I’ll tell you how all of this happened. For now, I’ll just say that you’re the first woman that I’ve been fixed up with through the service. You’ll also be the last. Like you, I’m not looking for anything long-term. Not even fake-dating the way we’ll be doing.”

“We’re not actually dating, fake or otherwise,” Antika said, her voice as low as his.

She told him about Tamera’s birthday celebration, as well as the other events. They wouldn’t be dating. He was just going to be her escort. As she explained again that she didn’t want to go alone, there was no judgment on his face or in his words. She appreciated that.

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