Page 4 of F*ckboys

"But here she is, sniffling in front of us because some waste of space, who probably has only a sixteenth of her IQ or potential, displayed classic fuckboy tendencies, and she fell for them. And then he got vindictive when he realized the gig was up. His cover was blown. My reason for sharing all of Katherine’s accolades isn’t to blow smoke up her ass or even to alleviate her tears. No, it’s to show you that even the best and brightest among us have the potential to fall for this shit, and often do."

I always find someone like Katherine and get their permission to showcase their story early on in the program. It helps the other audience members to let their guards down and get over the shameful, embarrassed feelings that prevent them from truly addressing their own situations. The thought of losing a job or worse is often enough to spur some kind of action, or at least recognition that change is needed.

"So how do we avoid these men?" I look at the crowd, my expression inquisitive. "Some would say the best way to avoid attracting a fuckboy is to stay off the dating apps and enter the dating pool otherwise known as the friend zone. After all, isn’t that where we keep the people who we have the most trust in? At least, that’s what I thought. And I was very wrong. But that’s a story for another day...".

The rest of the day's seminar goes off without a hitch. Thanks to Mia, all the materials are in perfect order. My delivery is strong and, after the course material is completed, several attendees approach to thank me and share how they're going to put my advice into practice.

"Another session done. You crushed it," smiles Mia as she helps me to pick up the last of the course materials in the lecture theater. "We've already had five referrals and two sign-ups for the advanced course. At this rate we're going to need a bigger lecture theater!"

I smile, but it turns into a frown as the alarm on my phone goes off reminding me of my obligations for the evening. "If only family dinners went as smoothly as these sessions."

I switch off the light as we walk out of the theater together and head back toward the main office area.

"Oh yeah, that's tonight," nods Mia. "I was going to see if you wanted to grab a drink down the street. No problem, though.We'll do that another time. Hi to your family and good luck." She gives me a knowing look.

"Thank you," I reply. "I have a feeling I'm going to need it."

Chapter 2

Fallon

“Well, look who we have here. I was waiting for you to come crawling back.” My father, Colton Dempsey, runs a hand through his meticulously coiffed salt-and-pepper hair. His navy blue suit is like a uniform, crisp and perfectly molded to his imposing figure. He's even wearing a pocket square which I'm sure my stepmother picked out for him. He's a handsome man who exudes confidence whether he's negotiating in the boardroom, playing golf at the country club or relaxing in his own palatial estate. He's also especially demanding in any setting.

“Dad, there’s no need to be dramatic." I roll my eyes. "It’s only been a month. You know I always come to dinner when I can, and I was just particularly busy with work.” Not necessarily true.I've been avoiding coming around here until I couldn't put it off any longer. These dinners don't always leave me feeling great.

My stepmother, Zara, sniffs with disdain, as if she’s miffed that I didn’t take part in the family’s weekly dinners. But if she’s honest with herself, and if she removes the mask she puts on for my father’s benefit, she’s really thrilled that I haven’t been able to make it. After all, that enables her to be the center of attention around my father and my four older brothers, all of whom she’s far more enamored with than me. The fact we're around the same age probably doesn't help.

It’s gross, the way she acts toward my brothers. She gets all giggly and tries to impress them with her latest recipes. It’s almost like flirting, although I’m not sure that she would ever truly try to go there with any of them if the opportunity arose. Besides, they aren’t that stupid, and I think they see right through her good stepmother act. They just have the common sense to play along in order to stay in my father’s good graces. Whereas I'm not that restrained.

“Well, you know we have a weekly family dinner, Fallon," he says, his voice stern and disapproving. "We all have things going on in our lives, and your brothers manage to make it, rain or shine. If they’re in the middle of a huge merger or acquisition, they don’t use that as an excuse not to attend even though they could be dealing with many millions of dollars." His voice oozes with condescension as he continues. "Yet you are running this… dating website or whatever it is, and the slightest excuse has you skipping out on us for an entire month.”

There it is. I’m my father’s greatest shame. He’s so dismissive of what I’m doing with my life. He had such high hopes for me after helping me to attend a prestigious business school to complete my MBA, and here I am running what he refers to as some kind of ‘cute small dating business'. He has no idea of theimpact I make, let alone the things I do behind the scenes, and I resent him for it.

“Dad,” I sigh. “I’ve told you before, it’s not a dating website. I help women, and occasionally others, who are trying to get out of bad situations. I empower them to make meaningful changes in their lives.”

An annoying and familiar voice interjects from the sidelines. “Yeah right, Fal. You are a platform where bitter shrews can complain about fuckboys. Isn't that what they're called?” The youngest of my brothers, Lincoln, smirks, and I have the urge to smack the look right off his face. He takes great pleasure in teasing me, especially when it reinforces my dad’s belief that I’m the ‘worst’ child. Lincoln, or Link for short, is the closest thing to a black sheep out of my four older brothers and he’s committed to ensuring he doesn’t drop into the place I currently hold.

“Yeah, well you sell unhealthy food to people," I scoff. "How many arteries have you clogged this year, Link?”

He rolls his eyes. “Oh come on, Fallon. You know we’re committed to a national healthy eating program endorsed by the best and brightest, so get off your high horse.”

Link runs a trendy national burger chain that’s recently partnered with a well-known Olympic medalist and an award-winning musician. Sales have been off the charts despite the irony that neither of these celebrities have probably ever enjoyed a burger in their life. They’re as hypocritical as Link is and he knows it. Still, for whatever reason my dad is vocally proud of his business, unlike mine.

“Let’s agree to disagree,” I sniff. "And my clients are not bitter shrews. They're vibrant, dynamic people who deserve love and happiness."

Link rolls his eyes.

“Can you two please knock it off?” Cheston speaks up, always the one trying to diffuse the animosity that inevitably sparksbetween me and Lincoln whenever we’re in the same room. As the oldest brother, he’s always played a role in placating the group. He’s starting to look so much like dad it’s uncanny, with his distinguished gray hair and the way his eyes crinkle at the corners when he smiles.

“Since when has Fallon ever known how to play nice?” Fenton, as usual, jumps to Link’s defense. They’re the closest in age, barely a year apart, and for whatever reason they always have each other's backs. Especially when it has something to do with me. To be honest, I’m envious of the close bond between them. As the only girl, I’ve always felt a bit jealous of the closeness between the guys, but especially with these two.

They even look so similar that people frequently mistake them for twins, although Fenton’s hair is more of a sandy blond compared to Lincoln’s own dark brown hair. They both have the same piercing green eyes and one dimple only. Lincoln’s is on the left and Fenton’s is on the right, making them some kind of mirror image of each other.

But when it comes down to personalities and our father’s perception of what we’ve each achieved in our life, I’m definitely the one who is ‘opposite.’ The outcast, the maverick, the intruder in my own family. We have many family secrets, but this is not one of them.

“I do want to talk to you about the upcoming charity event in Palm Falls, Fallon," says my father. "I expect you will be attending to network on behalf of the company.”

I sigh. Even though I’ve shied away from working for the family corporation on a day-to-day basis, my father likes to leverage me by having me attend events, especially ones that take place in the town where I grew up. He thinks there’s an advantage in me being a ‘girl’ and going along to events like this and promoting the family name. It makes me uncomfortable, but I do it out of a sense of familial obligation, and the fact myfather pays for my condo as well as providing me with loans for my growing business.

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