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“Ummm, I’ve got to go, Tenn. My boss needs me.” I hang up without listening for whatever he’s going to say to convince me of his dumb plan.
Me fake dating a girl to fool everyone is way too convoluted a plan to work. No one would actually believe it.
“What’s going on?” I ask Evan once I tuck my phone away.
He rubs his hands together. “The boss is coming tomorrow. Like, he’ll be here in the office. We’re not ready. We need to be ready.”
I take in his shaking limbs and watery eyes. For some reason I haven’t figured out yet, Evan does not do well with stress or authority figures despite being a manager himself. I have no idea how he got promoted to the position he’s in now, other than maybe the fact that people do what he says so he doesn’t break into tears.
I heard whispers of nepotism once, but he’s an only child and his parents are Canadians who live, breathe, and sleep fishing and hockey. They have no clue about the business world and would know nothing about expensive cars or stock options like other nepo babies I’ve been around at school.
“It’s going to be ok, Evan.” He made it clear I should always call him by his first name. Still weird as hell to do, but I appreciate the gift in this moment. “We’re ready for this. It may not be exactly how you’ve envisioned it, but we’re going to give it our best. Let’s go over what needs to be done. I’m sure splitting it up between people will make it go faster, right?”
He nods quickly. “Yes. Yeah. Definitely. I’m so glad you’re here. Did I already say that?”
Laughing at my boss’s confusion, I steer us towards his office. “You did, though I’m not opposed to hearing it twice. Three times might be too much though.”
“Three times. Good. Yes, then. Won’t say it again. Got it. Here’s the list.”
I review the notes, then begin marking the page with who I think would work best where. My skills in people watching are unmatched, which means I can tell where everyone’s strengths lie. It’s a gift that I plan to use for good with this sudden visit. Bonus is that it keeps Evan from falling apart with worry.
“These are only suggestions. You can change whatever you want,” I tell Evan as I hand him the list.
As I wait for him to review it, I contemplate what event is going to hit me next. First, the dating problem. Now, a work issue. Is the universe testing me? And if so, how much more complicated can it get?
Chapter 3
Corrin
This is not at all how I thought my afternoon would be going.
I’m crammed in the back of an Uber as I listen to the driver drone on and on about my latest tour and how awesome we were even though he only had nosebleed seats. Granted, it could be a much worse conversation, but I’m really trying not to think about work, so his choice of topics is hard to swallow.
“That guitar solo you did near the end of ‘Tear me Apart’ was so fucking cool. Like,” he raises one hand to do an air guitar motion.
I smirk at the sight despite feeling like my skin is on fire.
“Thanks, man. I appreciate it.” Hoping to end the conversation, I don’t elaborate about anything.
Thank goodness I’m meeting up with Tenn away from his place. I have no doubt the driver would post a selfie from the front yard to social media if he knew where I was staying. It’s bad enough he’ll likely share I’m in the city. That will only bring more eyes in my direction when what I really need is some peace and quiet.
“You going to be in town long?” The guy asks as he navigates the streets of Boston.
I immediately shake my head. Lie. Lie. Lie.
It’s best when it’s obvious he’s a fan.
“Not really. I’m here for a night, then I’m going back to the beach. Need to get some sun and sand. Not much for snow.”
He agrees so strongly, I worry he’ll give himself whiplash. “That makes total sense. I’d love to be on the beach somewhere else too. This place is cold as balls.”
I snort a laugh, then focus on my phone. I re-read the texts I got from Tenn earlier when I gave him flight details.
Tenn: Meet me at this address. Austen had to work late, but I think he’ll join us. I know the owners, and they’ll keep your arrival low-key. No worries.
He’d dropped a pin at an address, and I planned the car for somewhere nearby. I don’t need him sending even more people my way. With social media being so powerful, the roads could be flooded with fans in minutes. And since I didn’t set up any security, it would be a nightmare to deal with.
“Here we are,” the driver tells me a few minutes later after more riveting conversation about the city. I only half listened to him, though I’ve got the gist.
