Page 37 of Fake It For Glory

“We’ll talk,” Jensen said and steered me away from the table without introducing me.

“Jensen,” I said through a smile.

“Yes?”

“I’m supposed to be your girlfriend,” I whispered. “The normal thing to do would be to introduce me to the people you speak with.”

He stopped walking and looked at me with slight horror. “Shit. You’re right. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude.”

“It’s fine.” I smiled again and gently patted his arm. “I just want to make sure this looks normal. I think people might have a hard time believing I’m anything to you if you ignore the fact I’m on your arm.”

“You’re right,” he said, nodding. “As you’ve probably figured out, this isn’t really my thing. I’ll do better.”

We didn’t get ten feet before another man approached us. Jensen did his best to introduce me to as many people as he could. I felt like I was on the arm of a major celebrity.

I was immediately overwhelmed by the sheer number of people clamoring for Jensen’s attention. It seemed like everyone in the room wanted a moment with him, their curiosity about his AI and special requests evident in their eager inquiries.

“Is it customizable?” one person asked.

“Can we pick the voice of our companion?” another inquired.

I stood by his side, almost invisible amidst the throng of admirers. Nobody seemed to pay me any attention, which was expected given the circumstances. I was just the girlfriend, after all.

However, Jensen made a point to introduce me to the founder of the tech gala, billionaire tycoon Reid Reese. Reid was a tall, impeccably dressed man with an air of confidence that bordered on arrogance. He leaned in to kiss my hand, his lips barely grazing my skin, and welcomed me to what he referred to as “the upper crust.”

I found his gesture and words somewhat off-putting, but I managed to maintain a polite smile. “Thank you, Mr. Reese. It’s a pleasure to be here.”

Reid Reese’s smile widened, and I could tell he relished the power and prestige of his position. As he continued to chat with Jensen about tech innovations and investments, I couldn’t help but feel like an outsider in this world of elite entrepreneurs and billionaires. But I was determined to play my role and navigate the evening with grace and composure, even if it meant enduring the sometimes eccentric personalities of the upper crust.

They were not my people. For some reason, I felt protective of Jensen. After what Hattie told me about their family growing up and getting the other half of it from Jensen himself, I didn’t think these were really his people either. He was just trying to fit in. I wasn’t going to leave the man alone in a room full of sharks.

“I’m going to get you that plate of appetizers we talked about,” I said. I had my hand on his arm, looking at him in a way I hoped looked like an intimate exchange between two lovers.

“I’m fine,” he said.

“We’ve been here for over an hour,” I whispered.

Jensen looked at me and his expression softened. “You’re right. I’m just a little overwhelmed. This is the kind of thing I hate.”

I nodded, understanding his discomfort. “I know, but you’re doing great. You’re charming and intelligent, and everyone here is lucky to be talking to you.”

He smiled, and I knew I had succeeded in boosting his confidence. I took his hand and led him toward a group of people who seemed to be discussing the latest advancements in virtual reality technology. As we approached them, a man with slicked-back hair and a tailored suit turned to us, his eyes scanning us up and down. He extended a hand toward Jensen.

“Hello there, I’m Vincent. And you must be Jensen, the rising star in the tech world,” he said, his voice oozing with smugness.

Jensen shook his hand, but I could see the discomfort written all over his face. “Yes, that’s me. It’s nice to meet you, Vincent.”

Vincent turned his attention to me, his eyes lingering on my curves. “And who is this lovely lady?”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “I’m Jensen’s girlfriend, Merida. I was just going to take advantage of the delicious appetizers.” I gave Jensen a quick kiss on the cheek and walked away.

I was starving. I had been watching the food go by and couldn’t wait to get my hands on some of it. I wanted to enjoy every aspect of the swanky party.

I picked up two plates and scanned the many offerings. Where to begin? All of the options looked delicious. Despite my enthusiasm, I did my best to be as proper as I could. Jensen wanted me to help him make a good impression, and diving into the finger foods face first would probably be frowned upon.

After carefully selecting appetizers for each of us, I turned to face the crowd. It didn’t take me long to find Jensen. He was the center of attention. His dark head was several inches above everyone else gathered around him.

I took a moment to watch him as he talked with his many admirers. He was doing a good job pretending to be cool, but I knew he was out of his element.