Page 8 of Fake it for Keeps

“I hired her,” he said, leaning against the sink.

My mind stuttered, like it was struggling to piece together the very simple words.

“Like at your company?” I asked with confusion.

“No.” He looked around to make sure no one was listening in. “Like as an escort. I hate coming to these things alone.”

I had seen my fair share of escorts. Women that cost a hundred bucks a night to women that could run a guy ten grand. While there was nothing that said they were all sex workers, I was pretty good at spotting them. I had never dipped my toe in that particular pool, but I had been approached by plenty of them over the years.

But I did not get escort vibes from Hallie. “She’s a hooker?” I asked quietly.

“Not that kind of escort,” the man said.

I shook my head. “Is there another kind?”

“Actually, yeah. I hired her through this agency that specializes in dates, not sex. Faux, it’s called. They set you up with fake dates for events like this. You pay them, they send you someone you like, and everyone gets what they want. You tell them what you’re looking for. You can browse the catalog, which I did, but clearly the head shot didn’t reveal everything.”

I ignored the insult he lobbed at Hallie. The guy wouldn’t know a beautiful woman if she sat on his face.

My mind started turning over the information, pieces clicking into place. “Fake dates?”

“Yeah. I specifically requested someone who looked like a model. Instead, they sent me her. Too much fabric required, if you know what I mean.”

Anger flared in my chest, hot and unexpected. “Easy.”

“What?” John blinked at me, confused.

“Nothing,” I said through gritted teeth. “How much did you pay?”

“Five grand for the night.” He shook his head. “Not cheap, but what is these days?”

Five thousand dollars. For one night. As a fake date.

The gears in my head started spinning faster. If this Faux agency could provide fake dates for events, could they provide something a little more substantial? Someone to help clean up my reputation, make me look like I’d finally settled down?

It was insane. Risky. Probably a terrible idea. But nothing ventured, nothing gained.

The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I needed to change my image before Valentine’s Day. I needed investors and customers to see me as someone who understood love and commitment, not just as the playboy who couldn’t keep it in his pants.

And Hallie had been perfect. Charming, beautiful, quick-witted. She’d played the part flawlessly, even if she’d been hired by someone else.

I left John in the bathroom and headed back into the ballroom, searching for Frankie. I needed to tell her about this. Needed to get her take on whether this was brilliant or completely insane.

I got caught up with someone before I managed to extract myself. I scanned the crowd in search of Frankie when I saw Hallie near the exit. John hovered beside her. They were leaving. And for some reason, that bothered me more than it should have.

I crossed the room in long strides, reaching them just as they were about to head out the door.

“Leaving so soon?” I asked, my eyes locked on Hallie.

She looked up at me. I caught a flash of something in her dark eyes. Surprise? Annoyance? It was hard to tell.

“The night’s over,” John said stiffly. “We’re done here.”

“I wasn’t talking to you.” I stepped closer to Hallie, crowding into her space just a little. “I wanted to say goodbye to my dance partner.”

“We danced for five minutes,” she said. “I don’t think that warrants a farewell.”

“Humor me.” I leaned in, close enough to catch a whiff of her perfume, floral and subtle. “I have a feeling I’m going to see you again soon.”

Her expression hardened. “I sure hope not.”

The rejection should have stung. Should have made me back off and let her leave with her asshole date.

Instead, I grinned.

Because Hallie had just issued a challenge. And I’d never been able to resist a challenge in my life.

“We’ll see about that,” I murmured.

She turned and walked out without another word, John trailing behind her like a puppy. I watched her go, already planning my next move.