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“No offense taken,” says Ashley, with a laugh. “Plus, I love your house.” Her gaze sweeps over the deck, taking in the outdoor plants that I carefully selected, and the teak patio chair that sits in the corner, next to a matching teak table. There’s a book on it and a mug of coffee from this morning. “It’s nice.”
“It’s a mess,” I admit. “I’ve got all of my secrets shoved in the closet, so you don’t have to see that washing laundry is the literal bane of my existence.”
“Is that so?” Ashley sits up, an amused smile on her face. “Well, that just means that I’m going to have a lot to do when I get here. You know, finding all of your hidden secrets.”
I laugh at her, making up my own taco and taking a bite. The trout pairs great with the sweet mango and the spicy chilies that I’ve diced up into the salsa. The cilantro sauce both cuts through the heat and adds a certain zing to the meal that makes my mouth water.
Okay, maybe I need to toot my own horn more often. This is actually a pretty great meal right here. I’ve outdone myself.
We spend a bit of time just sitting and eating, making small talk in the process. It all feels like a very normal lunch date. I don’t know if we’re both doing our best in trying to act natural or if this is just how we’ve always been. It’s one of those things that you don’t notice until it’s actually time to pay attention.
It feels so comfortable though, I can’t help but think that this must just be how we always act with each other. And it’s going to make our little plan a lot easier to pull off.
Between my name and her name, there’s often someone looking around to try and get a picture or two; someone looking to make a quick buck by selling them to the local tabloids. We want this thing to come off as legit, be the kind of story that lasts, that’s easy to believe and understand. And that means we need to make sure that we actually get along. Which is no problem for us.
I should have known that from the start.
When we finish eating, she helps me bring everything into the kitchen—a rustic themed room with dark wood and granite counters, everything in red and brown hued tones. We get the leftovers packed up for her to take home, and then we start in on the dishes.
“You’re already cooking for me,” says Ashley. “That’s a great way to look good for my parents. I keep coming home with leftovers that everyone is jealous of.”
I nod at her with a smile. “That’s exactly what I was thinking, I’ve got to butter them all up.” We finish the dishes and then I turn to her and admit, “There’s one more thing that we’re going to need to discuss.”
“Lay it on me.” She turns to face me, drying her hands off on the dishcloth and tossing it over her shoulder. Her blonde hair has been pulled back with a metallic silver scrunchy, though a few strands have been left down on either side to frame her face.
I know her hair is meant to be like that but I still have a strong urge to reach over and brush it back behind one of her ears.
“My father expects me to take a trip to London,” I explain. “It’s a business trip to secure another account for the company. It’s really important.”
She nods along. “Is it horrible if I ask to skip the business talk during the trip? I don’t want to think about spreadsheets and business drama when I’m not at work.”
“Yeah, yeah, you coming is not really about the business side of things. Well, it is. Sort of.” I pause, organizing my thoughts. “I think that he’s going to use this trip, and landing this London account, to decide whether I’ll be taking on the CEO role in the company. Or if my younger brother is going to get it.”
“Charlie?” Ashley asks, frowning a little bit.
I nod. “Yeah. You remember him?”
“I mean, it’s kind of hard to forget the guy,” admits Ashley. “He and Heather had a fling for a while.”
“Oh shit, how did I let that slip my mind? Sounds about right though, Charlie does like to have flings,” I explain. “Which is fine, totally fine. But my dad wants one of us to lock it down—you know, like I told you.”
Ashley nods, showing that she’s following along.
“So I think that if I’m able to bring a girlfriend that I’m serious about on this business trip—maybe even have that be where I propose to you—it will put an end to his nagging and could even put me in a better spot to get that promotion.”
“I mean, that’s all fine. It’s not like I’m going to pass on a trip to London. And getting a few days off work is not an issue. But… Do you really think that your dad is going to use that as a basis for who gets the promotion?”
“Yes,” I say, not even having to think about it. “Trust me, that would make a difference. I just—you know. If we’re figuring out how this is going to work, that’s got to be a part of it. You won’t have to pay for anything while we’re there. You could consider it a vacation—”
Ashley interrupts me by putting a hand on my chest. She smiles at me, her blue eyes bright. “Grant, you don’t have to try and sell me on the idea. I’m thrilled I get to go on this trip with you—get away from my family for a while, see more of the world, and help you in the process. Besides, the fake engagement was my idea in the first place, so… I’m game.”
“Okay. Okay, cool. So, dinner tomorrow?” I ask her.
She nods at me, with a smile that rivals the brightness in her eyes. “Dinner tomorrow.”
Ashley doesn’t stick around for much longer. She’s off to take the leftover food home and make sure to put on a huge show about where it came from.
Living on my own means, there’s not too much that I need to do in my house to try and make this work. But knowing that Ashley plans on moving in soon, I take a couple hours in between work calls to try and get the place looking a little bit nicer. You know, so it doesn’t totally reek of being the bachelor pad of a forty-five-year-old man.
