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Mentally slapping my head, I remembered I’d set up a movie night with her. Groaning, I buzzed her up to my condo.
“Whoa, baby. Did you dress up like that just for me? Are we taking this relationship to the next level?” Nia joked as I shut the door behind her.
“I’m so sorry, Nia. I forgot to call you, but I have a date tonight. It sort of came up very last minute.”
She just stood there in the entryway, mouth agape.
“You have adate?”
Nia had been urging me to get out there and meet someone for a while. Or at least just have a little fun with someone.
I took the wine and cheese board from her and brought them into the kitchen as she followed.
“That’s great, Rey. I’m really happy you’re going out. But Icannotgo back to my roommates tonight. They’re getting on every last one of my nerves. So I’m still sleeping over as planned. Your cable package is way better than mine. So I’ll see you when you get back. Or not, if it goes well and you don’t come back. In that case, I'm helping myself to breakfast, too.”
I couldn’t help laughing at Nia’s ridiculous eyebrow waggle.
“Of course you can sleep over. And it’s not that kind of date. I’m coming home. It’s really more of a business thing.” I focused my attention on the microwave oven door handle I was using to touch up my lipstick.
“A business thing, huh? Have we changed our line of business, hun?” She giggled.
I sighed. I wasn’t sure who I should be sharing any of this information with, but Nia was my oldest and closest friend and there was no way I’d be able to keep any of this from her.
“I don’t even know where to start and you’re going to think I’ve completely lost it.”
“Oh boy. It sounds like maybe we need a glass of wine while you wait for your ride.” Nia grabbed the corkscrew from the drawer as I took down two glasses from a cabinet.
“So, Bryce Taylor has a bit of an image crisis right now and, long story short, he’s asked me to play his fake fiancée to sell a new narrative about him to clients.”
Nia spit out a laugh.
“Oh, Rey. I’m pretty sure I’ve read this book before. I’ve seen the movie. I don’t even know what to say. You’re going to be engaged to one of, not just Atlanta’s hottest, but the world’s hottest, wealthiest playboys?”
“Yep, pretty much.”
“Please tell me you’re getting something good from all of this, too.”
“Of course, I’m not an idiot. Bryce is going to fund my new PR firm and set me up with some connections.”
“Okay, well, that’s generous.” Nia took a long sip of wine, staring at me. It was a little unsettling, to be honest. “So what other perks does this arrangement come with? Are you going to live with him? Are you going to have sex with him? What are the ground rules?”
It was my turn to take a drink of wine as I dodged Nia’s questions.
“I don’t… we haven’t quite worked out all of those details just yet. That’s what dinner tonight is for.”
Nia looked at me, shocked.
“Rey! How could you not know these answers? What if he expects you to live with him, meet his family, and provide him with an heir?”
“I don’t think we need to worry about an heir. Yet. I mean, we’re not actually going to be married. Fee-ahn-say. Remember? Getting actually married would probably be too scandalous in his stodgy family circle.”
“More importantly: what if he’sexpectingsex?”
“Okay, first of all, no one, even if weweremarried, can expect sex from a person. There’s always the right to refuse. And I’m already in this, Nia. I’m just going to have to take it one step at a time.”
I felt like I was talking to myself more than to Nia.
She looked at me doubtfully but I was saved by another buzz at the door.
