Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
CHLOE
P ajamas, ponytails, wine, and chick flicks—exactly what I need tonight.
Ashley and I have this tradition of movie night every so often that includes drinking and girl talk. After my time with Liam, I really need it. Tonight, I’m hosting in my tiny one-bedroom Santa Monica apartment that costs more than a five-bedroom home in Texas.
I set a bowl of popcorn on the couch between us and pull a blanket over my lap.
“So, is he as big of a jerk as the media portrays him?” Ashley pops a handful of popcorn in her mouth and smiles teasingly. Immediately, her judgy comment makes me wonder if girls’ night will be as relaxing as I thought.
“No, of course not.” I shrug it off. “He’s actually really sweet. We had breakfast yesterday and he bought me a whole garden of flowers.” I grow warm at the memory, and the other memories… his embrace, his hand on my cheek, the way I want to melt under the gaze of his deep brown eyes.
Ashley pauses before putting another fistful of popcorn in her mouth. “You really like him!”
“Yeah, I do,” I tell her honestly, though it worries me how much I do like him. I’m setting myself up for a hard fall. This is a professional arrangement, after all.
“Dating a celebrity must be good for your business too. You’re not moving out to Culver City anymore, right?” She refills her wine glass.
“Yeah, I’m managing to pay the bills now.” More than managing . The influx of cash in my account is overwhelming. But I’m hesitant to spend it—what if this doesn’t work out? I don’t want to be indebted to Liam. I paid the next couple months’ rent for my office but haven’t touched a cent more.
“So, you got new clients that fast? It’s only been a few days since you guys went public.” Ashley eyes me, realizing something isn’t adding up. She knew the hole I was in. It’s not something that can be fixed that quickly. Unless you happen to be fake dating a billionaire for money, of course.
“Yes, well he’s investing…” I let the words hang in the air, unsure how to fully explain the way money exchanged hands. I change the subject, hoping to move on. “He’s such a workaholic, though. He’s already rescheduling dates with me,” I say dramatically, hoping to catch her interest in a different topic.
The rescheduling part isn’t a lie. Liam and I were supposed to meet tonight for our “girlfriend-boyfriend chat.” When we parted ways earlier this week after breakfast with Olivia, that was the plan. But he texted me this morning to say he needed to reschedule because something came up with work. I wonder how true that is. My gut says he’s avoiding, not that I can blame him. I felt some relief that I wouldn’t have to navigate the complicated feelings that I have around him so soon.
“Wait, so he’s investing… financially?” Ashley looks at me, her forehead all crinkled up.
“I—uh, no. I mean…” I feel panicked like a deer in headlights.
“He’s dating you and giving you money too? That sounds weird.” She’s prying, and I’m too tipsy to come up with anything fast enough.
I accidentally blurt out, “We’re not really dating.” As the words march off my tongue, I feel a wave of shame.
“What!” Ashley’s eyes grow wide. “Oh my God—dish!” Facing me directly on the couch, she scoots closer.
I cover my face with my hands and sigh. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Chloe Middleton, tell me what the hell is going on.” Her words are stern, but I can hear that they are said through a grin. I drop my hands and see that she’s watching me intently, munching a handful of popcorn, like I’m the entertainment tonight.
“Okay, so, no details, but he’s paying me to pretend I’m his girlfriend. That’s really all I can say. He has his reasons, and the money is helping dig me out of the hole.” I pull the throw pillow out from behind my back and hug it to my chest.
“Oh fuck… This isn’t good.” She shakes her head at me.
“What?”
“The way you’re talking about him. This isn’t fake, Chloe. You’ve caught feelings.” Ashley sets the bowl of popcorn to the side and picks up her wine, emptying the glass into her mouth before refilling it and topping mine off.
I know she’s right. I’m definitely feeling things for Liam. I suppose I can like him, care about him. But I can’t let myself fall for him, which I’m afraid is happening. And it can’t happen. Not with the arrangement we have. There is no contract for what we have going, but if there were, there would most certainly be a “no love” clause.
“Drink,” she orders.
I know I don’t need any more, but I don’t challenge her orders. I take another sip. “Look, it is what it is. Okay? If things are messy in the end, at least I’ll have money and my business.”
“God, Chloe. How did you meet this guy? Like, was it some event or something? Someone introduced you?” Now her prying is going too far. I want off this roller coaster. I stand abruptly, almost losing my balance.
“It’s not important.” I can’t tell her he was my client.
“What do you mean? I’m your best friend. You have to tell me everything.”
“I said, it’s not important.” Avoidance never works with her, but I’m trying my damnedest. I head to the kitchen with the nearly empty popcorn bowl.
“Tell me, Chloe,” she insists, following me.
I ignore her, but she persists.
“Please, Ashley, let it go.” I turn around, wine glass and popcorn dish in hand. She stands with her hand over her mouth, eyebrows high in shock.
“Oh my God,” she hisses. “It’s that client, isn’t it? The one you had the crush on? Liam is your client!”
I am dead inside. I have nothing to say to her, no rebuttal, no excuse, only guilt. I stammer around for words, but they don’t come. My weak “no” is a solid lie that Ashley sees through right away. We stand there in the entrance to the kitchen in a staring match, me with the weight of shame on my shoulders, and her with a racing mind—I can see her measuring the implications.
“Holy fuck, girl. You can’t coach him. What the heck? Do you even understand the ethics of this?”
“Look, I am not his coach, and I never was,” I lie, but I have to, so I don’t break his confidentiality. “I’m his girlfriend—at least, that’s what the public thinks.”
“And the money? You can’t take his money, Chloe. What will happen when people find out you were his coach, then fake dated him for money? What the hell purpose could he have for a fake girlfriend anyway?”
I open my mouth to respond but the doorbell rings. “Saved by the bell” is the worst cliché, but it saves me. I thrust the popcorn bowl into Ashley’s hands and walk straight to the door. I peek through the peephole and suck in a breath.
It’s my ex—Lucas.
This is not the distraction I want, but in my buzzed state, I’ll take it.
I open the door.
“Why are you here, Lucas?” I scowl at him, projecting my frustration and shame onto him in a very unhealthy way.
He looks at me with narrowed blue eyes, his wavy blonde hair almost touching his shoulders and in need of a cut. “I’ve sent multiple emails and called you at least a dozen times. You could try answering your phone.” He pushes past me into the apartment. He looks a little bit like shit, with an unkempt beard and a stained white t-shirt on, which makes me feel secretly good.
I watch his movements, turning to face him as he paces near the dining table, but I don’t shut the door. “I don’t have to respond to you. You have everything that is rightfully yours.”
Lucas doesn't even acknowledge Ashley, who stares at us in shock, like she's witnessing a car crash. I can feel the alcohol making my head swirl. I tell all my clients that they should never have heavy conversations if they are drunk, tired, or stressed. I’m breaking every rule.
“You can’t have all those clients. I’m the only reason you built that client list, and I want what’s mine.” He stares daggers at me.
“Did you coach them? Or did I? Because I’m pretty sure I have the relationship with them, not you,” I fire back. “If they want to go to your firm, they are free to do so, but I won’t shell them out to you like we are dividing merchandise.” I point out the door. “Now get out.”
“Fine, but you owe me a payout if you’re going to keep them.”
“I don’t owe you anything.”
“You know what your problem is, Chloe?” He approaches me, venom dripping from his words. “You think you are better than everyone.” He walks up too close to me, getting in my face on purpose, but I hold my ground. “You think you can put on this sweet little Midwestern girl act and get whatever you want. But you’re nothing special. You’re just a pretty face in a sea of more beautiful people,” he spits. “I wouldn’t have looked twice at you if it weren’t for Michael introducing us.”
I almost break when he mentions my brother’s name. Their alliance against me is a deep wound, and he’s just ripped off the scab again.
“Lucas, you need to leave now or I’m calling the cops,” Ashley threatens him, standing nearby with her phone ready.
Lucas doesn’t even bother to acknowledge Ashley’s existence. His eyes are fixed on me. “You can’t fix your own broken past, so you try to fix other people. You’re pathetic, Chloe.”
I wince and Lucas knows his last shot was a direct hit. He sneers at me with contempt before he stomps past me, out the door. “You’re going to hear from my lawyers,” he calls over his shoulder.
I slam the door and lock it quickly, leaning my arm against the door to avoid collapsing. Angry tears stream down my face as I press my forehead against the back of my hand and try to calm myself.
“Oh my God, Chloe.” Ashley rushes over to me, smoothing her hand over my back. I shake my head.
Lucas is a monster.
And I don’t want to think about monsters. I desperately want to change the channel.
“Just pour the wine, okay?” I stand up straight and wipe the moisture off my face. I’ll be damned if girls’ night is ruined.
“Of course, just tell me what you need.” Ashley gives me a squeeze as we head back to the couch.
“Can we just watch a chick flick?” I ask, my voice wavering as I struggle to calm down from crying. Ashley agrees and throws the blanket over my lap as she clicks on the TV. I know Ashley still has a million questions and concerns about my relationship with Liam, but I need a break from the interrogation.
I just want to forget everything else and fantasize about a good man who kisses the girl in the rain.
Or buys her an entire field of flowers.