Chapter Two
Jake
Having been in this world for over forty years, I can say I’ve seen some pretty interesting situations.
Hell, most of them I brought onto myself.
There was the time out in Reno where I played two hands of poker with some young cowboy and ended up in a desert fighting a man over twenty dollars and my grandfather’s watch.
Not to mention all the times on the streets when I had to protect myself from the dealers in the Springs.
That said, this little event right here might take the cake.
How could it not? I’m staring at the woman I’ve wanted for years, and I’m pretty sure she’s been pretending I’m her boyfriend.
“Do you have a boyfriend named Jake you never talk about? Is that why your mother is confused?”
Charlotte straightens and exhales loudly, her gaze fixed on something across the street as her cheeks turn red.
“I’m sorry about the permits. My sister sprung this last-minute wedding on everyone, and I got in my head about it.
I mean, she’s eighteen years old. She barely knows this guy, and she’s shotgunning a wedding.
” She shrugs and shakes her head. “I’ll head down to the city right now and talk to the—”
“Not necessary. I called in a favor this morning. They’re going to grant us the extension. Small-town perks.”
“Good,” she sighs, pinching her lips together. “Well, I guess I should get back to work.”
“No… wait.” I step in front of the path blocking her escape. “What was that thing with your mom all about?”
“Nothing. Who knows? She’s crazy.”
“Didn’t seem crazy to me. Seemed like she knew exactly what she was talking about.”
“Are you trying to embarrass me?” Charlotte stiffens, pushing her long blonde hair to one shoulder as the sun shines into her eyes.
I step to the side to block it. “No, I’m trying to figure out what the hell is going on.”
“What’s going on is that I need to get back to the office.”
If she weren’t so damn cute squirming, I’d consider letting her off the hook. “I think the office can wait. Your mom thought we were dating, didn’t she?”
Charlotte bites her lip and rolls her eyes to the side, the tip of her finger tangling in her hair.
She’s processing through something. I can see her brain working behind her eyes.
“You have to understand my family. They’re awful.
” Her gaze meets mine again for a second, though it keeps shifting away.
“My mom is constantly annoying me about having a boyfriend and how my sister is perfect. I got sick of all the questioning, so I made you up.”
Charlotte stares down at the sidewalk, then up again.
“Well, I didn’t make you up. Obviously, you’re right there, but I told everyone you were my boyfriend.
I mean, it wasn’t you… you. It was you in theory, like a version of you with your head and your body.
I mean, you still do a lot of the things you do, but you do them with me.
” She shrugs, and her cheeks turn pink. “I used your name ‘cause I’m lazy, I guess.” She shakes her head.
“Satisfied? I’m sure I sound like a complete loser. ”
I tilt my head to the side playfully. “I wouldn’t date a loser.” I pause, waiting for the joke to land, but it doesn’t, so I keep talking. “I don’t get it, though. You’re smart, fun, and attractive, so why make someone up? I’m sure there are plenty of men willing to take the job.”
The words come out easily, but the way her eyes widen, I regret them immediately. Sure, they’re true, but she’s my employee. My much younger employee. I need to watch myself.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—”
“Umm,” she sighs and shakes her head, though I can tell she’s feeling awkward, “that’s a nice thing for you to say, but it’s not the truth. I mean, even if someone did think those kind things about me, I just… I don’t know. I’m not sure I’d even want a real relationship again.”
We’re walking now, back down the sidewalk toward the office. She’s cold. I can tell by the way she’s wrapped her arms around herself. It’s also close to freezing, and I’m not sure who wouldn’t be cold in a thin pink dress with barely any sleeves.
I take off my coat and set it on her shoulders.
“Oh, that’s okay.” She glances toward me, hesitating slightly, but ultimately wrapping herself tighter, letting the warmth of my jacket swallow her up.
“You were saying?”
She clears her throat and glances at me before looking ahead. “That’s it, really. A fake relationship just sounded better than real life.”
“What makes you say that?”
For a moment, she hesitates as though she’s searching for the right words, then she glances back up at me, her gaze meeting mine with a certainty that I haven’t seen since we started talking.
“My friend keeps calling me delusional for making you up,” she smiles, “but I think the real delusion is tearing off your skin to let someone else in and believing they want to be there.”
“Damn. Sounds like you got your heart broken.”
“A few times, yeah,” she laughs sarcastically under her breath. “You?”
“It’s been a while. Mostly because I refuse to do the whole dating thing anymore. It was fun when I was young, but the older I get, the more I realize I’m the love of my life.”
“Wow.” She grins wider. “Maybe that’s how I should look at things. No fake boyfriend needed. I’m all I need.”
“I mean… truthfully, you are. You know you best.”
“I guess.” She nods. “I just… I wish I could let go of the fantasy, ya know? The one all the fairytales sell little girls from the time they’re born.”
“Life is definitely not a fairytale.”
“Nope!” she says, popping the ‘p’ before cuddling further into the jacket.
“Unfortunately, the mentally ill part of me still wants to believe there’s a magical, fantastical story out there calling my name.
One with a pretty little cabin in the woods, a couple of kids, a big strong man.
” She grins as she says, “That’s where fake Jake comes into play. He’s perfect.”
“I mean,” I smirk as we pass by the diner, “I believe it.”
She shakes her head and glances toward me. “I’m sorry to have pulled you into all this. Thank you for being cool.”
I nod once. “When’s the wedding? I put on a pretty good show.”
“Oh no,” she laughs, leaning up against the wall outside of the office space where we have our meetings with clients and draw up plans.
“I couldn’t let you do that. Trust me, my mom is insane, and my sister isn’t much better.
I’m going to tell them Jake had a business trip.
My mom will be talking about how hot you are for at least a month or two.
” She squeezes her eyes closed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that I thought you were hot.
I meant my mom thinks you’re hot. Not that you’re not…
ya know… good looking. I just,” she holds her breath, “need to stop talking.”
Damn. It’s been a while since anyone has called me hot, and hearing it from Charlotte catches me off guard.
I’ve thought about her for years, fantasized about her for years, wondered what her skin would feel like against mine…
for years. I guess that’s why my balls are currently tightening, and my chest is rumbling with heat.
What the fuck is happening to me? I’m like a fucking werewolf trying to suppress the need to hunt.
I could tell myself to get a grip, but I don’t know if that’s realistic at this point. Not when I’ve wanted Charlotte for so long.
“Let’s do dinner tonight. We can get a little more comfortable with each other, and you can tell me everything I need to know.
Sound like a plan?” The second the words leave my lips, I feel like some kind of weirdo.
Maybe it’s because I know on my side, none of this is innocent.
I’m not here to help. I’m here to claim her.
She swallows hard and tugs my coat off her curved frame, exposing the hard not to notice nipples beneath the fabric of her dress. “Are you sure? I mean, my mom is really bad. I’m warning you.”
I shake my head and open the office door, reality sinking in that even though this is fake, the guys are never going to let me live this down. “I’ll pick you up here after five. We can walk up to the diner.”
She nods slowly as though she’s not fully convinced this is the best course of action. Truth be told, I’m not sure it is either, but a shot is a shot, and there’s no way in hell I’m not taking this one.