by A. J. Wynter
“What are you going to do then?” Logan asked.
Freddie pulled the yellow lined notepad off the table. Figures were scribbled across the page, added up, and crossed out. “I’m trying to figure that out. Logan, I can do it on my own.”
“Okay, Freddie,” Logan smiled at him. “I know that your business has been doing well. Maybe you can talk to Sheila at the bank and get a loan. If not, we can work something out.”
“I’m going to do that as soon as the bank opens tomorrow,” Freddie smiled and pointed to the notes where ‘talk to Sheila’ was circled. He hated the idea of borrowing money from his brother. Logan had been the good brother, the big hockey star, the successful one. Freddie had always been a disappointment. He was the class clown, the daredevil kid that lived on the edge, the one that never left town and lived paycheck to paycheck. Logan was taking care of their mom. It wasn’t his job to bankroll the whole family. No, Freddie was going to figure this out on his own.
“You know what’s weird?” Freddie said.
“What’s that?” Logan asked.
“That girl, Serena, she’s beautiful, right? But there’s nothing else to her. It made her not so hot.”
Logan laughed. “Are you saying you’re not as shallow as we all think?”
Freddie tossed a cushion at Logan. “I mean, she might’ve been fun for one night in the sack, but that’s all.”
“Our little boy is growing up.” Logan finished off his beer and stood up.
“Shut it, Logan. Until Charlotte, all you did was bang models.”
“Guilty as charged,” Logan said. “Too bad about Serena, but I didn’t have high hopes for you and her. You will know it when you meet the right woman.”
Freddie grunted. He lived in Chance Rapids, where he knew every single person. All of the good women were married or moved away years ago. He thought that he didn’t care, but when he saw his best friend get married and his brother re-connect with his first love, he started to wonder if there was something missing from his life. “See ya, Logan.”
“Bye, Fred.” Logan left the house, shutting the door quietly behind him.
Freddie stared at his reflection in the TV, his hair was standing straight up, and even in the monotone reflection, he could see that he looked terrible. He pulled himself up off the couch, shuffled to the bathroom and turned the shower on as hot as he could get it.
Get yourself together man.
His phone chimed with an incoming text message as he was washing his hair. By the time he finished his shower and toweled off he had totally forgotten about it. He pulled on his comfy flannel pants and crawled into bed.
If he had looked at his phone, he would’ve seen the messages.
Call me ASAP.
From Serena.
Chapter 6
SERENA’S EYES SHOT open and she reached under the pillow for her phone. She had sent Freddie the text messages twelve hours ago and he still hadn’t responded. She rolled her eyes and flopped back down on her pillow.
She pulled on her yoga pants and sports bra, raked her hand through her hair to wrap it into a messy ponytail and headed out the door. She selected her running playlist and checked the time, 6:07 a.m. She would give Freddie until 8 but needed to keep her mind occupied, and running was the only thing that let her escape from her thoughts. Sadly, even the hard cardio couldn’t keep her racing brain at bay.
The money could pay for the experimental treatment for her dad, it could change everything.
Serena had recovered from the car crash that killed her mom and sister, but her dad hadn’t fared so well. That day on the snowy roads had changed all of their lives. Serena stopped at the shore of the river and snapped a photo of herself with the candy floss colored sunrise filtering through her blonde hair.
Her phone rang and she jumped with a start. Nobody called her. She looked down at her screen and saw a Chance Rapids number. Freddie. Finally.
She knew that her behavior the night of the premiere had been abysmal, so she was somewhat surprised that he had called her back. She wanted to explain to him that she had been nervous, that a perfect performance at the premiere could lead to lucrative sponsorship opportunities that could change her life and her dad’s, forever. He had done a good job. He looked cute in the photos and let her shine. She should’ve been nicer to him.
“Hello,” she answered.
“It’s Freddie.”
She knew exactly who it was. “Hi, Freddie. Thanks for calling me back.”
“Your message said that it was urgent.”
“It is.”
“Well, I’m heading to a job right now—”
“It sounds like you’re walking,” she said.
The was a slight pause, “I am. It’s a long story. Look, Serena. I’m going to cut to the chase. What do you want?”
“Did you see the entertainment channel’s picture of us?”
“No.”
His voice was cold and flat. This wasn’t going well. “I’m going to send it to you.” She pulled up the photo and texted it to Freddie. She heard the buzz from his phone as he received the text. She wanted to see the look on his face when he saw the picture because the photo was absolutely stunning. His steely model-like gaze penetrated the lens while he shielded Serena from the cameraman. Her dress whipped in the wind, revealing her perfectly toned legs while the skirt snaked around Freddie’s legs, and the ‘Get Electrified,’ slogan glowed vibrantly in the background. The caption read, “Serena Cruise steps out with unidentified electrician.”
Freddie grunted. “That’s a nice picture. How did they know I’m an electrician?”
Serena bit her lip. “I’m not sure.” She wasn’t sure if he was being facetious, the truck and logo practically stole the show in the shot.
“Is this the big emergency? A picture?”
“Freddie, this picture has gone viral and the right people have seen it.”
“That’s nice.”
She was losing him.
“Freddie. The right people saw the photo and I’ve been offered an amazing deal.”
“Well, congratulations.”
“No, Freddie. It involves you. I need you.”
Serena’s running shoes crunched on the gravel pathway as she walked alongside the river.
“You need me? For what? To hold your purse and stand in the background all night?”
Shit. She hadn’t thought about it like that and needed to get to the point. There was no way he was going to agree to her scheme if he didn’t know the enormity of the offer.
“Have you heard of the diamond company, Sidney’s?”
“Nope.”
She pursed her lips, then continued, “They saw our picture and want us to represent their brand.”
“Diamonds? I think you’re on your own with that one.”
Serena sighed. He didn’t get it. “Freddie. Sidney’s is looking for couples about to get engaged. They may have assumed that you and I are, um, more serious than we are.”
She thought that she heard Freddie choke on the other end. “That’s the understatement of the century. We’re not getting engaged, we’re not even dating.”
“Well... This was where Serena’s sales pitch came in, and it needed to be good. “They’ve offered to give us a 3-carat diamond ring, and two hundred thousand dollars.”
She heard it again, but this time was sure. Freddie choking on whatever he was drinking. “For what?”
“Freddie, I’ll split it with you. All we have to do is pretend to be engaged for a bit. You know, go pick out cakes and dresses, take some pictures together.”
“Do we get to keep the money if we fake break up after before we fake get married?”
“Yes,” Serena gushed. “We are committed to two months of content, photos, videos. You know, that kind of stuff.”
Serena’s heart was racing, her words tumbling out of her mouth almost faster than she could speak.
“Thanks for the offer, Serena, but I’m going to pas
s. I’m sure you’ll be able to find some other guy to play dress-up for you.”
Serena halted her speed walking as the phone clicked off and the screen went black. Had he just hung up on her? How could he turn down an offer like that?
She headed back to her loft, peeled off her sweaty clothes and stepped into the piping hot shower. She let the water rush over her shoulders. It had to be him. The viral photo was what attracted Sidney’s diamond company. People love an opposites attract story. Serena had been so embarrassed by Freddie’s truck, but by showing up at a fancy premiere with a gorgeous electrician, she had stepped outside the lines and people were eating it up. It had to be him.
She got dressed and headed to the hospital to see her dad. She visited him every day, but that’s one thing that she kept private. The world didn’t need to see her comatose father. The doctors told her that her dad, Paul, didn’t know that she was there and that she didn’t need to come and visit for hours a day. But Serena could feel it deep in her bones. He knew she was there.
Her dad’s body was a shell of what it used to be. He once owned a landscaping company and had been in fantastic shape for his age. After the insurance money petered out, Serena had worked two jobs to pay for Paul’s care. She stumbled onto her social media stardom almost by accident, but now she had several sponsors and was making more money than she ever dreamed possible. She knew that she wasn’t being true to herself, but she didn’t care. Her real self was a daughter, and if that meant selling her soul on social media to get the best care for her dad, she’d do it over and over again in a heartbeat. This money could change everything. She needed to get Freddie on board. But how?
Chapter 7
FREDDIE SHIVERED AND felt ridiculous standing on the side of the road with his toolbox. He stuck his thumb out as a transport truck whizzed by, his hair whipping around in the tornado of passing wind. He had done the calculations, if he hitch-hiked to work and only ate noodles, he should be able to scrape up a deposit for his truck repairs.
Then he felt it, the first fat drop plopped so heavily he thought a bird had shat on his head, then the sky opened up and the rest of the raindrops poured down on him, beating and battering his canvas work coat.
For fuck’s sake, Freddie cursed to himself as a car passed by, spraying a tidal wave of water from the giant puddle at him. He dodged and dropped his toolbox. “Shit.” The metal latch popped open and his tools scattered along the shoulder of the highway. Freddie looked up to the sky and held his breath to stop from cursing a blue streak. He exhaled slowly, his eyes closed, and then knelt down to gather everything up. He heard a car slow down and pull off the road behind him. It’s about time, he thought. Hitchhiking as a teenager had been much easier, but back then he had been heading to parties, or over to his friend’s houses, not trying to get somewhere on time for work.
He turned and saw a beat-up sedan, its wipers swiping madly, battling the rain. He jogged up to the steamy passenger side window and as the window rolled down, he was almost overtaken by cigarette smoke. “Need a ride,” Stacy grinned.
Stacy had gone to high school with his older brother, Logan. She had been the head cheerleader, and Logan’s girlfriend at one point. Now, she looked haggard, textbook smoker’s lines worn deep into her leathery skin.
“Thanks,” Freddie smiled. Beggars can’t be choosers, he thought to himself as he settled into the passenger seat, his toolbox on his lap.
“Where are you headed?” Stacy asked, lighting up another cigarette. Freddie waited for her to crack her window, but she didn’t. He reached to crank his window down for a little fresh air.
“Windswan,” Freddie replied.
“Cigarette?” Stacy pointed to the pack in the console.
“I’m good,” Freddie replied. As a teenager, he was an Olympic hopeful, the town’s best skier, so had never taken up smoking. Not even weed.
“Suit yourself,” she said and pulled the sedan back onto the highway. The classic rock station was playing, and Stacy sang along as she sped along the highway. “Are you working in Windswan?” she asked.
“What gave it away?” Freddie smiled. He didn’t think that Stacy was a bad person. She had just been dealt a bad hand, a single mother in a small town. When she was sober, she was actually a decent person, but when she was drinking, which was pretty damn often, she turned into someone else altogether, and that person was a total bitch. But this morning, sober Stacy was giving him a ride to work and he was thankful.
She cackled. “I guess it was the toolbox or the fact that it’s before eight. And you don’t look like you were up all night partying.”
“I wish I was,” Freddie murmured.
“You and me both.”
Freddie caught Stacy giving him sidelong glances, and it wasn’t lost on him when she took off her raincoat and puffed out her cleavage. Freddie’s friendliness was often confused as flirtation. He needed to dial back his smiles before Stacy tackled him and dragged him into the back seat of her Tercel.
Freddie had exhausted the Chance Rapids’ dating scene years earlier, which was why he had been so excited for his date with Serena. He had a reputation as a player in town, but over the past few years, the game had become repetitive and boring.
Unless a new woman moved to Chance Rapids, Freddie was going to live his life out as a bachelor and looking over at Stacy, he realized that was probably his best option.
“Where are you going this early?” Freddie asked.
Stacy trained her gaze out the front window. “I’ve got some errands to run in Windswan.”
Freddie didn’t pry any further. The welfare office was in Windswan and he guessed that she wanted to get there bright and early to collect her check.
Stacy pulled into the town square and Freddie heaved himself out of the car. “Thanks for the ride, Stacy,” he said, fighting his natural instinct to grin.
“Anytime, Freddie. And you know, you can call me for a ride anytime.” She emphasized the word ‘ride’.
“Thanks, Stacy, I appreciate that,” Freddie said. He shut the door and headed to the construction site. No matter how desperate he got, there was no way he was going to ride that woman. Her muffler rattled as she pulled away, waving out the window.
Freddie reached the construction fence, grabbed the padlock, and reached in his pocket for his keychain. The keychain that was now with Hank, the mechanic. He hung his head, water droplets from his hair ran into his eyes. Could this day get any worse?
He would have to wait until some of the other contractors arrived to open up the job site. It didn’t look good, but at least he wasn’t late. He sat on a green metal bench sheltered by a giant red maple tree and waited in the drizzle.
By 9:30 he realized that he was likely the only tradesman scheduled for the day. He decided to get a coffee and then hitch back to Chance Rapids, his socks were soaked, and he swore he was getting trench foot with every passing minute he waited. As he stood, the drizzle intensified into a hurricane level squall and even under the shelter of the formidable tree’s leaves, Freddie was soaked right through to his camouflage-patterned boxer briefs.
He sighed. He walked in the pouring rain to the local coffee shop, a chain store with orange plastic seating and ordered a black coffee. He took a sip and recoiled; it was bitter as hell.
“Could you add some cream and sugar to this?” he smiled at the young girl behind the counter.
She mirrored his smile, “Nobody orders a black coffee here,” she said and handed it to him. He took a seat at one of the plastic tables and stared out at the pouring rain. Once it let up, he would head back to Chance Rapids.
“Excuse me, sir?” He was lost in thought and snapped his head around to see the young girl standing at his table, a pad of paper in her hand. She looked down, her brown visor hiding her eyes, “Could I get your autograph?”
“Oh,” Freddie laughed. “Sorry, you’re thinking of my brother, Logan.”
Freddie had grown used the hounding Logan got every
time they went out in public. He was an international hockey star, known for his willingness to sign autographs for hours.
“Logan?”
“Yeah, Logan Brush, number eighty-eight.”
“No, but you’re Freddie, Serena Cruise’s boyfriend, right?” She held out her phone where the shot of Freddie and Serena lit up the screen.
Freddie opened his mouth and then shut it. He was soaked, tired, and stank like an ashtray. He didn’t have the energy to explain his non-relationship with Serena to this wide-eyed young girl. He took her pen and scrawled his name, Freddie, on her notepad.
“Thanks,” she gushed and clutched the spiral pad to her chest.
“No problem,” Freddie said. He stood up and made his way out of the coffee shop. He needed to get home and dry out. He walked to the highway on-ramp to Chance Rapids and waited for an hour before a car came by. And drove right by him. It was another hour before he was picked up.
Back in Chance Rapids, the sun peeked out from behind the clouds and he reached in his pocket for his sunglasses. He always kept them in their case, safe in his jacket pocket. They weren’t there. He patted the other pockets and then groaned; his expensive sunglasses must’ve fallen out in Stacy’s car. It didn’t matter much though, the skies opened up, and once again he found himself walking in the pouring rain.
His teeth were chattering as he reached the pathway to his house. He peeled off his shirt and left it hanging over the railing to dry. He needed a shower and a drink. But first, there was one thing that he had to do. Something that every fiber of his being told him was wrong, but he couldn’t go through another day like today.
He grabbed his phone and texted Serena. “I’ll do it.”
Chapter 8
FREDDIE HAD TOSSED and turned all night, but after the seven-hour bus ride that stopped in every town between Chance Rapids and the city, he was convinced that he had made the right decision. After all, how hard could it be to pretend to be engaged to a beautiful woman?
Now, sitting in the lawyer’s office, he realized that this wasn’t just a handshake deal. The secretary welcomed Freddie and sat him down at a glossy conference table. “Would you like a coffee, tea, water?” she asked.
