Playing Pretend Box Set

by Natasha L. Black

Hannah

  “Please, follow me,” the waiter motioned for the two of us to go with him through the restaurant, and I kept my eyes fixed on the floor in front of me as I did so. I wasn’t hanging my head. I’d long since learned how to have good posture and carry myself with confidence, but with the strange emotions that were swirling through me, I wasn’t sure what to do with myself.

  Drake had allowed me to choose the venue, so I opted for a place that was about halfway between the club and my house. It would be easier to make a fast escape if need be.

  But there was something about the man that told me I wasn’t going to need to make that escape. Hell, there was something about him that brought out a side of me I didn’t even know existed.

  I had only been half-joking when I told him he should pretend to be my husband, and I was rather shocked when he agreed to the idea. I’d heard of such arrangements before, but I’d never met anyone that I knew of who would do such a thing.

  Not before Drake, anyway.

  My immediate reaction was to tell him that I was kidding and there was no way I’d go through with the idea. But then, a little voice inside me stopped me. He had just saved me from my ex, after all, and there was something about him that just made me feel safe.

  It was clear he didn’t want to hurt me. Quite the opposite, in fact. There was a fierceness about him when I talked about how Brandon had treated me; I truly believed he would stop anyone who tried to hurt me. Especially Brandon.

  Not to mention, he was one of the hottest men I’d ever met in my life. He looked like he’d stepped right off a set in Hollywood. A chiseled jaw, beautiful, captivating blue eyes, and a body that was so hot it should be illegal.

  Perhaps it was just the out that I needed to really get rid of Brandon for good. It might only be pretend, but it would be something, and it would likely be effective. With Brandon off my back, I’d be able to finally move on with my life, free of his ever antagonizing, threatening presence.

  “Are you feeling any better?” Drake asked as he took his place opposite me. I nodded and looked down at my hands. They were still shaking, but only slightly.

  The fresh air helped.

  I knew we had to get down to the details of the arrangement we were working out, but I hardly dared to look up at Drake. I felt intimidated by him, but not in the same way Brandon intimidated me. No, there was something primal and overtly sexual about him I couldn’t ignore.

  But I had to focus. When I finally did look up, I was almost surprised to find he wasn’t looking at me, but rather looking around the restaurant with somewhat of an impressed look on his face.

  “Is this okay?” I asked. He looked back at me with raised eyebrows, and I made a slight nod toward the room.

  “Oh, yes, it’s fine. I just don’t normally come to places like this for quick discussions, you know?” he said. He seemed to catch himself, and quickly added, “I’ve been here plenty of times, it’s just normally for occasions of some kind. Celebrations, that sort of thing.”

  I nodded slightly.

  Doubt crept into my mind. Maybe I should have gone for somewhere simpler? But I like this place. I know the staff well enough, and it’s close to my house. Just get through this negotiation and get out of here. Don’t make a big deal.

  The waiter brought a bottle of wine and set it on the table between us before making a show of the decanter. We both looked up at him, me doing my best to appear amused as he poured the wine from the bottle, swirled it around, then poured each of us a glass.

  “Thank you,” I said as he left both on the table. Drake shook his head after tasting the wine.

  “Damn, that’s smooth,” he said.

  “It’s my favorite,” I replied. “They don’t have it over at the club, so that’s a bonus of being here.”

  “I’m sure not complaining,” Drake said.

  “I guess we better get down to business,” I continued. “You probably have other things you wanted to do with your night besides save a damsel in distress.”

  “I would hardly call you that,” he said with a grin. My heart melted, but I forced myself to remain stoic. “You have all the elegance of a queen, not a damsel.”

  “Thank you,” I said with a smile. “You are certainly a Prince Charming yourself.”

  He sat back in his chair, the faintest hint of a grin playing around the corners of his lips. I was getting the strongest impression he was a serious man, not one who was given to the frivolous things. But I didn’t want to talk about him. The more we did, the more we risked getting off topic.

  If we worked out an agreement we could both live with, there would be plenty of time for me to make small talk with him later. And boy, did I ever hope I would be lucky enough to have that happen.

  “First of all, I would like to say that I’m going to pay you for your time. You were gallant enough to save me for free tonight, I’m not going to ask you to play house with me without compensation,” I said.

  “Okay,” Drake replied, though it sounded more like a question.

  I could see the curiosity in his face. I hesitated for a brief moment, torn on the inside. I didn’t want to use any of the money I had in my account. That was my family’s money, and I had always been determined to pay my own way.

  On the other hand, I had made the compromise with myself to live in the family’s apartment. It was out of sheer need, and I planned on moving out as soon as I possibly could. Perhaps I could bring myself to do the same with the money.

  This was going to a good cause. The best cause I could think of, in fact. Perhaps I could bend my own will a bit if it meant I could get rid of Brandon for good. It would be well spent, and it would be ironic toward my parents as there had been a time when they’d felt he was the best man on the planet.

  It didn’t matter to me they no longer felt that way. What mattered was that I could get rid of him, and I could use their means to do it.

  “My family has money. I have money,” I said quietly. “Trust me, you have no idea how much what you are doing means to me, and I really want to show you my appreciation for it. I’ll make sure you are well taken care of.”

  “I’ll be happy with what you have to give,” Drake said. “I’m more curious over what you had in mind for our living situation.”

  I winced on the inside. Of course, if we were going to play married, then we were going to have to look the part. Especially if Brandon was doing his homework. Living in two separate locations would be a dead giveaway to him that I was lying, then all bets would be off.

  “Do you have a place you’d like to stay?” I asked. “I would be happy to move in with you for a while. I’m quiet and tend to keep to myself.”

  “I’m living in a hotel room right now, to be perfectly honest with you,” Drake replied. “So I doubt you’re going to be too eager to do that.”

  “Oh?” I asked, looking at him with raised eyebrows. What kind of person lived in a hotel? “You don’t have a place of your own?”

  “I just got out of the military,” Drake said. “The Navy. I’ve been casually looking for a place, but since I’m going to be back to stay, I want to take my time and find somewhere I can settle down, at least for a while.”

  Immediately, I felt everything inside me relax. That explained a lot. How he suddenly came out of nowhere at the club, how he was able to land such a well-placed blow to the side of Brandon’s face. How he had such an instinct to protect and take care of me.

  No wonder he had been so eager to make sure I was okay. He just got out of a career of serving and protecting others. Now I felt confident he truly meant to protect me, too.

  “That works out better for me anyway,” I said. “I’m sure Brandon is keeping an eye on my place, and if he sees you living there with me, then he’s going to be more likely to take the hint. Plus, it’s going to give you something better than a hotel room for a while.”

  “I’d definitely appreciate that,” he replied. He sipped on his wine and we fell silent for a
moment. I was trying to word my sentences in such a way he would see I was different from the rest of the family, but also let him know he would have to fit in.

  It was none of my business where he had come from, how he’d grown up, or whether he had money in the bank, but considering the way he had reacted to the restaurant and the wine, I was starting to get the impression this was a splurge for him.

  If he was going to be around my world– and there was a strong possibility that could happen – he was going to have to fit the part. At least, enough to make it believable to anyone who might be watching us.

  I cleared my throat. “So, do you think you can play the part of the rich husband? Think of some story of where you came from and how you got your wealth? No one is going to do any background work on you if you are vague enough. I just need any potential mutual connections between me and my ex to believe it if we were to run into them.”

  “Sure,” Drake shrugged. “But how are you going to explain suddenly being married to said rich husband?”

  “I’ll worry about that,” I said quickly. “Trust me, I know how these people work. For as much as they like to gossip and be in the know about things, they are remarkably easy to satisfy with simple stories and vague details.”

  Drake chuckled. It was nice to see him smile and I wished he’d do it more often. “Alright then, I’m moving in with you, I’m some rich guy you married out of the blue and under the radar, and we’ll keep up this little façade until your ex is out of the picture entirely, right?”

  I picked up my glass of wine and sipped on the very edge. It all sounded simple enough when he put it like that. A lot less of a crazy idea, and one that might actually work. From what he’d said, this was going to be a mutually beneficial situation, and at the end of it all, I’d never have to worry about my ex again.

  “Sounds like we’re on the same page,” I said as I set down the glass.

  “Great,” Drake replied, pouring another glass for himself before topping mine off. “So, when do I move in?”

  I grinned. “Does tomorrow work for you?”

  7

  Drake

  I walked through the apartment, glad I was the only one at the place for the moment. Hannah had given me a key and directions the night before, telling me several times to text her if I had any trouble.

  The only trouble I had was being certain I was at the right place when I pulled up. A high-rise penthouse near downtown, the place was even nicer on the inside than it had been on the outside, and the outside alone was breathtaking.

  Since I’d spent so much time in the desert over the past decade, I didn’t bother to have a vehicle. So, when the cab dropped me off outside, I was glad I didn’t have to also navigate the parking garage. It was strange enough going in through the front entrance, I couldn’t imagine what it would be like through the back.

  I took the elevator up to the right floor, then walked slowly up the hall, checking number by number until I’d reached my destination. With my heart thudding in my chest, I pushed the key into the lock, praying to God it would turn.

  The last thing I needed to deal with was this being some sort of elaborate scam. The thought had crossed my mind after leaving the restaurant the night before. But then, she had paid for the eighty-dollar bottle of wine without so much as batting an eye.

  When the key turned and I found myself inside the apartment, I nearly fell over.

  The place looked like it came straight out of a designer magazine. The decorations were all modern and well-placed, the floor was a dark stone. The cupboards in the kitchen were black and the countertops a grey marbled granite.

  There was a large living room with a couch facing the tv on one wall, and chairs behind the couch surrounding a glass coffee table, clearly meant for conversation and time spent with friends. There were rugs spread about the place, along with accent pieces that I’d never seen before, but were beautiful.

  There was a note on the counter with my name written across the top, and I eagerly picked it up, skimming the contents.

  Drake ~

  Sorry I wasn’t able to be there to help you settle in, but I had class this morning and couldn’t get out of it. The room off to the left of the living room is yours, and mine is on the other side.

  You’ll have your own bathroom, as well as free run of the place. Help yourself to any of the food in the kitchen, or to the bar, or order food if there’s nothing you like.

  Do whatever you need to do to get settled, and I’ll be home later with a few more things to give you. Thanks again for all that you’re doing for me. You have no idea what a real hero you are.

  Hannah

  I smiled as I shoved the note in my pocket. “If this is what it takes to be a hero, I should have gone into this business a long time ago.”

  My words echoed against the high ceiling, and I then noticed the chandelier which hung halfway between the kitchen and living room. It wasn’t where I would have thought to place such a piece, but it somehow made the room look elegant, drawing the entire place together.

  There were bar stools lining the high countertops in the kitchen, and I then noticed the extensive bar off to the side of the cabinets. I was blown away with the bottles of liquor I saw on the shelves, many of them open but with only a shot or two taken from the top.

  Inside the cabinets I was surprised to find simple foods – nothing at all like I would expect to be in a house that looked like this. It became clear to me Hannah liked the trendy health foods. Crackers made with sesame seeds, protein powder, plenty of granola.

  There was a large bowl of fresh fruit on the counter, and the fridge was full of more trendy options. Various nut milks as well as gourmet yogurts were in the fridge, but there were also simple options such as iceberg lettuce and string cheeses.

  “Those must be for the cheat days,” I said to myself. I closed the fridge and rummaged through the cupboards until I found a glass, then I poured myself some whiskey.

  I didn’t have anything to unpack, really. Just the things that were shoved in my duffle bag and a few things I brought with me from the hotel. I wondered what she’d think when she saw that I’d nabbed the small bar of soap and the tiny shampoo bottles.

  Toiletries were something that I’d been intending to get, but I’d not felt like going out of the hotel room enough to get them. I’d used the rest of my cologne the night before and had a running list in the back of my mind of the clothes I’d need to get now that I was out of the service.

  I’d definitely need to get something for work. But then, this was my job. I was getting paid to do this, and from the looks of the place, I could imagine the check was going to be pretty sizable. Hannah had emphasized the night before that she was going to make sure I’d be well compensated for my time, and I believed her. I probably wouldn’t need to get a ‘real job’ for quite a while.

  I wonder how much money this girl has. My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a key in the door, and within seconds Hannah was in the room. “Hey, glad you made it! Did you have any trouble finding it?”

  I shook my head. “Just gave the driver the address and sat back.”

  Hannah looked around the room in surprise. My duffle bag was still on the floor where I’d dropped it, so I quickly picked it up. “Sorry. I’ll take this to my room and get it out of your way.”

  “I’m just surprised there aren’t any boxes laying around. I was expecting you to have a lot more. Unless you have it in your room already,” she said as she turned back to me.

  I shook my head. “I was in the desert for months at a time. I always thought it was easier just to keep my things to a minimum. Always thought I’d be going home to a different situation, but when I found out that wasn’t going to happen, I didn’t know what I was going to do.”

  Hannah cocked her head lightly to one side. I could see she had question but chose not ask it. “I suppose you wouldn’t expect to be coming back to something like this either.”

  “Def
initely not,” I said, grateful she hadn’t pressed me for details just then. She smiled and pulled open her purse, taking out her wallet.

  “I’m going to give you this. I want you to go out and buy whatever you need to fit in with this,” she motioned to the apartment as she handed me a credit card. “I’ve got to head out again in a second, but I wanted to catch you before you got too busy with your day.”

  “I don’t have a lot planned. It’s not going to take me long to get unpacked, that’s for sure,” I said with a shrug. She chuckled and walked over to the fridge, pulling out one of the yogurts before getting on her phone. My eyes wandered up her thin legs to the curve of her ass, but I was quick to avert them when she started to turn around.

  The last thing I needed was for her to feel uncomfortable and put an end to this before it even started.

  “Do you need me to give you any money right now? Or are you going to be okay with the credit card? I was thinking that I could give you a check at the end, if that’s okay?” Hannah said.

  “Yeah, that’s fine. I’m not going to need much, and if you don’t mind if I use this, that’s great,” I assured her. “I won’t go crazy.”

  “Knock yourself out,” she said with a shrug. She headed to the couch and sat down, turning on the tv and putting her feet up on a balance ball I hadn’t noticed before.

  Uncertainty swept over me. Should I go over and sit with her? Try to get to know her a little bit? Or, should I head out with this credit card? I was supposed to be coming up with some story of who I was and where I came from, and I already knew the jeans and t-shirts I had in my duffle bag weren’t going to fly in this world.

  I’d have to get a few things that were designer, but I didn’t want to go too crazy with the card she gave. I had my own money, a lot of it saved up over the past two years, but if she was going to pay me to help her out, I could save my own stash for a place of my own once this arrangement had run its course. On a sudden impulse, I threw back the rest of the whiskey and put the glass in the sink, then I headed out the door. I left as quietly as I could, still not quite sure how we were going to relate to each other.