by Jamie Knight
There was something about her words that echoed what Liam had said the day before. I wasn’t quite sure what it all meant, but I would think about it. At least I knew that my job wasn’t in question.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Good. I’ll see you tomorrow, Hayley.”
I left her office feeling both elated and shocked at the same time. I also felt a bit of guilt, having judged everyone so harshly. Maybe Ms. Howell was fine and had seemed a bit brusque because she was busy and didn’t have much time for pleasantries That didn’t quite explain the other girls in the office but I wasn’t exactly a social butterfly, and it was more than possible that I didn’t really come off as being approachable.
I decided then to try and be more social. I hadn’t met most of the people in the office, not really, and was in no position to be judging them. They could be absolutely lovely, or just trying to be professional, which I also understood and respected.
I was going to do something nice for the people at the office. At first, I thought of bringing donuts, but that seemed a bit too impersonal. Then I had the idea of baking cookies. I had always liked baking and was really good at it, having so much practice.
I would often get up early and bake a batch of cookies and take them out to the treehouse in our yard for the other kids in our neighborhood or to school, depending on if it was a weekday. My family, and particularly my twin brother, had always loved what I baked. I bet my coworkers would too.
Happy to have a plan, I got my purse from the desk and went to the elevators, with a particular spring in my step that I could feel whether or not it actually showed. On par with the surprise of Ms. Howell telling me that I was doing a good job was the vision of Mr. Adams coming in through the lobby.
I was sure he must have been there to see someone else, but he was coming right toward me. Perhaps this was the right moment to practice being more social? I took a deep breath, looked up at him, and smiled.
Chapter Seven - Liam
I wasn’t sure about asking Hayley out again, but nothing ventured nothing gained. I didn’t have her phone number and figured the best way to see her again was to turn up at her work around quitting time — despite how stalkerish this might have seemed, particularly to one of a more suspicious disposition.
However, when I got in the doors to the lobby of Howell and Howell, saw her get out of the elevator, and walked towards her, Hayley looked at me and smiled. It was warm and inviting. So very different than the frozen girl the day before.
“Hi,” I started.
“Hi,” she replied, seeming surprised but receptive.
I loved the way her smile made her roundish face brighter. There was just a little pink on her cheekbones — from emotion, not blush — and that was charming. She really did have the innocence of an angel.
Taking a deep breath first, I gave things another go. “I was wondering if you might like to go for a drink, Hayley. You know, give it another shot.”
Something hot passed through her eyes as she pursed her lips slightly to the side. It was a coy look that sent a jolt of electricity throughout my body.
“Sure!” Hayley replied, bouncing on her heels a bit. She was so different from the day before.
“Really?” I asked, not expecting this at all.
“Sure. I would like that very much. There was so much I wanted to ask you yesterday, about yourself, but I got tongue-tied. That happens when I get shy. I apologize if that came off as rude. I’ll try better this time.”
I was a little taken aback by her admission, but the fact that she wanted to overcome her shyness really touched me. “Uh, okay, how about McGinty’s tonight at eight?” I asked, thinking of the first bar that came to me. “I’ll pick you up.”
“Great!”
I could hardly believe the change. She was so much more open and positive than when we had gone for coffee when she had seemed so cold and closed off. Maybe I had just caught her at a bad time or on a bad day. She had said she was nervous because I was rich but certainly seemed to have changed her mind about that too. Maybe she had thought about what I had said about gaining a fortune hadn’t really changed me.
The fortune had come as something of a surprise if I was honest. I had, of course, hoped that Black Flag Security would be successful but had no idea how far it would go. Some of the richest companies in the country and even some lower levels of government were contracting with us.
“What kind of cookies do you like?” Hayley asked, seemingly out of nowhere, as we walked together out of the building and headed towards our cars in the parking lot.
“Chocolate chip, why?”
“Oh, I’m great at baking. I could make you cookies that will make you fall in love with me!”
“Metaphorically?”
“Um, yeah,” Hayley said, catching herself, unable to keep from blushing.
****
A few hours later, I eased the Hummer up to the corner outside her tenement. I was hardly one to judge, having come from similar roots. If anything, it just made me a bit sad that anyone had to live like that.
Hayley came out as soon as I was parked. The sight of her made me sit back in my seat and catch my breath. She had put her golden-blonde hair up into a bun with a few pieces draped around her face. The dress she chose was clinging to her delicious curves with a slight V-neck that showed just a hint of her cleavage. Somehow, she managed to look modest and sexy at the same time.
“Hey,” she said, climbing up into the passenger seat, unknowingly giving me a generous view of her breasts as she leaned forward. It was a sight that made my cock harden.
There was something about this girl, and the way she looked, that made me want to take her right then and there on the front seat of the hummer. But that was not what this evening was about, so I told myself to calm down and got onto the road.
We arrived at McGinty’s before the usual crowd showed up, so getting parking wasn’t too difficult. I helped Hayley out of the admittedly enormous vehicle and locked up the Hummer. On a whim, very similar to the one that had driven me to kiss the back of her hand when we first met in Ann’s office, I crooked my elbow and escorted her toward the bar.
McGinty’s was a typical pub, low lighting, and tons of wood. Tonight, a jazz band was playing. We took a tall table next to the bar and waited for our waitress.
“What can I get you?” asked the waitress who wandered over. Her name tag said Katie.
“White Russian please, Katie,” I said.
“And for you, miss?” Katie asked, indicating Hayley with her head.
“Um, what’s good?” Hayley asked.
“The gin and tonic is passable,” Katie said.
“Excellent,” Hayley said, after a brief pause.
“You’ve never had a drink before, have you?” I asked when Katie was out of earshot.
“Yeah, of course,” Hayley said, but she wouldn’t look me in the eyes again, so I figured she was lying.
“Really?”
She blew out a breath, giggled slightly, and then looked at me. “No, how did you know?”
“Something about the way you ordered,” I told her. “Most women I date already have a go-to cocktail.” Her shoulders dropped slightly, and I figured out that was the wrong thing to say. “Not that being new to drinking is bad. If you would rather have a soda or something, just tell me.” I didn’t want a repeat of the hot chocolate incident.
“No.” She shook her head slightly. “I want to try new things…new things with you.”
Was she flirting?
The way she looked at me from under her lashes made my heart speed up. Hayley really was making an effort to come out of her shell. She had changed from our first encounter and was coming across as sexy. I was suddenly glad I had given her a second chance.
“Gin and tonic and a White Russian,” Katie said, putting our drinks down before us.
I took a sip and watched Hayley do the same. At firs
t, her eyes went wide, but then after a second sip, she nodded like she was coming to enjoy her drink. I was glad. Maybe I could get her to try a White Russian next. She might like something creamier.
“I have a confession,” I said after a minute or so had past, and I felt it was the right time to be honest about everything.
“Do tell!” Hayley said. Her face was a little red.
“I need your help,” I admitted.
“Oh, with what?” she asked and took a few more sips of her drink.
“I need a fiancée,” I said.
Hayley turned bright red and almost fell out of her chair. “I, um, don’t think we know each other well enough. I mean I like you but -”
“That’s not quite what I mean,” I explained with a laugh.
“Oh, good, I mean, what were you thinking?” Hayley asked, trying to play it cool.
“I’ve been invited to the wedding of one of my oldest friends. We’ve known each other for years, including being in the same unit in the army, and I’m the only one who isn’t even engaged.”
She nodded and thought it over. “And you need someone to pretend to be your bride-to-be?”
“Yeah, basically,” I admitted.
Her eyes went distant as she thought it over. “Oh, I see. That makes sense. This is a business arrangement, then?”
“Yeah.” I nodded.
Hayley took in a big gulp of air then slammed the rest of her drink. She waved for the waiter to come over. “I’ll have one of whatever he has,” she instructed, then she looked at me. Her stare was different this time, there was a little bit of ice in her eyes, and her skin was tinted white. “Want to know something about me?”
“Of course,” I said, not sure about where this was going.
“I’ve never been a date before either. Not before the coffee shop, which is why I was a bit like a deer in the headlights. If I had known that this was a business arrangement, it would have been easier on me.”
“Oh,” I said.
That was really all I could say, not really knowing how to respond, being taken by surprise.
I really didn’t understand how someone as attractive as Hayley could never have been on a date. Then I realized, it may not have been my wealth that had led to her discomfort during our first date. It wasn’t because of my money but the fact I was a man.
I looked at the very innocent girl before me. She had agreed to be my fake fiancée. The deal was done, but was a fake date all that I really wanted? Hayley was probably a virgin, and the idea thrilled me.
Chapter Eight - Hayley
It was my first ever hangover. I had heard that they were bad but really had no idea. Nausea would have been bad enough without the pounding headache. Making a noise like something freshly risen from the grave, I sleepwalked into the kitchen and started up the burner for the teakettle, going more by muscle memory than anything conscious.
After a few minutes, I tiptoed into the living room to see if Jacob, my twin was awake. He had been staying on my couch for the last month or so since he had been released from the army. The TV was on, the volume low, but I couldn’t tell if he was up or not. It was best not to bother him, so I went back to the kitchen and poured myself a cup of hot chocolate.
Perking up a bit, I was able to fully appreciate the extent of my embarrassment. Not about basically agreeing to pretend to be Liam’s fiancée. I really understood where he was coming from with that and was willing to do it to help him out. It was my confession that I had never ever dated before, except for my two dates with him, that is — which were apparently not dates. The fact that I had assumed that they were haunted me. It was stupid to think that an attractive man like Liam would ever be interested in a girl like me.
Mr. Adams was the closest thing to a boyfriend I had ever had. Which, if anything, gave even more credence to the fiancée idea. We weren’t even close to that, at least not yet. Though it had started to seem like we could be friends. It wasn’t the worst basis I could think of to build an engagement — even if it was a fake one. I had heard of long-lasting marriages based on a lot less. Not in the present century, but still, the principle was the same.
With another sip of hot chocolate, I told myself that agreeing to be his date for the wedding was just a good idea for me. It would help me come out of my shell more and practice talking to people. That was all it was, a way to make friends — not a way to get closer to the gorgeous billionaire.
To get my mind off my embarrassment, I decided to bake the cookies we had talked about the night before: Chocolate chip. It might be a minority opinion, but I honestly believed that cookies were truly the language of love.
I looked through my archives, piles upon piles of notebooks kept in the pantry, to find just the right recipe. They were all good, many of them having been in my family since the days of my great grandmother, but I really wanted to do something special for Liam.
I had woken up several hours before work, partly on account of the headache, so I had time to bake from scratch, which was always preferable. It always felt more heartfelt. I gave a moment’s thought to actually shaping the cookies like little hearts but decided better of it. That would look too childish.
After getting the warm cookies onto a plate, I checked on Jacob one more time and then went down to the corner to wait.
Last night, Liam and I had talked about how to make this fake engagement believable. We thought it would be a good idea to spend some time together to get to know each other, and Liam said he would drive me to work and pick me up today. I jumped at the chance and was already excited about the time we were going to be spending together. I only hoped there would be a traffic jam on the way to the office.
Right on time, his big black Hummer — that I doubted was compensating for anything-pulled up to the curb outside my building, somehow finding a spot. Parking tends to be at a premium; none of the buildings in the surrounding area having their own parking.
“Well, hello, pretty lady,” he said from the driver’s side.
“Greetings, kind sir,” I replied, ignoring my blush. “Would you like to try a cookie?”
Liam laughed, but he did take the biggest cookie on the plate. “These are delicious,” he mumbled. “Maybe they will make me fall in love with you.”
I knew he was kidding, but the comment made me smile.
Maybe this business arrangement would turn out to be fun.
Chapter Nine - Liam
On the ride to her office, Hayley and I had covered the basics: favorite colors, foods, etc. It had gone well, and the arrangement was starting to be enjoyable. Once she warmed up, Hayley was quite pleasant. She would get excited about the littlest thing, like us sharing a love for the color green, and her intensity of emotion was infectious. I found myself smiling more on that short trip than I had in months.
The ride after work was just as enjoyable, so when she asked me to come in, I couldn’t turn down the offer.
“Shit, I didn’t even think about the stairs,” Hayley said when we were halfway up.
“It’s okay, I can do it,” I said, clutching onto the railing.
The fact was I could do it. Almost without pain even. I had certainly been through a lot worse, and to be fair, part of me knew that the trip upstairs would be worth it.
We were on our way through the entryway into the kitchen, where Hayley was going to make us some tea when I saw him in the living room. Like a ghost, he was pale. He had the same blonde hair as Hayley. The face was similar too: round with distant blue eyes. The man didn’t turn when we came in. He didn’t acknowledge our presence at all. He just sat and stared at the TV.
Suddenly I understood why Hayley seemed to be working so hard for Ann.
“His name is Jacob,” Hayley said, noticing me noticing.
“He was a soldier?” I asked, spying the picture on the mantle of Jacob in uniform.
“Yeah.”
“Iraq?” I asked.
�
��How -”
“Desert print.” I nodded to the photo. “He’s too young for Desert Storm, so I assume it was the current one.”
“Amazing,” Hayley breathed.
“Logical,” I corrected, not taking my eye away from Jacob and his hundred-yard stare.
“He has -”
“PTSD,” I finished, knowing the symptoms when I saw them.
“Yeah, how did –”
“Experience.”
“Oh, right.”
“I think I can help,” I told her, leading her back towards the kitchen.
“I don’t see how, I’ve tried everything I can think of,” she said, leaning against the wall.
“I have connections to some really good PTSD therapists. Some of the guys in my unit needed help after we got back, I’ll see if I can set something up for your brother.”
“Thank you,” Hayley said, kissing me on the cheek.
The feel of her lips on me was almost like a tingle. She was so close I could smell the scent of her shampoo. Desire built up inside me. I wanted to take her in my arms and throw her over the small, two-person table that was sitting opposite the stove, but that would be wrong. That wasn’t what I was here for.
“Have any more of those chocolate chip cookies?” I asked, trying to brighten her mood a bit.
Hayley lit up with a smile. “Yes! I made two dozen this morning! Come on!”
Taking me by the hand, she led me to the counter where there was, indeed, a large plate of chocolate chip cookies.
“Wow,” I said, meaning it.
“Thanks, old family recipe,” Hayley beamed. “Would you like some milk too?”
“Um, no, thanks, they really look great, but I thought we could maybe go for dinner and…”
“Say no more,” Hayley said, dividing the cookies up into two large Tupperware containers, quickly giving me one of them.
“For the office?” I asked, indicating the other container.
