by Serena Vale
“I’m sorry.”
Sally sighed, a small smile playing on her lips. “I know you are. And look, Tate, I don’t blame you. Well, I do, a little. But what I mean is that I know how easy it is for fame to get to someone’s head. But you’re going to be out of this game in no time if you carry on like this. Not only is this lifestyle affecting your game, but you’re also starting to be hated by the public. And you’re a good guy. Well, at least I know you’re a good guy, even if you pretend to be otherwise.”
“Well, I wouldn’t go that far,” Tate said and then laughed. “But what am I going to do Sally? I mean, I’ve done this to myself, and now I have to get myself out of it. But even if I stop going to parties and stop messing around with girls, well how long will it take for them to believe me? A bad reputation is way harder to get rid of than a good one.”
“Well…” Sally wouldn’t look at Tate in the eye.
“What’s on your mind? You look like you have a plan.”
“Well, yes, I do have a plan. But I’m not quite sure how you’re going to feel about it.”
“Oh go on, try me. I’m up for anything at the moment. You’re right; I need to start focusing on my career.”
“Okay then, but hear me out okay! There’s one way that you can put your reputation back to where it should be. You need to move from bad boy to good guy, and you need to do it quickly. The right type of woman would do that perfectly.”
“What do you –
“Stop interrupting. Just hear me out. The right type of woman. Someone with a good reputation. Someone that people can’t help but love. We need a girl that even the girls can’t be upset about because they like her as much as they like you. You’ll be the couple that everyone wants to be.”
“Okay, but –
“Tate. Just listen. So I know that you can’t just find a girl like that all of a sudden. So what I propose is this. We pay someone to be your wife. Wait! Don’t say anything. And stop giving me that look. It’s not unheard of. People meet their life partners online all the time. So what we do is we look for a personal assistant. And then when they come in for the job we choose the one that we like the most and propose the ‘wife’ situation. Okay, so they don’t have to become your wife. But you guys can pretend you’ve known each other for longer, or we can pretend it was love at first sight, and then you propose. Just until your reputation gets better again. And then, once it has, she can break up with you and you’ll suddenly be the guy that everyone wants to see happy again.”
“Whoa! Sally, that’s kind of a big deal. You’re asking me to pay someone to be my fiancé. To pretend to fall in love. I don’t know, hey. And how do we know that this girl is even going to agree?”
Sally smiled, “The fact that you’re asking me that question means that you’re actually considering it, which is great news. It means you KNOW that I’m right. But come on Tate, you know I’m always right.” Sally started laughing, seemingly delighted at herself and her plan.
“Oh what the hell. I’m probably going to regret this tomorrow. Right now I’m still half asleep. But only if I agree on the woman. Deal?”
“Deal!” What have I just gotten myself into?
Chapter 2
Alexis
“Well don’t you look smart. And where are you off to looking like that?”
“I have a job interview.”
“A JOB INTERVIEW! Well, why didn’t you say anything? Tell me more!”
“Ah mom, I just didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. And I didn’t want anyone to know because I’m sure the chances of me actually getting it are very slim.”
“Don’t be silly now, just tell me. And of course, you’ll get it.”
Alexis sighed, “It’s to be Tate Henderson’s personal assistant. You know, the football player.”
Her mother screamed and then quickly put her hand over her mouth, “Sorry, sorry. Yes, of COURSE, I know who Tate is. Everyone knows who he is. Tate the Great. Wow, Alexis, that’s amazing. I just know you’re going to get it. He’s quite the ladies’ man after all, and you’re so pretty!”
“Ah mom, stop it. I’m probably not going to get it. I bet you there are thousands going for the same job. Okay, I better go before I’m late.”
Alexis rushed off and groaned. She had recently lost her job and had moved back in with her parents. Her dad had recently fallen ill, and she knew that her mother was battling to pay the bills alone. She’d planned to move in and help out where possible. The last thing she had expected was to lose her job so suddenly. She wasn’t used to living so close to her parents again, and while she loved them dearly, she couldn’t help but feel suffocated by them. Especially her mother who was adamant on becoming her ‘bestie’ all of a sudden. Alexis had planned on sneaking out for the interview, but it came as no surprise that her mother had caught her. Nevertheless, the brief encounter had stopped her from thinking about her nerves for a little while. She wondered if the interview would be with Tate himself but hoped that it wouldn’t be. She knew that the job would be to work for him, but she wasn’t sure if she’d get through the interview well if he was staring at her with those eyes. In a way, she hoped that he wouldn’t be quite so good looking in person. Just in case though she’d made sure that she looked her best and had spent the last two hours getting ready. In the end, she chose a simple tailored outfit that covered her up nicely while still accentuating the parts that mattered. And also hides the parts that I don’t want to show, she thought. Her suit was black, but she had chosen a crisp white shirt underneath which she knew looked good on her dark skin. She hoped that the color of her skin wouldn’t prevent her from getting the job, after all, she’d only seen white women hanging on to his arm. But then again she wasn’t there to be his girlfriend so it shouldn’t really matter at all. Her hair, unfortunately, was something she couldn’t seem to tame. She’d thought of straightening it, but she could never quite do it right, so, in the end, she left it as it was – a mop of curls that framed her face wildly.
When Alexis walked into the office, she was greeted by a short and stern woman who introduced herself as Sally. Alexis immediately knew that this was Tate’s PR Manager, simply because she spent the last few days gathering as much information on him as possible. The more she found out about him, though, the more she disliked him. Before his fame, he actually seemed like a very nice man, but lately, the only photos she could find of him were of him at a party after party. But she needed the money, and she knew that a job like this would pay well.
“Hello, you must be Alexis. I’m Sally, come on in.”
Alexis walked into the office and sat down as Sally closed the door behind her.
“Well aren’t you pretty.” She said, and Alexis looked up in surprise - that was not something that someone normally said in an interview. But Sally seemed nonplussed, and Alexis quickly mumbled a thank you.
“You are the tenth person to walk through these doors. It seems the prospect of working for Mr. Henderson is very appealing. Tell me, why are you here.”
“Well firstly thank you for having me. I’m going to be completely honest with you here. I recently lost my job, not by anything that I had done, but simply because the company closed down, and it left me in a bit of a predicament. My father is very ill, and I’m helping my mother out by paying some of their bills. I’ve recently moved back in with them, and I know they appreciate all the extra help they can get. I’m not saying I want this job purely for the money, but I certainly do need some job security to help my family. That being said, I am a hard worker, I have no qualms at telling a celebrity what to do and what not to do, and I know that I can get the job done.”
Alexis hadn’t planned on being so forthright in the interview, but the words had just flown out of her without her control. She hoped she hadn’t overstepped the mark but Sally was looking at her with interest and what seemed to be the start of a smile was forming on her lips.
“I like you, Alexis.”
After that,
the two of them sat for over an hour just talking. Sally was quite intrusive about her personal life, but Alexis supposed that she needed to know as much about her as possible. Things were certainly looking positive, and Alexis wondered if the other nine candidates before her had sat in the interview for so long. Finally, Sally sat back and looked at her.
“Alexis. You were very honest with me, so I need to be honest with you.” And just like that Sally went on to explain to Alexis what the interview was really all about and what type of plan she had for Tate. Alexis was too shocked to speak – every time she opened her mouth the words would not come. Sally was looking at her kindly.
“I know this is a surprise. But I can assure you that you are the only woman that I have told about this. You really are the tenth person to come through this door for the interview, but the others I let go without telling them the truth. Quite frankly, you’re the best person I’ve interviewed. To be honest, I don’t even want to see anyone else. As far as I am concerned, you are the perfect person for the job.”
“But it’s not really a job. You’re asking me to marry him.” She said, finally finding her voice.
“Not marry. I’m asking you to be his girlfriend. To eventually be his fiancé. I mean, what’s the big deal really. You don’t have to do anything with him. You don’t have to actually marry him. It’s all pretend. You can go out with him as his friend. Nobody needs to know that it’s nothing more than that.”
“I guess you’re right. But it’s weird. I don’t know. I’m not sure I can.”
“Look Alexis, I understand why you are concerned. I really do. But it’s not like I’m asking you to sleep with him. Or to marry him. I’m asking you to just pretend to be his girlfriend. I’m asking you to be his friend. And Alexis, it’s good money. Really good money. If you don’t want to do this for yourself, then maybe you should do it for your father. He needs you right now. And yes, I’m trying to manipulate you into doing it. I have no problem admitting that. I’m a straight talker as you can see, but so are you. Just think of it as a very well-paying job that won’t last forever.”
Alexis sighed. “Can I at least meet him first?”
Sally smiled, a wide grin taking over her face, “Yes, of course, you can. You can meet him right now in fact.” They both knew that the deal was already made.
Sally led Alexis to another room not far from the one they had just been in. Inside, Tate Henderson sat facing her, his eyes as soulful as they were on TV. She cringed thinking that Tate had been sitting there the whole time while she was interviewed. She felt herself immediately regretting the decision. Sally had explained that Tate knew what the plan was and assured her that he had been skeptical about the plan too. So when she walked into the room and faced him, she knew that he was assessing her in the same way that Sally had been. Only this was so much worse. She was grateful when he smiled and invited her to sit down.
“Well this is awkward,” she said and was thankful when Tate burst out laughing.
“Tell me about it! It’s like we’re on a blind date or something.”
“I just had a sudden thought,” she said, her eyes wide, “Am I on a reality show now? Like am I being pranked? Did I just agree to the weirdest thing on earth in front of the whole world?” The thought had just occurred to her, and she looked around frantically for any signs of hidden cameras. But this only made Tate laugh even more.
“No! I promise you. It’s not. This is real.”
She visibly relaxed, and the two of them sat talking for the next twenty minutes with ease. Tate was far easier to talk to than she had imagined but certainly just as charming. It was easy to see why the women were all swooning over him. She tried to take the image of those women out of her mind and tried to see him for the man he was portraying to her at present. Which was actually quite pleasant.
“You know, you’re quite different to how I had imagined you to be,” she said.
“Oh really? And what exactly did you think I’d be like?” he grinned at her.
She wished she hadn’t said that, how was she going to explain herself. “Well, uh… you know, I mean you seem nice. I mean, not that I didn’t think you’d be nice before. You’re just… well, you’re just different to how I thought. I’m saying it all wrong, but I really meant it as a compliment.”
He was laughing, “That’s okay. Let’s be honest, I come across as a complete idiot. Don’t worry, I know that already. Sally has told me on numerous occasions.”
It was her turn to laugh. “I like Sally.”
“So do I. She’s a tough cookie but she’s one of the only people who tells me everything as it is, and I like that. You always know where you stand with her. Hey, do you want to grab a cup of coffee? I think we have quite a bit to talk about.”
The two of them walked to a café down the road, aware that Sally was watching them walk out together but neither of them mentioning it. They spent the next hour sitting over coffee and chatting about themselves, both of them asking questions about one another hour. By the end, Alexis couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
“Hey, what’s so funny?”
“This. I mean, I came in for a job interview. And I might be leaving with a fiancé.”
“Might?”
“Ah Tate, I just don’t know about all of this. It’s so weird. I cannot quite wrap my head around what’s happening. And what do I tell people? My mom knows I came for this interview.”
“Tell her that you got the job. I mean, that’s what it is in a way.”
“Tate. Uh… I know this might come across the wrong way. But I’m really only thinking about doing this because I really need the money to help my dad out. I don’t want to lie to you.”
“That’s a good thing. If you told me, you were doing it because you were madly in love with me than I’d really start to worry. Well look, we both have our reasons. And how about this – we can both pull out of this deal anytime we want. We’ll set up a meeting with Sally, and we’ll find a way to end it nicely. That way, nobody gets hurt.”
Alexis found that she was nodding, “Okay. Ah, what the heck. Let’s do it. One day we can write a book about it!”
“Yeah, when my football career is over. I’ll become a co-author with you. I like this plan!”
And just like that, Alexis had a new boyfriend. I did NOT see that one coming, she laughed as she walked back to her car. Then, when she arrived back home, she ran straight up to her mother.
“Guess what mom?! I got the job!”
Chapter 3
Tate
“I have a girlfriend. I have a girlfriend. I have a girlfriend.” Tate practiced the words over and over again. He couldn’t quite believe it himself. The two of them had sealed the deal over dinner with Sally the night before, and the whole thing was quite surreal. The dinner had taken place at Sally’s house because they didn’t want anyone to know about it just yet, but the next day the media was abuzz with news of the mysterious woman seen with him. He had no idea how they knew, but he wasn’t surprised at all. The media were always around. Always watching.
“You need to be careful Tate,” Sally told him over the phone that morning, “Always be aware that people might be listening and watching at all times. So act like it’s real.”
Tate had to admit, having a girlfriend like Alexis wasn’t exactly hard work. The moment he had seen her walk into his office, he knew that he was going to agree to the deal, and he had said a silent thank you to Sally for knowing him so well. Alexis was gorgeous. She had been born in Zimbabwe but had moved to America with her family only five years ago, so while she was now a fully-fledged American with a passport and accent to boot, she still had a sense of uniqueness about her. “It’s my African blood,” she liked to tell him.
The two of them had hit it off immediately and yet they still had not had a proper date together. Tate had invited her out for dinner that evening. They were well aware that they had to be careful not to talk about the deal in case anyone might be listening
, but they were both interested in a night of simply getting to know one another. Tate had specifically chosen a restaurant where he knew the booths were each secluded from one another, just in case one of them did slip up. It was a cozy little Italian restaurant down the road, and he was just about to meet her there. How bizarre, he thought, I’m about to go on a date to get to know my girlfriend. Of course, he knew that the ‘relationship’ would eventually end, and the two of them would part ways, but he tried to think of it as a relationship, for now, just to get himself in the right mind frame.
When he arrived at the restaurant, he saw that she was already there and when he walked in she got up to greet him. She wrapped an arm gently around his waist and gave him a quick kiss on the mouth. “Wow, you’re good at this,” he whispered, and he saw her giggle with delight. The two of them ordered some champagne and toasted to their new relationship. Tate looked around and smiled, he had been right about the restaurant, the place was abuzz, but he could barely hear the conversations of those around him. If they kept their voices, low there would be no ways anyone would hear them.
“So, how about a game of Getting to know your partner?” he asked her.
