Page 19 of Just a Little Crush

He rubbed a hand along the back of his neck, and I could see the shadows of that tumultuous past on his face. “But no matter what I did, it was never enough for her and quite frankly, dealing with her mood swings and the tension she created in our relationship became exhausting. To put things into context, she’s an only child, entitled, used to getting her way, and having all the attention on her. When I didn’t bend to her demands her resentment toward me grew.”

I could sense the frustration building in him, and I remained quiet, giving him the space to continue.

“That’s when I really saw her malicious side, and everything she did after that was all in an attempt to hurt me because she felt wronged. First, it was racking up an obscene amount in credit card debt like a spoiled child. She started ignoring Owen and leaving him with a sitter so she could go out during the day without him, and even at night. She told me she needed a life and that she wanted to spend time with her girlfriends after being cooped up with Owen all day…except I discovered she was out having affairs with random men.”

I winced, unable to imagine how awful that realization must have been for him. “I’m so sorry.” I didn’t know what else to say…but I did find it ironic that Alyssa could be so judgmental toward me when her own choices and past actions were so questionable.

He shrugged, but I could tell this entire conversation, and revisiting the past, weighed heavily on him. “A part of me felt like maybe I drove her to that, but when I found out she was abusing prescription drugs on top of everything else, that was a deal breaker for me. Clearly, she was miserable, and so was I. And, mostly, there was no way I could trust her around Owen.” His voice cracked with pain. “I filed for divorce, and the only way she was allowed joint custody was if she checked herself into rehab, which her parents pushed her into. She was there for four months and she honestly thought I’d take her back once she was clean, but I was done with her, which is the impetus for her bitterness and resentment and fighting me for sole custody of Owen. For one thing it would give her more money in child support on top of alimony, but she also knows how much losing Owen would destroy me.”

“But you’re a great dad.” My brow furrowed in confusion as I stared at him. “How could that even happen?”

His lips stretched into a grim line, but his eyes were full of frustration and helplessness. “Here’s the kicker. Alyssa’s father is a judge with connections in family court here in New York. And despite everything, he has blinders on when it comes to his daughter. She’s a daddy’s girl and he would do anything to make her happy. And that morality clause? I’m the one who insisted on it when we divorced because of her history of random affairs and drug use, but I don’t want to give her any ammunition to use against me, which brings us back around to me asking you to stand in as my girlfriend for the next two months.”

His eyes bore into mine, so expectant and hopeful, while my own heartbeat quickened in my chest. “Standing in as your girlfriend…what does that even entail?”

“Accompanying me to business dinners, and an upcoming art charity gala that I know Alyssa will be attending. Being seen with me in public and spending time with me and Owen, and making sure the doorman sees you around. Just being a part of our lives for the next two months so it’s clear to anyone who might be watching that we’re a legitimate couple.”

His choice of words caught my attention. “Anyone who might be watching?”

He hesitated for a moment, then very reluctantly said, “I’m pretty sure that Alyssa is going to hire a PI to find out what’s going on between you and me. And that’s why I need everything to look real.”

My head started to pound, and I rubbed at my temples with my fingers, trying to process, well, everything.

He reached out and grabbed my free hand, and when I raised my eyes to his, I didn’t miss the imploring look on his handsome face. “I know this is an incredibly selfish request, but I can’t risk losing Owen. Please.”

I had a difficult time trying to wrap my mind around everything he was asking of me. “Caleb, I have my own life. I work nights and most weekends at The Back Door. I work as an intern at Dare PR twice a week and I have a degree I’m trying to finish—”

“I’ll make it worth your while,” he interrupted, and now there was an edge of desperation to his voice. “I won’t interfere with your internship, or your studies, but I would need you to take a leave from The Back Door because I’ll need you around in the evenings and on the weekends.”

I jumped up from my spot on the couch, my mind whirling. “I can’t—”

“You can because Raven will understand,” he argued, standing too. “Especially when you tell her the reason why. I know I’m asking a lot, but I’m prepared to offer you fifty thousand dollars for two months, just until the custody case is over.”

The amount was so staggering, so unexpected, that my jaw literally dropped. “What?” I asked, certain I must have misheard him.

“Think of it as a business deal. A temporary job. Two months of your time for fifty grand.”

Fifty grand…Part of me was insulted he was trying to buy my help, but I knew he was desperate. I thought about all the things I could do with a lump sum of money like that. Pay off most of my school loans. Get an apartment in a nicer neighborhood. Help out Valerie until she was settled again. Actually put some of it away into savings. Fifty grand was nothing to a man like Caleb…and life-changing for me.

And all I would have to do was pretend to be his girlfriend for two months.

Not really a hardship, except for the fact that a part of me wished it were for real. Because the truth was, I might have only spent one night with him, but this crush I’d had on him for the past year already felt like it was blossoming into something more. But he wasn’t asking for a true commitment, and after everything he’d been through with Alyssa I could easily understand why he’d have his emotional guard up.

“Please,” he said softly.

He looked genuinely terrified of losing custody of Owen, and compared to that pain, he was asking for two months out of my life. I could do this for Caleb, because I’d never be able to forgive myself if he lost his son over something I could have prevented from happening.

I swallowed hard. Somehow I knew this situation had the potential of leaving my heart in tatters, but this wasn’t about me, but Owen’s welfare because the little boy would be equally traumatized without his father in his life.

“Okay, I’ll do it,” I said, and hoped I didn’t come to regret my decision.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Caleb

Profound relief surgedthrough me the moment Stevie agreed to stand in as my girlfriend, even though prior to Alyssa’s impromptu arrival I’d been thinking of dating her. We’d leapt right over that slow and steady exploration of our attraction and headlong into an exclusive, committedfakerelationship for appearances’ sake.

It was enough to makemyhead spin, and I knew by Stevie’s wary agreement she was completely overwhelmed by everything that had happened. Even now, as I drove her to her apartment after leaving Owen with my sister, Cara, watching over him for the next hour, her uncertainty was nearly tangible. She’d been incredibly quiet during the drive, staring out the passenger window of my Audi R8 as I followed the directions she’d given me to her place in Elmhurst, Queens.

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