Page 31 of Faking It With My New Boss

“Why not?” my best friend said with a grin, looping her arm through mine. “At least until the end of this whole thing, he's your fiance. You should getall the benefitsof it.”

Something in her voice told me she wasn't just talking about the wad of cash in my purse or the promise of a luxurious weekend at his grandfather's estate.

At first I wanted to just get through the shops as quickly as possible with just a few things to carry me through the weekend. But after a little while in the shop with the clerks fawning on me, the glass of champagne sitting on the table by my side, and the never-ending supply of gorgeous clothes flowing into the room, I started to relax and enjoy myself a bit.

“How's it going?” a text from Bryan asked when I had a small selection of items put aside. “Remember, this isn't just for this weekend. We're going to have more outings and things. And you have the gala to think about. Get whatever you like. If you run out of money, give me a call. I can make sure you have whatever you need.”

That was all the motivation I needed. If I was going to do this, I was going to go all in. If nothing else, having fun shopping and picking out my fantasy wardrobe helped distract me from the actual situation. As long as I was choosing dresses and trying on silky lingerie, I didn't have to be stressed and worried about the party that weekend.

Of course, that high faded a bit by the time Friday afternoon came and I was packing my bags. Bryan and I spent the entire week working on our stories and coming up with little details that would make our relationship look more believable. But I was still worried someone was going to see through us and figure it out. And if that happened, I couldn't imagine the kind of fallout waiting for us.

Bryan's car pulled up in front of my house right on time and he got out to help me carry my bags. The chauffeur was back behind the wheel and he gave me a quick glance and a smile over his shoulder as I got in the car.

Bryan closed the door behind us and I looked over at him as I hooked my seatbelt.

“I can't believe we're doing this,” I said. “This is crazy.”

“It's going to be fine,” he said. “Don't worry.”

“Don't worry? Do you have any idea how bad it's going to look if somebody finds out we're lying? You think you have a bad reputation and are seen as being irresponsible now. I can't even wrap my brain around what your grandfather would do if he figured this whole thing out,” I said.

“Then we just don't let him find out,” Bryan said. “That was the whole point behind your plan, right? You said we needed to have evidence and come up with stories and details to share with people so they would really believe we are a couple and have been for months. And you were totally right. We've been working on it, so now we put it to the test. Don't worry. We're going to be ready.”

The car pulled away from the curb and I felt the butterflies swarm in my stomach. For the rest of the drive, Bryan and I quizzed each other on the stories we made up and our fake relationship history. It wasn't the most fun road trip game I'd ever played, but it was feeling like it definitely had the highest stakes.

Chapter Twenty

Bryan

Courtney was so incredibly hot in her evening dress that I thought I might not be able to focus at all. From the second I arrived at her place and saw her all done up and ready for the engagement party, I couldn’t keep my eyes off of her. She was stunning, and I knew that everyone there was going to be just as enamored with her as I was.

When we arrived at the party at my father’s estate, I could see the wonder in her eyes at the size and opulence of my grandfather’s home. It was one of those older-style mansions, designed to look like the DC architecture with its roman columns and gleaming white. On the inside there was crystal and glass shining in every corner off mahogany wood and black and beige tile. I thought it was all insufferably boring, but I had seen it all my life. To Courtney it was apparently so much more. I enjoyed seeing it through her eyes, finding the things that she loved and noticing them for the first time.

We met my grandfather in the main hallway, just as he was coming from his suite on the bottom floor. I had only been inside that suite a few times in my youth, and still only once or twice as an adult. It was his place of solitude and relaxation. A bedroom of his own, a library, a study, an office and a lounging area connected to the kitchen on one end. But he kept the doors shut and locked, keeping it for himself, only ever allowing the maids and the other servants in to bring him food or changes of clothes.

Yet, this time, the door stood wide open, showing off the impressive study that led to the door. Just beyond it, the library loomed with its arched door and shelves covered in books. He held out his hand and smiled like I hadn’t seen in decades. I took it and shook and he turned his attention to Courtney.

“My goodness, you look lovely,” he said. “Our guests have already begun to collect in the dining room. Please, let me bring you.” He held out his arm and Courtney and I shared a glance. As she took his arm, I chuckled and followed behind them.

“This is your dining room?” Courtney said as we entered the massive room. The long dining table had been moved, though I had no idea where or how. Now the room was a long, thin room where a couple dozen people comfortably, but intimately meandered around with drinks. The door to the back yard and the incredible marble porch was open and I could see several others out there, smoking cigars and laughing.

“I apologize,” he said, “the ballroom is under some unfortunate repairs. I promise I will make it up to you later.”

Courtney turned to look at me, her eyes wide. I laughed and nodded.

“It’ll have to do,” I said.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, getting the attention of the room. “May I introduce my grandson Bryan and his lovely fiancée, Courtney… er…”

“Reynolds,” she whispered.

“Reynolds,” he said, then whispered, “Thank you, dear.”

There was a round of applause and I took Courtney’s other hand and led her away from my grandfather, who was already being attended to by a butler and another man I didn’t recognize but assumed was an attorney or advisor of some sort.

I led her into the crowd and we began to mingle with the guests. Quite a few of them I recognized from the offices. Some of them were board members, and I pointed them out to her when I could. They were the ones that were most important to convince of the engagement. With Courtney looking as gorgeous as she did, it wasn’t hard to wow them, and I found myself getting closer and closer to her, my hand sitting on the base of her spine, so dangerously close to her ass.

She was charming and funny, graceful and elegant. Everyone was charmed by her, including myself. She spoke about her law classes with another guest, the wife of one of the board members. She had also attended the same school and they shared a professor and swapped stories. I listened in as she spoke about how forward he was with some of his students and they laughed about how one day he would say the wrong thing and get fired.

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