Page 22 of My Bestie's Billionaire Brother

“It shouldn’t be a big deal. Some hand holding, you gazing at me in admiration from time to time…” I laugh while trying to make light of the ridiculous situation I’ve created. But the stunned look on her face tells me she’s not comfortable with this at all.

“If you’re really uncomfortable, I can tell him. I don’t want to put you in a bad spot.” I give her a concerned look, hoping forthe best. I can see that she’s considering it, wondering how bad it will be.

“I’m not great at acting, Charlie. I’m afraid I’ll give us away. I tried out for one of the plays in high school and I’m pretty certain the drama teacher was trying not to laugh the whole time I was performing my monologue.”

She’s not lying. I was the lead for three of my four years. I happened to be at that tryout because the drama teacher asked me to come help him evaluate the students. Her tryout was ridiculously bad; almost like she wastryingto be bad. But, in this situation, there are no lines to rehearse or spots to hit. I’m fairly certain she’ll be fine.

“You’ll totally be fine. No one will be paying much attention to us anyway…” I know this isn’t really true. My dates for these events have always been fodder for conversation. That’s why the person I choose to bring is so important.

She looks more relaxed and I think I’ve got her. “Okay. Let’s do it. But this changes our deal quite a bit. I think I’m going to need more from you to sweeten the pot.” Her lips are curved into a sly smile.

I wait in anticipation for what she’s about to say next.

“I’d like you to find me a guy at one of these weddings.” She sits back in her chair with a satisfied look on her face.

“Umm, okay. Tell me what you’re looking for.” I don’t like this conversation at all. What does she think I am? Some kind of matchmaker?

“He must live in Seattle, because I’m not moving. An amazing sense of humor, easy on the eyes, a brilliant brain…you know, just the standard stuff.”

I scan my mental rolodex of friends who will most likely be at the upcoming weddings. There's Mitch, who works as a trauma surgeon, or even my cousin Jacob who just moved back to Seattle after his startup went public. Both brilliant, good-lookingguys who'd probably find Tess interesting. My stomach tightens at the thought of introducing them.

"Yeah, I can think of a few guys," I say, my voice suddenly strained. I take another swig of my margarita, surprised by the wave of...what is this? Jealousy? I picture Tess laughing with Jacob, his hand casually resting on her lower back, and something primal rises in me.

What the hell is wrong with me? This is Tess—Jane's best friend. My wedding date of convenience. Not someone I should be feeling possessive about.

These weddings are usually full of couples. There’s also a lot of older people there. Family friends and business acquaintances. I don’t know if we’re going to find the type of guy you’re looking for.”

Her eyes are twinkling and I can tell she’s fighting not to laugh. “I’m messing with you, Charlie. And I guess I’m a better actor than I used to be.”

Relief floods through me, followed immediately by confusion about why I'm relieved. “I’m glad you’re not already looking to replace me. What we have is so new and fresh; we just need to give it a chance.” And, with that, I wink and flash her my most charming smile.

Chapter 7

Tess

The doorbell rings just as I’m about to sit down for dinner. Soup and an everything bagel again—super fancy.

Opening the door, I find a huge brown box on the porch. What the hell? I can’t think of what I’ve ordered recently.

I glance at the return label and it’s from Black Tie, Inc. in Paris. Paris? And then all of a sudden, it hits me. These must be the dresses that Charlie ordered for me. Of course he ordered them from Paris. Doesn’t everyone order dresses for their fake dates from Paris?

I pull the box into the house and go in search of scissors. Dinner is going to have to wait. I need to see what’s inside this box immediately.

The first gown I pull out is a slinky navy satin floor-length number. It has a low back and some beading on the bodice. I hold it up to myself and I’m surprised that it’s long enough. At five foot nine and a half, most full-length dresses are too short. This one might actually even need to be hemmed. Or I could wear it with my highest heels and the length might be perfect.

I love how tall Charlie is. It’s wonderful not to have to worry about how high my heels are. I honestly couldn’t wear a heel high enough to be taller than him. Definitely not the case withmost men I’ve dated. It’s a fake date though, I remind myself for the hundredth time.

I’m still in shock that he told his dad we’re dating. How the hell did he think he was going to pull that one off? But he seems to think it won’t be any problem at all. I don’t know. It just seems so unrealistic.

I’ve known Charlie for most of my life and I’ve definitely had my fair share of fantasies about him. But I never actually thought I would ever get the chance to date him….even if it is just pretend.

I pull out the next dress which is a gorgeous sky blue and looks like it will hit right above my knees. It has a tasteful V-neck and fluttery short sleeves. The color is spectacular and I think it will work well with my skin tone. I’m brunette with an olive complexion. If the sun ever came out for more than a day or two at a time in Seattle, I might actually get a tan. But, even without much sun, my skin always has a bit of a golden glow.

At first glance the next dress looks to be a bit much. It’s a floral print and that’s not usually my jam. But looking at it more closely, I realize the colors together create a really stunning pattern. It’s frilly and kind of ruffly and looks like it would work well for a daytime wedding.

I’m about to pull out the next dress when my stomach growls, reminding me that I should probably eat first. I carefully drape the dresses over my couch and head back to my now-cold soup. I reheat it quickly, scarfing down my simple dinner while my eyes keep drifting to the colorful array of fabric in my living room.

Charlie’s assistant has impeccable taste. Probably some gorgeous fashion-forward woman who knows exactly what looks good on other women. Is she tall and willowy with perfect hair? Or one of those effortlessly chic types who make the rest of us look like we're trying too hard?

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