Page 35 of Fake Love

Taking away all the fake relationships stuff out of the equations, the job is a great opportunity. I’d be able to get the experience I want and find out the inner workings of having a high profile client. Maybe I can even travel with the team and get another client or two.

What’s holding me back, I think, is the whole relationship thing.

Can I do it?

Can I play pretend with someone I don’t even know?

Can I play pretend and keep my feelings out of it?

I’ve never had trouble keeping feelings out of things but that night with Maddox, felt different. I don’t know what it was but I know it’s not something I’ve experienced before.

And if we do this, if I pretend to be his fake girlfriend and I develop feelings, what happens then?

I don’t know.

If I do this, if I agree to be Maddox’s fake girlfriend, there need to be some ground rules. Some very strict ground rules.

Don’t think about it, just do it. What harm can it do?

Fuck it.

I pull out my phone again and text my new contact.

JEN : Okay, I’ll do it, but we need rules.

10

APRIL 23, 2022

Maddox

“I thought you said you played for the Miners.” Jen’s voice comes through all the chatter of the park.

“I do.”

“Then why are you sitting up here in this fancy box instead of being down in the dugout?” She asks, waving one of her garlic fries all over the place.

I should have gotten some of those.

After getting the text message from Jen a week ago where she told me that she will pretend to be my fake girlfriend, we decided it would be best to set ground rules in person.

She suggested her place, I suggested a baseball game. My suggestion obviously won.

Jen looked at me like I was crazy. But given that I jumped her bones the last time we were in her apartment, I thought it would be better to have this conversation in a somewhat public setting.

Do I still want to jump her bones? Absolutely, especially since she is wearing shorts that are currently rolled up her thighs and a white tank top that makes it hard not to look at her chest.

If we had gone to her apartment she would be without a doubt naked the second I walked in.

This is safer. Somewhat.

As to why I suggested a baseball game, it all boiled down to the fact that I wanted to see the game.

Baseball has been a huge part of my life that not being in a stadium while there's a game currently going feels wrong.

It’s also a public enough place that someone might see us together and start talking about who I may be seeing. It also gives me a better control of people hearing our conversation especially being in the suite, something that can’t be done at a restaurant or a coffee shop for example.

After taking a bite from my huge ass corn down, I answer her question. “Because I’m suspended.”

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