The terms

Chapter2

Ethan’s POV

Tami shot upright, her gaze locking onto mine with a glint of certainty.

“I have an idea,” she said, clear and unwavering, like she already knew I was going to listen.

I leaned back in my chair, nodding once, giving her the floor. My eyes stayed on hers..

“Alright,” I said, my voice low. “Let’s hear it.”

Tami leaned in, her fingers dancing across the screen of her phone before she angled it toward me. A colorful app logo pulsed at the top.

“There’s a place,” she said, tapping it. “People sign up, not for hookups, real commitments. Marriage. Fast.”

She looked up, eyes locked on mine. “It’s not as crazy as it sounds.”

I dragged a hand through my hair, frustration coiling in my chest. My fingers curled into fists on the desk before I forced them open. I stood, paced a step, then stopped..“This isn’t me,” I muttered, my voice cracking with the pressure I’d tried to swallow all day. “I don’t date, I don’t... do this.” I looked up at her, eyes searching. “How am I supposed to pull this off, Tami?”

Tami stood, already moving around the desk with quiet authority. She placed a firm hand on my shoulder, guiding me back into the chair.

“You’re overthinking,” she said, pulling her phone from her pocket, screen already glowing. “Let me handle this. I’ll get you signed up… and your first date? Consider it scheduled.”I gave a dry laugh, rubbing the back of my neck. “You say that like it’s just another meeting in my calendar.”

My eyes searched hers. “Are you sure about this, Tami?

Tami glanced up from her phone, her fingers still hovering over the screen. Determination sharpened her features, but there was a softness in her voice when she spoke.

“We won’t know unless we try,” she said, with a small shrug. I gave a slow nod, exhaling the last of my hesitation. “Alright,” I said, voice steady now. “Do it. Set the date.”

Her lips curved into a small, satisfied smile. “I’ll send you the details once it’s done.”She tucked her phone into her bag, gave me one last look a mix of confidence and something unreadable then turned on her heel. The soft click of her heels faded down the hall, the door whispering shut behind her.

And just like that, I was alone with a decision I’d never thought I’d make.

I stayed seated, staring at the door long after it closed. I wasn’t sure what I had just agreed to. A date? A setup? Or a damn gamble with my future.

My fingers drummed against the desk. This wasn’t how I pictured earning the CEO title not through dating profiles and strangers over dinner. And yet… There was a strange calm settling over me. Maybe it was her confidence. Maybe it was the fact that, for the first time, I wasn’t trying to control everything.

God help me if this works.

The restaurant was one of those quiet, upscale places. I sat by the window, collar stiff against my neck, checking my watch even though I was five minutes early. My fingers toyed with the edge of the linen napkin.

Tami had sent the details hours ago, location, time, and a photo of the woman. Her name was Ava. Corporate lawyer. Smart eyes. No ring.

The waiter passed, and I nodded him off. I didn’t want wine. I wanted this over with or to surprise me. I hadn’t decided.

Then the door opened.

She walked in, confident strides, dark red dress brushing her knees. Her eyes swept the room once, landed on me, and held.

She smiled. Not too much. Just enough to say she knew this was insane but she was here anyway.

She approached the table like she belonged there no hesitation, no nerves. Just calm, calculated grace.

“Ava,” she said, extending her hand, her voice smooth and low like she'd done this a hundred times.

I stood, shaking it. Firm grip. No nonsense. “Ethan.”

We both sat.

“I’ll admit,” she said, glancing at the candle flickering between us, “this isn’t how I imagined spending my Friday night. But Tami spoke highly of you.”

I arched a brow. “She did?”

Ava smiled, eyes sharp. “Said you were ambitious. Stubborn. Not terrible to look at.”

I let out a dry chuckle. “She left out emotionally unavailable and allergic to small talk.”

“Good,” she said, folding her hands on the table. “I hate small talk.”

The waiter appeared. We ordered. Simple, clean.

When he left, she leaned in just slightly. “So, Ethan… do you want to get the performance over with, or are we going to be honest tonight?”

I blinked, caught off guard. Then I smiled for real, for the first time that evening.

“Honesty sounds dangerous,” I said. “But I’m listening.”

Dinner came and went with a strange ease. Ava was sharp, witty too sharp, and talks too much. Every answer felt polished, like a script she’d memorized. I couldn’t decide if I admired it… or didn’t trust it.

Then came dessert. And the shift.

She rested her fork on the edge of her plate and leaned back, eyes studying me like a file she’d already read.

“So, let me guess. Your father’s holding the company over your head, right? Marriage-for-CEO type of deal?”

I froze, the fork halfway to my mouth.

She talked with ease, too much ease. Her laugh sounded rehearsed, like she knew which part of the evening she was supposed to light up. Her smile never quite reached her eyes.

Ava looked like someone who’d been on a hundred dates just like this, same restaurant, same lines, same routine.

And for some reason, that turned something off in me. So I leaned back, nodded when she spoke.

The waiter cleared the last plate, and Ava was still talking about something her skincare routine or her ex’s dog, I wasn’t sure anymore.

I gave a polite smile, settled the bill, and ended the night with a firm handshake. She leaned in like she expected more, but I stepped back.

Ten minutes later, I was in my car with the engine idling and my patience running low. I dialed Tami.

She picked up on the first ring. “So? How did it go?”

I let out a dry laugh. “If I wanted a rehearsed script and zero connection, I could’ve stayed in the boardroom.”

“Oh no…”

“She was too smooth. Like she’d been on one too many first dates and knew all the right answers. Nothing real. Nothing I could trust.”

Tami sighed. “Ethan, you said you wanted safe. Predictable.”

“Yeah, well... maybe I lied.”

There was a pause on the other end.

Then she said softly, “Or maybe you just want someone who doesn’t pretend with you.”

I didn’t respond. But I knew exactly who she meant.