Chapter Five
1220 Words
“How did it go?” Casey asked, her eyes searching Chloe’s face, eager for any hint or clue.
Chloe let out a long, heavy sigh as she collapsed onto the sofa, the cushions swallowing her slightly.
“Baby girl, it’s complicated,” Chloe admitted, her voice carrying both amusement and frustration.
Casey’s brows knitted together, confusion clear on her face.
“I don’t understand you. How can a date be complicated? Explain it, please,” she pressed, leaning forward with anticipation.
“Girl, you won’t believe who it was,” Chloe managed to say, her tone laced with disbelief.
Casey’s eyes widened. “Who was it?” she asked eagerly, sitting up to catch every word.
Chloe took a deep breath, savoring the moment before dropping the bomb. “The date was with Ethan Erickson, my ex’s boss.”
Casey gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as her eyes widened in shock. “It’s a lie,” she protested, but Chloe shook her head, the subtle gesture making Casey realize this was no exaggeration.
“How come? I thought he was that tough guy who didn’t want to be near a woman,” Casey said, her eyes glued to Chloe’s lips, hanging on every syllable.
“Well, it seems our dear Mr. Erickson is under pressure to take a wife or something. He told me he didn’t want to be there either,” Chloe explained, her voice calm yet tinged with a hint of awe.
“That’s strange,” Casey murmured, squinting as though trying to process the mental image. Then she turned her full attention back to Chloe. “Are you sure he isn’t gay?”
Chloe shook her head firmly. “Nah, he’s not into guys. Have you forgotten my ex was one of his very close colleagues? Rowland says he dislikes people in general,” she countered.
“But anyway,” Chloe continued, leaning back slightly, “he told me to pretend to be his girlfriend for a few months, until he figures out a way out of his situation. So whatever it is that he might be, we’ll know in a few months’ time.”
“Wait, hold on a second. He asked you to pretend to be his girlfriend?” Casey’s voice rose, excitement bubbling.
“Uh, yeah,” Chloe replied, nonchalantly but with a glimmer of pride.
Casey’s eyes sparkled as she sat forward, her entire posture radiating curiosity. “What did you say to him? What was your response?”
Chloe let out a faint, almost weary sigh. “He made an irresistible offer. I couldn’t refuse,” she admitted, letting a small smile tug at her lips.
Casey’s grin widened, mischievous and knowing. “I smell something wonderful coming from this,” she teased, leaning closer.
Chloe scoffed, rolling her eyes. “It’s not what you think, ma’am. The only good things coming out of this are money and a solid connection—nothing more,” she replied sharply.
“I know. But regardless, I feel things might change in the process,” Casey insisted, a hint of hope in her voice.
“Nothing like that is happening, Casey. Cut the crap,” Chloe responded, her irritation now more evident.
Casey raised her hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. But whatever you do, I hope you work smart,” she said, her tone softening.
“Besides, what are we going to tell your mother? She’ll be dying to know how everything went,” Casey added, eyebrows raised.
Chloe placed a finger on her chin, lost in thought for a moment before turning to her friend. “I’ll just tell her we’re picking up some kind of interest in each other. Also, we’ll say we’ll see things more clearly after a few dates,” she decided.
Casey nodded approvingly. “Yeah, you’ve got a point there. We shouldn’t raise her hopes too high, and at the same time, we shouldn’t dash them either,” she agreed.
Chloe yawned, covering her mouth with one hand as she stretched lazily. “I’ll call her tomorrow. But for now, I need my beauty sleep,” she announced, sluggishly rising from the sofa and heading toward her room.
“Alright, girl. We’ll talk better tomorrow morning,” Casey replied, turning back to her show, though her curiosity lingered.
Meanwhile, Ethan entered the room, finding Angelo seated comfortably on the couch, a glass of whiskey in hand. At the sound of the rustling door, Angelo looked up, studying his friend’s expression carefully. He could tell immediately that sparks—or anything remotely romantic—had not flown.
“Went bad, didn’t it?” Angelo asked, a subtle teasing edge in his voice.
Ethan crossed to the other side of the couch, grabbing the bottle of whiskey and pouring some into Angelo’s glass. “It’s complicated,” he replied, capping the bottle with precision.
Angelo frowned, confusion etched into his boyish features. “Bro, what do you mean by that?”
Ethan lifted the glass to his lips, taking a deliberate sip before setting it back down. “It turns out my blind date is one of my employee’s exes. And before you ask, this employee isn’t just some random staff member—he’s one of the best attorneys in our firm,” he revealed, his tone heavy with understatement.
Angelo leaned back, letting the information sink in. “Damn, that’s crazy, I must say,” he finally responded, shaking his head in disbelief.
“So what did you do then?”
“I decided to come to an agreement with her. We would pretend to be a couple for two months,” Ethan revealed, his voice steady, matter-of-fact.
Angelo’s jaw dropped slightly, and he leaned forward, realizing the seriousness of the situation. “Ethan, are you for real? What do you hope to achieve from that?” he asked, voice laced with both curiosity and incredulity.
Ethan took another measured sip of whiskey. “First of all, I want to keep Grandpa off my back for a while. He’s been pressuring me to settle down, and I’m not ready for any talking phase with any woman yet—at least not now. Choosing her is simpler because she’s familiar. It’s easier to have this sort of arrangement with her,” he explained, his gray eyes thoughtful and intense.
“Okay. So after two months, what’s next?” Angelo pressed.
Ethan’s face darkened slightly, uncertainty flickering in his features. “I don’t know yet, but I’ll figure it out eventually,” he admitted.
Angelo scoffed, then chuckled softly. “I think you’re beginning to step out of your shell, big guy,” he remarked, a teasing lilt in his voice.
“How so?” Ethan asked, eyes narrowing slightly, focused on his friend.
“Never mind. But I really hope you can get past the hurdle that’s kept you from experiencing love,” Angelo replied sincerely, the humor fading from his tone.
“That’s enough, Angelo. I’m going to bed,” Ethan said firmly, cutting the conversation short.
“Sure, buddy. Goodnight,” Angelo replied, shaking his head as Ethan disappeared through one of the doors.
“He never really healed from it,” Angelo murmured to himself, the faintest trace of sadness flickering across his features.
- Writer
