From Lies To Love

I never thought I’d see Ryan Blackwood again especially not like this. Sitting at a candlelit table, in a fancy restaurant, on a blind date. With him. I blinked, convinced I was hallucinating, but there he was my ex-boss, the man I once worked under (and nearly lost my sanity because of), staring right back at me with the same calculating smirk I used to hate. "Well," he drawled, eyes gleaming with amusement. "This is… unexpected." "You're telling me," I muttered, sliding into the chair across from him. My fingers clenched around the napkin in my lap as I tried to process this disaster. Three years ago, I walked out of his company, fed up with his impossible demands and his all-work-no-play attitude. He was the worst kind of boss brilliant but ruthless, charming but infuriating. I had sworn I’d never see him again. Yet here we were. "I assume you didn’t know it was me either?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. Ryan chuckled. "No. My assistant set this up. And you?" "My mom," I admitted grudgingly. "She’s been nagging me about dating, so I finally gave in." He smirked. "Funny. My grandmother's been doing the same." I nearly choked on my water. Ryan Blackwood had a meddling grandma? "Wait you let someone set you up on a blind date? You? The man who controls everything in his life down to the second?" I teased. He sighed dramatically. "I thought if I humored her, she’d leave me alone. Clearly, I miscalculated." I snorted. "That makes two of us." The tension eased just a little. The waiter came, we placed our orders, and despite my initial reluctance, I found myself laughing more than I expected. The conversation flowed easily too easily. But just as I started to think the night might not be a total disaster, he made an offer I never saw coming. "Actually," Ryan said, swirling his wine glass, "you might be able to help me with something." I narrowed my eyes. "Why do I feel like I'm about to regret this?" "My grandmother won’t stop pressuring me to settle down," he admitted. "And since this date is already happening, why not make a deal?" I frowned. "What kind of deal?" He leaned forward, that wicked smirk returning. "Pretend to be my girlfriend. Just for a little while. That should get her off my back." I gawked at him. "You’re kidding." "Dead serious." I let out a disbelieving laugh. "So, let me get this straight you want me, your ex-employee, to pretend to date you, just to get your grandmother off your case?" "Exactly." I shook my head. "That’s insane." "Not really," he countered smoothly. "Think about it you’re clearly dealing with family pressure too. If you had a boyfriend, your mom would back off, wouldn’t she?" Damn it. He had a point. I stared at him, weighing my options. This was ridiculous. Outrageous. A disaster waiting to happen. But… Maybe it wasn’t the worst idea. I exhaled. "Fine. But there are rules." Ryan grinned. "Of course." "And if you pull any of your usual manipulative tactics, I’m out." "Wouldn’t dream of it." He extended a hand. "So, do we have a deal?" I hesitated for only a second before shaking it. "Deal." What was the worst that could happen? …Right? It started with a simple dinner at his grandmother’s house the following weekend. Simple, if you ignored the sheer mansion we pulled up to. Ryan Blackwood had always been wealthy, but I had never stepped into his personal life. Now, standing in the grand foyer, I realized just how out of my depth I was. "Relax," he murmured under his breath, his hand settling lightly on the small of my back. "You look like you’re about to bolt." "That obvious?" I whispered back, forcing a smile as an elderly woman entered the room. Her sharp eyes scanned me from head to toe before breaking into a delighted smile. "Ryan! And this must be your lovely girlfriend." I barely had time to react before I was pulled into an unexpectedly warm hug. "You’re even prettier than I imagined," she gushed. "And my grandson didn’t scare you off yet? That’s a miracle." I laughed nervously, sending Ryan a look. He only smirked in response. Dinner was… surprisingly pleasant. His grandmother, Eleanor, was sharp and witty, keeping us on our toes with pointed questions about how we met (awkward), what I did for work (safe territory), and when we planned to settle down (definitely not happening). I expected Ryan to steer the conversation away from anything too personal, but to my surprise, he played along very well. Maybe a little too well. "I knew she was the one the moment she stormed into my office and quit," he said, taking a sip of wine. I nearly choked on my pasta. What?! Eleanor’s eyes twinkled. "Oh? Love at first sight?" "Something like that," he said smoothly, shooting me a look that dared me to contradict him. Oh, he was enjoying this. I forced a smile. "Yep. It was… very dramatic." His grandmother sighed happily. "Well, I’m just glad you found someone who can keep up with you. I expect to see more of you, dear." I nodded quickly, deciding I’d survive one dinner, but I wasn’t about to make this a habit. The drive back was quiet at first, the weight of the night settling between us. I stared out the window, watching the city lights blur past, my mind still reeling from how well we’d managed to fool his grandmother. "You didn’t have to play along that well, you know," I finally said, breaking the silence. Ryan smirked, his hands steady on the wheel. "What, and risk her seeing through us? I thought you wanted this to be believable." I sighed. "I just didn’t expect you to… I don’t know. Be good at it." "I take my commitments seriously," he said, a teasing lilt to his voice. "Even the fake ones." I rolled my eyes but couldn’t fight the small smile tugging at my lips. "You handled her well," he admitted after a beat. "She likes you." I shrugged. "She’s sweet. Reminds me a little of my mom, actually." He hummed in acknowledgment, but I could tell he was watching me from the corner of his eye. "So, are you regretting this deal yet?" I exhaled, sinking deeper into the seat. "Not yet. But don’t push your luck." His low chuckle filled the car, and for a moment, the weight in my chest lightened. Maybe just maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.