Falling for her mask

The Favor

Chapter 1: The Favor

“Are you serious, Ash? A blind date?” Alissa stared at her phone, incredulous.

“I’m desperate, okay?” Ashley’s voice crackled through the speaker. “My parents are pushing this guy hard, and I really don’t have the energy to deal with him. Please, just this once?”

Alissa sighed, twirling a strand of her dark, wavy hair around her finger as she paced around her apartment. She could picture Ashley, her blonde, bubbly best friend, pouting on the other end of the line. Ashley had always been able to pull her into the most ridiculous situations.

“I’ll owe you,” Ashley added quickly, her voice full of exaggerated desperation. “You’re my best friend, Al! My only hope!”

Alissa paused by the window, staring out at the twinkling lights of the city. This wasn’t the first time she’d done something outlandish for Ashley, but a blind date was a new level of crazy. Especially one she wasn’t even supposed to be on.

“Fine,” Alissa finally muttered, though she already regretted her decision. “But I’m not going as myself. I’ll make sure this guy never wants to see you again.”

Ashley squealed with excitement. “You’re the best! Okay, so his name is Asher Wright—”

Alissa cut her off. “Wait, Asher Wright? Why does that name sound familiar?”

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” Ashley said breezily, obviously trying to change the subject. “He’s some guy my parents know through their foodie circles. Just make him want to run far, far away.”

Alissa groaned but didn’t press further. She was already knee-deep in this mess. “Alright, but don’t blame me when this turns out to be a disaster.”

Ashley’s laugh echoed through the phone. “That’s the point! Make it a disaster!”

The next evening, Alissa stood in front of her bathroom mirror, assessing her disguise. She had gone for an obnoxious, garish look—bright red lipstick that clashed with her olive skin tone, heavy eyeliner, and a floral blouse that could’ve passed as her grandmother’s. Her usual understated elegance had been buried under layers of chaos.

“Well, here goes nothing,” she muttered to herself, grabbing her purse and heading out the door.

When she arrived at the upscale restaurant, she immediately felt out of place. Couples sat at candle-lit tables, dressed in designer clothing, sipping expensive wine. Alissa felt the eyes of the hostess linger a little too long on her bold outfit, but she squared her shoulders and held her head high.

“I’m meeting someone—Asher Wright,” she said, her voice overly chipper. The hostess nodded and led her to a table near the back.

When Alissa saw him, her breath caught. He was nothing like she expected. Asher Wright was handsome in a way that made her stomach flip. Tall, with dark hair neatly combed back and sharp, piercing blue eyes that studied her with amusement as she approached. He was wearing a tailored suit that screamed CEO, and his posture oozed confidence.

This is the guy Ashley set me up to scare off? Alissa panicked internally, trying to maintain her composure. This was going to be harder than she thought.

“Alissa?” His voice was smooth, deep, and he stood to greet her, offering a polite smile. There was something unnervingly self-assured about him, as if he knew more than he was letting on.

“Uh, yes!” She forced her voice to sound high-pitched, overly enthusiastic. “That’s me!”

He pulled out her chair, his eyebrow lifting slightly at her exaggerated demeanor. “Nice to meet you. I’ve been looking forward to this.”

She flopped into her chair with all the grace of a clumsy toddler. “Oh, I’m sure you have!” she giggled, batting her eyelashes for added effect. Perfect. Make him think I’m a total nutcase.

Asher’s smile didn’t falter. If anything, it grew wider. “So,” he began, sitting back down, “what do you do, Alissa?”

Alissa blinked, momentarily thrown off by his cool composure. “Oh, uh, I work with numbers. You know, accounting. I love spreadsheets. They’re just…so fun!”

“Spreadsheets,” Asher repeated slowly, his lips twitching as if holding back laughter. “Sounds... riveting.”

Alissa waved a hand dramatically. “Oh, they are. I could talk about them all night!”

Asher chuckled softly. “I’ll bet you could.” He was watching her closely now, like he was trying to figure out a puzzle. His gaze lingered a little too long on her ridiculous outfit, and for a brief moment, she wondered if he could see right through her act.

She shifted in her seat, fidgeting with her napkin. This wasn’t going to plan at all. He wasn’t rolling his eyes or looking bored. He was amused. Genuinely amused.

“What about you?” she asked, trying to steer the conversation away from her floundering performance. “What do you do?”

“Oh, I run a little company,” he said casually, his tone nonchalant.

She squinted at him. “A little company? Do you mean, like, a food truck or something?”

His smile deepened. “Something like that.”

Alissa nodded sagely, pretending to understand. “Well, that sounds… neat.”

For the next few minutes, Alissa tried her hardest to be the most obnoxious date possible. She interrupted him constantly, gushed about her love for reality TV, and talked with her mouth full. But every time she thought she was crossing the line, he just smiled wider, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

Finally, the waiter came to take their orders. Alissa leaned forward dramatically. “Do you have, like, the most expensive thing on the menu?” she asked, barely glancing at the options. “I want that.”

The waiter blinked in surprise, and Asher’s lips twitched again, but he didn’t intervene. “Certainly, ma’am,” the waiter said, scribbling down her request.

Asher ordered something simple—a steak—and leaned back in his chair, his eyes still fixed on her.

“So, Alissa,” he said, after a moment of silence. “This… isn’t you, is it?”

She froze, her heart skipping a beat. “What do you mean?” she asked, feigning confusion.

“This whole act,” he gestured to her outfit, her over-the-top behavior. “I don’t think it’s the real you.”

Alissa’s stomach dropped. How was he seeing through her so easily? She swallowed, trying to stay in character. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, laughing a little too loudly.

Asher leaned forward slightly, his gaze more intense now. “You don’t have to pretend. I get it.”

Her heart pounded in her chest as she stared at him, unsure of what to say. For the first time that evening, she felt like she was completely out of her depth.

Asher’s smile softened. “Tell me, how much did Ashley pay you to come on this date?”

Alissa’s mouth went dry. How did he know about Ashley? She hadn’t mentioned her name.

She fumbled for an answer, but before she could respond, Asher’s phone buzzed on the table. He glanced at the screen, then back at her, his eyes still glinting with amusement.

“Well,” he said, standing up and buttoning his suit jacket. “I think we’ve had enough fun for tonight, don’t you?”

Alissa blinked, unsure of what was happening. “You’re leaving?”

He smiled, but there was something unreadable in his expression. “Let’s just say I’ve got a feeling this won’t be the last time we see each other.”

And with that, he walked out of the restaurant, leaving Alissa sitting there, speechless and completely bewildered.

She watched him

go, her mind racing. How had he figured it out? And more importantly—what was going to happen next?