16. Marissa

Isit on the hotel bed, my back against the headboard as I mindlessly flip through the channels on the television. The room feels too quiet, and my thoughts are louder than ever.

It’s been a whirlwind of a journey so far with Charlie, and it seems like success is just within our grasp. We’ve grown so close in such a short amount of time, and I’m proud of us for what we’ve achieved.

I’m also confused. Conflicted.

Soon, we’ll be returning to Chicago, to our separate lives, and I’ll miss spending every day with him. It needs to be this way, though, and I still plan on handing him over to Isaac or another agent once I start getting more of my own clients.

It’s the right choice, and deep down I know this.

I just don’t want it to be the case. I can’t stop myself from imagining another world where Charlie and I are in love and he’s the kind of man to settle down, to commit to one woman. A world where the show we’re putting on every day isn’t an act.

My cellphone rings, making me jump. I reach over to grab it, thinking it’s Charlie asking about our plans tonight, but instead it’s Isaac.

“Hello?” I answer.

“Checking in. What’s the report?”

I press my lips together hard. Would a “How are you doing” kill the man?

Still, even his rude behavior can’t get me down. “The report is great. The meeting went incredibly well. Charlie nailed the interview, and the reps were really impressed.”

I smile to myself, satisfied that I’ve gone above and beyond and achieved more than my boss ever thought I could.

“Ah, that’s great news, Marissa,” Isaac replies, his tone noticeably flat.

My stomach twists as I frown, confusion washing over me. I’d expected more excitement from him. Or maybe even disbelief. Or some kind of hostility over my success.

But this? It’s nothing.

“Is everything okay?” I ask, unable to shake the nagging feeling that something isn’t right.

“Everything’s fine,” he says dismissively. “I’m just busy at the moment. I’ll call you later to discuss further.”

Uh… okay?

He was the one who called me. Why is he suddenly being so weird?

“Sure. Talk to you later.”

I end the call, my heart heavy. Why isn’t Isaac as thrilled about our success as I am? If Charlie makes a team, it will look good for all of Abernathy.

I toss my phone onto the bed and stand, pacing the room as I try to make sense of the situation. Maybe he’s just having a bad day, or maybe there’s something going on that I don’t know about. Whatever it is, I can’t let it dampen my spirits. Today was a victory, and I’ll be savoring it for as long as possible.

Especially since, right now, it’s all I have. When you take away this burgeoning success, I’m just a junior agent with a crush on her one client. All in all, that looks pretty pathetic.

My thoughts are interrupted by a knock on the door. I pull myself together and open it, finding Charlie standing there with a wide smile on his face. He’s showered and changed into more casual clothes — a simple T-shirt that hugs his muscular arms and a pair of jeans that fit him just right.

I gulp and do my best to hide any reaction. Despite the casual attire, he still looks amazing.

“Hey!” he exclaims, beaming. “How’s it going?”

“Okay.” I usually invite him in, but now I don’t step aside. I stay where I am, clutching the door handle.

Maybe we shouldn’t be spending this much time together. It’s not like we need to. We’ve already learned more about each other than most real couples know, and if I keep this up, it won’t end well. I’ll become even more attached to him, and then when we part ways, I’ll end up even more crushed.

“I’m great.” He comes right into my room without an invitation, oblivious to my inner turmoil. “You know, we should celebrate tonight. We’ve earned it.”

“Maybe…” I hesitate, knowing full well that I shouldn’t let my emotions get the better of me.

It’s not like anything would happen between us, but still… I need to protect my heart.

Yet the thought of spending an evening out with him, laughing and enjoying each other’s company, is incredibly tempting.

“Come on,” he says, sensing my hesitation. “It’ll be fun. Besides, it’s good for our cover, right?”

I pause, considering his words. He has a point. As much as I’d like to deny it, being seen together does help sell the idea of our relationship. And although mixing business with pleasure isn’t ideal, maybe it’s necessary in this case.

“Sure,” I agree, finally giving in. “Let’s celebrate.”

“Great!” His face lights up. “I know just the place. Get ready, and I’ll meet you downstairs in thirty.”

“Sounds good,” I reply, my spirits lifting slightly. Going out with Charlie is always fun, and maybe I’m selling myself short and I really can compartmentalize all of this.

As he leaves, I close the door and lean against it for support. My pulse races in my veins, and I feel a thrill at the thought of spending more time with Charlie. But I need to remember that he’s my client, not my boyfriend — no matter how much my heart yearns for it to be otherwise.

I ready myself for our night out, my thoughts a whirlwind of excitement and trepidation. As I slide on a pair of black heels and apply a final touch of lipstick, I try to shake off the lingering unease both from going out with Charlie and Isaac’s less-than-enthusiastic reaction to our success. I’m overthinking things and need to put my busy mind on the back burner.

With one last glance in the mirror, I steel my resolve and head downstairs, determined to enjoy this evening for what it is: a celebration of our hard work, and a necessary part of our professional charade.