1 - Joanna

1

Joanna

"You want me to do what?" I snapped.

The customers at the surrounding tables glanced over at my outburst for a moment, then returned to their meals. Jack, my brother, spread his hands.

"It's just for one night."

"What happened to hooking me up with someone real?" I asked. "That was the last promise you made to me. At Christmas."

"I'm still working on it," Jack replied. "But in the meantime, you should do this. Pretend to be Landon's girlfriend for a night. Two hours tops ."

"I have a date tonight. An actual date."

"Is he hot?" Jack asked.

"There's more to a person than their appearance, you know."

Jack snickered. "That's a no."

"He's somewhat handsome," I said. In truth, my Bumble date tonight was just okay looking. Not ugly, but only average. A five, maybe six out of ten.

"Are you going to sleep with him?" Jack asked. "Or do you still have that stupid point system?"

"My point system is foolproof," I said. "It has never steered me wrong before."

Jack snorted. "Only if we ignore Mateo. And Shaun. Oh! And that guy you brought home for Christmas two years ago, the one with the mullet."

"Chris didn't have a mullet! His hair was just… longer in the back."

"There's a name for that kind of hair, Joanna. A mullet ."

I was indeed still using my point system. Every time a date showed a positive trait, I awarded him a certain number of points—the greater the trait, the more points. If they collected ten points during the evening, I would consider sleeping with them. It was a way for me to logically evaluate a potential sexual partner without letting my in-the-moment emotions control me, and I still relied on it every time.

"No, I'm not using that dumb system," I lied. "And my date will be here in five minutes."

"Then you should skip to the part where you agree to this."

"Why would I do this for a complete stranger?"

"Because," Jack said with a sly smile, "Landon works at DefTec."

Yeah, okay. That was a reason to pay attention. Defense Technologies, or DefTec for short, was a huge defense contractor based here in Chicago. I'd been trying to get a job there for months. So far, I'd been turned down for every position I applied for.

"What does Landon do at DefTec?"

"He's a member of the in-house counsel."

I sat up a little straighter. "Little brother, you now have my full, undivided attention."

"I knew you'd come around." Jack flashed a smile. "Tell me I'm amazing."

"No."

"Do it. Or I won't give you his info."

Just then, my phone vibrated on the table with a text message.

UNKNOWN : Hi, Joanna? This is Landon. Jack gave me your number.

I held the screen toward Jack.

"Okay," he admitted. "So I may have already told him you'd do it."

I let out an annoyed groan. "What if I said no?"

"I knew you wouldn't, because you're a smart woman who would see how good this will be for your career."

"Why does he need someone to pretend to be his girlfriend for a night?"

"I don't know." Jack gestured at the phone. "Ask him yourself. I'm just the middleman."

"You're a butthead," I muttered while texting Landon back.

Me : Hey Landon, Jack just caught me up to speed. You need someone to pretend to be your girlfriend for a night?

Landon : That's the core requirement, correct. Interested?

Me : First tell me why you need a fake girlfriend. Because I can't wrap my head around why someone would do this in the first place.

"What's he saying?" Jack asked, leaning across the table. "Let me see."

I shoved his face away. "Leave me alone, butthead."

Landon : LOL, I don't blame you for asking. My family can be… difficult. My brother is getting married next week. I just got out of a long-term relationship, and they're going to make my life a living hell trying to set me up with everyone they know. If I bring a date to this family dinner, it'll give me some cover.

Me : What do I get in return?

Landon : Jack said you're applying for a position at Defense Technologies. I checked the job listing today: there are over a hundred applicants. I can make sure your resume goes to the top of the pile.

Me : Say less. When is dinner?

Landon : Tomorrow night, McCallister's Bistro. Mom got a reservation for 7:00, but let's meet at the bar at 6:30 to make sure our story is straight.

Me : Deal. See you then.

"See?" Jack said triumphantly. "I knew you would jump on this opportunity. Now will you tell me I'm amazing?"

"You're all right," I admitted. "I'll call you amazing if I get that job."

Now that I had agreed to it, the whole thing seemed even more crazy. I was a theater girl in high school, but that was ten years ago. Back then I worked with a script, memorizing lines and then reciting them for weeks in the mirror until they were perfect. This dinner was happening tomorrow , and it seemed like I would be winging it. It was a disaster waiting to happen. Something I never would have agreed to a year ago.

But now, after being rejected for three positions at DefTec? I was willing to try anything. Even something really stupid.

"I kind of want to go to the restaurant and watch from a distance," Jack said. "There's no way this won't be entertaining."

"If I see you anywhere near McCallister's tomorrow," I warned, "I'll stab you with a steak knife." I picked up the butter knife on the table and held it toward my brother.

He held up his hands. "Point taken."

I was still holding out the butter knife when a man behind Jack cleared his throat. "Um, are you Joanna?"

It was my date for the evening, Theo. I recognized his face from Bumble.

But he was way hotter in person than on his dating profile.