27 - Landon

27

Landon

I didn't like Joanna.

That fact was obvious from the moment we met at the restaurant before having dinner with my family. She was blunt and impulsive, two characteristics I hated in the women I dated. She'd invited herself to the wedding, for crying out loud. After the first hour with her, I was eager to finish this agreement and be rid of her.

But something changed at the wedding. I wasn't sure when it happened: dancing together sober, dancing together drunk, waking up spooning her with my morning wood wedged against her ass…

I saw her in a completely new light. Quite literally: the morning sunlight was streaming through the window and playing in her blonde hair, making it glisten like gold. I didn't understand it, but I couldn't deny it. There was something about her that I was now drawn to, and I couldn't shake the feeling.

So when she told me to think of an excuse for her to skip out on the honeymoon, I found myself replying, "Actually, I think you should come to Jamaica."

Her jaw fell open and a chewed up bit of pancake fell back onto her plate. "What? No you don't. That's not what you're supposed to say!"

She's right. That's not what I should be saying. Yet I bulled forward, ignoring the screaming voice in my head that said this was a bad idea.

"My mom loves you," I explained. "It would piss her off if you bailed now. Then she would spend the entire honeymoon introducing me to all the single women at the resort."

Joanna groaned. She was cute when she was frustrated.

I gave myself a mental shake. What's gotten into me?

"Let me guess," she muttered into her pancakes. "If I refuse to go, you'll bail on your end of the deal."

"Actually, no."

She jerked in surprise. "Really?"

"You've gone above and beyond the original agreement. I couldn't have asked for a better fake girlfriend. If you choose not to go to Jamaica, I'll understand. And I'll still tell Phil to hire you. But I hope you'll go. What else are you going to do this week?"

"Grovel for my job, probably," she replied. "It won't work, but I have to try. I don't like being in limbo. I have an apartment to pay for, and student loans, and way too many other bills. If I somehow don't get the job at DefTec…"

"I'm going to make sure you get it," I assured her.

"And what if you can't?" she challenged. "What if they find someone better than me, someone so qualified that they have no choice but to ignore your recommendation? I'd be screwed!"

"No, you wouldn't."

"Yes," she reiterated, "I would."

I leaned a little closer. "I promise you this: if you don't get that position, I'll make sure you get another one. It's a big company. There are always a dozen or so open positions. And I have a lot of sway."

Joanna put down her fork and stared at me for several seconds. "You would do that for me?"

"After the way you performed last night, and at the rehearsal dinner? Absolutely." I waved a hand. "But forget all of that. Think about this: it's a free vacation to the Caribbean! To an all-inclusive resort! We'll be spending most of our time relaxing on the beach, or by the pool. You'll barely have to do any pretending."

I could see her thinking about it, realizing it was a really sweet deal.

"You make several good points," she admitted. "And I could use a vacation. I haven't been on one in years."

"I thought you went to Jamaica for work earlier this year?"

Joanna rolled her eyes. "That was a work trip. It rained every day, and the company was awful."

"So it's settled, then?" I asked.

"I have one condition," she said. "I get to order as much room service as I want. And you have to pay for it."

That seemed like a weird thing to request. Like there was a joke I was missing or something.

"Joanna, it's an all-inclusive resort."

"Yes, you said that already."

"That means everything is included," I explained. "Even room service."

Her eyes went wide. She had really pretty eyes, I was just now noticing. "You should have led with the free room service." Then she waved at my mom a few tables over. "Danicka! I'm in!"

My mom came rushing over, all smiles. "That's wonderful, because I found someone to watch your cat. His name is Hank, and he's the young man who mows our lawn. I'll give him your address and set up the schedule. He says he can stop by once a day."

When she walked away, I gave Joanna a questioning stare.

"I may have told your mom I have a cat," she revealed. "Great. Now I have to find a cat for Hank to watch."

She grinned at me, which made my stomach flutter. She had a gorgeous smile when she wasn't angry. Why hadn't I noticed that before?

Yeah. I may have a crush on this girl.