The woman sounded completely professional.
As though hiring someone to pretend to love you happened every day.
“Just for a few hours,” I explained. “He doesn’t have to do much. Just stand beside me. Smile.”
“Of course. He’ll play whatever role you need.”
After hanging up, I rested both hands on the kitchen counter.
Somehow I had become a woman paying a stranger to make it look as though she was still wanted.
—
We met at a coffee shop the afternoon before the party.
I arrived early, ordered nothing, and shredded a paper napkin while waiting.
When Clark entered, I instinctively looked behind him, convinced someone that attractive had to be meeting someone else.
