Chapter 136

Later that evening, I was halfway through my second cup of coffee at a café when my blind date, Pete Bundy, finally arrived. He wasn't overweight or balding; his light blue shirt was clean, and he looked much as his profile had described. While I wasn't catfished, his tardiness certainly lowered my initial impression. Luckily, I wasn't actually interested in dating him; I'd hired him to deal with Jace.

"Sorry I'm late," Pete apologized.

"No problem. I'm not really here for a date. I'm looking to hire someone to pretend to be my boyfriend," I said bluntly.

Pete froze. "Hire a boyfriend?"

"Yes. I'm not interested in a real relationship, but I urgently need a boyfriend for my current situation," I explained, laying everything out for him.

Pete remained silent, and I thought he might be upset. "I'll pay you," I added.

"Seems like you have money," Pete remarked, squinting slightly as he looked into my eyes. That reaction—the excitement about money—made me slightly uncomfortable, but his interest was perfect for making this deal work.

Ignoring his comment, I laid out my proposal. "You can be paid daily or monthly. How much do you think is reasonable?"

"So, how much are you willing to pay? And does this 'rental' include just appearances, or the whole package?" His question revealed he was experienced in this. He'd done this before. And I wasn't the first.

"Just appearances." I wouldn't agree to anything more.

"What about intimate or physical contact?" Pete asked professionally.

I smirked. "I can tell you've done this before. What kind of terms did you usually work with? Give me a reference."

"Actually, I was genuinely interested in this date. I'm seriously looking for the right girl to start a relationship with," Pete suddenly changed his tune. Was he trying to inflate the price?

"You can find the right girl after we finish this deal. Shouldn't be a problem," I said calmly.

"I'm pretty happy with you. But are you sure you don't want to get to know me better? Maybe start as friends? You could solve your problem and end up with a top-tier boyfriend," Pete countered confidently. That was exactly what Hayden had wanted.

"I have my own plans. If you're not interested, that's fine—I'll find someone else," I replied firmly.

Pete quickly relented and stated his terms. "To hire me: $100 a day for up to seven days, no physical contact. More than a week is $2,800 a month, even if it's just eight days."

I almost laughed at the oddly specific pricing. "Physical contact is extra. Holding hands? $30 a day, unlimited. Hugs? $60 a day, unlimited. A kiss is $200, and a French kiss? Double that."

As he finished, I realized how much money one could make this way. My marketing mind engaged, and I couldn't help but ask, "And what if we sleep together?" Pete's lips tightened. "Sleeping together is $2,000."

"If you do a few of these gigs a year, you could rake in some serious cash," I said, half-mocking, half-serious. I even wondered if Pete's lateness stemmed from negotiating with someone else beforehand.