Pretenders (Firsts and Forever 3)

My mouth dropped open, and then I asked, “Why would anyone be willing to spend eighteen thousand dollars, just for a date to a wedding?”

“He used to be engaged to the guy his brother is marrying, so this is a big deal to him. He’s heartbroken, but he really wants his family to think he’s fine and has moved on. That’s why you’d be pretending to be his boyfriend, not just his date.”

A million questions sprang to mind. The first one out of my mouth was, “Why’d he leave it to the last minute?”

“He’d been planning to go alone, but he just decided he’d look way too pathetic if he didn’t bring someone.”

“I feel bad for him, but we’re talking about traveling thousands of miles with a total stranger. That doesn’t seem like the safest choice ever.”

“True, but he and I have a mutual acquaintance who vouched for him.” Jasper set aside the ice cream and took his phone from his pocket. “Also, he knows this is asking a lot in terms of trust. That’s why he gave me his full name and contact information and invited me to do some research on him.” He handed me the phone, and as I put my ice cream on the coffee table he said, “This is the guy.”

I’d been all set to turn down this crazy idea until I looked at the photo on Jasper’s screen. It was a website for a pediatrician named Wesley Bennett, and he was absolutely adorable, in a totally dorky sort of way. He was probably in his early thirties, with collar-length brown hair, pale skin, and Clark Kent-worthy black-framed glasses. His startled expression made it seem like he hadn’t expected the camera to go off right then, even though it was a posed portrait. Also, he was wearing a bowtie with his blue Oxford shirt and white lab coat, which made him even cuter as far as I was concerned. I found myself saying, “It wouldn’t hurt to meet him for a drink, right?”

“That’s what I was thinking. I have a good feeling about this guy, but you’d have to go with your gut and decide for yourself after meeting him.”

As I handed the phone back, I said, “If I decided to go to the wedding with him, he really wouldn’t need to pay me. I’d already be getting a free trip out of the deal, and that’s more than enough.”

“Let him pay you, Ash. I’m not just saying that because he’s wealthy and can easily afford it. This is what he wants.”

“To part with eighteen grand?”

“To pay for the right to be the one in control. That’s what so much of my job comes down to,” he explained. “The men who come to me want to call the shots. I’m not just talking about sex, either. They want to know exactly how the night is going to go, without any surprises. That means they don’t have to worry about, let’s say, their date walking out on them over dinner, or picking a fight, or standing them up, because we’ve made a business arrangement.

“Take this guy, Wesley Bennett. The fact that his ex-fiancé is marrying his brother must be devastating. No wonder he’s decided to hire a pro, as opposed to asking one of his buddies to pretend to be his boyfriend. He needs someone who’ll let him be in control of this entire situation, and he doesn’t want any surprises. The financial aspect establishes his authority.”

“That actually makes sense. I can see why someone would want to be the boss in a case like this.” I shifted positions and asked, “So, how’d you leave it when you spoke to him?”

“After I realized I couldn’t go, I told him I had a colleague who might be available. Then I promised to get back to him in the morning and let him know if you’re willing to meet for a drink.”

I mulled over the word “colleague” and said, “So, he’ll think I’m a prostitute. I mean, a sex worker.”

Jasper grinned and said, “I’ve never minded either term. And yeah, that’s what he’ll assume.”

Of course he would, and that was exactly what I’d be if I took this guy’s money in exchange for my time. I looked into my friend’s soulful dark eyes and tried to decide how I felt about this. He’d done that job for about eight years, and I really didn’t think there was anything wrong with a financial arrangement between two consenting adults. I also respected Jasper for refusing to let anyone shame him for his choices.

But at the same time, I didn’t know how well I’d deal with people judging me for it—and I knew I’d be judged, because I’d seen it happen to Jasper way too often. And there was one other thing weighing on me, so I asked, “What if he changes his mind and expects me to sleep with him? I’m not sure how I feel about that.”