The Boyfriend Experience (The Boyfriend Experience 1)

“He’s an ob-gyn.”

The salon went quiet, and Evie met Peyton’s wide-eyed stare in the mirror, both of them telegraphing the same thought . . . no fucking way.

“Oh my God. Are you kidding me?” Jessica stopped filing the girl’s nails to gape at Lacey in shock. “Nobody wants to date a guy who spends most of his day with his face and hands up in a woman’s business!”

Evie and Peyton struggled not to burst out laughing, and Evie failed as a small snort managed to escape past her lips, which in turn made Peyton snicker.

“I was just trying to be helpful,” Lacey said, her face scrunching up as she thought about the guy’s profession. “I think that’s why he’s had such a hard time finding, and keeping, a girlfriend. They’re all intimidated by the amount of pussy he’s seen. But ob-gyns need love, too.”

Evie groaned. She was so done with this conversation. “I appreciate everyone’s help, but I’ll be just fine. Really.”

But really, she wasn’t fine. Not when she was beginning to seriously question her taste in men. Eric wasn’t the first guy to string her along, only to blindside her with the realization that he’d never intended for her to be anything more than a convenient side piece for him to fuck when the mood struck. Not that she was opposed to having a friend-with-benefits kind of agreement, as long as she was clued in to the terms of the relationship beforehand and the guy she was sleeping with was single.

So, while Eric’s delivery might have been different than previous guys, the end result was the same. She was left feeling like crap about herself . . . and back to square one when it came to finding a decent man who wanted a committed relationship with her.

“So, you never answered that girl’s question,” Peyton said, her voice low to keep their conversation private. “Why do you need a single guy, Evie? Is it for that Fourth of July family reunion you mentioned you’re going to in a few weeks?”

“Kind of?” she replied, not sure how to explain her situation.

An understanding look passed through Peyton’s eyes. “Is your family pressuring you to settle down and you want to avoid the hassle?”

Done straightening Peyton’s long blonde hair, Evie finished off the style with a glossing spray that added a nice shine to her locks. “Actually, no. That’s not it at all.” Her reasons were more complicated and personal, and since Peyton had been through a similar scenario, she decided to confide in her.

“My parents are actually great. They’re supportive and have a very open-minded approach to relationships, and they’ve never made me feel as though they expect me to get married at any point in my life.” They were also a little eccentric and unconventional, which was a conversation for another day. “The truth is . . . I just don’t want to deal with those pitiful looks and comments when my relatives find out I’ve been dumped. Again.” That was the simple explanation to something that was far more complex.

“I might have a solution for you,” Peyton said, and she must have seen the skeptical look on Evie’s face, because she quickly held up a hand and added, “Hear me out. My brother-in-law, Dylan, is an app developer, and he recently created one called the Boyfriend Experience.”

“Okay . . .” Evie frowned. “Is it an escort service?”

“No, nothing sordid like that,” Peyton assured her with a small laugh. “It’s a legit app for women who want or need a guy for a special occasion or event. There is a fee for their services, but it’s not for a sexual exchange or a hookup. It’s actually kind of cool because you have the ability to choose the perfect man for you, based on what you need him for.”

Evie unsnapped the black hair-cutting cape secured around Peyton’s neck and shook it out. “Sounds way too good to be true, but I’ll admit I’m intrigued.” A temporary boyfriend would go a long way in making the reunion much more bearable, not to mention, it would help her having to face yet another ex-boyfriend who’d broken up with her and was now engaged to Evie’s cousin, Raquel. She wasn’t looking forward to that awkward meet and greet, either.

“All of the applicants are vetted through background checks,” Peyton went on, a tinge of excitement in her voice now that she’d piqued Evie’s interest. “The app hasn’t officially launched yet. It’s in the beta testing phase, but since Dylan is my husband’s brother, I’m sure I could persuade him to add you to the app now as long as you participate in the questionnaire you’ll receive once the date is complete. What do you think?”

Evie thought she was crazy for seriously considering the idea, but the notion of spending a long weekend with her relatives, and her cousin, who always made her feel lacking, outweighed the embarrassment of hiring a fake boyfriend so she didn’t have to deal with any drama.