AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Angelina hadn’t realized she had said that out loud. This had turned into one of her unusual dates. There were no cops, but the night was still young.
“My father comes into my office spouting his bullshit for all to hear. It is driving my clients away. They don’t care who shares my bed. People don’t want to listen to a sermon while waiting for legal advice. I could move, but this is my home. I grew up here, went to school, and we made our home together in this town. Max’s business is here. We love our lives here, except for him. I can’t call the police to have him removed without causing a scene and making it worse. I couldn’t care less if I get cut out of the old man’s will, but my mother is a different story.”
“Is your mother okay with you and Max?”
“My mother loves Max. They trade recipes and text each other dirty jokes. Mom comes over once a week to have breakfast and talk shit with my man. She is just waiting for the old man to kick off so she can inherit it all. With his heart condition, he doesn’t have many years left. Thanks to a prenup, she gets nothing in a divorce. Widowed, she is set for life. She has stuck with him this long, may as well make it worth it.”
Angelina chuckled.
“All I need is to be seen with someone out and about. Once a week or so should be good. It doesn’t have to be anything like a formal date. We can do dinner at the house or go grocery shopping.”
“Something to get rumors started,” she nodded.
“Exactly.”
“I don’t have to go to family dinner?”
“Honey, I don’t go to family dinner.”
Angelina chewed on her lip for a minute, deep in thought. She missed it if there was a downside to this.
“Why me?”
“Uh,” Jake fumbled.
“Oh, sweet baby Jesus,” Angelina groaned.
“It isn’t that bad,” Jake admonished. “If I had to pick a woman, I would want her to be a successful, accomplished woman. One that stands on her own two feet. I know nothing about picking one out, but that attracted me to Max. Well, that and he is smoking hot and hung like a dream.”
“Okay.”
“Okay, like okay, okay?” Jake’s eyes light up.
“I will do it,” she agreed. “But I’m still going to date other people.”
“No problem. We can make a schedule. We can’t have the lady bits being neglected.”
“Not an issue. My lady bits have gone into hibernation.”
“No,” Jake shook his head. “What the hell is wrong with heteros these days? You are a strong, successful woman. Someone should be making you roar.”
Before she knew what he was doing, Jake flagged Max down.
“My love, we are going to play tit for tat. Angelina is going to help us out, and we are going to help her. We may not be the usual fairy godmothers, but we can help her find a man.”
Max just stared as Angelina’s jaw dropped.
“I am not wearing a fucking tutu,” Max growled and walked away.
“He’s in,” Jake smiled.
Angelina wasn’t sure if she should laugh or cry. She came out hoping to make a connection. Instead, she became a fake girlfriend for a guy who wanted to live and work in peace. On a good note, at least the cops didn’t show up.
Chapter 2
“Good morning, gentleman.” Angelina smiled at the men seated at her conference table.
A sense of pride filled her each time clients sat at her table. When her father retired from the Army, he signed over his family’s farm and bought an RV. He wanted to see the world before he was too old. The fields she leased to a neighbor but the barn she kept for herself. As a little girl, she spent hours in the hayloft dreaming. Now she spent hours up there creating other people’s dreams.
