Page 17 of Fake It For Glory

I finished up the questionnaire and handed the tablet back to her. “Do you get a lot of famous men in here?”

“Famous?”

“Like politicians or celebrities?” I asked. “There was a governor candidate about a year ago that showed up to an event with a beautiful woman. No one knew who she was. Was she one of your girls?”

“I take client confidentiality very seriously,” she said in a firm voice. “There are severe penalties for anyone who breaks the confidentiality agreement. Just like the clients are not allowed to tell anyone their date is a paid escort, the escorts are forbidden from ever discussing who they’ve gone out with.”

I sighed, realizing I wasn’t going to get anything more from her. “Fair enough, I get it.” I decided to steer the conversation in a different direction. “Can you tell me about the job Jensen Loxley offered me? Why does he need a girl on his arm? Am I allowed to know that? I assume he met with you and is officially a client.”

“He is,” she said, smiling. “Jensen is about to launch his AI program, and he’s going to be promoting it at a series of high-profile events. Image is everything in the tech world, and his needs softening. That’s where you come in.”

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued but still a bit puzzled. “Softening his image? What does that have to do with his AI program?”

Della leaned forward, her tone conspiratorial. “Merida, you see, the tech industry can be quite cutthroat and competitive. Jensen’s known for being brilliant, but he’s also known for being, well, a bit of a recluse and a hard-nosed businessman. He needs to change that perception. Having a pretty girl like you on his arm at these events will humanize him, make him more approachable and relatable. It’s all about image these days.”

I digested the information, realizing that this opportunity might be even more significant than I thought. “So, it’s not just about being a date for him? It’s about his public image?”

Della nodded. “Exactly. It’s a strategic move to present him as a different kind of tech mogul, one who’s not just about the cold, hard numbers and algorithms. And who better than you to help with that, Merida? It’s a six-week schedule of events he’s looking to have a date for. Are you going to be available?”

“I don’t know,” I murmured.

“I think you are exactly the kind of young woman he needs on his arm,” she said, smiling. “I probably would have come to the same conclusion after I reviewed your application.”

That was not what I was expecting. I didn’t know if I was really capable of softening anyone’s image. “Me?” I asked softly.

“You,” she said, nodding. “When a client handpicks their date, who am I to deny them?”

“How does this work?” I asked.

“Normally, I would review your application and match you with a client. In this case, I simply need you to sign the NDA and the form giving me permission to run a background check. I will keep your application in the system to use for future clients.”

“So, the same woman can go out with several different clients?”

“Of course,” she said, smiling brightly. “Some are recommended by their friends.”

It was all information pertinent to Dalton’s story. “But I don’t decide right now, right?” I asked.

I supposed I had cold feet. I was only supposed to be getting in the door and researching the process. I wasn’t planning on actually going on a date. I sure as hell wasn’t counting on getting paid that kind of money.

“You don’t need to decide right now, but I think it’s important we let Jensen know right away. He’s clearly eager to get the ball rolling on this.”

“Of course,” I said, nodding.

“I’ll get the background run,” she said, smiling. “Assuming there’s nothing to find, it will be a quick search.”

I got to my feet and thanked her before practically running out of her office. Before I even realized what I was doing, I did exactly what Jensen did. I threw open the door in my hurry to escape. I understood why he had been in such a hurry. My heart was pounding with adrenaline pumping through my veins. I couldn’t believe I just did my first undercover work. It was exciting and terrifying at the same time.

I sat in my car, still buzzing with excitement and nerves after meeting Jensen Loxley. It was time to make a decision, and I knew I had to call Dalton and fill him in on the unexpected turn of events. But there was one thing I couldn’t bring myself to mention—how much money Jensen had offered to pay me for this gig. It was an astronomical figure, and I didn’t want Dalton to think I was in it solely for the cash. The deal was to find out what the application process was, not actually go on a date.

I couldn’t really explain why, but I didn’t want anyone to know. Plus, technically, I did sign an NDA. I wasn’t supposed to talk about it. Going out with Jensen was for me. It was my chance to get to know him. How I was going to use what I learned in my story was another matter. With the NDA, I would have to be very careful about the information I used in the story I wanted to write. I could always cite anonymous sources, but it was still going to be very tricky.

That was something to worry about later. I had yet to decide if that was what I was for sure going to do. It wasn’t about the money. It was about the man and the story. And a lot about the man.

I was a red-blooded woman and Jensen Loxley was a smoke show.

I dialed Dalton’s number. “Merida, how did it go?” His voice was eager, and I could sense his anticipation.

I took a deep breath. “It went better than I could have imagined.”