Boyfriend for Hire!

"Seriously, Holl, the actual nerve! Unbelievable. I can't even." With the phone lodged between her ear and shoulder dip, Savannah pulled her sock up her leg with a muffled groan from almost falling. She continued into the phone, righting herself, "You want to know the darndest part? It's how he builds up all this incredible amount of sexual tension between us and then, poof, switches back into work mode like it was nothing. Like, I was nothing."

Holly's loud stomach-clutching laughter over the phone erupted in a way that had Savannah glaring at the bland kitchen wall. What the hell?

"Just admit that you enjoyed the attention a little too much, you slutty," Holly choked out, mid-laughing. "You liked it… didn't you?"

Savannah slouched onto the bar stool, fiddling with the mug between her fingers on the island. "He's not going with me to Brea's wedding," she said.

"What do you mean he won't?" Holly's voice turned poignantly serious. "Oh my God, Vee!"

Well, was she wrong? Keeping Ryan's arrogantly perfect face out of her head all day had felt like trying to unsee a car crash. His proud smirk was the absolute worst! It had rented space in her brain, and she wasn't even charging rent. For the life of her, Savannah could not process any good thing coming out of his involvement in her charade besides messing with her head. She could already sniff trouble a mile away from his accompanying her to Brea's wedding. "Not effing happening," she muttered under her breath.

"What exactly are you afraid of?" 

"Who said anything about being afraid?"

"You did—technically, your actions do," Holly accused. "If I were you, and Ryan had come up in my face like that, I'd have kissed him on principle and not even so much as bat an eyelid."

Right, like Ryan would take her kissing him lying down. Not a chance. And no amount of gaslighting could convince her he'd wanted to kiss her in the first place. That wasn't what he was after. He got a kick out of startling her, and that was about it. 

Savannah rolled her eyes and helped herself to a fresh herbal tea bag. She was on her fourth cup that evening, determined to shed some weight in light of Breanna's wedding. Her Nonna had left her some of that last spring, swearing it could get rid of body fat faster than a surgically done tummy tuck. But seriously, how long before the herb's potency actually kicked in? Savannah groaned. Wasn't it supposed to be immediate or something?

"Look here." Savannah's grip tightened around her mug as if it were the only thing keeping her from snapping. "I don't buy this ridiculous idea you're trying to sell me about him. I can promise you Ryan does not like me. So whatever fictional Romcom universe you're living in where he's my romantic interest, I want out."

"Message received," Holly said far too cheerfully. "But hear me out: Ryan does like you. And whether you deny it or not doesn't take away from the fact that he clearly does; otherwise, why would he bother pulling a stunt like that after that messy proposal in the canteen earlier? Talk about solidifying his real intentions."

"That's not true."

"It is true."

"What makes you think that?"

"'See', Sweetie. Not 'think'. I've seen him check you out a countless number of times." Holly paused briefly before adding, "Likewise yourself."

"Wait, what?" Savannah barked out a laugh. "Come on, now. That's a blatant lie."

"Don't think I haven't noticed those lingering glances, Vee." Holly carried on, "I always knew there was some tension simmering between you two when you argued all the time. Honestly? I'm glad I'm alive to see it finally boil over."

Savannah didn't dignify that with a response, letting the conversation drift to safer topics until the call finally ended. But as she set her phone down, she resolved to mentally come to terms with the fact that the Ryan she knew, and the Ryan Holly imagined were two entirely separate people. Everything was fine as long as she kept it that way.

With a deep breath, she flipped open her system and dove into work. Briggs' advertising storyboard had to be ready by morning on Ryan's word.

_

10:30 p.m., and Savannah was still staring at a blank screen. Despite trying everything—from devouring a whole basket of walnuts to downing an unhealthy amount of coffee—her brain only got fuzzier. Her thinking hat was certainly broken, leaving only a drape of useless ideas. What had she done to deserve a night like this?

With a loud huff, she shut her laptop, only for Ryan's smug, confident smile to flash in her mind again. Great. Fantastic. Just what I needed.

Savannah pushed herself off the bar stool and marched toward the bedroom. Hopefully, a good night's sleep would cure her brain fuzziness. She thought.

She was mid-flopping onto her mattress when her phone abruptly rang.

"Jesus Christ!" Savannah muttered, startled. "Who on earth could that be? It better not be Ryan. He won't play me like that."

She froze when Holly's caller ID lit up the screen. Why was she calling again? They'd just hung up a couple of hours ago.

"Hello, girlfriend," Holly's high-pitched voice pierced through the phone, making Savannah wince genuinely.

Sitting up, Savannah crossed one leg over the other. "What's up?"

Even without Holly answering immediately, Savannah could tell something was off. Holly's mood seemed different, somewhat upbeat, and the loud music blasting in the background made it pretty clear—was she at a club right now?

"Hey, Vee. Guess who I have here with me?"

"Who could that be?" Savannah asked, feigning interest while she scrambled through her wardrobe for something to wear. Holly at a club at 10:30 p.m. could only mean one thing: a freaking disaster.

"You wouldn't believe it, Vanny!" Holly screeched. "He's so handsome and totally what you'd look for in a man. I'm officially declaring him your boyfriend!"

A bottle clinked in the background, then shattered—rattling so loudly it almost made Savannah jump out of her skin. She managed a steady voice and asked, "Where are you, Holl? Tell me, I'll come pick you up."

"Huh?"

"Which club are you at?" Savannah asked, growing concerned.

"Club? What club?"

The call dropped, and Savannah felt a hard rock drop in the pit of her belly. How in the world would she seek Holly out by merely knowing she was at a club? So not helpful at all. Not one bit.