Love For Hire: The Helena's Grove Series Book 2 by Ivy Alexander Page A
Authors: Ivy Alexander
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I’m a lawyer; I can spot a lie a hundred miles away, especially coming from you since you’re a crappy liar.”
Annie shook her head and took a deep breath. “It wasn’t… it wasn’t that kiss because…” she closed her eyes and said the next words as fast as she could, “Marcus isn’t really my boyfriend, I hired him.”
Jen’s mouth hung open, her eyes the size of silver dollars. “You what?” She wasn’t sure she’d heard Annie correctly.
Annie let the whole story out. She told Jen about Roxy, about how she’d given her the idea, and how when she’d met Marcus he seemed so perfect and confident; how professional he’d been and how he’d assured her it would all work out. It would have all worked out, if only…
“If only you hadn’t fallen in love with him?” Jen stated dramatically.
“I’m not in love with him,” Annie defended. “I just really, really, really want to continue seeing him once we get back to Penn State.”
“Yeah whatever, call it what you want. But from what I’ve seen over the last week, from what I saw with that kiss just now, there is so much more going on here than just a business deal.”
Annie sighed in frustration. “It’s all business.”
Jen shook her head. “Annie, when I say there is more going on than just business I’m not talking about just you. He has feelings too. Anyone that has seen the two of you together knows that.”
“He’s a very good actor. He literally studies how to be the perfect boyfriend. It’s his job. He doesn’t really like me, he’s just very convincing.”
“Stop it!” Jen said loudly and Annie looked around, glad that most of the people were still outside. “Stop thinking that it’s impossible for someone to love you and think you’re hot and want to be with you because it’s not impossible. You are an amazing person! Don’t you know how lucky any guy would be to have you?”
“Jen, you’ve seen Marcus. He could have any girl he wanted with just a smile and a wink. And I’m sure he does. Roxy told me all of these guys are charming, charismatic, womanizers.”
“That may be true, and to be honest it wouldn’t surprise me if it was. But don’t you owe it to yourself to find out?”
“What are you suggesting?”
“I’m suggesting you tell him how you feel. Tell him you want to date him, for real this time. If he doesn’t want to then at least you’ll know for sure and you can move on. But if he does, and I think he will, then you’d both have a shot at seeing where it could go.”
“That seems like an awfully big risk.” Annie was shaking her head.
“Life is risk Annie. You’ve played it safe for so long. Why not take a chance?”
“What if I get hurt? What if he hurts me?”
“Would getting hurt be worse than lying in your bed night after night wondering what if ?”
Annie played with the bracelet on her wrist. “It might be,” she whispered.
Suddenly Zack appeared next to them. “There you girls are. Aunt Gabby is ready to leave and frankly, so am I. This crowd is a little too big for comfort.”
Jen smiled at him. “Oh honey, there are more people than this on the subway in New York.”
“Which is why we don’t live there,” Zack said, putting his arm around her shoulders. “Ready sis?”
“We’ll be out in a minute; will you go get the car?” Jen asked quickly.
“Sure.” He looked from one woman to the other and then nodded at Jen as if he got a clue.
“Annie,” Jen said taking Annie’s hands in her own, “I know I haven’t really known you for that long, but I feel like I have. You were a friend to me when I wasn’t very nice to you, and that’s one of the things I love most about you, your ability to see the good in everyone. It’s so rare and I love you for it but it’s also a shield for your own feelings. I know it’s hard but, risk is what makes life worth living.” Annie raised her eyes to look at her and Jen smiled that beautiful smile that seemed to
Annie shook her head and took a deep breath. “It wasn’t… it wasn’t that kiss because…” she closed her eyes and said the next words as fast as she could, “Marcus isn’t really my boyfriend, I hired him.”
Jen’s mouth hung open, her eyes the size of silver dollars. “You what?” She wasn’t sure she’d heard Annie correctly.
Annie let the whole story out. She told Jen about Roxy, about how she’d given her the idea, and how when she’d met Marcus he seemed so perfect and confident; how professional he’d been and how he’d assured her it would all work out. It would have all worked out, if only…
“If only you hadn’t fallen in love with him?” Jen stated dramatically.
“I’m not in love with him,” Annie defended. “I just really, really, really want to continue seeing him once we get back to Penn State.”
“Yeah whatever, call it what you want. But from what I’ve seen over the last week, from what I saw with that kiss just now, there is so much more going on here than just a business deal.”
Annie sighed in frustration. “It’s all business.”
Jen shook her head. “Annie, when I say there is more going on than just business I’m not talking about just you. He has feelings too. Anyone that has seen the two of you together knows that.”
“He’s a very good actor. He literally studies how to be the perfect boyfriend. It’s his job. He doesn’t really like me, he’s just very convincing.”
“Stop it!” Jen said loudly and Annie looked around, glad that most of the people were still outside. “Stop thinking that it’s impossible for someone to love you and think you’re hot and want to be with you because it’s not impossible. You are an amazing person! Don’t you know how lucky any guy would be to have you?”
“Jen, you’ve seen Marcus. He could have any girl he wanted with just a smile and a wink. And I’m sure he does. Roxy told me all of these guys are charming, charismatic, womanizers.”
“That may be true, and to be honest it wouldn’t surprise me if it was. But don’t you owe it to yourself to find out?”
“What are you suggesting?”
“I’m suggesting you tell him how you feel. Tell him you want to date him, for real this time. If he doesn’t want to then at least you’ll know for sure and you can move on. But if he does, and I think he will, then you’d both have a shot at seeing where it could go.”
“That seems like an awfully big risk.” Annie was shaking her head.
“Life is risk Annie. You’ve played it safe for so long. Why not take a chance?”
“What if I get hurt? What if he hurts me?”
“Would getting hurt be worse than lying in your bed night after night wondering what if ?”
Annie played with the bracelet on her wrist. “It might be,” she whispered.
Suddenly Zack appeared next to them. “There you girls are. Aunt Gabby is ready to leave and frankly, so am I. This crowd is a little too big for comfort.”
Jen smiled at him. “Oh honey, there are more people than this on the subway in New York.”
“Which is why we don’t live there,” Zack said, putting his arm around her shoulders. “Ready sis?”
“We’ll be out in a minute; will you go get the car?” Jen asked quickly.
“Sure.” He looked from one woman to the other and then nodded at Jen as if he got a clue.
“Annie,” Jen said taking Annie’s hands in her own, “I know I haven’t really known you for that long, but I feel like I have. You were a friend to me when I wasn’t very nice to you, and that’s one of the things I love most about you, your ability to see the good in everyone. It’s so rare and I love you for it but it’s also a shield for your own feelings. I know it’s hard but, risk is what makes life worth living.” Annie raised her eyes to look at her and Jen smiled that beautiful smile that seemed to
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