Everything was going well according to plan. Mercury Wild looked its finest. Trevor and Jasmine really got the place spruced up for the big announcement. Some of our other friends even came in to help out fix up some decorations, clean the place and get it all ready for the party.

Of course, this was no ordinary party. I brought in our friend Damon, who was a professional football player in the NFL, and invited my sister’s friends who were all popular writers. Trevor got to bring our friend Preston, one of the richest billionaire celebrities, along with Preston’s new wife Lyla. My sister invited the mayor and with him added, this party was looking like the biggest event in town.

“Well, people are starting to arrive,” I told Noelle. I picked her up just an hour ago and we were here in the hotel room getting ready. I was hoping to bring her to my condominium but we had to go shopping for clothes first since she didn’t have anything formal and this was the closest place to get ready at.

I put on a nice black business suit and I bought her a sexy white outfit. It was probably a little too revealing, being a tight, off-shoulder mini-dress, but it looked amazing on her. She accentuated her look even further by pairing the dress with high heels, looped earrings and a gorgeous necklace we picked out at the mall a few minutes prior.

“Oh God, I can’t believe I signed up for this,” she said as she helped me button my dress shirt. “This is the craziest idea I’ve ever heard. I need to get drunk for this.”

I chuckled, “I have to admit that I’m nervous too. We have to sell this and make it look real. Well, we have to sell it to my parents the most.”

“When they ask what I do for a living, what do we say?” she asked me. She started fidgeting with her hair, unsure of whether to keep it tied in a bun or to let her long hair just flow down. “You can’t say I strip at a club.”

She was right about that. I frowned a bit and pondered what story we could come up with. “How about we say you’re a freelance model?”

Noelle blushed and to be honest I found it really adorable. “T-that could work. I’ve never really done that kind of work before though.”

I shrugged it off, “It’s just like stripping, really, since it’s still all about selling your looks to people except you get to keep your clothes on.”

“Okay, I can roll with that,” she said with a grin. “How do I look?”

I took a step back and gave her a quick look-over, “Wow. You’re smoking hot.”

She punched me lightly in the gut and joked, “You’re just teasing me. Come on, let’s go. We don’t want to make your parents and the rest of the guests wait too long. I can’t believe you got the mayor and Preston Maxwell to come as well.”

“Preston’s a friend of mine,” I explained as I reached for the bedside drawer and took my car keys. “As for the mayor, well, that’s my sister’s doing. She got to know him better when he went to one of her book signing events.”

That seemed to impress her. “Very interesting group of friends you have. I wonder why you’ve just settled to be the proverbial playboy.”

She was admittedly really cute when she was being a fan-girl like that. At least she was smiling when she looked at me. I didn’t know if she just found me amusing or if she at least found me attractive. Either option was fine, I guessed.

“Well, today’s the day that everything’s going to change,” I told her as I took her by the hand and we checked out of the hotel.

* * *

Mercury Wild looked more glorious than it ever had. What was once a luxurious bar and bistro was now decorated to look like a Sultan’s grand hall. Even I had to admit that Trevor and our friends really outdid themselves this time.

As soon as Noelle and I walked through the doors and everyone had their eyes on us, I pulled her close to my side and kept my hand on her waist.

“Oh!” she exclaimed in surprise.

“We have to sell this, remember?” I whispered into her ear, reminding her we had to at least look like we were madly in love.

She fidgeted awkwardly but in the end relented and even placed a hand on my chest as we walked through the crowd. We greeted everyone we passed and I even got to introduce her to Jasmine, Trevor’s wife and a key leadership in the J&E Consulting Firm.

As we waded through the crowd, picking up a few glasses of cocktail drinks along the way, I spotted my sister. She was at the VIP table, accompanying my parents and the town mayor. She waved at me as soon as she spotted me, and I took Noelle by the hand and led her that way.

“W-wait, that’s the mayor,” Noelle started to get even more nervous. She clutched my arm tightly and said, “M-maybe you should go first. I can follow in a bit.”

I shook my head, “No, we have to do this together. Come on, just follow my lead. We can do this. Trust me.”

To be completely honest, even I was a bit nervous and unsure. However, I didn’t want to stall this any longer. My father could sign those inheritance papers any day now and I needed to get him on my side.

My father, a tall man with a baldhead and a thick mustache, was the very definition of a stereotypical rich guy. He looked strong, had an aura of authority and always wore the finest clothing that money could buy. My mother, on the other hand, was a little more practical and also more warming to approach.

The mayor, Adam Khatib, was about forty years old and a little hip for a politician. He was the type of guy many respected for his good work managing the city but he was also constantly seen watching live rock bands at local pubs and he loved to play music himself.

“Good evening Mayor Khatib, Mom, Dad,” I greeted as I got up on their VIP corner. “I’d like to introduce my girlfriend and fiancée, Noelle Stanley.”