THE COFFEE SHOP WAS one of those cute, charming little places that always seemed to be bustling with energy. It had high ceilings, a lot of seating, and tight aisle ways that were hard to push through even when quiet. Thankfully, today there weren’t a lot of people there, which gave Riley and the woman she’d met on Instagram plenty of privacy.

She’d met the woman by chance as she cruised through Harrison’s online information. Researching him had almost been too easy, so much so that she was wary about believing everything she read. Still, when Melissa’s name had popped up on one of his old photos, Riley had decided to take the plunge and ask her out for coffee. She still had yet to tell her exactly why, too embarrassed really to tell her until now.

“So... I have to explain something to you, Melissa. And I know this is so...weird.” She laughed nervously.

“A little, yeah.” Melissa smiled and clasped her hands on the top of the table. Long, straight black hair fell just to the small of her back, and it was so glossy that Riley had a hard time looking away from it. “I figure it’s gotta have something to do with Harrison, though...doesn’t it?”

“Yes...” She cleared her throat. “Actually, it has everything to do with Harrison. I’ve been... I mean...” She took a deep breath. “Okay, let me start again: I’ve been out with him a few times, and he seems almost too nice. He never really talks to me about his past or anything. He’s like this strange mystery man who is way too good to be true; does that make any sense?”

“Listen.” The black-haired woman reached across and gently placed one of her hands over Riley’s, her eyes serious. “Harrison is a bang ‘em and leave ‘em kind of guy. He’s charming because it gets him what he wants, which is in your pants. And once he’s had it, good luck trying to get his attention again. He’s not into commitment, no idea why, and even though he’s amazing in bed, he’ll break your heart into so many pieces, you’ll never be able to put it all back together again. So my advice to you would be to walk away. Seriously, Riley, just walk away and don’t look back because he’s absolutely not worth it.”

“Wow...” She blinked a few times and sat back in her chair. “I kind of suspected he was like that, but I wasn’t sure. He’s really difficult to read most of the time... super frustrating. It’s like he doesn’t know what he wants.”

“I know, believe me. I tried to have a relationship with him a few years ago, and he broke my heart the first chance he got. I caught him sleeping with three other girls and ended it right then and there; he didn’t seem to care, didn’t try and explain himself, didn’t try to get me back. Nothing. He really doesn’t care about you or who you are. He just wants to fuck you and that’s it.”

“That’s... I don’t even have the words.”

“Bullshit is what I’d call it. And if you think I’m the only one, I’m absolutely not. One of my friends had the exact same experience a few months ago. She woke up one morning after having sex with him, and he was gone. No note, no nothing, just gone. She tried calling him a few times after that, but got nowhere; he still hasn’t returned her calls.”

“Oh...” was all she managed to say, her throat shifting with her swallow.

“I know, honey... it sucks. Especially since Harrison is such a good catch on the outside: charming, powerful, practically a celebrity, lots of money. He’s great at pretending that he cares, too. But... he’s a heartbreaker, the kind you’re best just to stay away from. I’m sorry... I wish I could have told you something more positive and uplifting.”

“No, it’s okay. I asked, and I’m adult enough to know not everything is sunshine and roses. It’d be nice, though, if just once in a while...” She shrugged and gave the other woman a small, helpless shrug.

“Oh yeah, I’m with you on that one. And listen, if you want to talk to my friend, I’d be happy to give you her number.”

Riley looked thoughtful and chewed softly on her bottom lip. Then she nodded. “Sure, the more information the better, right?”

“Exactly! Here, hold on.” Melissa jotted her friend’s name and number down on the back of a gas receipt and pushed it across the table toward her. “I wish I could stick around longer, but I have some commitments I agreed to weeks ago. But maybe we can catch up again some other time?”

“Sure.” Riley’s mind was still running at Mach fifty, but she still managed to give her a polite smile and a wave.

As soon as Melissa was gone, Riley lowered her head and pushed fingers back through her brown hair. She tugged on it and closed her eyes, elbows bracing against the top of the table. What she was hearing from Melissa and what she had already experienced with Harrison seemed inconsistent. What if he’d changed? What right did she have to completely take the side of someone she barely knew without getting his side of the story first? She would talk to him, she decided; she would talk to him and get the real truth.

She had no time to finish her rain of irritated thoughts before her phone rang; interestingly enough, her father’s number appeared on the Caller ID. Hopefully he had more to say than his usual nagging.

“Hello?”

“Riley? It’s your dad. Do you have time for coffee today?”

She was instantly suspicious; her father almost never wanted to spend time with her just for the sake of it, which meant that behind the word ‘coffee’ was something more important. Curiosity was quickly getting the better of her, and after a brief moment of thought, she said, “Sure. I’m at that Irish café downtown right now actually... I’ll just wait for you here.”

“I know the one. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

Great, she thought as she hung up the phone. First this news about Harrison and now my father wants something. It had better be good.

––––––––

LESS THAN TEN MINUTES later, Jeff arrived in his brand new pick-up truck that growled and grumbled when it ran; Riley always knew when he was coming, since almost no one else had a truck quite like it.

“Hey, Dad.” She gave him a small smile and stood up to greet him, but she didn’t hug him; honestly, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d hugged her father, mostly because he still made her feel as though she was still a little kid. How many times had she told him that she was almost thirty? At least her mother had the common sense and respect to actually treat her like the adult that she was.

“Hey, honey.” He gave her a quick smile and sat down next to her chair. “I have a proposition for you.”

So typical of him, really. No ‘how are you?’ or ‘what have you been up to?’ Just straight to the business end. Fine. “What kind of proposition?” She decided to play ball, curiosity mixing lazily with annoyance.

“I’ve been in discussions with Harrison about–”

“No. No way. No thanks, I’ll pass. I’m done with that guy. For real.”

He held up his hands and pressed his lips together. “Riley, just hear me out.”

She folded her arms across her chest and slowly sat down. “Fine. Go on.”

“Harrison suggested that you and he enter into a fake relationship. Before you say anything at all, let me explain: This move will ensure that your reputation as a ‘serial dater’ is squashed while also helping my business and investments flourish. It’s not the perfect solution for anything, I know that, but it could have some benefits in the end, and maybe even along the way. I think it will be good for all of us, I really do. You know my investments have been hurting a little, but ever since I managed to get Harrison into my pocket, things have started looking up again. I’d like that to continue, for all of our sakes.”

Riley worked her jaw back and forth a little, nostrils flaring in a low huff. She considered that option and ran fingers through her hair, as she sometimes did when she was nervous or uncertain. As awful as the idea seemed to her, she could also see the value in it. Besides which, helping her family was, and had always been, at the very top of her list; nothing else was above it.

“Well... I guess I can see the advantages in it. But I’m telling you, the moment he’s a jerk to me, you’re going to have to figure out some other solution. I’m serious, Dad.”

“I hear you, you’re serious.” He seemed to be barely containing his joy as he stretched his right hand out toward her. “So we have a deal then?”

With minimal hesitation, she took his much larger hand and shook it while also giving a strong squeeze. Jeff had always appreciated a solid handshake, and so had she. To her, it was all about confidence and showing the other party that she believed in the deal even if she really didn’t.

“So... can I ask how all of this came about now that we have a deal?”

“I’d rather not; at least not in public.”

Riley let out a sharp giggle. “Dad... you just made a deal with me for a fake relationship and mentioned that your daughter was seen as a ‘serial dater,’ I’m pretty sure whatever story brought this whole thing on will fit right into the theme.”

He cleared his throat and glanced away, barely audible muttering coming from his lips. She found herself grinning despite herself, and a low chuckle escaped her. “Fine, fine. Can I at least ask when and where the ‘first date’ will be? Well, second... you know what I mean.”

“That will be for the two of you to work out.” Her father placed Harrison’s distinctive business card down on the table in front of her.

“Really? You set us up in a fake relationship, but can’t figure out where we should go on our first date? You’re officially fired as a matchmaker.”

Jeff leveled a stare on her, and Riley was certain she was about to get a tongue lashing. When he let out a burst of laughter instead, she jumped in her seat and gawked at him, her jaw going slack. “Holy crap, did I actually just make you...laugh?”

“Be quiet and figure out that date, Riley.” She could tell he was hiding his smile as he got up. He gave her shoulder a grateful squeeze and finally let that smile slip through. “Thank you for doing this; I mean it.”

“I know, Dad.” She smiled back at him. “And you’re welcome. Now...I have a date to set up.” She pulled out her phone and wiggled it at him.

Riley could barely believe what had happened as Jeff left the café and headed back to his truck. They never laughed together, mostly because Jeff was typically far too serious for that ‘crap.’ That and he was always trying to push her and meddle in her life when she felt as though she was able to handle it all herself. She was as independent as her mother, and he knew that, yet he still insisted on being as in her face as possible; it was infuriating.

“Okay... enough dad shit,” she murmured.

She felt frozen for several moments as she considered going back on the deal, but she couldn’t do that to her father. “This is so crazy...” Her throat shifted with a swallow as she dialed the number on Harrison’s business card.

There was no answer, and it took her directly to his voice mail.

“Damnit...”

She hung up without leaving a message behind and chewed on her lower lip. Maybe she should text him instead? Just as she was about to start writing him a text, her phone buzzed in her hands; it was him. Every part of her mind screamed at her to hang up and throw her phone in the trash, but she pushed beyond the fear and answered him.

“Harrison?”

“And she finally calls.”

“Harrison... come on. Can we at least be mature about this?”

“As mature as you just walking out on me after sex? Sure!”

“I told you why I had to leave, Harrison. I needed some time to think, and if you can’t respect that, then I’m going to hang up right now.”

His tone shifted and became far less obnoxious. More serious. “I know, I’m sorry, Riley. I’ve just been missing you.”

“Wait a second... did you actually just apologize to me?”

There was a brief silence. “Yes.” Harrison’s voice seemed to shift from playful to serious. “So what do you think, can we move on from this? Are you ready to have me in your space again? We do have a lot of work to do you know, granted you accepted your father’s deal?”

He was just as direct and forthright as her father when it came to business it seemed, but there was also a growing softness in him that she couldn’t deny. “Yes, I did. But only because it will help my father’s business and keep me out of the media. And, maybe because you aren’t really that bad..” She felt her hackles rising again, the uncertainty and nerves from that night shared with him slowly making her stomach churn; she had to keep him at a distance somehow.

“Oh? Not that bad? Hey, I’ll take it. Listen, 7pm for The Swedish Candidate premier. It’s at Checkerblock Cinemas tomorrow. Want a ride?”

If there was one thing Riley could barely tolerate, it was movies. There wasn’t a choice in the matter, though, as it was the perfect cover. All the media would be there, along with business celebrities and likely everyone else. “Yes... going with you will make it more believable; I’ll see you just before seven, Harrison.”

“See you at seven, babe.”

Riley felt her nerves flutter at his use of the word ‘babe.’ She swore her face felt much warmer than the rest of her, and she let out an involuntary giggle.