Things started out a bit awkwardly, but Jackson mused that was to be expected for every relationship in the beginning stages. Granted, he hadn’t been in any serious relationships, so he couldn’t speak for how those worked out. The closest he got to a woman was near enough to get in her pants, yet far enough for her not to latch on, so to say. He wasn’t interested in a long-term relationship with anyone, and that bothered his parents the most. They claimed his playboy lifestyle was bad for the company image. He could admit that he wasn’t known for his respect for women, but he didn’t see how getting married would abruptly change that. If he ended up marrying Lina, it wouldn’t stop him from seeking out additional company. He wasn’t the type to be a one-woman man. All the same, he supposed he could fake it long enough to make his plan with Svetlana work out, and that would in turn be enough to convince his parents he had changed. It wasn’t a long-term plan by any means, but once Lina Estevez was out of the picture, he wouldn’t have to worry until his busybody parents found another girl who was ‘just perfect’ for him.
In the meantime, he was determined to make things work with Svetlana. Work on a farcical level, but work all the same. By the time the next day rolled around, she seemed to have forgotten about the arrangement until he joined her for lunch. He had greeted her with a kiss on the cheek, and it was obvious it had taken all her willpower not to shriek out loud. She simply narrowed her eyes upon him for a moment, but managed to school her face into one of adoration after a few painfully awkward moments.
“I’ve not seen you all day, love. You must be extraordinarily busy,” she said loudly enough for anyone nearby to hear, reaching out to rest her hand on top of his. He smiled at her apparent willingness to go all in, turning his hand so that he could properly lace their fingers. Jackson couldn’t fight the smirk that worked its way onto his face as she began to blush, staring intently at her work.
“Oh, you know how it is. You keep up with my schedule, you’ll have to block in some ‘us’ time, I suppose,” he teased. She snickered softly, glancing to him from the corner of her eye.
“I hadn’t thought of that. But if I had my way, your entire work day would be ‘us’ time,” she grinned. He stroked his thumb along the back of her hand, lifting it off the table and drawing it towards his lips. She stiffened in his grip, not expecting the romance routine. He was almost offended; did she not think he could charm a woman?
“Well, I do have to get work done. This company is mine, at least, until we have a baby together,” he smirked. Her eyes widened, and he bit back a grunt as she kicked him harshly in the shin. She lowered her voice, leaning across the table with a rather cross look.
“Just how far into this fake relationship are we, Jackson?” She whispered icily. He might have been concerned about blowing their cover, but the other workers lingering in the cafeteria were giving the two a rather wide berth.
“We have to be convincing. Why isn’t anyone sitting near us to hear all the sweet talk?” He wondered aloud.
“They were until it got to the point of being nauseating. Tone it down. We’re still in the workplace,” she said coolly, drawing away from him and beginning to dig into her lunch. Jackson couldn’t help but feel vaguely wounded, unlacing their fingers and taking the opportunity to dig into his own meal. The cafeteria food was awful, and he idly mused that he should have sent Svetlana to fetch him something more appetizing to eat. Was that something a boss would do, while dating his assistant? He certainly couldn’t have her slacking on her duties for the sake of playing a part. Surely, she could juggle both roles.
“Honey, perhaps you could go to the cafe on the corner and get me a bowl of their potato soup? This cafeteria food just… isn’t hitting the spot today,” he inquired, trying to keep his saccharine sweet tone. If he expected her to be angry, he was surprised by the look of relief on her face. She rose to her feet, grabbing her tablet and tapping some buttons on the screen.
“Of course, Jackson. I’ve already placed the order and it will be ready when I get there,” she smiled, looking all too eager to get away from him. He hesitated, rising to his feet and moving to draw her into his arms. She stiffened in his grip, and he could feel her quake in embarrassment as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.
“You’re a dear. I don’t know what I’d do without you,” he smiled. She returned the expression awkwardly, turning away from him and shuffling towards the elevators. Jackson settled back in his seat, prepared to await her return.
“Damn boss, that’s cold,” one of the cafeteria workers muttered as she stepped over to grab the box of salad that Svetlana had neglected to dispose of. He supposed she really was in a hurry to get away. He shook off the thought, turning to the plump older woman with a quirked brow.
“How do you mean, cold?” He inquired softly, crossing his arms over his broad chest. The woman looked surprised, as if she had not expected him to hear. Then, her expression shifted to one of fear.
“Oh, nothing! Nothing, Mr. Wethers, I was just thinking out loud,” she rambled, cleaning up the mess on the rest of the table. Jackson considered her for a long moment, realizing she must have been afraid of being fired.
“No, no. Miss… Labelle, please. Tell me what you mean,” he inquired gently, standing and helping her gather the garbage. She hesitated, looking as if she suspected that he was trying to catch her in some sort of trap.
“Well… sending your girlfriend to the cafe on the corner to get your lunch? I know she’s your assistant, but couldn’t you have gotten someone else to do it?” The cafeteria worker said uncertainly, slipping towards the large waste bins. Jackson trailed behind her, his expression pensive.
“I hadn’t thought about it. She seemed all too happy to do the work, so…,” he trailed off, glancing in the direction Svetlana had gone. One day in, and people were already beginning to question the validity of their relationship. He would have to step up his game past sweet talk and gentle touches. “You know, you’re right. I’m going to meet her at the cafe and arrange that we have lunch together,” he announced with a broad smile. The woman returned the expression uncertainly, but he paid her little mind, gathering his things and slipping towards the elevators as well.
He kept his pace brisk, hoping for once that the cafe was as slow as usual with his order. He pushed the door open, looking around for his fake girlfriend. She lingered near the counter, laughing and blatantly flirting with a tall and handsome man. Inexplicable fury welled up inside of the handsome businessman, and he stalked towards the counter to catch Svetlana’s attention. She noticed him all too late, reeling in surprise as he swung a punch at the man she’d been talking to.
“Jackson, what the hell?” She demanded. He turned to face her, eyes narrowed critically.
“Can we go outside and talk?” He asked, though it seemed more of an order than a request. She hesitated, looking towards the man she’d been chatting with. She heaved a sigh, taking Jackson by the arm and pulling him outside.
“What was that all about!?”
The two of them shouted the words simultaneously, and it might have been amusing if not for the mutual fury in their eyes.
“I was just making small talk with some guy! It’s not like we’re at work, it’s not like anyone in the cafe is supposed to know we’re ‘together’,” she exclaimed. Jackson found her use of air quotes rather obnoxious, but swallowed that thought, instead sputtering his defense.
“Anyone from our job could be at this cafe! For that matter, my parents could be here! What would they think if they saw my floozy of a girlfriend flirting with every guy she happened to meet?!” He shouted. She drew away, looking briefly wounded. He felt a small measure of victory at her hurt expression, but his moment was short-lived. She reared back, slapping him across the face as hard as she could manage. He cried out in a mix of pain and anger, reeling from the force of the blow.
“First of all, floozy? If I’m going to be your girlfriend, pretend or otherwise, you better show me a little more respect. I was just making conversation, not flirting. What am I supposed to do when you send me to the corner cafe to get your damn lunch? Sit meekly and not speak to anyone!?” She spat.
“That’s what you do at work! You just shuffle around the office, not talking to anyone. You hardly even speak to me, and I’m your boss! What does that guy have that I don’t?” Jackson retorted, crossing his arms over his chest. Svetlana considered him with an expression that looked a mix of righteous anger and condescending amusement.
“He has a personality. He has respect for women. He asked my name and actually remembers what it is! Most of all, you know why I talk to him and not you? Because you’re my asshole of a boss. You think you own me because I work for you, and you think that you’re entitled to stare at my body. Why does it even matter? We’re not even in a real relationship,” she began in a mutter, before rising in pitch and volume. Jackson tensed his hands into fists at his sides, and he was tempted to fire her on the spot. The audacity! The nerve! With the gratuitous check he was offering her, at the very least she could pretend to like him.
“I have plenty of respect for women,” he managed weakly, feeling wounded by her words despite himself.
“The only reason you’re having me pretend to date you is because you don’t want to stop using women for their bodies. That’s not respect, Jackson. Now, I’m going to go inside and get your damn soup. I’m going to try and smooth things over with that man so you don’t end up with a lawsuit. Then we’ll go back to work and carry on with this mockery of a relationship,” she said with a calmness that he couldn’t begin to comprehend. Then, she turned her back on him and slipped back into the restaurant. He slumped slightly, shoving his hands in his pockets as he waited for her to return.
So much for his plan to surprise her with lunch. There was no way he could let anyone at the office know how badly this had gone. He perked up as she stepped out of the cafe, her expression relieved and slightly guilty. She pressed his carry out bowl of soup into his hands.
“What are you doing here, anyway? It always takes this long for me to bring your lunch,” she inquired weakly, crossing her arms under her bountiful chest. He tried to avoid staring, averting his eyes and sighing.
“One of the cafeteria workers implied that I was… out of place, sending you to grab my lunch when we’re in a relationship. So, I came to surprise you with a lunch date,” he managed, running a hand through his short cropped, dark hair. She looked surprised, hesitating for a moment before reaching out to grasp his hand.
“I suppose we should try to appear more authentic. We’re not very believable at work, as is. Let alone anywhere else…,” she managed. “I’m sorry I got angry, I understand if you want to find someone else to play this role for you,” she added weakly. Jackson’s eyes widened, and he managed a soft laugh.
“I’m surprised you’re not trying to get out of it at this point. I didn’t realize how intense things would get. If anyone should be angry, it’s you,” he murmured. The two locked eyes for a moment, and the older man smiled warmly at his young assistant. She blushed prettily, averting her eyes and falling into step beside him as they made their way back to the office.
“We both may have overreacted. When we get back to work, we’ll pretend that we had that lunch date. You can just say you brought your leftovers, and have lunch in your office,” Svetlana offered gently. He smiled, seeming to perk up at the suggestion. “By the way, we’ll be avoiding the lawsuit with that guy. He said he could understand why a guy would be so… defensive over a girl like me,” she blushed, chuckling in embarrassment.
“Damn right,” Jackson grinned. She rolled her eyes, slapping him on the shoulder. The rest of the walk to the office was relatively quiet, and Svetlana went as far as resting her head on her boss’s shoulder to appear more authentic as they stepped inside. The eyes of their coworkers were upon them, and Svetlana hesitated a moment before turning to face him.
“I’m going to get back to work, hon. Thanks for lunch. That was very sweet,” she tittered cheerfully, leaning in to press a kiss to his cheek. He felt his own cheeks grow warm, and he smiled as she shuffled away. She seemed a little less eager to escape him, though he couldn’t be certain that he wasn’t imagining things. He watched her go, his eyes beginning to wander down to her hips once more. Remembering what she’d said about his entitlement, however, he forced his eyes away, slipping away towards his office.
When he stepped inside, he was startled to see his father waiting for him. The older man had his arms crossed over his chest.
“Where have you been?”
“Just had lunch with my girlfriend. If you’re here to push the issue of me marrying Lina, I don’t want to hear it. I’m happy with Serenity.”
“You mean Svetlana, I assume.”
Jackson’s eyes widened, and he realized how foolish he must have looked misspeaking his girlfriend’s name.
“Care to explain the bruise near your eye? Looks like you’re gonna get a shiner,” the father continued, and Jackson reached up to gingerly touch his face where Svetlana had slapped him. He huffed, brushing a hand through his hair.
“I was defending my love’s honor. Some idiot thought he could try and sweep her away from me, so I had to show him what was up. If you think this looks bad, you should see the other guy.”
It wasn’t entirely far from the truth. At least, not completely. Just at that moment, Svetlana stepped through the door with an ice pack in her hand. She stepped towards Jackson with a chagrined smile, pressing the cold compress against his cheek until he took the hint and held it in place.
“Sorry,” she murmured. He smiled, reaching out to pull her into his embrace.
“Anything to defend you. I was just telling my father about it,” he sputtered out in embarrassment. Svetlana quirked a brow, smiling in amusement before turning to face the older man.
“Oh yes. You should have seen the fight. My heart’s still pounding from how intense it was. I feel bad for the other guy, though… anyway, I must get back to work,” she pulled the compress away for just a moment to press a kiss to the bruise that was forming. As she drew away, she ghosted her lips to Jackson’s ear, murmured “Defending your love, huh? Better than admitting domestic violence, I guess,” she teased, drawing away and winking at the dark-haired man. “So heroic,” she sighed dreamily, and for a moment Jackson himself could believe it. He reddened, placing the cold compress back on his cheek.
“I’d do it a dozen times over, my love,” he grinned awkwardly. Svetlana smirked, slipping out of the room with her hips swaying a bit more than usual. Jackson was helpless to keep his eyes off her rear, but then again, he was supposed to be interested. Wasn’t he?
“Dad, I’m sorry to ask you to leave, but I’ve got a busy day ahead of me,” Jackson murmured, glancing to his father with a grin. The older man sputtered, looking altogether indignant.
“But Lina,” the older man began, but Jackson was swift to cut him off.
“I’d ask you not to mention Lina anymore. I’d hate for my girlfriend to get the wrong idea. We’re very happy together, and I won’t see you sabotage it,” he warned.
The old man stared him incredulously, but in just a moment, a rather sly smile slowly emerged. “Whatever you say, son. I won’t mention her anymore,” he acquiesced before slipping out of the room. Jackson watched him go, waiting until he was out of sight before slumping into his office chair.
Damn, Svetlana sure had an arm on her.