I took a bite of my sandwich and rested my arms on the side of my work truck bed as I watched an unfamiliar black sedan pull up in front of the house I was working on. I’d been installing electrical work there since six that morning, and I was past due for a break.
My sister had asked where I would be around lunch, but that wasn’t her car.
The driver’s side opened, and Bree Keller, my sister’s friend, got out of the vehicle.
I frowned as she neared, and I stepped away from my truck.
She smiled hesitantly. “Hi, Zack.”
“Is everything okay with Tessa?”
Bree tilted her head in question. “Didn’t she tell you I was stopping by?”
“No.”
“Oh, I thought she told you I was coming.”
“She didn’t.” Bree still hadn’t answered my question. “Is Tessa okay?”
“Yes, she’s fine.”
Now that the worry was gone, curiosity took over, and I wondered why she had come to see me. I eyed Bree from her head to foot.
Back in high school, I had seen her around. She’d been cute back then, but she was two years younger than me, and I’d had plenty of girls my own age to keep me occupied.
Now, she was smoking hot with a rocking body, even wearing what looked to be her work clothes. She was about half a foot shorter than my six-one with light-brown hair and fair skin and a sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of her nose. The other night at the restaurant, she hadn’t looked so formal with her dark lipstick, and I could still picture her low-cut shirt, showing off an impressive set of tits.
I resumed my position behind my truck before she saw my dick getting hard. He didn’t understand that Bree wasn’t there to see him.
“What’s up?” I asked, picking up my water bottle and taking a long drink in hopes it would cool me down.
The lip Bree was chewing on slid out of her mouth. “I need a favor.”
My eyes widened. “From me?”
Even though she was my sister’s friend, I didn’t know her that well. We’d gone to different high schools, and I’d moved out as soon as I graduated. The most time I could ever remember spending with her was the afternoon my mom had forced me to drive Tessa and two of her friends to the movies. None of them had said a single word to me the whole time. I didn’t think I’d even gotten a thank-you.
Maybe I should tell her she already owes me one.
“Yes, from you.” She looked away, and her eyes landed on the back of my truck bed. “You’re an electrician, right?”
I sighed. I didn’t understand why everyone and their dog thought I should help them with a large discount—or even worse, for free. I didn’t mind helping my friends with projects in their houses, but when my friend’s neighbor’s nephew started coming around, my annoyance began to rise.
The good thing was, my budding erection was gone.
“Are you building or remodeling?” I asked.
Because I loved my sister, I’d give Bree advice, but I wasn’t going to work for nothing.
“Huh?”
“Are you building a new house or remodeling an old one?” I said a little slower.
Her forehead wrinkled. “Neither.” A second later, the area between her eyebrows smoothed out, and she laughed. “Oh. No, I’m not doing either. My favor has nothing to do with you being an electrician.”
Interesting. “Okay then, what can I help you with?”
She opened her mouth, but no words came out.
I lifted my brow in question and shoved my last bite of food in my mouth. “It can’t be that bad,” I said after I swallowed.
“It’s embarrassing.”
The plot thickens. “If I promise not to laugh, would that help?”
This made her smile, and I hoped I’d eased her mind a little.
“What are you doing next weekend?”
“Are you asking me out on a date?”
“No. I mean, yes.” She sighed. “I mean, it’s more complicated than that.”
I glanced at my watch. The homeowners weren’t around, but I still needed to get back to work. I had plans later that evening, and I wanted to be finished up with the wall I was currently wiring.
“I don’t mean to be rude, but I need to get back in there.” I jabbed my thumb at the house behind me.
“Right. Yeah, I need to get back to work too. I’m on my lunch break.”
“So…” I prompted.
“I need a date to my cousin’s wedding so that my mother won’t harass me all weekend about why I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“Uh…listen, Bree, I don’t go to weddings with women I’m fucking, much less with someone I’m not.”
Wrong impressions were had all around when one went with someone to a wedding. Like thoughts of their own nuptials.
My eye twitched at the thought.
“No, I don’t want you to be my real date. I want you to be my fake date.”
I hadn’t expected that. “You want me to be your fake date?”
“Yes. I just need someone to keep my mother—and the rest of my family—out of my hair, and the only way I’m going to do that is if I bring someone.”
I rubbed my chin. “You want me to go with you as your fake date?”
“Fake date. Fake boyfriend.”
“Oh, it’s boyfriend now?”
“It’s whatever I need it to be in order to have a peaceful weekend.”
Scratching the back of my head, I said, “I don’t know—”
“I’m willing to pay you.”
“Hmm…” I shook my head. “Nah.”
Panic took over her face. “That’s it? Nah. You won’t even think about it?”
I laughed. “I meant, nah to you paying me.”
She gasped. “Does that mean you’ll do it?”
“Yes, but instead of you paying me, I want a favor in return.”
“What kind of favor?”
“I’m not sure yet. I’ll let you know when I’ve decided.” Another thought crossed my mind. “This arrangement, does it include sex?”
Her mouth dropped open. “What? No.”
I lifted a shoulder. “I was just checking. You know, because the dick costs extra. You’d owe me two favors instead of one.”
When she stood there, unmoving, I walked over to her and pushed her chin up with a finger.
“Lighten up, Bree; it was a joke. If you’re going to be uptight all weekend, then it really will cost you extra.”
She scowled. “I’m not uptight,” she huffed out.
“I guess we’ll have to wait and see about that. What time do you need me on Saturday?”
She giggled awkwardly.
Not a good sign.
“Um, the thing is, it’s actually from Thursday to Sunday, and it’s out of town.”
“Holy shit. Kind of left out some important details, huh?”
“Will you let me pay you now?” She clasped her hands together and begged, “Please don’t say no.”
“Fine. I’ll need to move some stuff around for work, but I can manage it.” I pointed my finger at her. “But know this: the favor I’m going to ask will be huge.”
