Chapter 1

MEGAN

Gracious heavens!

I was $1500 short of my tuition f*e.

I’d drained every dollar I had saved juggling multiple jobs just to afford hostel accommodation, and I was still $1500 short for my college tuition.

“Gracious…” I sighed, running my fingers through my hair as I crossed out the calculation in my note book, pen still in hand.

I was officially confused, stuck and broke. My brain started racking itself for ways to get money for my tuition, even if I had to borrow.

But while I was still on it, the door burst open and Marley, my roommate, walked in, dressed in a tight short dress, her hair messy like she’d been running her fingers through it. Mascara smudged around her eyes and red lipstick smeared her lips.

I could tell she was coming back from a party which probably led to a one night stand with a random guy.

“Oh…you’re awake, Megan.” She smiled, her heels in hands as she collapsed on her bed, opposite mine.

“It’s 10am, Marley. Every normal human is supposed to be awake by this time, except for the party types like yourself.” I throw back, a small smile stretched across my lips.

“Oh…. Like me.” She giggled. “Oh fuck!” She suddenly exclaimed, shooting up from the bed with the speed of lightning, making me flinch.

“What?”

“I totally forgot I have a blind date to be at by 12pm.” She sighed, sitting up properly with her hands covering her face. I knew about Marley’s hatred of blind dates. But since she came from a wealthy family, they were inevitable.

“Just listen to whatever your significant other has to say and leave as soon as possible. That could help.” I suggested.

She sighed again and dropped her hands from her face onto her laps. “You know what truly annoys me? The blind dates my grandmother set up for me, they are the most ugly men I have ever seen in my life. How does she expect me to go on a blind date with men who look like something an alien could give birth to?”

A laugh ripped out of me, although, not intentionally. “Well, that’s extreme.”

“I’m not joking, Megan. I’m not. It truly annoys me.” She threw her hands in the air. Marley was truly a dramatic person.

“So you’re not going?” I asked, because she didn’t look like someone who was going on a blind date in the next two hours.

“My grandmother will kill me or rather freeze my account, take back the car she gave me. She will do worse if I don’t attend.” Marley’s shoulders shrunk and her voice was barely audible. Poor girl.

“Keep enduring, my love.” I gave her a pat on the shoulder and made to leave the room. I needed to figure out my own life too.

“Please wait!” She grabbed my wrist, stopping me from leaving. A frown morphed my features.

“What is it?” I turned in her direction.

“Can you help me ruin this date? I promise to pay you well.” Her eyes scream desperation.

I paused. “I can’t.” I tried pulling my wrist out of her hold, but she was incredibly strong.

“Please… I’ll pay you $3000!” She yells and that seemed to catch my attention. “$1500 upfront and the other half after you successfully ruin the date.”

It was a tempting offer and I couldn’t afford to miss out on an opportunity like this. “Fine. Deal.”

“Great. Here are his details.” Marley brought out her tablet and handed it over to me.

“Oh… an arrogant trust-fund kid?” I chuckled and frowned almost immediately as there wasn’t a photo of him in the details on the tablet. “What about his photo?”

“Grandma didn’t send any, but I can bet he is one of those alien-looking men. She knew I wouldn’t go on the blind date if she sent his photo.”

I nodded slowly. “Understandable.”

“Okay, now, let’s find you something to wear and some makeup to accentuate your looks.” Marley smiled, stood up from the bed and walked into her closet.

One blind date with a trust-fund, alien-looking guy? Marley’s words not mine. That should be a piece of cake.

…….

Marley didn’t waste time. She came right back with a dress which, after I tried it on, was too tight and too short.

“Wear this,” she said, grinning from ear to ear. “Let me get on with your make up. I want you to look nice, but not too nice. We are trying to ruin a date and not make him fall in love with you.”

I let her do whatever she wanted on my face and after forty minutes, she was done. I looked like someone I didn’t know. My hair was curled, my eyes were dark, and the dress made me feel exposed.

Marley let out a satisfied smile and handed me her car keys with a grin. “Drive to The Obsidian Spoon. The table is under ‘Graham.’ Just make it awkward. Spill water, say weird stuff and walk out. You’ve got this!”

“Good luck!” Marley added as she walked me out of the hostel and into the parking lots and then, she was gone.

I arrived at the restaurant in about five minutes. It was fancy. Too fancy for me. A waiter took me to a corner booth with a little card that said ‘Graham.’

I sat down and stared at the door waiting for an alien-looking trust fund kid who happened to be my date to walk in.

Thirty minutes passed. No one showed up. My glass of cold water went warm and just as I stood up to leave, the door to the restaurant pushed open.

A man walked in like he owned the place. Tall, broad shoulders, shirt tight across his chest, his hair was damp and his jaw sharp.

I watched as he strolled towards me and stopped at my table.

A frown morphed my features.

He was too good-looking to be Marley’s alien-looking date, so I concluded he was working for the trust fund kid.

“Are you Marley Pann?”

I blinked. “No..” Then I remembered I was here on Marley’s behalf. “Yes. I’m Marley Pann.”

He pulled out a chair and sat down without so much as asking.

“Where’s your boss?” I asked, confused.

He raised his eyes to mine. “What boss?”

“My date, Vinn Graham. Isn’t he your Boss?”

He leaned back and smirked. “I’m Vinn Graham.”

My brain stopped working and my eyes went wide around the size of a saucepan. And before I could stop myself, the words came tumbling out.

“You’re supposed to be an ugly alien-looking dude, not a model from Vancleaf best-selling magazine!”

The moment the words tumbled out of my running, God-forsaken mouth, Vinn’s smirk froze.