“I Needed a Fake Girlfriend for the Office Party,” the CEO Muttered—Then She Slid Me a Note That Said “Pick Me”
Chapter 3
Margaret Carter saw them before Ethan could reach her.
Her eighty-two-year-old eyes narrowed.
Then she smiled.
“Well.”
Ethan knew that expression.
He was in trouble.
His mother rushed over first.
“Oh my goodness.”
She hugged Ethan.
Then turned to Lena.
“You must be Lena.”
Lena smiled.
“It’s wonderful to meet you.”
Margaret took Lena’s hands.
“So this is the woman.”
Ethan nearly choked.
“Grandma.”
“What?”
“You’re embarrassing me.”
“Good.”
Lena laughed.
Margaret immediately liked her.
That became obvious within five minutes.
She asked Lena where she grew up.
What she studied.
What she did at Carter Group.
How long she’d known Ethan.
Lena answered every question calmly.
Then Margaret asked:
“When did you realize you loved him?”
Ethan froze.
Lena looked at him.
For half a second, he expected her to panic.
Instead, she smiled.
“I think it was when I realized he remembers things he pretends not to care about.”
Margaret’s eyes softened.
Ethan stared at Lena.
That answer wasn’t in their prepared story.
“How do you mean?” Margaret asked.
Lena looked at Ethan.
“He notices when people are uncomfortable. He remembers what people say. He just doesn’t always know how to show that he cares.”
Ethan didn’t know what to say.
Margaret smiled.
“I knew there was something good underneath all that arrogance.”
“Grandma.”
She laughed.
“I like her.”
Ethan’s mother squeezed Lena’s arm.
“So do I.”
Within twenty minutes, Lena had become the most popular person in the room.
Employees approached her.
She remembered names.
Asked questions.
Made people laugh.
Ethan watched from across the room.
He had never understood why Lena was so comfortable around people.
Then he realized.
She wasn’t trying to impress them.
She was listening.
His phone vibrated.
A message from Claire.
Your mother loves her. Your grandmother wants her at Christmas. You’re doomed.
Ethan looked toward Lena.
She was talking to one of the company’s junior employees.
The employee looked nervous.
Lena smiled and reassured her.
Something tightened in Ethan’s chest.
He walked over.
“Everything okay?”
The employee nodded.
“Yes, sir.”
Lena looked at him.
“She’s worried about her presentation next week.”
Ethan looked at the employee.
“You’ll be fine.”
She smiled.
“Thank you.”
After she left, Ethan looked at Lena.
“You’re good at this.”
“At what?”
“People.”
She smiled.
“Someone has to be.”
He laughed.
Later, they sat at their assigned table.
A waiter poured champagne.
Lena leaned closer.
“Your grandmother is terrifying.”
Ethan smiled.
“She likes you.”
“That might be the problem.”
“She wants you at Christmas.”
Lena nearly dropped her glass.
“What?”
“I warned you.”
She stared at him.
“You’re enjoying this.”
“A little.”
She nudged his shoulder.
“You’re terrible.”
The music changed.
Couples began moving toward the dance floor.
Ethan’s mother appeared.
“Dance.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Mom.”
She pointed at Lena.
“Take your girlfriend.”
Lena looked at him.
“What do we do?”
Ethan sighed.
“We dance.”
He stood and offered his hand.
Lena took it.
They stepped onto the floor.
At first, there was distance between them.
Then Ethan placed one hand lightly at her waist.
Lena rested hers on his shoulder.
They moved slowly.
Neither spoke.
The room seemed quieter.
“You’re nervous,” Lena whispered.
“I don’t get nervous.”
“You’re holding your breath.”
Ethan exhaled.
“Maybe I am.”
She smiled.
“Why?”
He looked at her.
“Because this doesn’t feel like pretending.”
Lena’s smile faded.
For several seconds, they simply looked at each other.
Then the song ended.
They stepped apart.
Neither mentioned what he had said.
But something had changed.
And both of them knew it.
