Hired Love

The rusty smell of sweat filled her nostrils, dulling her senses. Her lightweight body moved to the rhythm of the techno beat blasting loudly from the speakers, and she lifted the bottle in her hand to her lips. The liquid burned its way through her throat to her stomach, and if she hadn’t been three sheets to the wind, she’d have hated the taste.

Yet again, another man had come and gone. Give love a chance, they’d said. Don’t judge the present with past experiences. Open up your heart; let love find you. All bullshit. Another gulp from her bottle had her swaying from side to side, trying to keep her balance.

Really, what was the fucking use? All men did was lie and cheat and then dump you. Why open your heart just to have it broken and stomped on?

Stacy Lincoln had had enough of the male species. Someone on her left pushed her, and she almost tumbled. “Fuck you!” she yelled, taking another gulp.

Nothing good came from loving them. She was tired of being used. She was tired of being single. She was tired of everything.

“Stace?” Though her eyes were spinning, and she could hardly see, she recognized the unmistakable tone of disapproval from her best friend, Grace. “Stacy, oh my God. Come on. Let’s go home. I’m not saying shit to you until you are sober.”

Stacy pulled free of the hand that grabbed hers. “Leave me alone. How did you even find me?”

“Don’t even talk right now,” Grace yelled over the loud music. “I don’t want to hear your voice. We’re going home, and I swear to God, even if I have to drag you by the hair, I fucking will.”

Stacy’s head was pounding. Jesus Christ, why was it so bright?

“Close the fucking curtains,” she moaned, turning away from the light. She had never been one of those people who got drunk and forgot everything that had happened the night before. It was all clear, mocking her. The headache banging at the back of her head was piercing, and she actually thought her head would fall off.

“Do you feel like shit yet? Because I hope you do. You sure deserve it.” Grace didn’t bother to reduce her voice’s volume. The sound rang loud enough to wake the dead.

Stacy winced, drawing the covers over her head as though it would quell the noise.

She asked herself why she’d decided to drink again until Matt crossed her mind. Matt, her ex-boyfriend, had been a complete dick. After the history she’d had with men, she’d sworn love off in its entirety. Matt had been everything she wanted. He was attentive, caring, loving. He was perfect.

“Here, drink this,” Grace said.

Stacy didn’t object, instead turned around and took the glass of water and pills Grace offered. She put the pills in her mouth, and then swallowed it down with water. Grace waited for a moment before taking the glass from Stacy.

The banging in her head began to cease. Where was she? Yes, Matt.

He’d blown into her life with the promise of forever, and because Stacy was a pathetic romantic, she’d welcomed him eagerly. Her oath to steer clear of men had gone unfulfilled. He’d been a childhood friend of her older sister, Claire.

Her childhood crush.

When she was younger, she’d fantasized about dating him for as long as she could remember until she’d realized it would never happen. She’d thought she had outgrown those ridiculous fantasies until a couple of months ago after an ugly breakup when he’d consoled her and then kissed her. For the first time in her life, she’d felt appreciated and valued. Matt had treated her like an egg, too precious and fragile to be manhandled. At least, that was what she’d thought. Stacy would be the first to admit that she’d figured they’d get married and have kids. It would’ve been like something out of a movie, where the girl finally married the love of her life.

Until three nights ago when she’d caught him naked on his bed and on top her sister.

The betrayal had been a huge blow to her face and had hit her hard. She didn’t know why she’d decided to show up unannounced that night. She’d wanted to surprise him and take care of him because he’d said he was sick. She’d even brought soup. He’d explicitly told her he needed to rest that night. Turned out his best place to rest was in Claire’s vagina.

Stacy didn’t know how long they’d been fucking behind her back. She was more interested in why they hadn’t just told her. Maybe she wouldn’t have taken it well, but who could blame her? What girl wanted to hear her boyfriend say he preferred her sister’s vagina to hers?

It didn’t matter anyway. What was done was done.

“You have to stop this shit. I know it’s not easy, but partying and getting drunk isn’t going to help.”

Stacy moaned. “I wasn’t trying to get help. I like this pain. I deserve it.”

Grace hissed, sitting on the bed next to her. “You deserve a lot, Stace, but I can assure you that getting your heart shattered over and over again isn’t one of them.”

Stacy didn’t believe her. There had to be something wrong. “Did I do something? Why does this keep happening to me?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong. You just have terrible luck in the love department.” She felt Grace’s hand stroking her hair. The gentle action soothed her nerves. “And the sister department too because Claire is a bitch.”

That she was, Stacy thought. Their mother had arranged a family reunion, and she was expecting both her daughters to bring a man. Stacy hadn’t wanted to disappoint her. The woman was sick. God, how was she supposed to take Matt to a family reunion after this?

“How on earth am I supposed to show up to the reunion like this? I’m a fucking mess.” Her mother would be very upset, which was exactly what Stacy was trying to avoid. If there were anything she could do to alleviate the woman’s distress, she would do it.

Grace was silent, staring into space. Stacy had a lot on her mind as well, thinking of a solution to her current problem. None of her relationships in the past had worked out, and her mother was well aware of this. She’d specifically told Stacy to bring her boyfriend home. Claire had never had a problem finding men. Not like she was ugly, but neither was Stacy. So what the hell was the problem? Did she smell, maybe had bad breath or something?

“Remember how I told you a friend from work hired a date to go with her to her ex’s wedding so she wouldn’t look weak?” Grace suddenly said.

Stacy’s head snapped to her. “Yeah?”

Slowly, a smile stretched into a grin. “I think I have an idea.”

Grace’s genius idea had been to hire Stacy a fiancé. The main purpose was to make her mother happy and then give Claire something to fume about. Her sister hadn’t even rendered so much as an apology. Stacy hadn’t heard from her since that night. Images of Claire’s slim legs wrapped around Matt’s naked waist as he drove into her teased at her subconscious, and it was all she could do to keep from going crazy.

“Tell me again who this man is?” Stacy asked her friend, slipping her straw into her mouth. Two days after her drunken night, they’d met up at their favorite restaurant to discuss the particulars. She didn’t think it was as brilliant a plan as Grace was painting it out to be. In fact, Stacy wasn’t interested.

“My cousin,” Grace answered, tapping at the screen of her phone. After a few beats, her gaze lifted to Stacy. “I just texted him. He can’t make it for some reason, but he’s agreed to do it, so we should be grateful.”

“Tell me again how you came up with this?” Stacy almost groaned. It was a terrible idea. Terrible, terrible idea.

“Don’t be a big baby. You don’t want your mother to die from a distressed heart, do you?”

No, she didn’t.

“What if it doesn’t work and my mom figures out I brought a complete stranger into her house? What if he’s a serial killer? No offense.”

Grace rolled her eyes. “None taken. You’re being overly dramatic.” She looked at her phone for a second, then tapped furiously at the screen. After a while, she said, “Listen, he says he has to leave town for a few days, but he’ll be back before you leave, alright?” She added when Stacy opened her mouth to talk, “It’ll be fine; don’t worry. He’s really good at these things.”

Stacy raised a brow. “He’s done this before?”

Who the hell was this dude, Hire-a-man?

Grace nodded, sipping from her straw with a very demure look. “Once or twice.”

“Is that how he makes a living because that’s just weird.”

“I can assure you,” Grace chuckled. “He doesn’t need your money.”

Stacy pondered. Grace’s family was well off, though Stacy didn’t know to what extent. If Mr. Hire-a-man wasn’t doing it for the money, then why did he bother?

She didn’t have time to ask the question because her phone started ringing. She checked the caller ID then face palmed. A swipe at the screen had her talking to her mother.

“Hey, Mom,” she said, taking care to add some pitch to her voice.

“Hey, darling.” The sweet tone of her mother’s voice drifted through her ears. “Just calling to check up on you.”

She couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. Her mother was the opposite of subtle. “How are you?”

Silence. Then, “I’m alright, just craving to hold my second child. When are you coming home?”

As though Grace had heard the question, she started wiggling her brows in a very weird way. Stacy waved her away, chuckling.

“Uh…” She searched for what to say. “Soon, Mom. I just need to settle some things down here.”

“Well, your sister and her boyfriend will be arriving tomorrow. I’d hoped to see you then.”

Boyfriend? As far as she knew, Claire had been single for about a year. She didn’t want to think about it. No, there was no way on God’s green earth that would happen. They wouldn’t betray her like that.

“I don’t think so, Mom. A little later, perhaps.”

The ache in her chest grew. Claire wouldn’t do that to her own sister.

“You’re not coming alone, are you?” The innate inquiry in her tone couldn’t be misinterpreted even if you tried.

Stacy wanted to say no because, hell, it was the truth. She didn’t have a boyfriend anymore because her sister had decided to turn her vagina into a room to accommodate Stacy’s boyfriends. Now, she was single and lonely and bitter.

But when she opened her mouth, the words that flew out were, “No, Mom. I’m not coming alone. I’m bringing my fiancé.”

Even after the call cut, Stacy’s ears still rang loudly. Her mother’s joy had been evident in the way she’d screamed. Stacy had lied, but it’d made her mother happy, so she couldn’t bring herself to regret it.

It left her with only one choice.

Grace watched her knowingly. “We’re doing this?”

If she showed up at home with a bag and no man, her mother would probably shit hot stones. Now that it was already out there, she might as well follow through. There was no going back.

“We’re doing this.”

“Fuck yeah!” Grace whooped, punching the air. “This is going to be great. You’ll see. Claire won’t know what hit her.”