Tagged Heart: A Fake Girlfriend Romance Read online

  "What kinds of adventures are we going to be undertaking in Hawaii?" Brin asked.

  "If I told you, that would take out half of the fun." I winked. "Rest assured, you're going to have fun."

  "You can't know that for certain," she challenged.

  I laughed airily. "Oh, but I can," I said. "Because you're going to be with me."

  Four

  Brin

  The morning of the trip came faster than I could have anticipated. It felt like one second I was grinding seductively on stage and the next I was being felt up by a TSA agent with a permanent scowl. I was meeting Chad and the rest of the crew at the resort, so I had to entertain myself for the whole day. It seemed appropriate to do so by checking out a few more of Chad's videos. The fact that I also just loved looking at his face was a sneaky side benefit that I would go to my grave before admitting.

  I couldn't help myself. His high cheekbones, long, angular jaw, and bright blue eyes would be enough to send any girl into a frenzy. In many of his videos he was shirtless, to add insult to injury. His broad shoulders were roped with thick muscle, though I suspected he would’ve been a lanky teen. He was so long, so lean. And dear god, was he cut. If his six pack was as mouthwatering in real life as it was in his videos, I was at serious risk of passing out the moment he took off his shirt.

  I only meant to watch a few videos to get myself in the Chad Harlan mindset and prepare for the next three weeks, but by the time I got on the plane, I was completely hooked. I understood why he was such a sensation and why his fans were so devoted. Each video made me hungry for the next, and I steadily worked my way up from his early days to his most recent clips. That was when things started to get weird.

  His earlier videos were mostly just him and a few friends here and there, but the more recent they got, the more I noticed that one girl kept popping up, until finally many of the videos featured her. She was insanely pretty, with blonde hair that cascaded halfway down her back, the cutest button nose I'd ever seen, and a body that practically screamed to be painted. She was obviously his girlfriend, and they shared some pretty cute moments together in the clips that were super popular with his followers. After watching a few videos, I finally caught her name: Lori.

  Something nipped at the bottom of my stomach, and it took me awhile to realize that, that feeling was jealousy. Just a little bit. I wasn't even his real girlfriend, so why should I be jealous at all? It was more curiosity than jealousy that compelled me to search out her last appearance, and I was a little alarmed to find their last video together was posted only two weeks ago. Their breakup must've been recent. What did that mean for me? Where did I fit in to all this?

  Looking at the comments, I supposed it would make sense that he'd want another girlfriend to fill in the gap. The videos with him and Lori together were shared more often, and loads of girls in the comments talked about how dreamy he was and how lucky she was to be with him. I could see Chad liking that kind of attention.

  I don't know why discovering this recently ended relationship put such a dark cloud over my day. They weren't together anymore. The fact that he felt compelled to find some random girl on the Vegas strip to be his new onscreen girlfriend was a little strange, but that was Chad's style. He lived in the moment, and it was obviously working for him.

  I was distracted for the rest of the flight, mulling over this latest piece of news in what was turning out to be a more complicated trip than I had anticipated. I hated every kernel of jealousy that popped up and wished I could make it stop. I held onto the armrests of my seat until the plastic bit into my palms, using that as a reminder of where I was and why.

  I was on an airplane. That airplane was heading toward Oahu, where I was about to spend three weeks in a luxury resort. All I had to do to earn my keep for those three weeks was pretend to be the girlfriend of an ultra-successful, ultra-beautiful YouTube star who was going to take me on all sorts of crazy adventures and hopefully give me the time of my life. Why the hell was I getting hung up on who his last girlfriend was?

  I wasn't here for that. I wasn't here for him. Not like that, anyway. I was here to get my tan on in a tropical climate far away from the sweat-soaked streets of Las Vegas. At the end of the day, I was probably the one getting the most out of this arrangement. And to make sure it stayed that way, I had to stay completely professional. We made a business deal with terms and everything. Sticking within those parameters would be a breeze, but only if I didn't let myself get hung up on Chad. Unfortunately, this little unpleasant attack of jealousy seemed like a precursor of things to come, so I had to nip it in the bud while I could.

  Easier said than done. There was something about Chad, something that drew me in more than even just his electric personality and that award-winning smile. Maybe I was merely imprinting my own perceptions of the world onto him, but I felt deep in my bones that there was more to him than met the eye. There was something to discover underneath his ego and part of me was trying to figure it out, even while the rest of me was putting up walls. He was the first guy in a long time, maybe ever, that I'd felt such a connection to without either of us having to say a word.

  The landing announcement shook me out of my head, and I was determined to stay out. I politely raised my tray table, pulled my seat to an upright position, and took a deep breath as we began to descend.

  My anticipation of seeing Chad again grew more and more with each passing second as I went through the motions in the airport. I told myself it was because I had nothing better to think about, since waiting for luggage on the world's slowest carousal isn't exactly a nail-biting adventure. Chad told me they would send someone to pick me up and bring me to the hotel, and I couldn't wait to have somebody else to talk to. If I had to spend another second alone with my thoughts, I was going to go insane. Then again, maybe that wouldn't be a bad thing. Chad wanted someone to go on his adventures with, after all. If I completely lost my marbles, I might exceed expectations in that respect.

  I stepped into the arrivals hall, eyes flitting from sign to sign to find the one that said my name. When I couldn't find it among the row of suited drivers, my heart picked up in my chest. What if they'd forgotten about me? What if I couldn't get a hold of Chad and I had to spend the next three weeks in this airport? Now that would be an adventure.

  A waving hand caught my attention, and I looked over to see Chad's beaming face just behind the barrier. Once he knew I'd seen him, he started walking down to meet me. I numbly put one foot in front of the other, blindsided by this latest development.

  "Hey," I greeted once I stood before him.

  "Hey, bea—" Chad stopped, his smile dissolving into a comically stoic expression. "Hello, comrade."

  I rolled my eyes, which earned me a chuckle.

  "How was the flight?" Chad hoisted my backpack onto his shoulder and grabbed the handle of my suitcase.

  Once the shock passed, I reached for my bags back. "I can take those. It's the twenty-first century, after all."

  "That may be so," he replied, yanking them just out of my reach, "but I am a very amenable boyfriend. It's why your parents love me so much."

  "Love you? They only think you're so-so," I shot back. "They still don't understand why I couldn't have found a nice lawyer or doctor."

  Chad snorted through his nose as we started walking toward the exit. "Doctor or lawyer? Boring. You can do way better."

  "Then why am I here with you?" I asked primly.

  Chad laughed, a deep belly laugh that was so infectious I couldn't resist joining in. The doors slid open and heat blasted my face. I was used to heat, but I wasn't used to this level of humidity. I was suddenly glad I had my hands free, so I could push back the hair from my forehead and start rapidly fanning my face.

  We navigated through the rows of taxis and buses to a sprawling parking lot, where Chad led me between row after row of cars, finally stopping just in front of a black open-topped Jeep. He gave it a hearty smack on the side.

  "Here's yo
ur ride, m'lady." He loaded in my bags as I leaned against the hot metal, desperate for a drink of water. I suddenly regretted not gulping down as much of it as possible on the plane.

  Chad unlocked the doors and started to walk to the driver's side. "Hop in," he called.

  I was pleasantly surprised to find a dewy bottle of water waiting in the cup holder beside my seat. "Is that for me?" I asked.

  Chad nodded, donning a pair of wayfarer sunglasses and coaxing the engine to life. "I always get thirsty after flying. Figured you might too."

  I snatched up the bottle without pause and started chugging down the cool, refreshing water. Only after I'd downed half the bottle did it occur to me how unexpectedly thoughtful this little gesture was. Chad clearly thought nothing of it. He was drumming his hands on the steering wheel as he navigated the parking lot, sunlight and wind threading through his hair.

  "Thanks for picking me up," I said. "And for the water."

  I didn't know what to say but felt like I should say something. Otherwise I was going to spend the entire car ride just staring at him.

  Chad geared up the Jeep as we pulled onto the main road, flashing me a smile. "No problem, comrade. I love driving around the island. You ever been to Oahu?"

  "No. I’ve never been to Hawaii at all."

  "You're gonna love it."

  It took not even three minutes of driving before I realized that Chad was right. Oahu was paradise. We drove away from the city and I watched as the island flashed by us, miles and miles of leafy foliage crawling up hills that seemed to stretch like a cat into the azure sky. The air was fragrant with scents I'd never smelled before, heavy floral notes and the tingling of salt blowing in from the sea. The warm air rushing past me felt like a tender caress, and I leaned back in the seat and let the classic rock blaring through the car's stereo take me away. With every turn of the road it became more and more evident I’d made the right decision. We hadn’t even reached the hotel yet, and I was already in paradise.

  Five

  Chad

  The best part of my day—hell, maybe even my week—was watching Brin's whole face burst with disbelief as I turned into the circular drive of the Royal Islander Resort. I figured that even a girl of few financial means like her would be used to some opulence, living where she did, but apparently the sight of our hotel was something different entirely.

  "We can't seriously be staying here," she whispered. I could barely hear her over the engine, but her words weren't meant for me. I answered anyway.

  "Believe it, comrade. Only the best for me and my girl." I killed the engine in front of the large sliding doors to the lobby, and a valet rushed around the driver's side to take the keys. A porter came over to help unload Brin's luggage, and she milled uneasily by the side of the Jeep while he did so.

  I strode up beside her, nudging her playfully in the side. "Not used to having things done for you, are you?"

  She shook her head and glanced down bashfully. It was such an unintentionally cute gesture, the kind that I knew I'd be waiting for her to do again.

  "Come on," I said, sliding an arm around her shoulders as we strode into the lobby. "Martin and Russell are waiting for us at the bar."

  I gave the porter our room number, and he hurried off with the bags. I half expected Brin to jog after him and offer to help, but she was too overwhelmed by the sight of the grand lobby. I'd stayed in a lot of nice hotels, but this one was fast becoming my favorite just based on Brin's reaction to it. She pulled out from under my arm and turned in a circle, staring up at the curved Rococo style ceiling and the glittering chandelier that hung high above our heads. The whole lobby was decked out in sumptuous cream and marble, with gold accents scattered tastefully about the room. A light breeze carried in the smell of hibiscus and ginger, and it rustled Brin's hair as she spun back to face me, eyes ablaze with life.

  "Thank you, Chad."

  I blinked. Something about the way she said it took me aback. It was the most honest thing she'd ever said to me, and I had the sense that she'd left a layer of her shell behind just outside the lobby doors.

  "For what?" I asked. "You're the one doing me the favor, remember?"

  She smiled lightly. "For choosing me."

  "It was an easy choice."

  Brin's bashfulness returned and she broke eye contact, turning on her heel and making her way toward the lobby bar. I followed behind, not entirely sure I wasn't dreaming.

  Martin and Russell rose from their table when they saw me approaching, both clearly surprised to see me walking up with a gorgeous redhead. I loved a good surprise. I figured it was easier to backtrack and tell them about Brin once we were here than to mention anything beforehand.

  "Hey, guys," I said, taking Martin's hand and pulling him in for a hug. I clapped him heartily on the back, then turned to Russell and did the same.

  "Hey, Chad," said Russell, though his eyes were on Brin the whole time.

  "This is Brin." I rested my hand lightly on Brin's waist and urged her forward to meet them. "Brin, this is Russell. He’s the nerd who edits all my videos."

  Russell stepped forward and shook her hand, his dirty brown eyes never leaving hers. I felt a stab of irritation and resisted the urge to push myself between them. She wasn't even my real girlfriend, who was I to get jealous over something as ridiculous as Russell staring too deeply into Brin's eyes?

  I shook off the feeling and turned Brin toward Martin, enjoying the taut feel of her waist under my fingers. I wondered if she was as acutely aware of my touch as I was of hers.

  "This is Martin. He's been my cameraman since the very beginning and my best friend since long before then."

  "Howdy," said Martin, giving her hand a comically hard shake.

  I could see the question in both guys' eyes and knew they were dying to ask me about Brin. Lori and I only broke up a couple weeks ago, after all, and they must've known how wrecked I was over it.

  I turned to Brin, smiling without even meaning to just from looking at her face. "Why don't you head up to the room and get settled? We've still got our shooting schedule and boring stuff like that to discuss."

  "Sure," she said, nodding.

  I handed her the key and turned to watch her walk toward the elevator, head spinning this way and that to take in the lobby architecture as she went. I chuckled.

  "When did that happen?" Martin asked the second she was out of earshot.

  I reluctantly turned away from Brin's retreating form and shrugged. "When I was in Vegas a couple days ago.”

  Russell's eyebrows folded together. "And you decided to bring her on the trip with you?"

  "Yeah. We hit it off, and I wasn't ready to let go of her yet. Figured I'd bring her along." I pulled out a seat at their table and sat down. Martin and Russell followed suit.

  "I just don't get you sometimes, man," Martin said, shaking his head with a bemused grin. "Your breakup, fuck if that wasn't messy. Why hop into another relationship that quick?"

  "I know why," said Russell with a knowing smile.

  Him and Martin exchanged a look, one that clearly read rebound. Let them think that if they wanted. After all, the whole thing did have the look and feel of a pretty solid rebound.

  Better them think that then realize what I was actually doing—trying to make my ex, Lori, jealous.

  My plan was like something out of a nineties romantic comedy, but I knew it would work. Lori was obsessive about her image and ego, and having her position at my side usurped by another beautiful girl only weeks after dumping me was guaranteed to get a reaction. It was the only way she would realize the mistake she'd made. We weren't perfect together, but what couple was?

  The brilliant thing about Lori was how perfectly she fit into my lifestyle. She yearned for the limelight just as much as me, and her career as a model meant we were both usually on the fly, though we often got to go places together. There was no guy out there who would take better care of her than I could, who could manage all her insecurities
and crazy moments like I could. High maintenance girls were hard to deal with at times, sure, but me and Lori worked. We'd worked for the past two years and we would continue working, once she figured out that she'd dumped the one right guy for her.

  "She seems nice," said Martin, bringing me back to the present. I almost thought he was talking about Lori, but realized we were still talking about Brin.

  "She is nice," I confirmed.

  I would leave it at that. The less complicated of a charade I constructed, the less likely it was to blow up in my face.

  "Should we talk about the excursions?"

  We started discussing the highlights of the next three weeks, brainstorming the best way to turn each adventure into our next viral video. The whole time, though, my mind kept drifting up to the tenth floor, where I knew Brin would be absolutely losing her shit over the five-star accommodation. She was probably so jazzed by the giant soaker tub and the view of the crystalline waters that she didn't notice the singular king sized bed. I figured it would go without saying that we'd be sharing a bed, since we were supposed to be a couple, but I wondered if maybe I should have warned her.

  "I'm worried about angles here," said Martin, pointing to a photo of tomorrow's shooting location on the brochure spread on the table. "It doesn't look like there's much room."

  I blinked and followed his finger. "It'll work," I told him. "We always make it work."

  I was too distracted to do this right now, which was crazy since normally I couldn't wait to go over the details of our shoots. Making videos was an obsession for me, and I lived for burgeoning view counts and comments. The adventures that had started as my passion quickly took a side seat to the thrill of seeing my videos shared all over the world. Yet now this table was literally the last place I wanted to be. I would rather be up in the room with Brin, watching the wonder unfold on her face as she experienced pleasures she'd never known before.