THE ASSISTANT

EMILY

Day One

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I woke up in a cold sweat, feeling as if I’d made the biggest mistake of my life. There was a massive engagement ring on my ring finger, a stack of engagement announcements on my nightstand, and a flock of paparazzi outside my brownstone.

Today was supposed to be the first of thirty for me and Mr. Wolf (Well, “Nicholas,” now that I was his fiancée), and I wasn’t ready to embark on the insane itinerary that Brenton planned. He’d updated it multiple times—sometimes within the same hour, and he kept adding things that weren’t necessary to land the Watson deal. At least, in my mind.

Sighing, I got out of bed and looked at the last edition of the itinerary I’d printed at my office.

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Subject: Thirty Day Boyfriend/Thirty Day Girlfriend (Some Reminders)

To the future “Mr. & Mrs. Wolf,”

I’m including a short itinerary and some things I NEED you both to make sure you do while the press is watching so we can make sure that we: A) Convince Watson that Nicholas is a ‘family man’; B) Reform Nicholas’s image in the press as a former playboy instead of a current one; C) Secure the million-dollar bonus that was promised to me if we land this deal!

Day 1-3:

Fly to Nicholas’s hometown of Blue Harbor and stay in The Four Seasons for a couple nights before staying in the Wolf family estate.

Rehearse the “how we fell in love” story (I’ve sent you both multiple copies).

Do a few interviews with the welcoming press.

If you see cameras, kiss each other. If you don’t see cameras, kiss each other.

(Try to look deep into his eyes each time, Emily. Oh, and Nicholas, try to lightly rest your hand on her ass when you’re kissing, so this can seem like a “hot” relationship.)

Days 4-20:

At some point, Mr. Watson will fly in, and he will want to: A) Play golf with Nicholas; B) Have dinner with the Wolf Family;  C) Get a tour of all the Bed & Breakfast villas that Nicholas’s brother co-owns with Nicholas’s mother; D) Sign off on this damn deal we’ve worked on for MONTHS.

Days 21-30: We’ll return to New York, get a few more “couple” photos and interviews done for the press (if necessary).

Day 31: Amicable break-up.

Please don’t be late for your flight.

Brenton East

Special Advisor to CEO of Wolf Industries

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I debated whether I wanted to go through with this or not, if it was too late for me to back out. I’d told my sister I was still on the fence, even though I signed the contract without thinking twice.

I scrolled down to Nicholas’s name in my phone, but then I heard his voice in my living room.

Opening my bedroom door, I saw him standing on the steps of my brownstone—shaking his head at my sister. He was wearing a grey shirt that clung to his muscles in all the right ways and a pair of dark lounge pants that exposed the perfectly carved “V” below his hips.

“Where’s Emily?” he asked, impatient.

“I’m Emily.”

“You’re a very good lookalike, Jenna.”

“We’re identical.”

“Not to me.” He rolled his eyes. “Where is she?”

“In her room.” She let him in, betraying me within seconds.

“Where’s her luggage?”

“Why don’t you ask her?” Her eyes met mine, and she smiled. “Morning, Em!”

I shook my head and stepped out of my bedroom. “Morning, Jenna. Nicholas.”

“Where’s your luggage?” he asked.

I shrugged.

“I know damn well you’ve packed for our flight, Emily,” he said. “Where is your luggage?”

“I’ve decided not to go.”

“You really need to get better at reading the terms in the contracts you sign.” He looked around the room. “I’m only going to ask about your suitcase one more time.”

“I’m not going,” I said. “The door is right behind—”

“Did you tell your asshole boss that you changed your mind about the—” Marah, my sister’s best friend, stopped short as she entered the living room. She looked Nicholas up and down, her cheeks reddening with every second that passed. “Well, damn. Can I go in your place?”

“You wouldn’t want to,” I said, hating the way that Nicholas was staring at me right now had made me wet. “He’s far worse than anything I’ve ever told you about on the phone.”

“You have twenty minutes to get ready,” he said to me. Then he extended his hand to Marah, and then my sister. “I’m the asshole boss, but I prefer to go by Nicholas.”

“Pleasure to meet you.” Jenna smiled. “Her suitcase is already packed. It’s in the hallway closet.”

What the fuck? I looked at her in utter shock, completely taken aback by her betrayal.

I am definitely not standing in for her at that meet and greet next month ...

“Thank you,” Nicholas said, walking over to the closet. “I’ll be waiting for you in the car.” He left, and I waited until he’d walked down the steps.

“Why the hell would you do that to me, Jenna?”

“One, you’ve wanted to get out of your employment contract since the day you signed it, and you’re going to get five million for doing this,” she said. “Two, it’s only thirty days. And three, I think deep down you want to fuck him, and what better way to get that done than this?”

“You’re delusional.” I headed into the bathroom. “I really don’t want to go anymore.”

“Oh, please! You were grandstanding,” she said, following me. “That’s why you bought a second plane ticket for later this morning. You just wanted him to think you weren’t going because I personally think both of you have control issues.” She put her hands on my shoulders. “Emily Nicole Johnson, this is only for thirty days. If anyone can handle this, it’s you.”