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each other, actually... No, wait, let me get this out first before you say anything else. As you've probably noticed, I have a bit of a reputation as a loner. And it's getting in my way in more ways than one. Wow, this is harder than I thought. What I am trying to say is, I want to hire you to pretend to be my girlfriend."
    Gwen didn't really know how to process that. She'd been expecting maybe an invitation for a date, something along those lines.
    But he just sat across from her, considering her with those cold eyes of his. For just a few moments, she thought that he might be joking, but those eyes told her it was no joke.
    No, he was deadly serious.
    "Excuse me?" she said, hoping that maybe she'd misheard.
    "We both have problems, and I'm of the thought that we can help each other. How much did you say they wanted again...?" Aiden started, reaching into his jacket and producing a thin, black leather-bound checkbook.
    "Do I look like a hooker to you?" Gwen said. She said it through her teeth. Anger, searing its way up through her, gave her cheeks a hot flush. Though Gwen couldn't be sure of the exact source of the feeling. Was it that he was actually propositioning her? Or might it be anger at herself for beginning to think that maybe she could like this guy?
    Both and more, she decided.
    "Sorry?" Aiden said, pausing in opening the checkbook. His eyebrows knit together.
    He really doesn't see, she thought, he really doesn't understand what he just did. There really was something weird about him. And Beatrice was right, it seemed.
    This time, she made certain that he heard.
    "I said, do you think I am a hooker or something?"
    The conversations in the Starbucks died down, and Gwen could feel all the eyes in the coffee shop watching her table. She didn't care. Well, at least not enough to cool off quite yet.
    "No, I don't. I think there's been some measure of miscommunication going on here..." Aiden said. He reached out for her hand, but Gwen snatched it back and practically leapt up from her chair.
    "What is wrong with you? You know, if you'd just asked me out, I probably would have said yes! But this... I can't believe you asked me that. And what do you mean you don't? You just propositioned me and got out your checkbook! You know what? Beatrice was right about you; you are a jerk."
    Aiden started to say something, but Gwen picked up her cup of ice water and threw it in his face.
    People started clapping, and she realized she'd been screaming those last few sentences.
    "I'm sorry," Aiden said, wiping some ice cubes off his lap.
    The anger inside Gwen gave way to something else. Something that pushed painfully at her eyes with tears. She rushed out of the coffee shop, almost running headlong into Beatrice.
    "Oh, B!" Gwen said, wrapping her friend up in a hug. Beatrice returned the gesture, stroking at the back of her head and cooing.
    "It's okay, it's okay. Hey, let's go back to your place and we'll talk. Can we do that?" Beatrice said.
     
    Chapter 6
     
    Gwen didn't know how she managed it, but she avoided a complete, sobbing breakdown. She settled for throwing herself down on her couch and shaking. It was all just too much. First, Janice throwing her under the bus with Patterson Holdings, now some rich guy literally trying to buy her.
    Why is all this happening to me? she thought. I'm a nice person! The meanest thing she could ever remember doing was laying the blame for some spilled ice cream on their living room carpet on an old elementary school friend when she was little. And the guilt had wracked her so much she'd come clean to her father a week later.
    Wasn't karma only supposed to effect bad people?
    In the kitchen, the kettle started whistling. She had to give it to Beatrice: her friend could act like all she cared about was boys, but she was right there when you needed her.
    Like now, for instance. Gwen listened as her friend poured the boiling water into the teapot. Soon thereafter, she came out into the living