Young Millionaire Needed a Wedding Date. He Never Expected to Fall in Love With Her For Real.
A Proposition Amidst the Champagne
Jackson Hayes needed a date fast—not just any date, but someone convincing enough to survive an entire weekend at his sister’s extravagant wedding without causing a scandal.
His family had been relentless hounding him about settling down, and his ex had made sure the media knew he was still very much single.
He needed a buffer, someone who could play the part. And that’s when he saw her: Sienna Brooks.
She was currently juggling two trays of champagne flutes, dodging a particularly entitled businessman who was demanding she bring him a drink she didn’t even serve.
Sienna was sharp, quick-tongued, and clearly unimpressed by the scene unfolding before her.
She was exactly the kind of woman who wouldn’t fall for the glitz and glamour of his world. Perfect.
Jackson pushed off the bar, adjusted his cufflinks, and strode toward her.
“Excuse me,” he said smoothly, intercepting the businessman’s tirade before Sienna could. “Is there a problem here?”
Sienna arched a brow, her deep brown eyes locking onto his with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity.
“Only if you count entitled customers as a problem,” she said dryly.
Jackson smirked. He liked her already. “Walk with me,” he asked.
She hesitated for half a second before exhaling and passing off her tray to another server.
“If this is about complaining, I don’t have time,” she said as she followed him toward a quieter corner.
“It’s not,” Jackson assured her. “I need a favor.”
She narrowed her eyes. “A favor from me?”
“Yes.” He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. “I need a date for a wedding this weekend. You’d be compensated, of course.”
Sienna blinked, then she laughed. “You want to hire me to be your date?”
“Exactly.”
“Why me?”
Jackson appreciated her directness. “Because you don’t look like the kind of woman who would fawn over my money and you clearly have no patience for nonsense. I need someone who won’t read too much into this.”
She crossed her arms, sizing him up. “And what exactly would I have to do?”
“Smile. Pretend you like me. Make my family believe I’m not a total lost cause when it comes to relationships,” Jackson said, keeping it simple.
Sienna tilted her head. “You must be really desperate.”
“You have no idea.”
A slow smile spread across her lips. “All right, Jackson Hayes. I’ll be your fake date, but I have conditions.”
He smirked. “I’m listening.”
“First, I don’t do fake affection. If I have to pretend to like you, you better make it easy for me. No barking orders, no arrogance, no treating me like I’m one of your employees.”
Jackson chuckled. “Fair enough.”
“Second,” she continued, “I don’t do uncomfortable shoes. If I’m expected to be on your arm all weekend, I’m picking my own outfits.”
“I’ll have a stylist send options, but you have the final say,” Jackson agreed, already amused by her negotiation skills.
“And third,” she said, stepping closer, “if this turns into some kind of mess, I walk. No questions asked.”
Jackson studied her for a moment. She wasn’t intimidated by him, wasn’t star-struck by his wealth; she was just a woman who knew her worth.
“Deal,” he said.
Sienna exhaled and shook her head. “I can’t believe I just agreed to this.”
Jackson grinned. “Trust me, neither can I.”
As he watched her walk away, he had the strangest feeling that this arrangement was going to be far more complicated than he’d anticipated.
For the first time in a long time, Jackson Hayes wasn’t entirely sure he minded.
