“Can You Pretend to Be My Boyfriend for a Day”—She Asked the Mechanic, Not Knowing He Was a CEO
A Night of Masks and Revelations
They exchanged numbers and made plans to meet the next evening. After Ethan left with the flowers, Lauren’s best friend, Maya, emerged from the back room where she’d been listening.,
“Did you just hire a fake boyfriend?” Maya asked, eyebrows raised.
“I think I did,” Lauren admitted. “Is that completely pathetic?”
“It’s either pathetic or brilliant,” Maya said. “We’ll find out tomorrow.”
The next evening, Lauren changed outfits five times before settling on a pink floral dress that made her feel pretty but not like she was trying too hard. She was touching up her lipstick when the doorbell rang.
She opened it and froze. Ethan stood there, but not the Ethan she’d expected. Gone were the grease-stained work clothes.
Instead, he wore dark jeans and a fitted gray Henley that showed off a physique that suggested gym memberships and personal trainers. His hair was styled, his jaw freshly shaved. He looked expensive in a way that didn’t match a mechanic’s salary.
“You clean up nice,” Lauren managed.
“So do you,” Ethan replied, his smile warm and genuine. “Ready for this?”
The reunion was at the Riverside Hotel, the fanciest venue in town. Lauren’s stomach churned as they walked in. The ballroom was decorated with their school colors, and everywhere she looked she saw people who’d moved on to bigger things: lawyers, doctors, and business owners in the city.,
There was Derek, holding court near the bar with his new girlfriend attached to his arm like an expensive accessory.
“That’s him?” Ethan asked quietly.
“How did you know?” Lauren whispered.
“You looked like you’d seen a ghost. Also, he keeps glancing over here like he’s trying to figure out who I am.”
Ethan took Lauren’s hand. His palm was warm and calloused in a way that reminded her he worked with his hands, but there was a confidence in the way he moved that seemed at odds with a small-town mechanic.
“Lauren Bennett,” a woman approached with fake enthusiasm. It was Jessica Hart, who’d been head cheerleader. “I heard you were still running your little flower shop. How sweet that you’re keeping it in the family.”
The condescension was clear. Before Lauren could respond, Ethan stepped in.,
“Actually, Lauren’s expanded to three locations in the past year,” he said smoothly. “She’s been featured in Garden and Design magazine. Her corporate accounts include some of the biggest firms in the region.”
Lauren stared at him. None of that was true, but he delivered it with such casual confidence that Jessica bought it completely.
“Oh, how wonderful,” Jessica said, her smile now forced. “And who’s this?”
“Ethan Cole,” he said, shaking her hand. “Lauren’s boyfriend.”
They mingled. Every time someone made a snide comment about the flower shop, Ethan smoothly redirected with some impressive-sounding accomplishment. Every time Lauren felt small, he found a way to make her feel seen.
Derek eventually cornered them by the appetizer table.
“Lauren,” he said, his eyes scanning Ethan with barely concealed jealousy. “I heard you were dating someone new.”
“Derek,” Lauren replied coolly. “This is Ethan.”
The two men shook hands, and Lauren noticed Derek wince slightly at Ethan’s grip.
“So, what do you do, Ethan?” Derek asked, his tone suggesting he expected an unimpressive answer.,
“I work with vehicles,” Ethan said simply.
Derek’s smirk was immediate. “A mechanic? How practical.”
“Someone has to keep things running,” Ethan replied evenly. “I imagine your BMW needs regular maintenance.”
Derek’s smirk faded. “How did you—?”
“Lucky guess,” Ethan said, but his eyes held something Lauren couldn’t read—knowledge, maybe, or amusement.
Derek’s girlfriend pulled him away, and Lauren turned to Ethan.
“Thank you,” she said. “For all of this. The made-up achievements, the confident boyfriend act. You’re really good at this.”
“I’m not acting,” Ethan said quietly.
“What?” Lauren asked.
“The part where I think you’re amazing, where I’m proud to be standing next to you. That’s not fake.”
Lauren’s breath caught. Before she could respond, an old teacher called her name. Ethan excused himself to get drinks at the bar. There, he ran into the reunion organizer, Tom Chen.
“Ethan Cole,” Tom said, recognition dawning. “I thought that was you. Didn’t want to blow your cover, man.”,
Ethan sighed. “Thanks for that.”
“Does she know?” Tom asked, nodding toward Lauren. “That I own Cole Industries? That I’m not actually a mechanic?”
Ethan shook his head. “No. And I’d appreciate if you kept it that way.”
“Your secret’s safe. But why the act?” Tom asked.
“Because for once, someone’s getting to know me without knowing about the money first,” Ethan replied. “It’s refreshing.”
What Lauren didn’t know was that Ethan Cole was the founder and CEO of Cole Automotive Group, a company that owned 30 dealerships and had expanded into sustainable vehicle technology. He was worth approximately $40 million.
He owned the mechanic’s shop where Lauren had seen him. He just liked to work there sometimes to remember where he’d started, to keep his hands busy and his head clear.
