Three

"Sure," he replied. "How are you doing?"

She hesitated. She knew the expected response would be something positive, like "great" or "fantastic." However, all she felt at that moment was anger. This was meant to be her celebration, but she couldn't shake the encounter with Stoney's friend.

"Fabulous," she said, forcing a smile. Stoney raised an eyebrow.

"Very convincing," he said. "I'd hate to see your reaction if you won the lottery."

She let out a sigh and stirred her drink. "I think these drinks are watered down. I should be much more intoxicated than I am right now."

"You're just not feeling it yet," he replied, taking a sip from his glass of whiskey, his words slightly slurred.

She observed him with a heavy heart. "I should've ordered a whiskey."

He chuckled. "Come on, Stella. What's bothering you? I thought you'd be relieved to finally be rid of that jerk."

She brought her drink to her lips, and just before she took a sip, she said, "It doesn't matter."

"It does if you're bringing the mood down," he pointed out. "Come on, what's bothering you?"

She shook her head. "It's silly, hardly worth mentioning."

He nodded. "Alright, I'm going to get another drink."

"Stoney, you just got a drink," she remarked with a laugh. "Let's finish these first, shall we?"

"Why do you care? You're not paying tonight," he replied.

A sudden wave of cold fear washed over her. The same fear that had gripped her in the courtroom when the judge's gavel fell. She had spent thousands of dollars on her divorce from Curtis, emptying her savings and 401k, not to mention the emotional turmoil she had endured in the weeks leading up to the court date. She had already been through three jobs.

Her thoughts must have been evident on her face because Stoney quickly apologized, "Oh, that was thoughtless of me. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she said. "I mean, I'll find another job. That's what this time is for, right? Rebuilding. Once I secure another job, everything will start falling into place."

Stoney sighed and took a sip of his whiskey. "Assuming Curtis hasn't tarnished your reputation all over town by now."

She shot him an annoyed look, and he winced. "Sorry, again."

"You know, this is turning into a wake," she said with frustration. "This was meant to be a celebration. Damn it, why did I have to lose everything just to get rid of that guy?"

Stoney stared at his glass, swirling the ice cubes around in the amber liquid. "Maybe you can find a wealthy old guy to marry, like Rich's stepmom did."

She rolled her eyes. "Rich, your obnoxious friend?"

"Hey, he's not obnoxious. He's just been through a lot," Stoney defended. "He's a great guy once you get to know him."

"I'm sure Charles Manson was a great guy if you got to know him, too," she quipped.

Stoney laughed. "He's not that bad. You just had a bad first impression. Hey..." His face brightened, and a slow smile spread across it. "You know, now that I'm thinking about him, I believe it would be in your best interest to get to know him better."

Stella listened as Stoney explained his friend Rich's situation, the details of his father's will, and the stipulations involved. She recoiled immediately.

"Wait, wait, hold on," she started, slurring her words. Her martini glass was nearly empty. "Are you suggesting that I become a sugar baby or something?"

"Well, not exactly," Stoney clarified. "See, Rich is a very practical guy, all about business and pragmatism. Money is his primary focus most of the time. I'm thinking that if you present the option to play his fiancée to fool the lawyers, in exchange for a fee, of course."

"Why on earth would I do that?" she questioned. "Don't I have to like him to consider marrying him?"

"No," he laughed. "That's the beauty of it. You don't need to like him or be his friend. You don't even have to actually marry him. Just pretend to be engaged... for a fee. You both enter a contract where he pays you to act as his fiancée until he can resolve the issues with his father's will. He retains control of his company, and you get the money you need for your rent. It's a win-win situation."