The Call Boy I Met in Paris — Episode 20
“That’s nice,” Ted said after Sophie introduced Justin as her assistant architect. His polite smile carried the faint approval of a successful man acknowledging someone far below his level.
Justin said nothing. He was still absorbing the fact that Sophie had invented a position to protect his dignity, while her fingers remained curled around his beneath the table.
Ted turned back to her. “I flew home from Barcelona to take care of some emergency family matters, but I’ll be here for a while this time.”
“Call me whenever,” he added. “We need to hang out.” The invitation sounded casual, but Justin noticed the anticipation behind it.
“Of course,” Sophie said. “I haven’t seen you in, what, a year?” She began listing places they should visit, slipping easily into plans that did not include her husband.
“A long time,” Ted agreed. “We need to catch up.” His gaze rested on her with an affection too warm to be purely brotherly.
Dinner ended with promises of another meeting. Sophie hugged Ted goodbye, while Justin offered a shorter handshake than before.
“Bye, Ted,” she called as he left the restaurant. Ted looked back once, directing his smile at Sophie and ignoring Justin entirely.
“Yeah, bye,” Justin muttered. The door closed, but his irritation remained seated at the table with them.
Sophie turned toward him. “That’s your bestie, huh?” he asked before she could comment on his mood. The nickname sounded ridiculous in his mouth because jealousy had stripped it of humor.
“We practically grew up together,” Sophie explained. “He’s like my brother from another mother.” She believed the description should settle the matter.
Justin remembered the way Ted had watched her and doubted the brotherly feeling was mutual. Still, exposing his jealousy would make their fake marriage feel far too real.
Sophie misread his silence again. “By the way, I know it got a little awkward when Teddy asked about your work.” Compassion replaced amusement in her expression.
Justin prepared to reassure her, but she continued before he could speak. “So I have another proposal.”
The last proposal had ended at City Hall with a marriage certificate. Justin leaned back, both wary and intrigued by what she might offer this time.
“Why don’t you join my company?” Sophie asked. “For real, I mean. You can become my assistant architect.”
Justin nearly laughed. He controlled one of the largest enterprises in the industry, including the construction partner on Sophie’s most important project. Now she wanted to place him at a junior desk in her firm.
“No shade to your previous profession,” she added quickly. “Anyone making money through hard work deserves respect. I just think you could build something more stable.”
Her offer contained no mockery. Sophie was not trying to remake him because she felt ashamed; she genuinely wanted to give the man she believed poor a safer future.
“Oh, fuck,” Justin thought as her hopeful eyes waited for his answer. Keeping his identity secret had been entertaining when it involved hotel rooms and tailored suits, but accepting a job inside Swift Architecture would place him beside Sophie every day—and make the truth almost impossible to hide.
