Billionaire Book Boyfriend

Chapter 3

Emily

They Found a Match!

I sit at my desk, staring at the blinking cursor on my laptop. I rushed home today from work to write the next scene of my new novel, but my mind keeps drifting. Flirty Dirty Secrets is everywhere. The unexpected success has taken me by surprise, and now I’m constantly checking social media and review sites to see what readers are saying. Most of them love it, gushing over the book’s romance and sexual tension, but there’s an undercurrent of disbelief. They don’t know who I really am, and I want to keep it that way.

My phone buzzes, pulling me from my thoughts. Excitement rushes through me when I realize it’s the dating agency.

“Ms. Jameson?” The voice is cheerful, almost too perky for my anxiety. “We’ve found a match for you based on your profile. It’s someone who also aligns with the traits you’ve mentioned in your ideal ‘book boyfriend.’ His name is Drake King. He’s successful, charming, and has a little bit of mystery to him. And, well, he’s very interested in meeting you because you match his profile for the perfect book girlfriend.”

My heart races. I signed up for the Book Boyfriend Dating Agency through their website on a whim, never really thinking they’d find someone who fit my fantasy criteria. After all, it was just something fun to do, a distraction—a way to indulge my secret love of romance without getting too involved. But now, hearing that a match has been made, reality is setting in.

"Drake King?" I repeat, leaning back in my chair. The name has an imposing weight to it. "You’re sure we’re a match?"

“Absolutely! We met with him last Thursday, and he’s an excellent fit for you based on his questionnaire. His profile is in your email, and he’s very excited to meet you,” the woman says, prompting me to click into my email and browse Drake’s profile, which is definitely new. I would have remembered if I had ever seen him. “I preemptively set up a reservation for you both at Le Jardin this Thursday evening at seven. Does that work for you?” Her question reluctantly draws my attention from Drake’s gorgeous picture.

I hesitate, my fingers hovering over the keys. Meeting someone new is always nerve-wracking. It’s not just the typical first-date jitters; it’s the fear of exposing the parts of myself I’ve kept hidden for so long. But it’s time for me to step out and find what could be out there for me.

I’ve never been the type to date much. Every free moment I have from my job as a library clerk, I spend it in seclusion, writing my own books. My love life has always taken a backseat to my writing, and, if I’m honest, to my fear of vulnerability. I’ve built a wall around my true identity—both as Eva Steele, the author of steamy bestsellers, and as a woman with a tender, romantic heart. In my books, I can control the narrative, make the heroes fall in love, and guide the happy endings. But in real life? I have no such power, and that terrifies me.

I rarely venture beyond the world of my characters, finding more comfort in the pages of my novels than in the awkward conversations and uncertainties of dating. Sure, I’ve had a few casual dates over the years, but nothing serious. Every time things threatened to get real, I retreated back into my solitude, where I could stay safe and protected. Books don’t judge, and they never disappoint.

But now, for some reason, the idea of opening up to someone, even just a little, is pulling at me. Maybe it’s the excitement of being matched through the dating agency, or maybe it’s just wanting to feel the kind of love I write about. Either way, I can’t pass up this chance. Meeting someone like Drake King definitely has me curious.

“Yes, that works,” I finally reply, my voice steadier than I feel. “I’ll be there.”

After hanging up, I stare at the phone for a moment, my thoughts swirling in a chaotic mess. Was it a good idea to sign up on the Book Boyfriend dating site? What if this Drake guy is just like one of the characters in my books—smooth, confident, and hiding a darker side beneath the surface? The kind of man who can charm you with a smile and shatter your heart with the same ease. Or worse, what if he’s nothing like that, and the date is a total flop, leaving me with an awkward evening I’d rather forget?

I groan, pressing my palms to my cheeks. This is exactly why I can never find love. I’m always overthinking, always talking myself out of being with someone before things even start. I can already picture myself canceling at the last minute, retreating back to my comfort zone of cozy blankets and half-written chapters.

“Get it together, Emily,” I mutter under my breath. “It’s just one date. A chance to meet someone new. And, if nothing else, it would make for great story material. Right?”

I force myself to take a deep breath. This is my chance to step out of the world I’ve created that only includes me and my pen, to live a little outside the confines of my imagination. Who knows? Maybe Drake King will surprise me. Maybe he’s the kind of man who can rewrite the utterly predictable plot I’ve been living in for far too long.

As the week creeps toward Thursday, my nerves only grow. What if, in the middle of our conversation, Drake somehow finds out that I’m the author of Flirty Dirty Secrets ? What if he’s read the book and starts piecing it all together, connecting the dots between my characters and my life? What if I have to tell him who I really am and explain why I wrote the book? That thought alone keeps me up at night.