Back Up Plan: A Fake-Dating Sapphic Romance, page 1
BACK-UP PLAN
A FAKE DATING SAPPHIC ROMANCE
CARA PORTER
CONTENTS
Foreword
1. Ari
2. Cass
3. Ari
4. Cass
5. Ari
6. Cass
7. Ari
8. Cass
9. Ari
10. Cass
11. Ari
12. Cass
13. Ari
14. Cass
15. Ari
16. Cass
17. Ari
18. Cass
19. Ari
20. Cass
21. Ari
22. Cass
23. Ari
Epilogue
Links
FOREWORD
Dear Reader,
Though this book is steamy, fun, and romantic, it does contain topics that may be sensitive for some. Namely, this book contains a manipulative ex with a history of gaslighting and cheating. While she is not the focus of this love story, she is present in the plot and in the characters’ lives.
If you are sensitive to these topics, I encourage you to read with caution and prioritize your wellbeing.
If you choose to continue reading, I hope you enjoy the book!
Cara
1
ARI
Ari had no idea what she was doing.
Even though she had been at the agency for years, she hadn’t ever considered what moving up the ladder would actually look like.
And now, her newly-hired assistant was staring at her like a lost puppy craving approval, but that would’ve required Ari to actually give her work to do.
Half the reason Ari had hired Jess was because of her eager, go-getting attitude. It reminded Ari of herself when she’d first walked through those too-heavy glass doors. She could still picture how silly she’d looked trying to shoulder the door open in three-inch heels.
“I’d be happy to take it on if you think I’m ready,” Jess continued.
Ari hesitated, tilting her head as she considered it. Jess had been making great progress and was really starting to find her footing at the agency. But, a part of Ari still feared trusting someone else with the job she had done for nearly a decade.
“Your plate seems pretty full,” Ari said, offering Jess an out.
Jess shook her head, “I’m really happy to take on more.”
Ari nodded, “Let me think on it more.”
Cleary dejected, Jess smiled and headed for Ari’s office door.
“You’re doing a great job, Jess,” Ari added.
She closed the door softly after a curt nod. Ari spun in her chair a few times before using her desk to still herself.
She knew that Jess was capable of handling more — it was part of why Ari hired her to begin with— but something was stopping her from letting Jess into her client list completely.
She took a deep breath and scrolled through her emails. When she was promoted, John had been more than happy to offload some of his lower-earning clients to Ari’s empty slate, and Ari’d been elated to give those clients a chance to really shine with the attention of a fresh agent.
But she couldn’t do any of that without an assistant. Just as she was getting lost in her thoughts, a gentle knock on the door drew her attention.
“Dude, you have to give her something,” Tommy said as she popped open the door.
“It’s funny, I don’t remember telling you to come in,” Ari said, raising an eyebrow.
Tommy laughed as she plopped her lanky body into the emerald, velvet chair in front of Ari’s desk, “That was brutal to watch.”
Ari rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair, “How could you even tell what was said?”
“We work in an office with glass walls, haven’t you practiced your lip reading?” Tommy asked before adding, “You’d think you of all people would be pretty good at that.”
Ari tossed a pen in her direction after Tommy winked, “Well, it’s not like I’ve gotten a lot of action lately anyway.”
Tommy smirked, “We could go out tonight and change that streak.”
Ari laughed— the last time the pair had gone out to a club together, they had almost gotten into a fight with a stranger because Tommy liked to make moves on taken women and Ari had to drag Tommy out before she could throw a punch.
“I’m good, thanks,” Ari said.
Tommy rolled her head back and sighed, “Honestly, Ari. It’s getting pathetic. How long has it been? Like, six months?”
Ari shook her head and sighed, “If I come with you, will you stop hounding me about it?”
“No,” Tommy said, “but it will make me happy.”
Ari couldn’t resist her friend’s golden retriever-like grin. Knowing she had won, Tommy pumped her fist. She stood from her chair and headed to the door.
As she grabbed the large, stainless steel handle, she said, “We’re getting you laid tonight.”
Rolling her eyes, Ari took a deep breath. She hadn’t been able to find time to date, or even hook up, since her promotion. Her body was craving touch, but one-night stands tended to be complete letdowns. It took a lot for her to fully open herself up to pleasure, and strangers rarely stuck around long enough to finish the job. Tommy often suggested finding a friend-with-benefits, but with the time and effort that would require to maintain, Ari figured she might as well try to land a girlfriend.
Still, her body wouldn’t let her deny her more carnal cravings.
Emerging from her haze, Ari looked at the digital clock hanging above the walnut console table across from her desk.
Before she could dive back into her emails, her phone started buzzing, Kylie Claire appeared on her lock screen.
Ari couldn’t stop herself from rolling her eyes before accepting the call, “Kylie, how are you doing?”
There was a brief moment of silence on the other end, then an audible gulp of air, “I have this stupid ADR session at the end of the week, and the technician has been a real douche about the pre-session stuff.”
“Uh-huh, tell me more,” Ari took out a notepad, scrawling the time and Kylie’s name across the top.
“She won’t adjust the schedule for me at all and keeps asking for insane hours,” Kylie complained.
Ari nodded, “When’s your next session?”
“Friday at noon,” Kylie said, the tapping of her gel-tip manicure through the phone overwhelming Ari’s ears.
“Got it, I’ll drop by the studio before then and make sure she chills out. How does that sound?”
Kylie exhaled like she had just been cleared by a doctor, “You’re the best, Ari.”
Ari gave a professional chuckle and replied, “It’s nothing. I’ll touch base with you later this week. Good luck.”
She hung up the phone and put it face down on her desk. By the time she looked up, Jess was already pushing the door open.
“Kylie again?” she asked.
Ari nodded, “Could you find me the sound tech’s name for her ADR session later this week?”
Jess nodded, excited to help, “Of course. I could make the call if you want to tell me what the issue is?”
“No, that’s alright,” Ari shook her head. Dealing with technicians was always tricky, they were experts in their fields and often overlooked, overworked, and underpaid. Their craft, replacing the bad auto from sets and re-dubbing them with studio-quality sounds, took expert-level focus and skill. They were highly sensitive to stars who looked down on them, and Ari had watched John elegantly navigate the balance for years.
It was exciting to get to chart her own course with the techs… There was a part of Ari that felt guilty for turning Jess down yet again, but this task required a delicate hand. Kylie was an up-and-coming star, but if the industry heard she was a diva, she would be dead in the water.
By the time Ari was home, she had about an hour until meeting Tommy at Cubbyhole in the West Village. She had moved into her Hell’s Kitchen apartment just a few months ago and was still trying to find the perfect pieces for the space.
She slipped off her Ann Taylor blouse, revealing a perfectly fitted black bra as she entered her bedroom. She tossed the shirt onto her bed, which had been made the first thing that morning. She took a moment to look out of her floor-to-ceiling windows. She still hadn’t gotten used to the view from ten stories up. Facing the Hudson River, Ari got south-facing sun all day - even though she was barely home enough to enjoy it.
With her black trousers draping down her long, toned legs, she put her arm against the closet door frame. The subtle curve of her bicep appeared as she placed the weight of her body on the arm. Her wardrobe consisted mostly comprised of work outfits — most of her favorite going-out fits had been given away to consignment shops as her social life slowly dwindled.
But, she still had a few bodycon dresses that would do the trick. As her hand brushed the expensive fabrics draped off of her hangers, she stopped on an orange number.
She slipped the dress off its hanger and pulled it over her broad shoulders. As she wrestled it into place, she scooped her breast up so her cleavage would spill over the front cutouts ever-so-slightly.
Ari took a step back and looked in the mirror to examine her outfit. The dress was shorter than she remembered, her upper thighs peeking out through the bottom.
Is it too much?
While she considered her other options, a text lit up her phone:
Tommy: Heading to Cubby now, see you in 20?
“Ugh,” Ari groaned as she grabbed a pair of simple black heels from the closet. She wouldn’t have time to debate wearing anything else. She took a glance around her room — it was messier than she would’ve liked for potentially bringing someone home, but she couldn’t really care at this point.
She grabbed a small clutch from the coat rack by her front door and walked out of her apartment.
I hope this isn’t a mistake.
2
CASS
Cass’s breath caught in her throat as she adjusted from the icy air conditioning inside the studio to the hot, city smog of bustling Broadway. The warm weather felt like a cozy blanket, albeit a smelly one, after hours in the frigid soundbooth. She checked her watch as she rubbed her shaved and bleached hair, hoping to stave off the oncoming headache.
It was liberal to call this the East Village since it had become so gentrified by the nearby university, but some of the area’s original charm persevered despite the Sweet Greens and college students.
It was eight-thirty, and the sun setting over the West Side marked another full day spent in the dark, claustrophobic editing bay. She knew it was necessary to keep the rooms well-insulated, but after a long session, she felt like a complete zombie.
All she really wanted was to grab a drink and chat with a stranger, so she headed west. The city’s summer ambience was a welcome break after a day inside, micromanaging every tiny sound wave. Besides, remembering what the real world sounded like was almost akin to research for Cass.
After a few blocks, her field study was interrupted by the ring of her phone.
“Hey, Mama,” she said as she brought the phone to her ear.
“Hey, Sweetie,” her mom answered, ”just wanted to check in on you.”
“Yeah, I’m good. I’m heading out to see some friends after work,” she replied. She hated lying to her mom, but it made her feel like Cass wasn’t drowning herself in work.
And honestly, she wasn’t. She just had a strange schedule, and her mom, who had only ever worked an office job, didn’t quite understand the freelance lifestyle. “You need to spend some time looking for dates,” her mom insisted.
Cass rolled her eyes, checking the street signs as she walked, “Mom, I’ve been single for a few months. I’m taking some time for myself.”
Besides, she had more than seen what was out there. Right now, casual hookups were all she had the patience for.
“I’m just saying, all your friends are going to settle down soon...”
Before she could launch into too long of a tirade, Cass interrupted, “Mom, I’m actually about to walk in. Love you, talk soon.”
She hung up the phone just after her mom returned the sign off, even though she still had a few blocks before arriving at her usual spot.
Her mom had always tried her best, but her questions never ceased to be intrusive. Cass had intentionally hid a lot of her personal and professional… history. She couldn’t help but feel like if her mom ever found out how Cass had spent her early twenties, she would be disappointed.
Lost in thought, the walk went much faster than she had anticipated. As she rounded the corner onto West 4th Street, she was surprised to see a long line outside of Cubbyhole. It wasn’t ever quiet, but usually weeknights were relatively empty.
She hopped in line as she debated even going inside. She poked her head out of the line to evaluate exactly how long the wait was.
As she did, she scanned the fellow queer people in line, some wearing six inch heels, some with short cuts and Vans, and others in jeans and a t-shirt. After performing a similar mental calculation on the wait, a duo settled into line behind her, one in a skin tight orange dress and the other in a loose trouser with a barely buttoned Hawaiian shirt.
Cass’s chest tightened as her eyes wandered down the brunette’s exposed legs. She was stunning, her calves tensed from her heels. Cass looked at her eyes before forcing herself to face forward.
From behind, she heard them start to whisper.
“Cut it out, Tommy,” the orange dress hissed.
The line inched forward, one group at a time. Cass, now standing next to the bouncer, offered a smile to the stone-faced employee. She took a look behind her, the line having grown even longer since she last took a peek.
“Is there, like, an event tonight?” Cass asked.
“Nah, just a nice summer night,” the bouncer replied.
Cass nodded, glancing once again at the stunning brunette with the high and tight bun. As their eyes met, the brunette smirked before letting her eyes drift down Cass’s body. Cass felt her body squirm under the gaze, a feeling she had become unfamiliar with since switching careers.
She peeled herself away from the mysterious woman and faced the bouncer who was waving her forward.
As she walked, she felt a hand on her arm.
“Wait for us, you dick,” Tommy laughed, following behind Cass.
“Tom…” the woman in the orange dress tried to stop her friend from imposing.
Cass tried to hide her surprise as the bouncer waved Tommy, Cass, and the mystery brunette into the bar.
“Sorry, babe, just couldn’t stand waiting in the line any more,” Tommy said as she moved past Cass and into the bar.
As Tommy’s friend passed her, she nodded to Cass and said, “Sorry for her.”
“You’re good. I’m…” but before she could introduce herself, the woman pushed forward into the crowd.
Cass rolled her eyes, how rude.
Cubbyhole, true to its name, was a narrow bar with one path through the crowd and no room for deviation. As Cass followed behind the pair, she could feel every person scanning them over. Cass could only assume they were a couple or at least were so often mistaken for one that pretending to be one made getting into a bar far easier.
Eager to break off, Cass slipped off toward the first opening she spotted at the bar. As she tried to shoulder her way into the spot without hurting anyone, the woman in the orange dress slid effortlessly into it.
She let out a heavy sigh before leaning into the woman’s ear, “Excuse me, I was going to stand there.”
Surprised to see Cass again, she quickly tilted her body to create space for her.
“Thank you, god.” Cass muttered as she waved the bartender down.
“I’m Ari,” the woman said.
Cass looked around, “Did I ask?”
Ari laughed, “Well, you tried to.” Her laugh sent a shiver down Cass’s spine. Something about the deep rumble weakened her knees.
“What can I do for you?” the bartender asked as they slung a towel over their shoulder.
Before Ari could speak up, Cass said, “I’ll take a vodka cran.”
“And for you?” they turned to Ari.
“Whiskey sour,” Ari said.
The bartender grabbed two glasses from behind the counter and poured the well vodka into one of the cups, “Together or separate?”
“Separ…”
“Together,” Cass said.
Ari, shocked by her boldness, tilted her head.
“It’s the least you can do. I got you and your girlfriend in, and then you stole my spot.” As she waited for Ari’s reply, she allowed her eyes to wander down Ari’s dress. The cutouts near her breasts framed her chest beautifully. Cass couldn’t help but wonder what they looked like out of that skin-tight outfit.
Ari nodded to the bartender, approving the purchase.
The bartender placed the vodka cran on the sticky bartop.
Grabbing the glass, Cass nodded to Ari and began to turn toward the crowd, hoping to begin her prowl for the night.
