Tasha listened to all of this with a good-natured smile, but that only masked the way she felt inside. She had given up on ever going anywhere meaningful, content -- or so she told herself -- to have a good time and try not to latch onto that leaky little life raft called hope.
"You're sweet," she told him. "But I'm a realist. If this will help me get booked by some horny business exec planning his next company bonding event, then I'm cool with that. I can play a part."