I nod, relieved he said it first.
“Do you want to just, I don’t know, pretend it’snotawkward?” I say. “Just kind of skip the awkward bit, and go straight to the part where we’re totally comfortable with each other, just a regular old fake boyfriend and girlfriend, with nothing to prove?”
He considers this, thoughtfully.
“Like acting, you mean?”
I shrug. “I suppose. Isn’t that what all of this is about, anyway?”
He smiles slowly, and the effect it has on my insides is really quite disconcerting. If this is how he can make me feel just by smiling, then I think I might be in trouble here.
Like, seriously big trouble.
The kind it’s impossible to get out of in one piece.
“I think I can do that,” Jett is saying now. “Fake relationships, no. Acting, yes.”
“Well, I would hope so,” I say, grinning back at him. “Otherwise this whole charade is going to be a bit of waste, really, isn’t it?”
Whatever he’s about to say to that is lost as the door opens again, and Asher walks out, followed by my new bestie, Grace, and a man I’ve never seen before. He has a shaved head and several eyebrow piercings, and Asher looks slightly scared of him. I like him already.
Then he goes and spoils it all by opening his mouth.
“Well, this just isn’t going to workat all,” Shaven Head says, throwing his hands in the air dramatically as he strides over to where I’m sitting and peers into my face as if I’m not actually attached to it.
“We need to do something with this,” he says, prodding at my hair with distaste. “And…these.”He points at my eyebrows and then looks away, as if the very sight of them has offended him.
And here was I thinking I was just about to meet Friend #3.
“Umm, Lexie, this is Jakob,” Grace says nervously, her hands twisting anxiously at the necklace she’s wearing. “He’s a stylist we’ve asked to come and… to come and… well,helpyou. Not that youneedhelp, obviously, it’s just that…”
“Oh, she does,” Jakob interjects, folding his arms across his chest decisively. “She really, really does.”
I pull myself up as straight as I can manage in his infernal chair, and flip my hair over my shoulder haughtily.
“If this is the bit where I get a makeover, and everyone suddenly decides to accept me, I don’t think a man in Birkenstocks is best placed to help me with that, thanks,” I say acidly, allowing my eyes to sweep my latest nemesis from head to toe.
Jakob gasps in outrage. For a second, we glare at each other, like gladiators about to go into the ring. Then, before either of us can speak, there’s a loud sigh, and Jett stands up.
“Enough,” he says, looking from Jakob to Asher and back again. “She doesn’t need a stylist. She’s fine. Her eyebrows are fine. Her hair’s fine. Now, can we just get on with this, please, Asher? I have things to do, you know.”
I get slowly to my feet, feeling once again deflated. Jakob might have insulted my eyebrows, but Jett has just crushed my spirit completely.
Fine?
He thinks I’mfine?
Talk aboutinsulting. I thought every man knew that “fine” is the very worst thing you can say to a woman in regards to her appearance. And I know he’s not really my boyfriend, but the fact is, I don’t want him to think I’m justfine. I don’t want tobejustfine.
I want to be better than that.
Iwillbe better than that.
“Actually,” I say, turning back to Jakob, who’s now circling the balcony like an angry cat, “Maybe I could use some help after all—”
“Nope,” Jett says firmly, interrupting. “No time for that. I’m not sitting around here all day while you preen yourself. Grab your stuff. If we’re going to do this, we’re going to do itnow.”
Chapter 12
