When I returned to the table, Ryan eyed me like he saw straight through my walls. The trouble was, I knew he could.
He waited while I flipped through the pages. “I have a charity event coming up in April,” he said, pulling out his phone. “Here in Boston. You’ll need a dress.”
“Not a pajama party, then.”
“My assistant will schedule a visit with a stylist who will do all your shopping,” he said. “On my tab, of course.”
“As your future wife, I’d expect nothing less.”
He dragged his gaze up from his phone to meet my eyes, his lips parted. He coughed a bit, still staring at me. Eventually, he thumped a fist against his chest and murmured, “Sorry about that. Something—just something in my throat.”
I grabbed his glass to refill it. “I have a student who tries to swallow his tongue every day. I’ve told him it’s not going to workand it wouldn’t be a great choice overall but he doesn’t want to hear it. He chokes on his own spit a couple of times a week.”
“I don’t know how you handle that sort of thing.”
“It’s an art,” I said, my hand under my chin. “Though this year has been mostly about crowd control and the art is often lost in the shuffle.”
“You’re good at it though. And I can tell you like it. Even when it’s tough.”
I was a little too deep in my dark, sulky corner to do anything with compliments so I said, “It keeps me busy.”
Ryan took the glass and drank half of it in two chugs. “My publicist reminded me that I need to do some goodwill visits in the area. Mostly photo ops to shake hands and drop off a check.”
I returned to my seat, grimacing. “You must hate that.”
He rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. “So much. But what if I came to your school? I could talk some sense into your class.”
“It’s cute that you think you’d be able to do that.” I folded my arms over my chest. The idea of Ryan in my classroom sent a rush of anticipation through me. I didn’t know why I liked that so much, but suddenly I couldn’t wait to show him the world of second grade. “I’m sure my principal would love to have you visit. Especially if there’s a donation involved.”
He tapped the April spread on my planner. “Talk to her and then shoot me some dates that would work for you. I’ll get my publicist on it.”
“I hope you know what you’re in for,” I said.
“I have no clue,” he replied with a laugh. He handed over his phone, a draft email on the screen with a series of dates spanning the next few months. “These are my most important events through the end of the summer.”
I went to work recording all of his galas and award banquets. They all slotted in between Grace’s dress fittings and couples’showers and end-of-the-year picnics like my life was supposed to contain these multitudes.
“My assistant will handle your travel arrangements,” he said as I flipped to August. “We should be able to work around your school schedule without any problem since we’re taking my plane.”
“Your plane,” I echoed. “When did you get aplane?”
He shrugged this off as if we all had planes so why was I pestering him about his? “I have an endorsement deal with a private jet company.”
I handed his phone back. “Quite the life you lead, my friend.”
“It’s not what it seems.” He pointed to my planner. “Your turn. What do you need?”
A slightly hysterical laugh bubbled out of me. “Can you read a book for me about investigative experiments in early elementary science? Do you know anyone who can get Ines an internship? Or someone who can plan a field day for three hundred kids? Because that would be great.” I shook my head, still laughing at the mortifying state of my life. “That shit show aside, it would be cool if my fake fiancé could give my ex murder eyes at Grace and Ben’s housewarming party, a shower-slash-pub-crawl, and their wedding weekend. It’s in Rhode Island, but don’t worry. We won’t need your private jet.”
“Put me down for the murder eyes, but what’s going on with Ines?”
I gave him the highlights of that situation. “She’s so smart and I just wish these interviewers could see that instead of getting hung up on asking what kind of tree she would be because they’re missing the good stuff. She’s going to fall apart if she can’t start her grad program in the fall and I really don’t want that.” I glanced away as I twined my fingers together. I hated admitting this part. Hated it for Ines but also for mebecause I wasn’t so different. “And there’s no one else to help her. I have to do it.”
He tapped his phone a few times, his lips pulled into a thoughtful frown. He was going to be late for his dinner though I couldn’t find it in me to be upset about that.
“Send me her CV,” he said. “I’ll see what I can do.”
I laughed as I closed my planner. “Don’t tell me you have an endorsement deal with an engineering firm.”
