If I hadn’t been such a brat toward Tyler since we were toddlers, maybe this moment wouldn’t have taken thirty years to come to fruition, but I’d dwell on that later. Right now, I had a role to play and a plan to make. Every cell in my body hummed in anticipation.
“Do you have plans tonight? You close mid-afternoon, right?”
He squinted at me, the typical suspicion creasing his forehead.
“We close at three. I leave by four usually.”
“Great—give me your number. I have a work thing in Seaford tonight. Why don’t you meet me?”
“Um…” He studied me, his brows pulling together. “You’re my date to my cousin’s wedding. I’m not looking for a relationship or anything.”
“Right.” I held in a groan. This was like pulling teeth but nothing I shouldn’t have expected. “But maybe we should get used to being nice to each other before we pretend to be a couple.”
I bit back a laugh when his eyes widened at the same time his jaw dropped.
“Again, I’m taking you as adate for the night. A lot of the people there who know us know our history of not getting along—why pretend we’re something they’ll know we’re not?”
“A lot, but not all. Imagine the looks and the whispers. All the years of being at each other’s throats, and now we’re together. You’d stun everyone.” I stepped closer. “How fucking fun would that be?” I asked in a loud whisper.
His full lips pursed, and I had to will my eyes away from his mouth. I always wondered if Tyler was a gentle kisser or an angry one. With me, I’d hazard angry, but my heart rate kicked up at the possibility of finally testing that fact.
“Either way, regarding me all night as if you expect me to poison your dinner won’t be a good look.” I held out my phone, raising a brow until he took it.
We were practically extended family, so we should have had each other’s cell phone numbers years ago, just in case of emergency with our mothers. That spoke to our history more than anything else, but the tides were turning—I hoped. I was just learning to acknowledge my low-key obsession with the guy, but I sincerely wanted to be friends, not enemies. Was it too late? I guessed we’d see.
His phone chirped in his jeans pocket as he handed mine back.
“I’m not a work-party kind of guy.” He stuffed his hands into his pockets, creating another bulge in his biceps. This proposition would never work if I kept eye-fucking my pretend date before it was time. “I can meet you before Saturday somewhere else if you think it’s necessary.”
“No party, just me. I’ll text you the address and explain when you get there. I promise, I’m the only one you’ll be making uncomfortable conversation with.” I winked and turned to join my mother in the front, giving my hips an extra sway, knowing that Tyler was watching me the entire time.
The rush when Tyler looked at me, however he looked at me, was something that never wavered, no matter how unhealthy I knew it was.
“What was that about?” Mom asked with a deep crease in her brow.
“Donnie is marrying Amy’s cousin, so since he doesn’t want to go solo, we’re going to pretend we’re together for a night. I could do him this one favor after being a jerk to him since we were kids, right?” I grabbed the bag and headed for the door, keeping my resolve even as my perfect plan sounded completely ridiculous when I tried to explain it. I held the door open for my mother, but when I looked back, she hadn’t followed. Her feet were rooted to the floor as her wide eyes studied me.
“Come on, those cookies won’t eat themselves.” I tilted my chin toward the exit, praying she’d stop gaping at me and leave Tyler’s bakery.
She nodded slowly and finally padded out the door.
“I thought you’d be happy at us not being at each other’s throats for once.” I laughed until I saw the crease in her forehead. “It’s not a big deal—”
“Not a big deal?” She grabbed my arm to pull me back. “I was happy to see you amicable at Lucy’s party, but it’s a big leap to be his date at a family wedding.”
Her words made all the confidence I’d had with Tyler only moments ago dissipate into the ether.
“You were too into the cookies to overhear that Amy is pregnant. Her husband is Tyler’s old best friend, who she left Tyler for. He shouldn’t be there alone, and we didn’t get along because ofme.I can admit that. If I could do him just one favor, maybe it won’t make up for it all, but it’s a start.”
I swiveled around, hoping Mom’s jaw would close before we made it home. Nothing about this offer was normal—most of all the fact that he actually took me up on it.
I couldn’t admit that it was a big fucking deal and wouldn’t allow myself to consider all the reasons why.
FOUR
OLIVIA
Ididn’t say much on the walk home. My mother’s words poked at me the entire way back to the house, but why? I knew it was a stretch. Dinner tonight was probably going to consist of me working for every word I pulled out of Tyler, so how were we going to be fake lovers for a night? I’d thought of it as a game, but hearing how impossible it would be didn’t entice me to rise to the challenge like normal. Defeat and confusing disappointment weighed on me as I trudged up our outside steps and unlocked the inside door of my apartment.
