I swallowed the lump in my throat, nodding even though I hated the idea of it not working out between us more than I cared to voice. “Okay, yeah. Let’s do it. Are you free tonight?”
“Seems a little eager,” Nellie arched her brow, and I smirked.
“Maybe I don’t care about appearing too eager,” I shrugged.
“I’m busy tonight.”
“Got a date already?”
“Yes, with Sam and Dean. I have a very important date with season twelve of Supernatural,” Nellie replied, her lips quirking. “How about this upcoming Saturday?”
“Works for me,” I nodded, trying not to grin like an idiot.
Chapter Sixteen
Nellie
* * *
Stupid, stupid, stupid! I scolded myself when I got back to the apartment with my groceries. What in the hell was I thinking? Saying yes to Noah’s ridiculous idea to go on a date?
Especially when I knew it was all bullshit. Going on a date and saying there was no chemistry between us wasn’t going to magically throw the Hartley sisters off our trail. If anything, they’d see right through our antics to the chemistry that so clearly existed between us.
The very chemistry I was trying my hardest to ignore, because I knew—I knew—that once I told Noah I was pregnant, everything between us would change.
And yet…I’d been unable to resist his charm, his crooked smile, and his affable attitude about the whole situation. It was almost like he thought the whole matchmaking business was a silly little joke.
At first, I’d said yes to test him. To see if he’d retract those words, but when he didn’t, when he proceeded to pick a date, I’d found myself growing excited and hopeful.
For one blessed minute, I’d forgotten about the circumstances between us, circumstances that Noah had no idea about, and let myself imagine the date going well. The possibility of a kiss at the door, of more dates in the future.
For one singular moment, I’d allowed myself to imagine what it’d be like to fall for Noah. Then reality set in, and the fear that came with it.
But it was too late. The date was set. Noah said he’d pick me up at seven Saturday night, and to leave the planning to him.
I put away my groceries, still trying to think of a way out of the situation I’d gotten myself into.
My phone rang, and I pulled it out of my coat pocket. It was Sage, video calling me. “Hey, Sage,” I said, setting my phone down on the counter and propping it up against the fruit bowl.
“I heard a rumour,” Sage’s eyes were sparkling with excitement, and I froze, the bag of sugar I’d been about to put away in the cupboard suspended in the air.
“What rumour?”
“That you and Noah were spotted at the grocery store, making plans for a date,” Sage relayed.
“How fast does news spread in this town?!” I scowled, shoving the sugar bag in the cupboard. “I literally just got home.”
“It spreads fast, very fast,” Sage said sympathetically, though she couldn’t hide her excitement. “So, it’s true then?”
“Kind of.” I sighed, bringing my hand to my forehead to massage my temple. I could feel the beginning of a headache coming on.
“How do you ‘kind of’ plan a date?” Sage’s lips quirked. “Either you planned a date, or you didn’t. No ‘kind of’ about it.”
“We’re going to go on a fake date to get the Hartley triplets off our backs. Apparently, they’ve got their sights set on us as a love match, and if we don’t get ahead of it, they’ll start meddling.” I accentuated the fake part of the date, so she’d know.
Sage snorted. “And you think that going on a ‘fake date’ will help with that?” she asked, using air quotes.
“I don’t know, maybe? It was Noah’s idea.”
