“You saw the look on her face. She’s not taking no for an answer.” I try my best to come off as calm and collected, but I couldn’t deny I was also freaking out a little. I know very little about my supposed girlfriend.
“Fine. One night. What’s our game plan?”
“I’ll say you were tutoring Ollie, which is how we connected. She knows we only recently started dating so it makes sense there’s still a lot we don’t know about each other. Would you feel comfortable with holding my hand?”
“Whoa there, buddy. Maybe buy me a drink first.” Eliana snorts, her tone laced with sarcasm.
I chuckle, then drape my arm across her shoulder and hold her hand from that position. Tucked at my side I can’t help but notice that the top of her head is at the perfect height for me to rest my chin on. Huh.This actually feels pretty nice.
“Alright, you kids ready?” My mom’s voice snaps me back into reality.
Or at least the very fake reality in which Eliana and I are pretending to date. “Ready.”
Chapter 21
Eliana
When I asked the universe to give me more face time with Katherine Fisher, I should have been more specific. I never would have guessed I would be going out to dinner with one of my idols pretending to be her son’s girlfriend. If I somehow managed to make it through this dinner without making a complete ass of myself — or revealing that Jake and I are, in fact,notdating — it would be a miracle. Jake on the other hand was calm, cool, and collected. If he ever wanted to pursue a career besides hockey, he should seriously consider acting. The performance he’s giving currently is top-notch.
The second we walked out of the conference room, Jake immediately wrapped an arm around my waist like this was just a thing that we did. He didn’t even flinch when I elbowed him hard in the ribs to get him off me. Instead, he looked down at me, winked, and then gave my side a small squeeze that must be a secret pressure point because I immediately melted into his arms after that. Even though I didn’t want to. Or at least I didn’t think I did. With him acting like a boyfriendstraight out of the romance novels I loved so much I didn’t know anymore.
We managed to make it to the restaurant without Katherine asking us any questions, but I could tell she was dying to pry and find out all the juicy details about the girl who had locked down her son. Because evidently that’s what I had done. Locked down one of the biggest players on campus. Except our whole relationship was a lie. A lie so his mom wouldn’t find out that we met because he needed a tutor. I still have no idea why I didn’t protest coming to dinner more. Or come up with an excuse, like my roommate needing my help with installing a new wall-mounted TV.
We put in our orders, and Katherine slips away to the bathroom, leaving Jake and me alone. I make note of every exit sign in the vicinity and debate whether I can make it outside before she gets back. I’d never been one to run away from a tough situation, but I feel extremely out of my element in this one. Plus, Jake seemed more than capable of coming up with a quick excuse. If I bolted now, he’d probably just tell his mom I came down with the flu or something.
“I’d catch you before you even made it 100 feet,” Jake whispers into my ear. His words snap me out of my escape fantasy and I realize his gaze had followed mine to the exit in the back right corner of the restaurant. He had also moved his hand from around my waist to over my shoulders, his fingers playing with my hair.When had he gotten this close to me? And why hadn’t I immediately noticed and moved away?
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“So you weren’t scanning the room for a means to escape this dinner and plotting out how you would do it?” He lifts an eyebrow.
“Nope. I was just taking in the ambiance.”
“Is that so?”
“Yup. I’ve never been here before. It's extremely fancy. Lots to take in. I wonder how much that crystal chandelier costs.”
“Eliana, c’mon. Be real with me for a second.”
“Oh, so now we’re being real? Funny. I thought we were still pretending to be together. I can’t keep up with you.”
“Alright. I get why you’re upset, and you’re well within your right to be. The second we get this dinner over with I’m willing to take whatever you have to give me. Whether that’s a long lecture or a punch to the gut.”
“You’re an incredibly disturbed individual.”
“You say the kindest things to me, Ellie.” He jokes.
I give him a look so lethal I see him physically cringe in response. Good. At least my resting bitch face wasn’t broken. Even though it seemed like every other part of me — including my rational side — was.
“You gotta loosen up or else my mom will start suspecting something’s up.”
“I’m sure any girl would feel nervous getting dinner with her boyfriend’s mom for the first time. Now double that, given the fact that we’re not even together.” I whisper the last bit and look around as if our entire conversation is being eavesdropped on. What a mess.
“It’s fine to come off as nervous, but right now you look like you’re going to be sick.”
“How are you so calm about this? You know she’s going to come back and start grilling us for details. And we haven’t exactly had enough time to coordinate a game plan so?—”
“First off, I told her this was new, so I think she’ll understand if there’s still a lot we don’t know about each other. But you do make a good point. We have a few minutes now, so why don’t we figure it out? If she asks you what your first impression of me was, what would you say?”
