“That you were an entitled hockey player whose egosucked all of the oxygen out of the room and nearly suffocated me.” The sarcasm in my voice is heavy, though there was a part of me back then that thought he was entitled.
Jake snorts. “That’s a perfect response.”
“See? I told you I’m awful at this. I’m going to ruin our cover.” I drop my face into my hands as I groan.
“Just stop overthinking it. My mom knows I’ve always been a huge flirt, and also anti-relationship. She always told me I would one day meet my match. She would get an absolute kick out of your answer and then turn to me and go,‘See Jake? I told you this would happen.’”
“So I should just be honest?” The plan was so logical it could hopefully work. “Hopefully” being the operative word here.
He nods. “Be yourself and be honest with her. Or at least honest enough without telling her about the whole unofficial tutor thing. You’ve already withstood a job interview with her. What’s a casual dinner?”
“Sure, sure. Easy enough.” I take a deep breath as I watch Katherine approach our table.Be normal Eliana. You can do this.
“So what are you two kids whispering about?” Katherine beams, taking her seat across from us.
“Did you know that kangaroos are the size of a jellybean when they’re born?” I blurt out.Perfect. I’ve resorted to reciting facts you find on the back of Snapple Tea caps.I try to shoot Jake a look to help me out, but he’s too busy trying not to burst into a fit of laughs. Incredible.
When I finally look back at Katherine she has a confused, yet amused expression on her face. “Oh, how interesting. I can’t say that I did.”
“Yup. They spend the first 8 months in the mom’s pouch until they can finally hop around on their own.”Stop talking Eliana. Please. Stop. Talking.“Sorry, sometimes my roommate leaves Jeopardy on in the background when we study, and it seems I’ve retained a few random facts.”
“No apologies needed. I also love learning new things.” She takes a sip of her wine, and I resist the urge to chug from my own glass. “Like how my son has a new girlfriend.”
Welp I guess I walked right into that. “Ah.”
“I’m sure Jake already warned you that I can be a bit nosy. But isn’t every mother?”
“Alright, Mom. Let’s get the interrogation over with,” Jake teases. “Hit us with your hardest questions.”
I kick him under the table while trying my best to keep my composure. Her hardest questions? Why would he encourage her like that? Maybe I can sneak away to the bathroom or crawl to one of the emergency exits.
“Oh c’mon, stop making me seem so bad. I just want to know how you two met…and maybe a few other details.”
“Eliana’s tutoring one of the guys on the team. You remember Ollie, right?” The lie comes so naturally out of Jake’s mouth I nearly believe him.
“Of course I remember Oliver. He nearly ate an entire pot of pasta when you brought him over for family dinner last semester. So, he introduced you two?”
“Not exactly,” Jake continues. “Eliana would come over to Hockey House to help Ollie, and from the moment I saw her, I knew I wanted to get to know her. Find out who she really was behind all the layers and walls she puts up.” I try my best not to roll my eyes at his dramatic retelling, especially since I could tell Katherine was eating up every bit of it. “Admittedly my approach to interrupt their sessions was not my smartest move. I was a bit of a nuisance during some of the early sessions.”
“Oh you think?” It was very hard to reconcile the cocky asshole hockey player side of Jake Keeley I had first met, withthe kind thoughtful guy who got upset that I hadn’t eaten breakfast and had showed up with two large bags of groceries for me the next time we met.
“So suffice to say, you did not have a positive impression of him when you first met?” Katherine smirks.
While I know Jake said to be honest, I highly doubt any mom would take it well if they heard their son be called a pompous asshole. So I play it safe. “Oh…um...I wouldn’t say that. Jake was fine.”Fine. Suuuuper convincing, Eliana.
“C’mon, Ellie. You can tell her the truth. She probably already knows what you’re going to say .” He moves his hand from my hair up to my neck, drawing soothing circles up and down my skin.
“I may have initially thought he was a bit entitl?—”
“She thought I was an asshole.” Jake summarizes. “And in her defense, I was acting like one.”
“But you still gave him a shot?” Katherine raises her eyebrow at me.
“Nope. I told him off. Let him know that I wanted nothing to do with him.” I did crack eventually, but that was only after he looked so down and in need of a friend.
“Which is when I realized I had messed up. Big time. The usual Jake Keeley charms had finally run their course. I apologized and begged for a second chance. A second chance that she granted, and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to fully articulate how grateful I am that she did.” Jake gives me a small smile, and I can see the sincerity in his eyes.
For some reason that’s enough to draw a blush from me, my entire face heating up and exposing how much his words affect me.
