The drive back to my apartment was quiet, both of us wrapped in our own thoughts. When he pulled up in front of my building, I started to thank him for dinner, but he spoke first.
“Do you have ice skates?”
I blinked. “What?”
“Ice skates. Do you own a pair?”
“Yeah, actually. From back home. I brought them with me because I thought maybe I’d get to use them in Central Park or something, but I haven’t yet.”
He nodded, like I’d confirmed something he’d been thinking about. “Lucas’s ideas for this scheme include restaurants and coffee shops. Safe, easy to photograph, very traditional dating.”
“Okay?” I wasn’t sure where he was going with this.
“But if we’re going to make our relationship look real—if we’re going to spend the next few weeks pretending to date—we might as well do something we actually enjoy.” He looked at me, and the sparkle in his eyes made my breath catch. “What do you think?”
“I think that sounds really nice,” I told him.
“Good. We’ll figure something out.”
“We’ll figure skate something out,” I corrected.
He sighed and rolled his eyes, but I saw the smile on his lips. “Have a good night, Ina.”
“You too.”
I climbed out of the car and watched him drive away, then stood on the sidewalk long after he’d driven away.
Why was that date so good? Why did none of this feel fake for me?
I headed upstairs and wondered what it would be like to actually date Dane. And then my mind drifted to the perks that would come with dating him, like cuddling on his couch and feeling those strong arms around me, holding me.
Oh, I was so going to have some amazing dreams.
CHAPTER 14
DANE
The morning news interview was scheduled for six-thirty, which meant I’d been awake since four-thirty. I was running on approximately three hours of sleep and enough coffee to fuel a small aircraft.
The studio was overheated and too bright. My tie was too tight. My shirt felt scratchy against my skin. The suit wasn’t the problem. I just hated interviews like this that felt like fluff. I was more than happy to talk about my app, but my personal life had never been a topic I spoke about in public. I would rather walk across broken glass with no shoes.
But this whole fake-dating thing with Ina hinged on me pretending I had opened up more, like the power of love had transformed me. It was nonsense but it was the story we were selling.
The interviewer, Molly Oyama, was a woman in her forties with impossibly white teeth and red lipstick that would make a bull go mad. “So, Dane, there have been some photos circulating online. You and a mystery woman. Care to comment? Our viewers are dying to know if Cupid’s Arrow has finally hit the eternal bachelor’s heart.”
Talking about my personal like was the sole reason for me doing this interview, but the question still annoyed the ever-loving shit out of me. I tried not to hold it against the woman. She was just doing her job.
Plus, I appreciated she had included my app’s branding in the question. Molly was acting like a true professional and I needed to do the same.
I gave her the smile Lucas and I had practiced—friendly but reserved, open but not too open. According to Lucas, my first attempts at smiling on cue looked like I had swallowed a box of thumbtacks and they were on their way out.
So I practiced my fake smile. It still felt weird and stiff and completely unnatural.
“Molly, you know I live a very private life,” I said, keeping my tone measured. “And that’s actually the whole point of Cupid’s Arrow. We bring together hardworking professionals who value their privacy and want meaningful relationships without the circus of public dating. Our users appreciate discretion.”
“But you’re not exactly keeping it private if you’re being photographed at restaurants.” She smiled at the camera. “It seems to me you’re ready to step into the public eye.”
“I’m a person who exists in the world. Sometimes that means being seen in public spaces. But my personal life remains personal.” I leaned forward slightly, steering the conversation where I wanted it. “What I’m excited to talk about is our Valentine’s Day campaign.”
