Thankfully, she doesn’t put up a fight and allows me to guide her. I open the door, usher her in and straight to the back, where there’s seating and no one around. I sit her down, and she leans against her side of the booth, looking like she’s in a daze.
Yeah, I think I might have broken her.
Should I have not paid for the eight-day adult summer camp? Maybe, but I really couldn’t see another option.And Scottie looked like she needed the break.Also, it didn’t seem like Sanders was going to let up on the idea. Not sure Scottie even had a choice in the matter. The minute he saw us starting to fight, he had it in his head that we were meant to attend his camp. Either way, I thought we’d be going.
I snap my fingers in front of her face, knocking her out of her daze.
“We need to talk.”
“What is there to talk about?” She tosses her arms in the air. “I’m going to be the laughingstock of the office. I’m never going to be able to show my face again. I’m going to have to move backin with my parents.” She shivers. “My mom is going to want to wear matching pajamas every night, and my dad will suffocate me with questions. God, it’ll be the absolute pits.”
I hold back my chuckle, because who says “the absolute pits”?
“What if it doesn’t have to be that way?”
She tosses her hand in defeat. “What are you going to do? Ask for your money back?”
“No. I’m thinking, what if we went?”
“Oh my God, there you go again with the delusions.” She presses her fingers into the table between us and says, “Earth to Wilder, we are not married.”
“I know we’re not married.”
“Then why in hell would you want to go with me to a summer camp where all the activities are centered around married couples?”
“I’m just spitballing here, but tell me if I’m wrong. You don’t want to look bad in front of your boss and coworkers, who seem to all be obsessed with being married. Is that right?”
“Correct. Marriage is very important to them.”
“Do you like your job?”
“It’s fine. I don’t like golf, but that’s unfortunately what I have to read about right now.”
“And you want to find a new job, but this current job is a step in the right direction.”
“Yes…” She leans back in the booth. “Do you have a point to all this?”
“What if…what if we go?—”
“Oh my God,” she says with a roll of her eyes.
“Wait, hear me out.” I hold up my hands. When she gives me the chance to continue, I say, “We get to the summer camp, we act snarly toward each other at first and then pretend as we move along the activities that we’re slowly falling back in love.”
“What is it with you? Do you find me attractive or something? Why are you clinging on to me? We’re supposed to be splitting up, Wilder. Not getting back together.”
“For the record, you’re an attractive woman, but that’s not why I’m suggesting this.” Her cheeks blush from the compliment. She’s more than just attractive. She’s stunning with her light blue eyes and sultry body. And call me crazy, but I like the ornery side of her. It makes her that much more interesting. But she’s also been an amazing friend to Mika, especially through his darker moments, when he wasn’t opening up to his family, so I’ll do whatever she needs. “I’m saying that you prove to Sanders that his camp worked so he feels good about himself, you can report back to your boss that her husband is a miracle worker and that you and your husband are better than ever, and then in a few months, when you’re ready, you can move on to a new job. In the meantime, if there’s an event or something you need from me to prove that we’re still a married couple, I have no problem filling in.”
“What do you mean, filling in?” she says, looking skeptical but also interested in my idea.
“I mean if, let’s say, you have a company Christmas party and spouses are invited, I’ll go with you.”
“Why…why would you do that?”
“Because you’re Mika’s best friend, and I’d do anything for him.” And because she’s right. I didn’t really follow the script with Sanders. Shedid notwant to go to a marriage camp. “And, well, because I feel like I sort of failed you today even though I thought we excelled on the spot.”
“What if you fall in love in that time?”
“I won’t,” I say on a chuckle.
