“You haven’t?”
“I mean. Not today. I’ve been working on it for the past month.”
“Of course you have.” I straighten his tie. “You’ll be great.”
He grins sheepishly. “I don’t know what you’re doing to me.”
“I’m straightening your tie.”
“I mean, I’m about to give a speech to a restaurant full of people, asking them to donate money to my foundation for the advancement of women in tech, and I’m not the least bit stressed that an officer almost found us humping in a rental car. I actually can’t believe how lucky we are that he didn’t show up earlier when you were driving without a permit.” He squeezes my arms and rests his forehead against mine. “You are nothing but trouble.”
“Who, me?” I blink my doe eyes innocently. “I’m your Pepper Potts. I keep yououtof trouble.”
“You’re my kryptonite.”
“Stop mixing your superhero metaphors. But thank you.”
“It’s not a compliment,” he says, tugging on his shirt cuffs.
“Yes, it is.”
John re-buttons his suit jacket. “Yes. It is.” Lowering his voice, he says, “We have to pose for pictures in a few minutes. Do me a favor and try not to grab my dick or flash your boobs.”
“Ever?”
He waves to someone behind me. “Mr. Mayor. Good to see you.”
I take both of his hands and whisper, “So…don’tflash the mayor is what you’re saying?”
“Behave yourself.”
A man behind Johnny clears his throat. “John?”
I feel John’s body tense up, but it’s not reflected on his face.
He pulls away from me and turns around to face… “Hi, Dad.” He shakes hands with the silver fox who looks so much like an older version of John, it’s startling. But it also makes me infinitely sad for some reason, seeing evidence of how beautiful my fake boyfriend is going to be decades from now.
“Hi, Mom,” he says to the slender woman who’s regarding me with polite interest. He got the dark hair from her, the blue eyes from his father, the intense seriousness from both of them. He and his mother don’t hug so much as they give each other a two-handed pat on the arms while leaning in.
“Hello, John. It’s good to see you,” she says with a little more affection in her tone than if she’d been speaking to a coworker at an office party.
“Good to see you. I’m glad you could come. This is my girlfriend, Olivia Montgomery. My parents, Calvin and Sofia.”
I smile at them, just as politely curious as his mother is.You don’t spend any holidays with him, but you’re just in time for the photo op at your son’s fundraiser?
“Hello. It’s so good to finally meet you.” I hold out my hand.
“Nice to meet you, Olivia Montgomery.” His father is friendly, but I can tell there’s zero name recognition.
Finally, there’s a flash of recognition in Mrs. Brandt’s eyes. “Montgomery?”
“Yes, she’s Monty’s sister,” John says. “Nathan Montgomery’s sister.”
“Oh, my goodness. What a small world. You still live in Cleveland?”
I open my mouth to answer, but John answers for me. “She lives in San Francisco. She’s dancing with the Bay Area Ballet out there.”
“Oh, how nice. Ballet. How lovely and…nice.”
