“Maybe Decker was just too cute for me to resist. Toocharming.” I snort. Sure, he’s attractive—anyone with eyes can see that—and he thinks he’s charming, but the thought itself is ridiculous. Deckersoisn’t my type.
“Sarcasm has no place here right now.” My mother sighs, attempting to swallow down her irritation. “We just feel it’s best that we handle things for you. You have so much on your plate with your career, the least we can do is assist with your personal life. Lord knows we can’t help you on stage.”
“You’ve got that more than covered,” Antonia chimes in with a bright smile.
My mom nods.
“Well, I’m sorry for being overzealous, but it’s not like this situation is any different from my past relationships. I just expedited the process a bit.” I shrug.
My mom’s eyes widen. “Lena Claire, this isso muchdifferent from your past relationships. This is your future we’re talking about.” She shakes her head, her mouth agape. “You started afire. This is the relationship that will determine whether or not Antonia is worth her salt as a publicist.” She smiles and tilts her head toward Antonia. “And I know you are.”
Antonia shifts in her seat and places a hand gently on my knee. “Listen, Lena. I’m sure Decker is great, and we’ve all seen him, but given the reason we reached out to him in the first place, I’m going to have to agree with your mom. You need to let us handle this if we truly want to move past the whole music venue snafu.”
I plunk into my chair, knowing the odds are not in my favor. They never are in this office. “I promise from this point forward, I’ll let you two plan all my dates, posts online, whatever. And I’ll do what I always do—focus on my career.”
My mom sinks behind her desk as Antonia bolts to her feet and whips out her phone.
“I’ll get ahold of Jason again. We need to trade contact info.” Antonia pauses briefly, lowering her phone. “Did you get Decker’s number?”
I shake my head, feeling a little embarrassed. How did I expect to pull this off without my “boyfriend’s” phone number?
Perking up, Antonia lifts her phone to her ear. “Good. We’ll get everything in place and pass on the pertinent info to you.”
I breathe out a sigh of relief. Despite what Decker and I discussed about feeling out of touch with my own personal life, I can’t help but to be happy to hand this over. Why shouldn’t I let them do their jobs and handle this thing? Focusing on my career has yet to disappoint me. Relationships, on the other hand, are always disappointing. Even after my vocal nodule scare a few years back, I learned that I can overcome, and that my career will still be there. I can’t say the same about men. Dating Decker for real would be the worst thing I could do for myself after such a horrendous breakup with Callum. I never want to go through that again. I never want to put myself in a position to set myselfup for that kind of failure again. Real, fake, or anything in between.
My mind kicks into overdrive as I consider what I’ve done. What do I do if Callum decides he wants me back but finds out I’m “dating” someone else? I instantly hate myself for considering it. He’s a cheating degenerate who doesn’t deserve a single thought. My heart aches. A cheating degenerate that, for some unknown reason, I wish hadn’t dumped me.
I set my empty plastic cup on a coaster and press my palms into the cool wooden desktop. It’s grounding. Pretending to date Decker will keep my mind off Callum, which in turn will keep my mind on work. It’s a win-win. And I get to help the needy, since apparently Deckerneedshelp sorting out his future. I do feel bad for ruining his restaurant plans. If nothing else, that’s reason alone to try to pull this off. To atone. Plus, of all the relationships my mother and Antonia have ever suggested, Decker is the safest. He and I seem so completely different that there’s no chance of making the same mistake this time. This time I won’t be falling for someone so careless because I won’t be falling at all.
My mom and Antonia huddle behind a tablet, engrossed in something.
“Can I go now? I’m supposed to be at Living Truth soon.” I try not to let them see how antsy I am to leave this awkward conversation.
“You’re volunteering at the church today?” My mom frowns, reaching over Antonia, who obediently lets her tap across her tablet screen. “It’s not on your schedule.”
Sothat’swhat they’re looking at.
“I didn’t have anything else tonight, so I wanted to squeeze in some time there. I wasn’t sure when I’d be able to otherwise.”
My mom sighs like it’s the biggest inconvenience in the world that I want to help serve food to hungry people at a church. “Wewere hoping to set up anactualdinner date with Decker. To get you two in the public eye a bit more.”
“Decker could always join her,” Antonia suggests.
Great.Just what I need, my quiet place interrupted by Decker.
“And who would see them while they volunteer?” My mom scoffs. “If we don’t get them in the public eye soon, what’s the point?”
Antonia’s eyes widen as my mother’s delicate nostrils flare ever so slightly. It’s a warning sign, the look that has always let me know one of her signature fits is about to happen. Instinctively, my body tenses, bracing for impact.
“The kickoff game. They’ll launch at the football season’s kickoff game.” The words fly from Antonia’s lips.
“That’s too far away,” my mom counters.
“It’s only a week or so away, right?” I ask quietly.
Antonia nods and turns toward my mother. “I want Lena to feel prepared. I really want to sell this relationship, so before we throw them to the wolves, they need to spend some time together.”
“In the backroom of some church?” my mom rolls her eyes.
