“Cool!” I nod rapidly.
“But I don’t believe you and Florian were in a relationship before his memory loss.”
I stare at her. Everything is cold.
I need to convince her she’s wrong.
She gives me a soft smile. “Clearly, Florian cares about you.” She sighs. “Look. If you want him to be happy, that’s the most important thing. I won’t tell my parents. Just make sure heishappy.”
Florian
Mateo’s face is pale when I see him after I finish showing my family around the arena, and my stomach drops.
He doesn’t want to pretend anymore. He wants his evenings free to not have awkward conversations with overly tall people with funny accents.
“Annika said she came to speak with you,” I say.
“Uh-huh.” Mateo’s smile is too bright.
I hesitate, then I step inside the massage room and close the door.
“I hate this room,” I admit. My eyes widen. “Not that it is not pleasant.”
Mateo watches me.
“In an aesthetic sense. The composition is calming.”
“Did you used to visit museums a lot?”
“Oh, yes. My mother loves museums.”
“I know. And yes, Annika visited me.” He chews on his lower lip.
“I’m sorry.”
“I like Annika,” he says hastily.
“Good.”
He stares at me.
I stare back.
“She knows. I-I don’t know how much. But she hints, Florian. She majorly hints. You should know that. I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.”
Nervous energy continues to bounce off Mateo. He does not believe me, I am sure.
I wrap my arms around him, and he glances up, surprised. I hesitate. Perhaps I shouldn’t hug him. But then he burrows his head against my chest. I run my fingers through his short dark curly hair.
“I’m not surprised, to be honest, that Annika knows,” I say.
He glances up at me. “I know the point of being a fake boyfriend is not having anyone figure it out.”
“It’s not your fault,” I assure him, and I pat him against my chest again. I want to smooth away his pain and worry, like he is the miniature Japanese rock garden that sits on my father’s desk, and I can rake away all the uneven lines, all the flaws, all the fallen leaves.
A knock sounds on the door. It’s Coach.
