I grunt because I probably would’ve caved too. “We’re fake dating. For a charity campaign. It’s not real.”
Elise is nerve-rackingly quiet until she says, “April Sarah Hansen, are you completely out of your mind?”
“Probably.”
“You’re fake-dating the man you’re actually in love with?”
“When you say it like that?—”
“That’s the only way to say it! This is either a great idea or the worst. As your official legal counsel, I’m leaning toward the latter.”
“I don’t need legal counsel, but thanks for the vote of confidence.” Sarcasm is one of our primary modes of communication.
Elise sighs. “Look, I love you. You’re my little sister and I want you to be happy. But April, you can’t fake your way into a real relationship.”
“I know that.” My voice sounds regrettably puny.
“Do you? Because it sounds like you’re hoping that if you pretend long enough, it’ll become real.”
“I’m not—” Am I? “I’m doing this for The Barkery. The money from the campaign is going to help a ton.”
“And if you lose Clark in the process … you know, if things don’t go to plan?”
“We have rules. We’re going to be fine.”
“Famous last words,” Elise mutters. “But okay. If you’re determined to do this, at least let me give you some advice.”
“Do I have a choice?”
“Nope. First: Don’t change yourself to be what you think he wants. Clark already likes you exactly as you are—he’s just too dumb to realize it.”
I laugh despite myself.
“Second: Watch for the signs. If he’s touching you more than necessary, looking at you differently, and finding excuses to be near you—those are clues.”
“Clues that I’d probably be reading too much into.” As if I don’t already pick apart every nuance of our interactions.
“Or clues that the fake dating is working.” She pauses. “Third: Don’t sacrifice your dream for him. If thiscampaign helps you get The Barkery, that’s amazing. But don’t lose sight of that in the process.”
“I won’t.”
“Promise me.”
“I promise.”
“Fourth: next time he asks if you want to drive his Maserati—I still can’t believe you declined, those things cut through the road like butter—say yes.”
I won’t because I know that once I get behind the wheel, I won’t want to stop.
Elise says, “One more thing. Be careful with your heart. It’s the only one you’ve got.” She says a bit more about witnessing the ugliness of broken hearts in divorce cases and the damage that follows.
The next morning,I get an email from Clark with a schedule passed along by Whitaker.
Monday: Social media content day
Wednesday: Teddy Bear Toss event at the Ice Palace
Friday: Dinner date at Spaglietti’s (public appearance)
