“YouknowNelle will quiz you,” Felicity chimes in. “And expect you tobe comfortable with each other.”
They have a point.“Okay, so…?”
“So youfake date!” Felicity says, clapping her hands together. At mybewildered huff of a laugh, she adds, “I was just reading a bookwith that trope. You know Ivy Sima-MacKinnon, the woman who co-ownsthe Village and the bookstore here? She’s a huge romance lover andshe recommended it to me when I stopped by the bookstore. Anyway,it’s the perfect solution.”
My gazeswings to Leland, who’s watching me with an inscrutable expression.“Couldn’t we just spend some time together before the reunion?” Iask. “Grab coffee, maybe even dinner? Dothisa few more times?” I wave a handaround our lunch and then the room at large.
“Wecould, absolutely,” Leland says. “But Fee pointed out how uspretending to date could have a side benefit.” At my questioninglook, he shifts around so he’s facing me fully. “I want to prefacethis by saying my mom is awesome and I love her to bits.But…I had forgotten justhow much of a meddler she is until I got back to town. She oftencommented on how my lifestyle wasn’t conducive to a long-termrelationship, but I’d tell her it wouldn’t be forever, and I’dthink about dating seriously when I decided to stay in one placefor a while.”
“Andnow you’re back in town…” I say, trailing off.
“Exactly. Suddenly I’m Bellevue’s most eligible bachelor in hereyes, and I should be dating, even though I’ve only been home for afew weeks. Oh, and not datingtoomuch, because I should be choosing wisely with aneye on the future.”
“Ahh,okay, gotcha. Evie’s mom was like that before she and Wesley gottogether. She was always trying to set her up with ‘suitable’ guys,even though Evie was firm about not being interested in her mom’smatchmaking attempts.”
“Ourmom hasn’t gone quite that far yet, but it’s only a matter oftime,” Felicity says. “Which is where you two pretending to datefor more than just the reunion comes in.”
“Ahh,”I say again, drawing out the word.
“Itwouldn’t be for long,” Leland says quickly. “And it wouldn’t bemuch of a time commitment for you—”
“Leland, I have nothingbuttime right now.”
He smilesruefully. “Still. If I could tell my mom I’m seeing someone, atleast until I have a chance to adjust to life in Bellevue and a newcareer path, it would be one less thing for me to worry about.Being back here after all this time is weird enough as itis.”
“Tellme about it,” I murmur.
“See,you get it. You probably never thought you’d end up back inBellevue, either.”
I make a littlehum of agreement as I stuff the last bite of sandwich into mymouth. Silence falls as Leland and Felicity finish theirlunches.
When Lelandexcuses himself to wash the pesto off his hands before we dig intodessert, Felicity inches closer to me.
“Nopressure whatsoever, but I think you and Leland could be good foreach other,” she says quietly.
“Eventhough we’d just be pretending to date?”
“You’dgrow closer as friends, though. Leland likely wouldn’t admit this,but he doesn’t have many close friends. His former work lifestylewasn’t ideal for datingormaintaining friendships. I love hanging out withmy brother, but between working together and temporarily sharing anapartment, I haven’t had much time to myself. I’d like to thinkabout dating a bit too.”
“Actuallydating?”
Shegrins. “Yes,actuallydating. This is a completely harmless situation that’s awin-win for a lot of people. You stick it to Nelle at the reunion,get our mom off Leland’s back for a few weeks, and you get to havesome fun outings while you and Lee get to know eachother.”
“Andit would givemybrother and best friend some timeon their own without feeling guilty,” I say slowly, the plan takingshape in my mind. “Even though they’ve been amazing about trying toinclude me in stuff, their relationship is brand new. I don’t wantto be a perpetual third wheel or feel like I’m preventing them fromdoing things just the two of them like a normal couple.”
“See?Win win.” Felicity gives me a broad smile, adding in jazz hands foreffect.
We’re both bentover laughing when Leland returns. Amusement tugs at his lips as helowers himself to the floor once more and reaches for the bag withdessert inside. “Do I even want to know?”
“We’rejust hammering out the details of your arrangement,” Felicitysays.
Leland’s gaze swings to me. “Does that mean wehaveanarrangement?”
Felicity is rightabout this being a win-win situation. This could be exactly thedistraction I need while I continue to hand out résumés and waitfor responses. And, even though I’ve resolved to stay away fromTannis, there’s a part of me that worries she’ll catch me at a weakmoment, say the right thing, and I’ll allow her back in, despiteknowing she’s all wrong for me. My decision-making track recordhasn’t been the best lately. Hanging out with a genuinely nice guywho doesn’t have any expectations for more wouldn’t be the worstthing.
“Yeah,”I say faintly, then repeat the word more firmly. “Let’s dothis.”
CHAPTER SIX
