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Somehow, she had agreed to the arrangement without meaning to. She blinked and considered her options. She couldn’t back out now, not when a beautiful, expensive leather jacket was heading to her house.

Was she going to regret this later? Probably. She glanced at the picture of the leather jacket again. At least this round of bad decisions with Jace would come with a nice fashion accessory. “Will we actually go to Legends?”

“Not this time. Although we’ll need to go out a few times so people in town can see us together. My mother will likely want to have you over for dinner sometime. Wear something too short and entirely inappropriate. What time do you want me to come over when your Wednesday classes start?”

Yep, this was really happening. Well, at least she wouldn’t have to worry about finding someone to sit with Grandma anymore. “Six thirty should give me time to drive over to the campus. Can I tell my grandma that we’re just fake dating?”

“Depends. How well can your grandmother keep a secret?”

That would be a no, then.

“I’ll say we’re dating, but it’s nothing serious because you’re leaving in the middle of July. I don’t want to get her expectations up.” Heaven knows that hadn’t gone well for Marlowe.

“Good. It’s settled.” His smile was so warm and familiar, so confidential, that for a moment she felt like she’d been transported back to high school. He looked entirely too romance-hero handsome sitting there, smiling at her with his baby-blue eyes and chiseled jawline.

This whole thing was a terrible idea, and yet he’d gotten her to agree to it anyway.

Man, she hoped the leather jacket was worth it.

* * *

Marlowe was right about Delancey grilling her. As soon as the last clients for the day left the salon, Delancey glided over to Marlowe’s station. “So, Jace Clark is buying your time now? What’s that all about?”

“Oh, just you know … getting caught up. And I guess we’re going out Friday.” Marlowe said the sentences uncertainly because she wasn’t sure whether she was allowed to tell her friends the truth. Telling Delancey didn’t seem like a good idea since she lived in the same apartment as Riley, Lucas’s girlfriend.

“Why did you say that statement like it was a question?” Delancey tilted her head in either suspicion or confusion.

“Well, I mean, he’s going back to California mid-July, so any future seems uncertain at best.”

Delancey looked satisfied with that explanation. “That is too bad.” She wiped off bits of hair that had floated onto her station counter. “So how did you two get together? You never told me you were interested in him.”

Marlowe didn’t know how long Jace had been back in town, so it was hard to answer this question with anything but the truth. She spent a few minutes telling Delancey about her grandmother’s roof expedition, adding, “When we talked on Monday, he said he would come into the salon and…” She obviously should not write romance novels because she was having a difficult time coming up with a convincing next event. “I sort of threw myself at him over lunch.” Marlowe waved a hand. “As one does when a Clark man is around. I mean, the guy is gorgeous. Can you blame me?”

“No,” Delancey breathed out. “So, so no.”

Should Marlowe be offended that her friend didn’t even question that she would throw herself at someone over a chicken salad?

Delancey put a hand to her chest. “The Clarks are going to be so happy about this. They hate Jennifer. Riley calls her Jenniferous.”

Well, the Clarks weren’t going to be as happy as Delancey imagined. She wondered, vaguely, what nickname they would come up with for her and how long it would take for the Clarks’ real opinions to filter from Lucas to Riley to Delancey. Probably not long.

Marlowe let out an involuntary sigh.

Delancey grew sympathetic, misreading her emotion. “If things go well between you and Jace, you can always fly out to see him every so often. California isn’t that far away.”

“Plane trips are expensive. And that’s why he broke up with me in high school. He didn’t want a long-distance relationship while he was in college. We’re right back at square one.” She wasn’t sure why she told Delancey the last part. Maybe so she wouldn’t get her hopes up. Maybe as a reminder to herself.

“This time,” Delancey said meaningfully, “you can convince him otherwise.”

That statement was proof that Delancey didn’t know Jace Clark. He couldn’t be swayed by flirting. He was too logical for that.

And Marlowe would do well to remember that while she was out with Jace and he was pretending he cared about her.

CHAPTER 6

That night as Jace drove home, he listened to one of his old high school playlists. Seeing Marlowe had made him feel nostalgic.

He’d forgotten how much he’d liked these songs. He and Marlowe had danced to some of them. Back then, holding her in his arms had felt magical. She’d been so soft and sweet-smelling, so bright and happy. No edges and cutting words.