Fake It ‘Til You Feel It (Work For It #3)

7. Stay on Your Toes and Kiss Me

CHAPTER 7

STAY ON YOUR TOES AND KISS ME

IVY

F oggy’s Bar is bursting at the seams. It’s karaoke night, and Joanie’s boyfriend, Colin, has signed up for multiple songs. He’s at the bar chatting with some of the other locals. Mars is next to him, sipping a beer and doodling on something.

I didn’t know he’d be here tonight, but I’m happy to see him. We should probably come up with a schedule of public outings while Henning’s in town. Maybe something for every day of the week.

Joanie, Meredith, and I managed to snag a tiny two-top table near the front window after ordering drinks at the bar. The color from a neon sign bounces off Meredith’s near black hair.

“What’s this I heard about you dating Mars?” Joanie asks, staring at me over the rim of her cocktail. I almost choke on the pretzel I popped in my mouth.

“Wow, the gossips work fast. That just happened a couple days ago.”

“What’d I miss?” Meredith asks. Her voice sounds disinterested but her eyes say otherwise. She acts like she’s above it, but I know she loves spilled tea as much as the rest of us.

I take another sip of my wine, wishing I’d ordered something stronger. “Mars and I are pretending that we’re together because my ex is in town for a wedding and the guy can’t take a hint.” Meredith’s eyebrows wing up. “And his parents are looking to buy a house here. Who knows how long we’ll need to keep this up.”

Joanie slams her glass down on the table. “Are you, Ivy Lowenstein, telling me, Joanie Ferrell, writer of romance, that you’re living out one of my favorite tropes? It’s not even Christmas,” she shouts.

I slap a hand over her mouth. “Jesus, keep your voice down.” She starts dancing in her chair. “And it’s not a trope. He’s helping me out of an unpleasant situation.”

She leans her elbows on the table and gets really close to my face. Meredith smirks and keeps drinking. “You know what this means, right?” I’m afraid to ask, so I don’t. “Fake dating only leads to one thing.”

“Hard feelings and awkwardness,” Meredith says with too much confidence.

Joanie smacks her on the arm. “No, you dork. Fake dating leads to...real dating.”

I cover my face with my hands and laugh. “Joanie, I love you, but you know I don’t date.”

Her eyes dance. “I know what I know, and I’m an expert on the subject. Just you wait.” There’s no way Mars and I are headed that way. I mean, he wouldn’t be the worst boyfriend, and it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility. He’d probably be pretty great actually.

I shake my head trying to clear that thought. There are too many reasons why I don’t want a relationship, and I need to stick to my decision. Even if each kiss turns my resolution to sand.

Joanie doubles down. “I will bet you big money this leads somewhere.”

“Do you have big money?”

“I will bet you a cup of coffee,” she corrects.

I wave her off, not because she’s full of shit, but because I’m not one hundred percent sure I’d win this bet. And that scares the shit out of me.

The conversation shifts to Meredith’s recent dinner with Stuart’s large family, and we all laugh at how she describes his brothers and sisters.

I almost choke on my wine when Henning’s sister walks into Foggy’s with a handful of other people. Shit . Where’s my fake boyfriend when I need him? “Code ex. I repeat, code ex,” I whisper.

“What the fuck are you talking about,” Meredith asks.

Joanie follows my line of sight, takes in my pale face and hops out of her chair. At the bar, she places a quick kiss on Colin’s cheek then says something to Mars.

Henning’s sister, Greta, scans the bar for an open table, and I duck my head hoping she doesn’t spot me. Staring down at the scarred tabletop, I jump when a warm, heavy hand lands on my upper back. “Hey, babe,” Mars says. Oh, thank goodness.

I jump up and hug him, pulling back to give him what’s supposed to be a quick kiss to throw Greta off the scent. But our lips linger for longer than what’s appropriate for friends pretending to be dating who are only trying to sell it to a limited audience. He returns the kiss and more, only stopping when someone bumps into him on the way to the bar.

“Hi,” he whispers. “Need some rescuing?”

“Henning’s sister is here, and she’s way smarter than he is.”

“What you’re saying is that you’re in need of my services again.” I want to eat the grin right off of his face.

“Yes, exactly that.” I sigh, grateful that Mars gets me.

He nods once and sits down in my chair, pulling me onto his lap. I try to ignore the smug smile on Joanie’s face as I wrap an arm around his shoulders to keep myself steady. My body heats when he responds with an arm across my thighs.

I know the second Greta spots me because the hair on my arms stands up. Or maybe that’s Mars’ hand on my back, absently rubbing circles while he chats with Meredith and Joanie. I’ve lost focus on what they're talking about because his hand glides up to the nape of my neck where he starts to play with my hair. I love it when men play with my hair, and I have to bite my lip to keep a moan from escaping.

“Which one is Greta?” he whispers in my ear. There’s no hiding the shiver that runs through my body. His hand tightens on my thigh as I try to remember his question.

Swallowing thickly, I subtly tilt my head in Greta’s direction. “Blonde, pink dress.”

“Got it. Looks like she’s spotted you and is headed this way.”

I tighten my arm around his shoulders. It’s only Henning’s sister, and I don’t know why I’ve become a clingy koala. Maybe it’s how he and his parents made me feel small in their backhanded, passive aggressive way.

Greta was all right, but most of our interactions left me feeling on edge.

She approaches the table with a brittle smile on her face. “Ivy, it’s so good to see you.” Meredith scoots her chair closer to mine like she wants to protect me. Mars’ fingers keep playing with my hair, and it might be the only thing keeping me from running.

“Greta.” My smile is as brittle as hers. “It’s good to see you. I hear congratulations are in order.”

She waves her hand in the air like getting married is no big deal. “Yeah, well it took Matt long enough to propose.” Greta rolls her eyes, her hand still waving in the air so there’s no way I’d miss the massive rock on her finger.

Mars squeezes my neck and I jump a little. “Greta, meet my boyfriend Mars. Mars, this is Greta, Henning’s sister.”

“A pleasure.” He shakes her hand briefly, and I miss the feel of his grip on my thighs.

“Boyfriend, huh?” She rakes her eyes down his face, across his shoulders to where he’s holding me on his lap. Her eyes linger on his forearms, and I don’t blame her. They are blue ribbon forearms.

I run my finger along the outside of his ear, trying to sell the illusion. His eyes widen for a split second, then I feel it. Something hard twitches against the back of my thighs. He clears his throat, and I clench my thighs.

“Yep,” he chokes out. “She finally agreed to go out with me.”

“Must be pretty new. You and Henning ended?—”

“Way past our expiration date,” I finish for her.

“I’ve been after Ivy since she almost ran me over with her car.”

“Wait, that was you?” I stare at him, a memory of someone bouncing off the side of my car then skating away. I’d been so focused on getting to my new place that I’d quickly forgotten about it.

He looks at me like that’s his favorite memory. He’s really good at this faking it thing. The community theater would be happy to have him.

Greta’s eyes widen.

“That’s your meet cute? You almost killed him?” Joanie shouts. “Fucking brilliant.” She takes out a notebook from her bag and jots something down.

“It wasn’t her fault,” Mars insists with a smile. “I was crossing the street on my skateboard and saw the most beautiful woman singing along to The Chicks at the top of her lungs, and I drifted straight into the side of her car.

“I thought if I could get her to smile at me before she ran me over, I’d die happy. Who wouldn’t want their days to end at the hands of a vision in a green polka dotted blouse.”

My jaw drops open. “You remember what I was wearing?” There’s no way.

He laughs. “And you flipped me off.”

“But that’s not when we actually met. We first talked at work?—”

“When I broke the coffee maker.”

He’s so close, our noses practically touching. If I leaned a little to the right and tilted my head, I could fit my lips to his. Really sell this thing.

“You were so adorably flustered. I couldn’t let you feel bad about it. That coffee maker sucks.”

“It does,” he trails off. And then he kisses me. His cock twitches again as I moan into his mouth and comb my fingers through his hair. This is a different kiss than the one we shared in front of the diner. This one is slower, simpler. Just two people exploring each other’s mouths while they try to convince someone they’re together. I’d say we’re doing a great job. Top notch. His tongue dancing with mine really seals the deal. What deal? I can’t remember because Mars tastes like pretzels and beer and him .

I jump when something cold and wet hits the side of my face. An ice cube sits in my lap.

“She’s gone, you idiots. She left as soon as you forgot she was standing there.” Meredith is reaching into her glass for another cube.

“I’m going to order the biggest, most expensive coffee you’ve ever seen when I win this thing,” Joanie says in wide-eyed wonder. “Three pumps of caramel and all the whipped cream.”

MARS

Do they make a greeting card that says something like, “Thank you for planning a wedding and showing up everywhere in this small town so Ivy and I have to continually be on our boyfriend/girlfriend toes?” Because I’d like to attach it to the biggest fruit basket ever sold and have it delivered to the resort.

Greta’s wedding and attached scavenger hunt has her friends and family, including Ivy’s ex, swarming Wavecrest. We can’t step outside The Base without running into someone who knows Ivy through that asshat.

We spend the week on high alert, not that I’m complaining.

On Tuesday, Ivy grabs my hand as we’re taking a tea break at Betty’s shop. She slides her eyes to a group of people walking by the window. A woman who looks to be middle-aged frowns at Ivy as she passes. “Kiss me,” Ivy whispers across the table, tugging on my hand. So I do. A sweet little peck on her cheek because I don’t want to get kicked out of Betty’s. I like this place.

Thursday morning, Ivy helps me pick up large airpots of coffee from the local cafe because the office coffee maker gave up even before I touched it. Getting out of my car, Ivy almost trips over her feet. At this point I realize she’s been caught off guard again. I squeeze her hand. “Who is it this time?”

She subtly points at an older man standing in front of the real estate office, looking at the local listings. “Henning’s father,” she says in a low voice. The man is rocking back and forth on his heels and toes, hands clasped behind his back, chin high in the air.

We can’t get to the cafe without passing him, so I tighten my grip on her hand and start walking.

As I think we’ll make it by him without him noticing, he turns and pins Ivy with a look. For a split second I think she’ll shrink, but Ivy doesn’t flinch. Her hand does get sweaty though.

“Deidrich,” she says politely but without warmth. The man takes a moment to look her up and down, completely ignoring my existence. I’m fine with it. “Congratulations on your daughter’s upcoming marriage.”

“Thank you. Henning’s mother mentioned you were here.” He waves a hand around, indicating the town. He points to the listings in the office window. “We’re considering a vacation home in the area.”

“I hope you like fog,” Ivy blurts. “Lots and lots of fog. You barely ever see the sun. Miserable.” I stop myself from looking up at the cloudless blue sky. Deidrich’s eyebrow goes up.

“And seagulls everywhere. You can barely eat outside because they’re always swooping in to steal your food. Big rats with wings. Everywhere.” Again, I don’t look around at the gull-less sky. But I don’t think he’s buying it.

“The parades are nice though,” I add. It’s a gut feeling, but I get the sense Deidrich is looking for a quiet place. “Lots of big drums and horns, marching up and down Front Street every other Sunday morning. Early.” Ivy nods vigorously, and I’m afraid she’ll give herself a cramp.

Deidrich looks puzzled. “We haven’t witnessed any parades while we’ve been here.”

“Not the season for them, with the horrible weather.” I have to give Ivy credit, she’s clinging to this story even though it’s obvious the man doesn’t believe her.

“Anyway, it was nice seeing you again, Deidrich. Have fun at the wedding, and maybe you can come back to Wavecrest when the weather isn’t so gray.” This time I do look up at the sky. Honestly, I don’t think it’s ever been so blue.

Deidrich tilts his head, studying her like she’s lost her mind. Which she has.

She pulls me down the street as I give him a wave over my shoulder.

“Parades?” she hisses when we’re far enough away. “Seriously?”

I squeeze her hand, forcing her to stop her march to the cafe. When I have her attention, I point up at the sky and give her my best you’re joking expression.

“Fine. Not our finest moment.”

“Speak for yourself. I thought the parade thing was an inspired choice. What’s his deal anyway? Is Henning’s whole family to be avoided? Are they all the enemy?”

She folds her arms across her chest, and I force my eyes to stay on her face, not on the hint of cleavage peeking out of her blouse.

With a sigh she says, “They’re...fine, I guess. But they’re a tight group and Henning’s their golden boy. I want them to tell him I look deliriously happy with my new boyfriend. He needs to finally get that we’re never getting back together.” She smiles up at me, but there’s still a furrow between her eyebrows.

“He’ll be gone in a few days, and you’ll be able to relax.” A pang hits my chest when I realize I’ll have no excuse to hold her hand or kiss her in public. “Want to grab a drink tonight? Ease those knots a little...” I put my hands on her shoulders and squeeze. I can feel the tightness locked in the hard muscles of her neck and upper back.

She deflates a little, a tiny bit of the tension leaving her. “I’m going to Meredith’s tonight for a girl’s night where Joanie will probably give me shit.”

“For what?”

She waves a finger between us. “This whole...situation.” She clamps her teeth down on her bottom lip like she’s said too much.

“Why would Joanie give you shit about us?”

“You know what, never mind. It’s silly.”

I know Ivy well enough to know that no amount of prodding will get it out of her, so I drop it for now. But why would Joanie be giving Ivy a hard time about this fake relationship?

That evening, I spot Henning at Foggy’s when I’m out with Colin and Stuart. He’s with a small group of people at a table near the karaoke stage.

He gives me a chin tip I return before ordering a beer from Alice at the bar and taking a stool next to Stuart.

Colin leans over and clears his throat. “Hey, you draw and shit, right?” I nearly choke on my beer.

Stuart looks at him like his eyebrows have slid off his face. “What the fuck? You’ve played Pictionary against the guy. Does he draw?” Stuart makes a pfft sound and shakes his head.

Colin blushes, and it’s quite a sight on a guy who looks like he’s part bear and could eat Stuart for breakfast. “Shut up, I’m nervous.”

“Lay it on me,” I say.

“I might have a commission for you. A special project for Joanie. It’s a surprise.” It’s hard to tell in the low light of the bar, but I think his eyes are a little glassy.

“Oh my fucking god, you’re going to ask her to marry you,” Stuart shouts like a kindergartner after three espressos. Colin slaps his hand over Stuart’s mouth.

“Hush, you numpty.” Stuart’s still talking behind Colin’s hand, his hands waving around.

I laugh and take a sip of my beer. “I’d be honored to do it. We can chat later. Where it’s quieter.” I side-eye Stuart. Colin’s shoulders lose some of their tension, and he finally takes his hand off Stuart’s mouth but waves a warning finger at him.

Stuart mimes zipping his lips but you can see him almost levitating out of his seat with excitement. We spend the next hour talking about nothing, bemoaning the state of San Francisco’s baseball team. And football team. And basketball team.

I spend most of the time doodling on a napkin, wishing I had some of my colored pens with me so I could fill in the strawberry blonde waves and hazel eyes.

Dale, the bartender, can’t help but add his opinion to the conversation. “Yeah, watching the Giants this season is almost as painful as watching Mars and Ivy fumble their way through their farce of a relationship.”

I don’t spit out my beer, but it’s close. “What the hell, dude? Keep your voice down.” I glance over at Henning’s table, but he’s far enough away that he couldn’t have heard Dale’s bullshit.

He cocks an eyebrow at me. “All I’m saying is that I’m not sure you’re convincing anyone. Like, why are you here without your ‘girlfriend’?”

“Because I wasn’t invited to girls night. And the ex has left Ivy alone, which is the goal.”

Dale wipes down the bar in front of me. “Doesn’t mean it should be the only goal.”

I’m afraid to ask him what he means. Apparently Stuart gets it, because he nods like Dale is handing out the most sage advice this bar has ever seen. I shake my head and Dale moves on to bother another customer. But his words play on a loop in my head. I can’t have a goal with Ivy beyond friendship, no matter how much I want more with her.

By the time I head out, I’ve forgotten about Henning and his friends. I shove my hands in my jacket pockets to walk the few blocks back to my place, the fog finally making an appearance after days of clear skies.

“You and Ivy, huh?” a voice says from behind me. I glance over my shoulder and Henning’s leaning against the wall a few feet away. His arms are folded over his chest, and his face is pulled into a pinched frown. I was looking forward to crawling into bed and thinking about my favorite fake girlfriend, but I guess we’re doing this.

My curiosity gets the better of me. I want to know what he has to say, but I don’t approach him, because I have no idea if he’s planning to take a swing at me or not. He doesn’t look like a fists-first kind of guy, but you never know.

“Yeah, me and Ivy.”

He gives me a long, assessing look. “Did she tell you about our breakup?”

“Some.”

“I thought we’d go the distance.” Henning flips his phone around and around in his hands like it’s his favorite fidget toy.

“I never understood why we ended,” he says. “She really got me, you know?” That gets my hackles up. People stroll by on the sidewalk, probably heading to a late dinner or home. I pay them no attention.

“You’re kidding,” I say through gritted teeth. “She understood you all too well, and I know for a fact that you never ‘got’ her. You couldn’t bother to see that Ivy was more than you gave her credit for?” His eyes widen, and I fist my hands at my side. Fuck projecting a relaxed mood.

He opens his mouth to say something, but I keep going. “You had no idea the kind of woman you had, which absolutely boggles my mind. How could you think Ivy would dim her light to be with you? She shines brighter than any person I’ve ever known, and she’s smarter than them too. But you belittled her, you dismissed her dreams. What kind of fragile asshole does that?

“Even if you weren’t such a sorry excuse for a boyfriend, she’d still be too good for you. Fuck, she’s too good for me, and I’d never pull the bullshit you did.” I can feel my pulse pounding in my head, and I take a breath.

“Tell me, Henning, what does Ivy’s company do? She must’ve told you a million times what she was planning on building.”

He scratches his ear and looks up at the sky. “Something to do with computers?”

“Jesus fucking Christ. No wonder she dumped your ass. ‘Something to do with computers?’ Seriously?” I step toward him, and he straightens against the wall.

“I know there’s little chance of avoiding you while you’re in town—Wavecrest is a small place. But do me a favor and forget you ever knew Ivy. That incredible woman has had enough of guys like you underestimating her, and she doesn’t need the reminder of the losers she’s dated.”

“What, like you’re any better?” He looks me up and down with a sneer. Have to admire this guy’s moxie, even if he’s wrong.

“Dude, I’m fully aware I don’t deserve her. Ivy’s everything. Smart, tenacious, determined, and unwilling to take anybody’s shit. If she wanted to, she could rule the world. The difference between me and you is that I recognize how fucking amazing she is. And because of that I get to be her fr...”

“Boyfriend,” a familiar voice says from behind me. Ivy steps up next to me and slides her hand into mine, giving me a wink.

I’m stunned silent for a moment, the sight of her hitting me in the chest like a giant wave. I want to rub at the aching spot but manage to stop myself.

“Babe.” It slips out. “I thought you were at Meredith’s.”

“She burned dinner so we went to Curly’s.” She nods at the diner across the street. “I spotted you through the window. Left a really great bowl of mac and cheese to see what this was all about.” She squeezes my hand and turns to her ex.

“Henning. Seems like we can’t throw a rock in this town without hitting you or one of the wedding party.” Her tone is droll and dry.

“I was telling Mars what a great relationship we had, until you decided you were too good for me,” Henning says. The balls on this guy .

“Of course, you never change, Henning. Still the same gaslighting bullshitter who I dumped almost a year ago. Listen, let’s make a deal. You enjoy your time in Wavecrest, have a lovely time at Greta’s wedding, and leave me and my boyfriend alone. We don’t know each other anymore, and I’d like to keep it that way. I’ve moved on to better things.” She squeezes my hand and I squeeze back.

Henning’s face flushes, and his fists clench. He looks like he has a lot of things to say, and I keep an eye on him even though Ivy at my side takes most of my focus.

She leans her head on my shoulder, and my chest inflates with too much pride, my heart forgetting none of this is real. I give her a quick kiss on the forehead before turning my attention back to Henning.

Henning’s shoulders curve inward, and he seems to deflate. “Fine.” He huffs like a put-out teenager, and regards Ivy with a blank look on his face. “Have a good life, Ivy.”

“I will.”

Henning turns around and walks down the street, shaking his head.

I lean over and whisper in Ivy’s ear, “How much of that did you hear?”

She smiles and pats my cheek, giving me nothing. “See you tomorrow.” Then she turns around and walks away. I watch her go, wondering if that sway in her hips is for my benefit or not.

IVY

I might’ve sprinkled a little extra spice into my walk. And no, I don’t want to tell you why. It has nothing to do with what I overheard Mars say about me and how it’s set my mind and body reeling. Or that, at this moment, I want to drag him home and do unspeakable things to him and then buy him an ice cream cone.

I keep walking, warring emotions fighting for space in my head and heart. Visions of Mars squaring off with my ex, his fists clenched and his eyes fierce, play in my head. His words create more cracks in my walls.

Arousal, affection, and the need to protect myself all battle each other for dominance. Arousal is winning the fight, and there’s only one way to quiet all the competing thoughts and feelings. I must consult my vibrator.