Love on Call: A Sweet Fake Fiancé Romantic Comedy

Chapter 14

KAT

It’s been two days since I left Clay standing on the dock while Rex and I returned to Nantucket. Two days without a word. I scowl at my phone, then huff and push it across the table. “Get hold of yourself.” I expected this. He didn’t say when he’d call. For all I know, he might wait until he’s on his way to pick me up Tuesday for our dinner date. Wait. Is he picking me up or am I supposed to meet him on the mainland? We never clarified. Dang it. I chew my lip and consider calling him. My fingers twitch toward my phone, but I snatch them back and curl them around my mug of tea. I’m not going to be that person who sits around waiting for him to call.

I want to be. As desperate and pathetic as that sounds, I want Clay to be the one to make the next move.

“You’re being ridiculous. Call him and tell him how you feel.” I sip my lukewarm tea and splutter at the bitterness. “Great. I forgot the honey.” I smack a palm to my forehead. “And I’m talking to myself.”

Tim would say I’m seeking expert advice. His familiar smirk flashes in my mind as I roll my eyes even though there’s no one there to see. I need to get outside. The walls feel like they’re closing in around me. Even the air is thick and heavy despite the air conditioning.

Standing, I head to the sink and dump the tea down the drain then rinse my cup and set it aside for later.

Regret slices through me with the swiftness of a scalpel. I never should have let Clay kiss me. We took things too far when there was no need. That’s the reason my stomach is tied up in knots and Clay is all I can think about. I stomp to the front door, grab my sunglasses from the tray, and slide my feet into my pink flip-flops. I need the ocean with its shushing waves and the brightness of sunshine on my face. Light hits me as soon as the door opens until my sunglasses are in place, and I blink to clear my vision.

Childish laughter rings out from the pool area, and I almost turn that way. I could use a bit of laughter and distraction to keep me from accepting the truth. I need to end things with Clay. Like officially end them. The fake relationship and all that goes with it. There’s no need to keep it going.

“Morning, Kat.” Aunt Marg greets me from down the path with a smile that drops when she takes a look at me. “Where’s the fire?”

“Nothing. I mean, nowhere.” I bite down on the urge to blurt out everything that happened over the weekend. “I’m headed down to the beach.” I wave in that general direction.

“If you’re not busy this afternoon, I could use some help in the office.” Aunt Marg tips her head to the side and it’s like she looks right into the part of me that’s hurting. “I’m having a big dinner for Liam and the others. You should join us.”

She’s mentioned a few times that she doesn’t think it’s good for me to sit in my unit alone all day. It’s okay when I’m working, because I like the quiet, but times like now, my mind spins and spins until all my thoughts turn upside down. “Thanks. I’ll try to make it.” I give her a quick hug before I turn and jog toward the waves. I don’t stop even as I kick off my flip-flops until I’m ankle deep in the water. Each retreating wave sucks sand from beneath my feet, forcing me to constantly shift my weight to keep my balance.

The horizon stretches out in a straight, unbroken line. No ships dot the expanse of blue today. A storm brews, gray clouds stretching low and dark. They’re too far out to be a bother to us, but the sight of them wrenches deep within my heart. That’s all Clay and I are to each other, a storm passing through. I’m not meant for love. I proved that with Danny. An ache runs through me, squeezing my chest until I palm it away.

“We’re too different,” I whisper to myself, needing to hear the words spoken out loud. “You fall in love too easily, and something that feels this right is bound to be wrong.” I’m not making any sense. One thing is certain. I’m no expert on love. What I do know, I learned from my relationship with Danny. He started our relationship under falsehood. I can’t go through that again.

If Clay and I are willing to lie about our relationship to get ahead in life, then what else would we be willing to lie about as time goes on? The possibilities are endless, and I don’t like where my thoughts take me.

I could call Clay and tell him everything. That there’s no need to continue the fake relationship. The dinner tomorrow night doesn’t really matter. It’s just another falsity. What would happen if I started a job based on their assumption that I’m Clay’s fiancee? Would they fire me once they found out the truth? I mean, they can’t, but the doubt refuses to leave me alone.

“Call him and tell him.” I search my pockets before remembering that I left my phone in the unit. It’s probably for the best. I’d rather not be that woman who ends things over a text. We can have a real conversation soon enough. I just have to keep my defenses up and make sure I don’t back down at the last minute.

“Kat!” Rex bellows my name. “Watch me. Kat, look what I learned.”

It’s impossible to be gloomy with Rex around. His cheerful exuberance lifts my spirits even before I turn.

His legs churn, spitting out sand in every direction. Once he knows I’m watching, he jumps and kicks one leg out and lands on his feet again. “Did you see? It’s just like that movie. I can kick like him. Mom says I can join karate when we get home.” He pushes hair back from his face and skids to a stop in front of me.

“That’s awesome.” I step out of the water and drop onto the hot sand. “Show me again.”

Rex is happy to comply, and I need the distraction. Pam and Dalton wander down the beach hand in hand.

I wave to let them know I’ll watch Rex and they shout their thanks. There’s something about this group of guests. They almost feel like family. It’s as ridiculous a thought as me falling in love with Clay, but a part of me wishes they didn’t have to leave Nantucket.

CLAY

Dusk settles over the mainland dock as the last few travelers disembark the ferry. A chill of evening air brushes my neck, making me shiver. I pull my jacket closer around me, scanning the crowd for any sign of Kat. I texted her that I’ll meet her here. My stomach coils—she hadn’t replied back. Has she changed her mind about dinner?

I check my phone for any messages, but there”s nothing. Frustration bubbles inside me. What if she doesn’t show up? She wouldn’t do that to me, would she? Kat seems reliable, but I could be all wrong about her.

Just as I”m resigning myself to the idea of attending the dinner alone, I spot her on the ferry, hesitating at the top of the ramp. Relief floods through me, but it doesn’t last long when I find uncertainty clouding her expression. She catches my eye and gives me a small wave, a tiny smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

I make my way through the dispersing crowd toward her, my heart pounding in my chest. ”Kat,” I call out when I reach her. ”You made it.”

She nods, but there”s a hint of something else in her eyes, something unspoken. ”Yeah, I did,” she replies softly, her gaze flickering away from mine.

Has something happened to upset her? I gently touch her arm.

She takes a deep breath. “Sorry, I’m not feeling myself lately. Maybe I’m nervous about tonight.”

I place an arm around her shoulder and squeeze her into my side “You’ll be great. You have nothing to be nervous about.”

Her posture stiffens and she inches out of my hold. “Thanks. You’re right. I’ll be fine.”

Her words contradict her body language. Did I do something?

“My car is this way.” I point to the parking lot.

Her hands are occupied clutching at her purse, so I don’t take her hand. We’re not officially dating and maybe the kiss was one sided after all. I was the one who had initiated it.

The ride to Tony’s house stretches to an eternity. Kat doesn’t say much. If she acts like this at dinner, I doubt she’ll get another client.

I open the car door for her and offer my hand. She takes it which kind of surprises me from the cold shoulder she’s been giving me.

Kat studies me and smiles. “Got to keep up the act.”

I blink, but quickly return a smile. “Yeah. Thanks for playing along a little longer.”

Tony’s wife, Michelle, greets us at the door and leads Kat and me to the dining room, adorned with elegant decor. The table is set with crystal glasses, linen clothes, and an array of dishes covered in foil. Roasted meats and garlic override my senses and my mouth instantly waters. My tummy grumbles and Kat looks down to my belly and her lips quirk sideways.

Michelle introduces us to Susan, a podiatrist who’s expanding her business with a second clinic downtown. Her fiery red hair matches her bold personality, and she regales us with stories from her podiatry clinic that soon have us all in stitches while we casually help ourselves to the food laid out before us.

Kat relaxes in Susan”s animated company, her laughter ringing out. It’s so good to see this side of Kat again. Although I’m a little jealous that I’m not the one making her laugh.

Now’s a good time to play it up a little for Tony. Kat and I are a couple in love, about to get married, so we should show affection. I scoot my chair a little closer, ready to make my next move. I’m not that great at boyfriending, since I’ve not had many relationships. A few dates here and there, but not anything substantial to speak of.

Before I can do something romantic and spontaneous, Susan leans in closer to Kat, her eyes sparkling. “Let me tell you about the time I hired an admin assistant from Fiverr who mixed up ”corns” with ”coins” on the invoice,” she chuckles.

Kat nearly spits out her water, but instead covers her mouth and gulps hard. “Oh, that’s terrible. I promise you won’t get those kinds of mistakes from me. I’m very meticulous.”

Tony has a broad smile on his face. “Managing a podiatry clinic must be quite... feet-cinating.”

I cringe at Tony’s dad-joke. He’s well known for them at the hospital. That and his poor coffee-making skills. I never accept a coffee from Tony. I learned my lesson early on when I first joined the team.

Kat is laughing but this time it’s more of a polite, courtesy laugh. I rub circles over her back, lean in, and kiss her temple. “Having a good time?”

She stops smiling and seems to focus intently on me before saying, “Yeah, I am.”

I brush some strands of hair from her neck and carefully place them over her shoulder, running my fingers like a comb to the ends. “Have I told you that you look beautiful tonight?”

Her lashes flutter and a pretty pink blush washes over her cheeks. Kat shakes her head slightly.

I tilt her chin with my thumb and meet her gaze. “Well, you do. You always do.”

“Thanks,” she says softly.

Susan interrupts our moment with another tale of how the Fiverr admin person sent out an invoice for a “poultry” treatment instead of podiatry. “I mean, imagine my client wondering why they were being billed for a chicken. How confusing is that?”

“Good thing you found out before more mistakes were made,” Tony says. “That would hurt your reputation. With social media these days, it could have gone viral.”

“My client was very understanding.” Susan touches her chest. “Thank goodness.”

She turns to Kat and winks. “I could use some extra help at the clinic. How are you with spreadsheets minus the foot puns?”

Kat’s eyes widen, but then she grins. “I’m great with data and can look into what you need”

Susan nods approvingly. “Excellent. Let”s schedule a formal interview soon.”

Kat”s smile grows wider. “I”d love that.”

It’s not long before we’re saying our goodbyes outside Tony”s house and walking down the driveway. Kat turns to me with a smile that reaches her eyes this time. “Thanks for tonight. It will be great to get the extra work.”

“No problem, that’s what friends are for.” I gesture to the car, rush over to the passenger side opening the door for her. When I turn back around, Kat is still standing on the sidewalk, rubbing her shoulders and then shaking off some sort of daze. She hasn’t been quite herself tonight. I thought everything went smoothly. Kat will gain another big client and Tony is more than impressed with my connections to Kat. She’s a smart, fun and kind person. The perfect choice as my pretend fiancée. But maybe we will stay in contact and start something real. That’s if my new position doesn’t take over my life.