Chapter 16
SIXTEEN
CIARA
My phone vibrated in my pocket, derailing my train of thought yet again. From his spot on the floor, Havoc blew out a breath that echoed my own annoyance. Not checking it wasn’t a choice, since this number was the same one I gave to vendors and clients. But when I pulled it out and checked the caller ID, I saw it was Brodie. This was the ninth time he’d called today. I hadn’t answered any time. Just kept sending the calls to voicemail, where he didn’t leave a message. I did the same this time and laid the phone on my desk, dropping my head into my hands to rub at the ache blooming in my temples.
I didn’t have time for any more of his bullshit.
I’d thought that seeing me move on with someone else would be enough to get the point across that we were truly over. So far, it had resulted in minor vandalism to my car and a renewed vigor around winning me back. I was terrified I’d have to actually let Alex or Ewan or the rest of the men in my life—blood-related and otherwise—scare some sense into him. I didn’t want to resort to that, but if he kept this up, I might not be left with any other choice.
Blowing out a breath, I focused again on the seating chart I was trying to make work. Two sets of divorced parents who’d all remarried were a serious challenge to organize in a way where none of them felt slighted. Why they all couldn’t get along for the sake of their children’s big day, I had no idea. If my family had that kind of contention, I’d straight-up elope. The fact that my parents still adored each other more than thirty years on was a real blessing.
My phone vibrated again, this time with a text. Growling, I snatched it up. Really, I should just block him on every front.
But it wasn’t Brodie this time. It was the group text with my girlfriends.
Skye: :GIF of Ricky from I Love Lucy saying “Lucy, you got some ’splainin’ to do.”:
Saoirse: You tried to pawn him off on me when you were interested yourself! What gives?
Pippa: Spill all the details. I’m living vicariously through you.
Well, obviously they’d heard about me and Alex.
Skye: Seriously. I heard he laid a big one on you right there on High Street!
I’d seriously underestimated how many times I’d have to tell this story. Opening the messaging app, I tapped a reply.
Me: He came to my rescue with Brodie, and one thing led to another.
Which was true. I was trying to stick to the truth as much as possible.
Pippa: :GIF of black and white movie heroine swooning:
Skye: :GIF of excited My Little Pony vibrating with a squee:
Saoirse: :GIF of Santana from Glee fanning herself:
Saoirse: Seriously, is he as good a kisser as I imagine?
Me: … Yes?
No sense in lying about that.
There followed another explosion of GIF reactions. Seriously, what did we do before GIFs were a thing?
Skye: I demand a group hangout! We want to get to know him.
Saoirse: We want to inspect him.
And there it was. I’d known this would come up, eventually. I’d been bracing for it. Alex and I still hadn’t gone out together in public yet. But I’d known we’d have to. Maybe I’d been holding off on that because public meant PDA, and I was seriously on the struggle bus fighting my very real attraction to my fake boyfriend. I thought of the warning Sophie had given about how hard it was to keep things fake under these circumstances. She wasn’t wrong. But it had to be done. Alex getting the stamp of approval from my friends would be a necessary phase if we were actually dating.
Me: I’ll see what I can do.
Before I could lose my nerve, I toggled over to his contact and typed out a message.
Me: Are you free over the weekend?
His answer came back almost immediately.
Alex: For you, always. What do you have in mind?
Seeing his ready agreement felt weird. Was this still cover, in case someone saw our texts? Or did he mean it? Before I could go down that rabbit hole again, I replied.
Me: My friends want to get together.
Alex: They want to check me out, huh?
Me: Basically.
Alex: I’m in. Give me the details of where and when.
Me: I’ll let you know when we figure it out.
It felt weirdly coupley to be making these arrangements. Which was the point.
I went back to the group text.
Me: He’s in.
The storm of excited GIFs left me smiling for the first time all day.
Me: Okay, okay. Slow your roll. What are we going to do?
Saoirse: I have some ideas.