11. Shoua
CHAPTER 11
shoua
I woke up this Friday morning to Anthony sprawled out on my sofa with his long, muscular limbs all over the place, wearing nothing but a pair of black boxer briefs with a flat sheet as a blanket. He insisted on sleeping over after I started binging Gossip Girl . We finished the first half of season one together before he proclaimed he was too lazy to walk the few steps in between our units back to his place. So, he opted to sleep on my couch instead.
But we both knew he didn’t sleep on my couch simply because he was lazy. I think he just wanted to make sure I was fine and that he was right there if I needed him.
I honestly never knew Anthony to be a clingy friend. But ever since my accident last year and the anxiety attacks I started having afterward, we discovered this new side to him. He was fiercely loyal, and I guess that also made him extremely clingy whenever I went through anything troubling.
I watched him for a moment before I shook him awake, eyeing the strong English-Scottish nose he got from his dad and the long, fanned out dark lashes his Asian Hmong mom gave him. His full lips pouted as if he was in the middle of contemplating something, making me smile for a second. My hand gingerly touched his smooth and hard shoulder for a brief second and woke him up.
Anthony blinked groggily up at me. He flashed me this sexy, sleepy smile that forced me to focus on the cute little moles dotting the bridge of his nose and chin. It was easier to do that instead of letting my mind linger on the burning feeling I felt growing deep in the pit of my belly.
“Morning,” he said softly. His morning voice was so deep and sultry that my toes tingled.
I blinked slowly, tired. “Morning.”
“Ready to take Evelyn to the mall later today?” he mumbled. He stood up and stretched with a loud yawn. I glimpsed at his abdominal muscles as they pulled taut from the stretch and then quickly averted my eyes.
“No,” I said, heading to my kitchen for a glass of cold water.
I could hear Anthony slip on his shorts before stumbling into the kitchen after me. He tossed the shirt he was wearing last night on my kitchen counter. We glanced at each other before he said, “Sorry. I said no, but Evelyn was insistent on me taking her to the mall.”
“It’s okay. It’d be weird if my boyfriend took some girl who’s interested in him out shopping all by himself anyways. Fake or not,” I stated.
Anthony and me both agreed we rather deal with Evelyn’s trip to the mall now than later. We may have a month before we head up to the lake, but we both just want to get it over with. However, I was apprehensive around Evelyn. I could tell she was catching on to how uncomfortable the two of us were at the airport. I glanced up at Anthony as he downed his own cup of cold water.
“What?” he asked.
“I’m worried,” I admitted. “I don’t think we’re convincing enough as a couple.”
He let out a small cough before clearing his throat. “Well, we’re fake so . . . Yeah, I guess there’s a few things we need to work on.”
I pursed my lips together, unconvinced. “How?”
Anthony crossed his arms across his chest, pushing his pecs together and flexing his corded arms and defined biceps. I kept my eyes on his face as he leaned against the kitchen counter. “You’re too stiff. You need to loosen up, Shoua.”
“I’m not the only one who’s stiff. You’re the one who’s just as awkward as me.”
“Am not. You’re the one that went rigid as a board at the airport when I put my hand on your hip.” I silently cocked an eyebrow at him and he sighed. “Fine. Fine . We’re both awkward as fuck when we’re trying to pretend to be a couple.”
“Maybe we should take Evelyn shopping later on in the month. We both want to get it over with, but we should get our act together first.” I looked at Anthony, waiting for him to respond.
The last thing I wanted was for her to realize that we’ve been lying and then reveal the truth to her mom. It wouldn’t surprise me if that was the only thing Aunt Sue would talk about all month long. She sounded like she was the type to hold onto grudges when she got crossed. No matter how big or small the incident was. After hearing her drone all of last June about how a vendor at our local famers market gave her a discount over some cherries, I figured she wouldn’t hesitate to take what Anthony and me were doing even more to heart.
For all I knew, Aunt Sue may even talk about this for years to come.
“It doesn’t really matter when we do it, to be honest. I’d rather just get it over with than to have to deal with this later,” he said. “But if you’re worried, maybe we should practice pretending to be a couple.”
“How?” I raised a brow at him.
He shrugged, unsure himself. “Maybe we should act like we’re in a relationship even when we’re not in front of Aunt Sue, Evelyn, and Kelvin. Like, here at home. We could hug more, hold hands, maybe practice kissing each other on the cheek, and?—”
“Kiss?” I interrupted him with a squeaky voice.
His cheeks flared. “I meant on the cheek, Shoua. Or the temple.”
“I don’t think we need to kiss at all. But I think we should practice.” I nodded slowly.
“And pretend you’re my girlfriend and I’m your boyfriend.” He took a step toward me, and I stayed rooted in place. My throat dried up as his arms outstretched toward me. “It’s fine, right? If I hold your hand?”
“It’s fine,” I breathed, motioning for him to come closer.
Anthony stepped into my space as he intertwined his fingers with mine. We stood there for a moment as he rubbed soothing circles into the back of my hand.
“You’re not as awkward anymore,” he stated as he pulled his hand out of mine and threw his arm over my shoulder.
He pulled me close to his side. I could still smell the light scent of my body wash lingering on his hot skin from his shower last night. He was apparently too lazy go home. Yet, he wasn’t lazy enough to walk up my stairs to shower which was more steps than walking back to his place.
“Because I don’t have an audience to perform for,” I said.
“True.” His arms slipped away from my shoulder to snake around my waist, his hand landing on my hip. His thumb began rubbing circles into my skin. “We should do this every day to get comfortable with being more intimate with one another. You’re worried about Evelyn today, but the biggest test to our fake relationship wouldn’t be this. It’s the lake trip.”
“What do you mean?” My brows knitted together.
“We’re going to be there with Aunt Sue, Evelyn, and Kelvin for a whole week. All their eyes are going to be on us, and if we’re awkward during any moment during that trip, one of them will figure out that all of this is a sham. We need to practice for that.” His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down nervously. “We’re going to have to practice kissing.”
My cheeks immediately ignited in flames. “Anthony?—”
“I’m not talking about real kisses, Shoua. Just little pecks. Like on the cheek or temple . . . or on the corner of your lips,” he quickly explained. His eyes flicked to my lips and then he tore them away with a red face. He pulled his hands away from me as he threw on the shirt he was wearing last night. “We can talk more about it later. It’s food for thought.”
He quickly glanced at the digital clock by my microwave. It was already almost seven. I needed to get on the phone in forty minutes to strategize with a client about the offer he and his husband wanted to make on a home they saw on Monday.
“Wouldn’t want you to be unprepared for your call.” He was already on his way out the back of the house. “Just go get your things ready. I’ll come by with breakfast and coffee in fifteen.”
“Aren’t you going to head into work?” I asked.
He shook his head with a smile tugging on his lips. “Nah, I already texted the guys last night I was going in a little later today.”
“Thanks, Anthony,” I said.
He turned to look at me before closing the door behind him. “If it’s for you, it’s no trouble at all.”
After the door closed, I stood in the middle of my kitchen for a while as I tried to steady my racing heart. The idea of acting like a couple at home and maybe even pecking each other’s cheeks had caught me completely off guard. However, Anthony had a point—we needed to make this look convincing if we were going to fool Aunt Sue, Evelyn, and Kelvin. We were going to have to practice.
But what if I fall deeper for him?
Being at the mall with Evelyn wasn’t half as awkward as I thought it would be. I expected her to trail behind us and watch us with her eagle eyes. Instead, we slowly followed her as she eagerly led the way. It wasn’t a complete surprise that she knew her way around our local mall due to all the summers she spent here.
I was tired from driving around town, showing homes to my buyers all afternoon. It was a long day, but well worth it. One client’s offer was accepted this morning and then there was another client were serious about making an offer by tomorrow morning. I wasn’t just busy, I was overwhelmed with these back to back offers.
I needed to head home soon to get things ready for another strategy planning call tomorrow morning. Although I was exhausted, I was buzzing with excitement. Summer was in full swing, which meant most of my clients were ready to buy.
Anthony and I were hand in hand as we followed Evelyn into a store. We stopped by a rack full of bikinis. In the distance, I caught a reflection of us in one of the ceilings to floor mirrors. To my surprise, we didn’t look half as awkward as I felt we did. I hoped that was deterring Evelyn from eyeing us closely. She mainly focused on looking for whatever she needed, which was a relief.
I grabbed a hot red bikini set and placed it against my body. “What do you think?” I asked Anthony with a small smile.
I would never have asked him what he thought of me in a sexy, red bikini top with a matching cheeky bottom if we weren’t in a fake relationship. But with Evelyn nearby, I had to do my job.
He eyed the material and then smirked, making my stomach flutter. His eyes narrowed, playfully. “Sexy,” he said with his voice all low and sultry, making my body tingle. My face flushed as he let out an amused chuckle. His face was red as well. “Get it.”
I chuckled with him as Evelyn looked over to us. “That’s so cute, Shoua!” she said, walking over. “If that’s your style, I think you should consider something like this too. It’ll look more flattering on you since it’s high waisted and, you know, hides .”
I cocked an eyebrow at whatever she was trying to imply as she pulled out a piss yellow ultra-high waisted bottom along with a white top that was too frilly for my taste from a rack nearby. Was she trying to say that I’d be too insecure in my body to show it off the way it is?
“No, I’m good,” I said. “I like my bikinis sexy, so I’ll try this red one.”
“Yeah, go for it! It’s super cute,” Evelyn said as she approached the rack by Anthony and me. She grabbed the same red bikini I held and smiled, adding it to the muted colored bikinis she was already holding. The red one stuck out randomly, making it clear this wasn’t her usual taste. “I’m going to try these on. Want to come with me, Shoua?”
I wasn’t sure what game she was playing, but I thought I might entertain her for a bit. “Sure, but let me grab a few more items first.”
I grabbed more bikinis to try on, and Anthony gave me a nervous look as we all walked over to the dressing rooms. It was unusual for Evelyn to seem so interested in me since she was always vying to engage him in a conversation.
Once inside the dressing room, I planned to take my time and observe how I looked and felt in the bikini sets I grabbed. Julie and I agreed we should try to wear a different bikini set each day of the week we’re at the lake. Just for fun, of course, and to use the old bikinis we hardly ever got to use except once or twice a year. I was enjoying how flattering one of the bikini tops I picked out looked on me until I heard Evelyn’s voice.
“Anthony! What do you think? How does it look on me?” I heard her say.
I drew back the curtain a bit to peek out. My jaw dropped as I watched Evelyn stand in the middle of all the dressing rooms in the red bikini we both grabbed.
“It looks sexy, right?” she asked.
I heard absolutely nothing from Anthony as she relished under the bright light of the dressing rooms. Her fit, slim body was accentuated well in the tiny pieces of clothing she had on along with a triumphant, smug look on her face. I quickly pulled the curtain back before she could catch me watching her.
So, this was what she was planning to do, and we fell for it.
I took my time trying on my bikinis as I originally planned, and as I figured, the red one was the most flattering on me. We both stepped out of our dressing room at the same time. Hers was next to mine. As we walked toward the employee to give her the items we didn’t want, she gave Evelyn a look of distaste as she practically threw her clothes at the clerk.
I gave the employee an apologetic smile in dismay. Not only did she purposely pick the same red bikini I picked, but she was also being rude to people who didn’t deserve it. I’ve always known Evelyn was sly, but I haven’t expected her to be this brazen.
Anthony was nowhere near the exit of the dressing room, where he said he’d wait for us. So, I walked out and found him standing awkwardly by a clothing rack—far from the dressing room. He awkwardly cleared his throat as he approached me, pulling me close to his chest with a stiff arm. “We need to talk later,” he whispered.
“I know. I saw what she did,” I said.
“All of those bikinis were so adorable, but I think I’m going to go with this red one,” Evelyn announced, coming out behind me. “It’s hot, isn’t it, Anthony?”
“Yeah, it looked fine,” he said politely.
Her face lit up with an arrogant smile, satisfied with his answer. “I knew you’d think so,” she said.
“But I’d appreciate it if you ask my girlfriend for input on your fashion choices instead of me,” he continued. He glanced over to her, trying to gauge her reaction.
“What do you mean?” she asked. Her curious tone clearly noted how she saw nothing wrong with asking Anthony for his opinion.
“I don’t think it was necessary for you to ask me for input about a bikini,” Anthony explained, tightening his grip around my waist. “Shoua’s good with fashion and always has the best advice. You shouldn’t have asked me about it.”
Evelyn’s mouth parted as her eyes flicked between Anthony and me. For a moment, I thought she was going to apologize for putting him in such an awkward position. But instead, she smiled with a shrug.
“That was nothing, Anthony. You’re just making it into a bigger deal than it is,” she said as she laughed. She turned to me and saw me holding the red bikini. “Oh my gosh, Shoua! Are you going to get that red bikini too? Looks like we’re going to be twinning at the lake!”
“Can’t wait,” I said with a small smile and nod as she turned toward the cash register.
Anthony glanced at me with an exasperated look, and I shrugged. There was really no point in getting upset at her if she couldn’t even seem to admit what she did was over the top. I wondered if she was trying to get me to react a certain way. Was she trying to make me feel insecure by showing Anthony how she looked like in a bikini he deemed as sexy? Or was she just trying to get Anthony’s attention?
To be honest, I couldn’t care less about how she looked in that bikini compared to me. She looked amazing and I would never deny that. But I also looked just as good in it. In my own way. This wasn’t a competition. At least, not to me.