Chapter 12 #3
“Good, really good,” I say, smiling back as we fall into the familiar rhythm of jabs and blocks. My mind is desperately trying to recall if her name starts with an A or a J. Amy? Julie? Nothing’s coming. “How about you?”
“Oh, you know, same old,” she replies, throwing a jab that I block easily. “So, you and Jack, huh? I saw your pictures on Instagram. When were you going to tell us you’re dating Dark River’s biggest heartthrob? I mean, what a score.”
Even here I can’t escape him. The very place I came to clear my head. I focus on my footwork, maintaining proper stance.
“It’s, uh, still pretty new,” I say, trying to sound casual even though my face is heating up.
“Well, you two look amazing together,” she continues enthusiastically, her eyes practically sparkling with gossip excitement. “I’ve followed him since his rookie season. I mean, those eyes! That jawline! You’re seriously the luckiest girl right now.”
“Hey!” Dominic’s voice cuts through her celebrity gossip session like a knife, sharp and annoyed. “This is boxing, not social hour. Focus on your form!”
Thank goodness for Dominic’s no-nonsense approach.
Saved by the perpetually gruff gym owner.
We eventually move to the heavy bags, and Dominic calls out combinations.
The rhythm of the workout takes over, and I lose myself in it.
Sweat drips down my back, my arms burn with exertion, but I keep pushing.
With each hit against the bag, I work through the confusion in my head. Punch: Jack’s face when he nearly kissed me. Jab: The way he looked at me when I played for him. Cross: How he held me when I got the label email. Hook: The fact that none of it is real.
“Good form, Lark,” Dominic says, holding the bag steady as I throw a particularly vicious combination, his approval rare enough to mean something. “Channel that energy.”
If only you knew where this energy was coming from.
By the end of class, I’m drenched in sweat, my muscles pleasantly exhausted. This is why I come here, why I keep coming back. To find that place where my body takes over and my mind quiets down, where everything becomes simple for just a little while.
“Good work today,” Dominic says as I gather my things.
Coming from him, it’s high praise. He’s not one for empty compliments.
“Thanks, Dominic. Great class as always,” I say, grabbing my water bottle and gym towel, still catching my breath. “I’ll see you next time.”
He nods, already turning his attention to setting up for the next class.
After a shower and quick breakfast, I head home to change before making my way to The Black Lantern. The morning sun shines bright, Dark River’s small downtown coming alive with activity as I drive through.
It’s still a few hours before we open, but I told Maren I’d help her with some inventory work. The familiar smells of wood polish and beer greet me as I unlock the door. I drop my bag behind the bar, flipping on lights as I call out, “Hello?”
“In the storage room!” Maren calls back.
I find her counting bottles of tequila, clipboard in hand, blonde hair pulled back in a bun. Her face lights up when she sees me, breaking into a wide smile.
“Hey! Well well well if it isn’t my little star!” she says with a grin, setting down her clipboard to give me a quick hug, her excitement palpable.
I’d texted her ridiculously late last night to tell her about the email and Seattle label party, but she’d been up writing anyway so we’d had a full-on freak-out session via text. “I know, right? I can hardly believe it!”
Jayson pokes his head around the corner, arms full of boxes from a delivery. His curly hair is already covered by his favorite bandana, ready for a day in the kitchen.
“Morning, Lark. I hear congratulations are in order about the music thing?” he asks warmly.
“Yeah,” I smile, still not quite believing it myself. “Thanks, Jayson. It’s pretty exciting.”
“Listen, you gotta thank us in your Grammy speech, alright?” he says with a wink. “The Black Lantern, where it all began.”
“Don’t worry,” I laugh. “You, Maren, and my parents are first on the list.”
“Perfect,” he says, disappearing back to the kitchen, whistling some tune.
“I still can’t believe you’re going to a fancy label party!” Maren says, bouncing a little with excitement as she counts vodka bottles. “And then Miami? This is all just so insane.”
“I know,” I say, and I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face despite all the Jack-related confusion. “I’ve barely ever been out of Dark River. I can’t wait. I always wanted to travel, and now it’s all happening so fast. I just hope it all goes how I want it to.”
“You’ll do great,” she says confidently. “You always do. You’re so good with people and a natural in situations like that. Besides, think of it as prep for all the press you’re going to get when you’re a famous singer.”
I laugh, helping her stack the counted bottles back on the shelf. “God, you really do have all the faith, don’t you?”
“It’s easy when your best friend’s a superstar,” she says, nudging me with her shoulder playfully. “And I’m so happy for you and Jack, by the way. It was really fun at dinner the other night.”
The guilt hits me like a physical weight pressing down on my chest. I’ve been lying to my best friend for weeks.
The one person who’s always been there for me, who knows all my secrets except this one.
I promised Jack I wouldn’t tell anyone, but every time Maren gets that excited look in her eyes when she talks about us as a couple, I feel worse.
“Yeah,” I say, my voice tight. “It was a good night.”
Maren pauses mid-count and gives me a look, her best friend radar clearly pinging. “Okay, what’s that face for?”
“What face? There’s no face,” I say, busying myself organizing the tequila bottles by size.
“That’s your ‘I’m hiding something’ face,” she says matter-of-factly, setting down her clipboard. “I’ve known you for years, Lark. Spill it.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Is everything okay with you and Jack? Did you guys have a fight?” Her concern is genuine, which makes me feel even worse.
“No, nothing like that.” I take a deep breath, the words catching in my throat. I can’t do this anymore. I can’t keep lying to Maren. “It’s just… I haven’t been completely honest with you.”
She sets down her clipboard slowly, turning to face me fully. “About what?”
This is such a bad idea. I promised Jack I wouldn’t say anything. What if it ruins everything? But this is Maren. “About me and Jack,” I finally say, forcing myself to look her in the eye, my heart pounding. “We’re not… actually dating.”
She blinks, confusion crossing her face. “What are you talking about? I’ve seen you together.”
“I know, I know. We’re together, but not like that. It’s…” I swallow hard. “Remember when I told you about how Jack pretended to be my boyfriend that night Brandon came into the bar? And then I said he asked me out for real after?”
Maren nods slowly.
“Well, he didn’t. Ask me out for real, I mean,” I say. “We did get to talking after the whole Brandon thing that night. And he proposed an… arrangement for mutual benefit.”
“Mutual benefit,” Maren repeats, her face unreadable. “Meaning…?”
“He needed image rehab for his racing career, that whole scandal thing in Monaco. And I needed a boost in social media following before the label would even consider moving forward with me. So we made a deal.” The words tumble out faster and faster, like I can’t stop them now that I’ve started.
“Three months of pretending to date, and then a clean break in September when he goes back to Europe.”
Maren’s mouth drops open like I’ve just dropped the biggest scandal bomb of the century.
“You’re telling me,” she says slowly, her voice rising with disbelief, “that you and Jack have been FAKE DATING this ENTIRE TIME?”
I wince, glancing toward the kitchen nervously. “Could you maybe say that a little louder? I don’t think they heard you in Seattle.”
“Are you serious right now?” Her voice is hushed but intense, her eyes wide. “Like actually serious? This isn’t some weird joke?”
“I’m completely serious,” I say, twisting my hands nervously. “I make him look stable and wholesome, dating someone nice and hardworking, like a cute hometown story. And his followers have been going crazy, which has been making my music spread like wildfire on social media.”
“Holy shit,” Maren breathes, eyes wide.
“I wanted to tell you, but I promised Jack I’d keep it quiet. It was part of our agreement. He didn’t want to risk his brothers knowing and it getting out, and normally I would have said fuck it I’ll do as I want, but I knew asking you to lie to Calvin would be so selfish. So…” I trail off.
Maren stares at me for another long moment, and then bursts out laughing.
“Oh my god,” she wheezes, clutching the shelf for support, her whole body shaking with laughter. “This is, this is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard!”
“Maren!” I hiss, eyes darting toward the kitchen like Jayson might materialize any second.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she gasps, trying to catch her breath, wiping tears from her eyes. “This is just so unhinged. I literally would have never guessed that this is what you were going to say.”
Her laughter is infectious, and despite my anxiety, I find myself smiling too. “I know. I still can’t believe we’re pulling it off.”
“Wait, wait, wait,” Maren says, her laughter subsiding into giggles, her expression delighted. “So when you two were all cozy at dinner, making eyes at each other across the table…”
“All for show,” I confirm, though something twists uncomfortably in my stomach at the memory.
Maren shakes her head in disbelief, still grinning. “I can’t believe this. I was completely convinced.”
“So… you’re not mad that I lied to you?” I ask tentatively, relief flooding through me.
“Not at all,” she says, picking up her clipboard again, her tone reassuring. “I get it. I’m only peeved I haven’t been able to talk through all of this with you. Especially the part where it’s completely obvious that you have a crush on him. That’s SO not fake.”
My cheeks flush hot. “It’s not like that. I told you we’re acting.”
Maren’s eyes narrow. “Bullshit. You aren’t that good of an actress.”
“We have good chemistry!” I protest weakly, knowing how unconvincing I sound. “That’s what makes it believable!”
“So,” she says, folding her arms and giving me a knowing look, “you spend all this time with Jack, pretending to be his girlfriend, looking at him with those big doe eyes, and you haven’t developed any feelings at all?”
“Fine!” I throw my hands up, the admission bursting out. “I might have a tiny little crush on him. But it’s nothing serious. Just a small, completely manageable attraction because, you know, the man is unfairly gorgeous. But that’s it. Tiny!”
Maren squeals so loudly that I’m sure Jayson can hear her in the kitchen.
“I knew it!” She slaps her hands together, practically vibrating with excitement. “I fucking knew it! The way you look at him…”
“It’s just physical,” I insist, trying to sound convincing even though I’m failing miserably. “Nothing I can’t handle. The arrangement ends in September, he goes back to Europe, and that’s that.”
“Mmhmm,” she says. Her skepticism couldn’t be more obvious. “Nothing’s happened? Not at all? You’re telling me two hot young people are pretending to date with crazy chemistry and you’ve managed to keep your hands off each other?”
My face burns even hotter. “Nothing happened.”
“Lark, like I said, bad actress,” she says smugly.
“OK… that night at dinner, when we disappeared to the gazebo, we were talking and… we might have almost kissed,” I admit reluctantly, the words coming. “Before Chloe interrupted us. But we didn’t! It’s been totally, well mostly, back to normal since.”
Maren practically dances in place, her glee unmistakable. “This is exactly how it happens! First comes the fake dating, then the real feelings, then the real kissing, then—”
“It was a momentary lapse in judgment,” I say, cutting her off before she can finish that thought. “It won’t happen again.”
“Sure, sure,” Maren says, leaning forward. “So what happens in Miami when you share a hotel room?”
Jack and I had already planned for this. Everyone knows we’re arriving together so we can’t get separate rooms without it looking suspicious. “We have a plan,” I say, trying to sound confident. “We’re getting a bigger room with two beds and sleeping way way far apart. Nothing is going to happen.”
“A weekend of pretending to be madly in love while fighting your very real attraction,” Maren sighs dramatically, her tone making it clear she thinks I’m delusional. “Oh, you are so getting some.”
“It’s not like that,” I protest, but it sounds weak even to my own ears.
“Uh huh, tell that to your face,” Maren grins, clearly enjoying this way too much.
“You better keep me updated on everything. And don’t worry, I won’t tell Calvin.
I’ll let Jack handle that conversation whenever he’s ready.
Calvin’s pretty focused on work right now anyway, so I don’t think he’d live for the drama the way I am. ”
“Thank you,” I laugh, squeezing her hand. “And Mare? I’m so glad you know. I hated lying to you.”
“Aw, I know you did,” Maren says, her expression softening before she points at me with mock sternness. “But damn right you should feel bad. From now on, you tell me everything. No more secrets between us.”
“Deal,” I say as she pulls me in for a quick hug.
“Good.” She pulls back, eyes sparkling. “Because this is way more entertaining than even the best reality TV.”
I laugh, rolling my eyes. “Well, I’m glad my love life can provide quality entertainment.”
She picks up her clipboard again. “I expect a full debrief after Miami.”