Chapter 6
six
“Hey, bro. What’s for dinner?” I ask Will as I walk in from class.
“Pizza rolls, unless you want to cook something,” he says from the couch.
I roll my eyes. I swear he could live on those things.
“What did Dad have?”
“Meals on Wheels brought over a turkey dinner with mashed potatoes and gravy and green beans,” he calls out.
I smile. We don’t get much assistance with Dad, but Meals on Wheels has been a godsend.
They bring over food for Dad several times a week so we don’t have to always worry about what to feed him.
It’s hard juggling classes for me and a job for Will plus taking care of Dad.
Sometimes we don’t have the funds or energy to cook a full dinner.
I’m grateful for the service and what they do.
I preheat the oven and head into my room to change. Before I get the chance to, my phone pings.
I smile when I see it’s Wyatt. It helps seeing his gorgeous abs as my background. I still never asked him about that. Maybe I shouldn’t.
Instead, I open the text thread. Even seeing him saved under “my boyfriend” makes me smile. It makes me forget this is all fake.
Your boyfriend
Do you have time for an early dinner? I want you to meet Kellan’s girlfriend.
Me
I don’t know. I have things to do tonight.
I don’t know why I don’t tell him about Dad. Maybe because with Kyle my dad became a point of contention. That’s the last thing I want with Wyatt.
Your boyfriend
When are your plans? I will make sure to have you home in time.
I chew on my bottom lip. It’s only four now.
Walking out of the room, I head into the living room. “Hey, Dad.” I walk over and kiss him on the head.
“Hi, Agatha. Look, we have a TV now.” He points to the TV.
“Yeah. It’s great,” I murmur before walking over to stand next to the couch.
“When do you have to leave for work?” I look down at Will.
He glances at me. “Seven. Why?”
“I was invited out.” I glance down at my phone in my hand.
“On a date?”
I nod.
“With Kyle?” He sounds hesitant to ask.
“No. We broke up. I’m over that dickwad.” I scoff.
“Good. Then go. If I have to call in, I can do it. You deserve some happiness.” He smiles up at me.
“No. Don’t do that. He says he will make sure I am home in time.”
“I already like this guy,” he proclaims. “Go. Have fun. Eat something good for me.”
“Thanks, Will. You’re the best.”
He waves me off, looking back at the television.
I hurry back to my room and change. I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard, but I also don’t want to look like a slob.
Me
If you can pick me up and have me back by seven, that would be great.
I text Wyatt and throw down the phone. Time to dig into my closet.
I look at the few dresses I have. I consider wearing them, but they are things I wore with Kyle. I don’t really like dresses anyway, so I only ever wore them because Kyle insisted. Would Wyatt expect the same thing? Does he have expectations for what his girlfriend should look like at all times?
I shake my head. This is fake. I don’t need to impress him. I am not trying to keep him because he isn’t mine to begin with.
With that thought in my head, I pull out a nice blouse I haven’t worn in ages and pair it with a pair of black skinny jeans. I put the clothes on quickly before checking my phone.
Your boyfriend
Shoot me your address.
I send it over as I swipe a little bit of makeup on. Then I head out to the kitchen to switch the oven off as I wait.
I hear the knock on the door and panic. I figured he would text me or honk. It’s what Kyle always did. I am not ready for him to meet my family.
“See you later,” I call out to Will before rushing to the door.
When I open it, I find Wyatt on the other side.
“Hi,” I manage to whisper.
“Hey. You ready?” He holds out his hand.
I take it willingly. “Yep.”
As we walk to the car, I notice a couple already inside. Wyatt holds the back passenger door open before going around to get into the back on the driver’s side.
“Hey, I’m Cora. I stupidly decided to date this one. You’re Lyla, right?” the beautiful brunette says as she turns in her seat to look at me.
“I am. Somehow I ended up dating this guy.” I tilt my head toward Wyatt, making him smile.
Kellan pulls away from the curb as we continue to talk.
“I’ve heard. It’s been a shock to us all. He hasn’t dated a single girl since freshman year. We all wondered if he was secretly planning to become a monk. Then you show up and put the rumors to rest.” She winks at me.
“Well, monkhood might still be on the horizon for him. I haven’t decided if I like him or not yet,” I tease.
She laughs. “Oh, I like you. Wyatt, you got yourself a keeper here. She will fit in great.”
Wyatt rolls his head across the back seat as he looks my way. “Great. Now you all can take over the world.”
“Oh, I don’t think we want to do that, do we, Lyla?” Cora asks.
“Oh no. Definitely not. That seems like a lot. Maybe just the state?” I toss back at Cora.
“Or their hearts. We all know how fragile they can be.” She leans over, kissing Kellan’s cheek.
“Careful, Cora. Sit back in your seat. I don’t want you getting hurt,” Kellan chastises her.
“Oh, such a protector,” she teases.
“What about you, Lyla? You want to take over my heart?” Wyatt asks, a gleam in his eye.
I consider his words. This is fake. It was meant to end at some point, yet the idea of owning the heart of a man like him is intoxicating. To know that he would protect me and have my back?
I don’t go with the truth. Instead, I tease him a bit more.
“I don’t know. We will see if you’re worth it.”
He slides closer across the seat as he leans in and whispers in my ear, “Oh, I promise I will be worth it.”
Somehow, I believe he is telling the truth, which means I am in trouble.
Cora grabbed Lyla as soon as they got out of the car.
She wrapped her arm in Lyla’s and started talking a mile a minute with her.
I didn’t even get a chance to grab Lyla’s hand.
Part of me is mad at Cora for stealing that from me, but seeing Lyla laughing as they chat, I know I can’t be mad at her for long.
She is giving my girl what she desperately craves. People to belong with. A girl group that she can trust. She hasn’t met Emery, Peyton, or Grace yet, but once they get together, everyone better look out. They will be a force to be reckoned with.
“She looks good on you,” Kellan tells me as we wait for the hostess to lead us to our table.
“She is gorgeous,” I admit.
“Not what I meant,” he mutters.
“What did you mean then?” I keep my tone low as well.
“I meant, I like the effect she is having on you. You’re less quiet and moody. I have seen you smile more tonight than in the last month.”
“You are exaggerating,” I tell him, but as I think back, I am not sure he is.
It’s true that I never smiled much. I wasn’t the talker of the group. I only ever really inserted myself when it was necessary. Now, though, I can’t help but talk with Lyla. I want to hear her voice, and in order to do that, I have to speak back to her.
It feels natural with her. Like I can be myself. I don’t have to worry about holding everything together because she is right there with me.
If only she didn’t think it was fake.
I am playing a dangerous game. One I am afraid I won’t win, but fuck it. She’s worth the risk.
“She brings out the best in me.”
It’s my only response as the hostess leads us to our table. When we reach the booth, I gesture for Lyla to slide inside so that she will be across from Cora, who has already done the same.
“This place is nice. I haven’t been here,” Lyla says.
“Wyatt, are you not taking your girl to nice places?” Cora clicks her tongue at me.
“Oh no. I didn’t mean that…” Lyla starts, but Kellan cuts her off.
“She’s teasing. This is our first time here too.”
I give him a grateful nod. Cora can be a bit much sometimes. She’s a good introduction to the group, though. If Lyla can handle her, then the rest will be a breeze.
“Sorry. I like to tease a bit. So, how did you and Wyatt meet?” Cora says, looking down at her menu.
“Yeah, I would like to hear that story too,” Kellan adds in.
Lyla looks at me, unsure what to say.
“We actually met freshman year,” I say.
“You remembered that?” Lyla blurts out.
I chuckle. “Did you think I would forget? A pretty girl like you running into me? I kicked myself for weeks when I realized you had started to date Kyle. I thought I missed my chance.” I pick up her hand and kiss the back of it. “Yet here you are.”
“Oh that’s so romantic,” Cora coos.
“Very. So you reconnected?” Kellan asks, shooting me a look.
Yeah, he remembers the pep rally we went to and how we caught Kyle cheating on her.
“Yeah. She and Kyle broke up, and we happened to be in the same place at the same time, and well, we hit it off. Isn’t that right, my love?”
She looks up at me. “That’s right.”
“It was fate.” Cora beams from across the table. “I love it. I can’t wait for you to meet everyone. The girls have been crazy busy between school and visiting the guys, but we are planning a girls’ trip soon. You should come.”
I watch as Lyla chews her bottom lip.
“I’ll think about it.”
Cora isn’t bothered, she moves the conversation onto something else.
That’s how the evening goes. The girls chat about everything and nothing at the same time while Kellan and I try to add our own bits in when we can.
Honestly, I don’t mind not being fully included in the conversation.
I love watching Lyla light up with every topic change.
By the time dessert comes, an hour and a half has passed.
“We need to get going. I know. I hate breaking this girlmance or whatever the equivalent to a bromance is up, but Lyla has things to do,” I tell the girls.
Lyla looks down at her phone. “Shoot. He’s right. I can’t be late.”
I flag down the server and pay for the table, making Kellan glare at me. Then we head to the car. The girls continue their chat until we pull up to Lyla’s house.
“Thank you for the ride and dinner. It was amazing. I will text you later?” she asks me.
“I’m walking you to the door, Lyla. You guys can go on. I’ll walk home,” I tell Kellan as I climb from the car.
Lyla gets out and glares at me. “Get back in the car. You don’t have to walk me to the door.”
I walk around the car, grabbing her hand. “I absolutely do. Bye, guys.”
I slam the door shut before pulling her away.
Kellan takes off, making Lyla frown.
“I’m not your real girlfriend. You don’t have to do all these sweet things,” she murmurs.
“No, but I want to. So how about I walk you to your door and bid you good night?”
She rolls her eyes before she allows me to walk with her up to the door.
“I had a good time tonight. I’m glad you and Cora hit it off,” I tell her.
“Me too. I feel bad that we are faking this, though. She seems so invested in our relationship now. She is going to be devastated when we fake break up.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her that we won’t fake break up then. We can stay together for real.
Before I can, the door opens and a guy a little older than me steps outside. Instantly, I know they have to be related by the similarities they share.
“Sorry. I need to get going. I’m Will, by the way.”
I hold my hand out to shake his. “Wyatt.”
“Nice to meet you. Thanks for making my sister smile.” He kisses Lyla on the head. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
Will rushes down the sidewalk and into the car. I look back to Lyla.
“Why is he in such a rush?”
She looks into the now open door of the house, then at me. “He has to get to work.”
I look into the house.
Does she have a kid? Would it bother me if she had one? I surely would have remembered seeing her pregnant, right? Or maybe it’s his kid? Could I be off the mark and it’s something else? What is she hiding?
“That’s why you needed to be home. To stay here and care for…” I trail off.
Come on, open up. Trust me with whatever you’re hiding.
She sighs. “Come on in.”
Somehow that one phrase has me wondering what could make her look this sad.