Chapter 23
RHETT
We walk into the restaurant together, Elle on my arm. As the hostess takes my name, Elle’s eyes are on me the entire time, like she can’t look away. I feel slightly drunk, as if this is real affection.
As the hostess leads us through the bright room, I feel other couples looking at us. A man stares at me in obvious jealousy when he sees how dedicated Elle is to me. His wife or girlfriend is staring down at her cellphone. Women gape as if I must be someone special to inspire so much dedication.
But the main thing I notice is Elle. Bright-eyed. Beautiful. Trailing her hand down my arm as I pull her seat out for her in a show of intimacy that has my heart thudding.
I sit, order a bottle of champagne and a jug of water, then smile across at her. She returns the smile, but then, damn it, she breaks my heart a little. “Am I doing well?” She asks, a smile still stuck to her face.
I swallow, trying not to show my hurt. It’s like a punch to the gut when it has no right to be. This is what we agreed to. This is the plan.
“Excellent,” I tell her. “And me? What’s my score?”
“Very good. You look obsessed with me.”
“I don’t have to fake that part.”
She rolls her eyes, but her smile never leaves. It’s like her eyes are windows into the real Elle, and the rest of her is playing the role.
The waitress arrives with a bottle of champagne. As she pours the glasses, Elle looks around the restaurant, still smiling, but searching for any sign of Lucian.
“Would you like some more time with the menus before you make your order?” The waitress asks.
“Yes, thank you,” I say.
I take my glass, raise it. “A toast?”
“We should, right?” Elle says. “For the optics.”
I grind my teeth, then quickly stop myself when I notice what I’m doing. “Yeah, but I wasn’t thinking about that. I just wanted to toast you, Elle.”
Her cheeks glow red even through her makeup… makeup which serves to enhance her natural beauty rather than override it. “Really?”
“I want to toast your strength, stubbornness, talent, love, and dedication to your sister. I want to toast your sunshine, Sunshine. So… to you!”
She raises her glass.
“You’ve got to say it,” I tell her playfully.
“It feels weird toasting myself.”
“Well, Sunshine, neither of us has ever claimed this is a normal relationship.”
She laughs, nodding. “Fair point.”
We clink glasses. “Is my smile still good?” she asks.
“You look perfect,” I tell her.
She wants to remind you this is a game, killer.
Perhaps I’m bitter because I say, “It’s impressive you can smile when you’re sitting across from a man like me.”
“A man… like you?” she says in confusion.
“A man who’s more suited to digging holes than making small talk on a date.”
She winces, her smile faltering. But her eyes stay fixed on me with brutal honesty. “When he did what he did,” she says, her dark tone not matching the look on her face, “he changed me. He took certain things from me. I don’t want to sound melodramatic, okay. But he changed my soul.”
“Maybe it would be better to heal it than let him break it.”
“Are you broken, then?” She challenges, still smiling.
I keep my rictus grin on my face too. From the outside, we must look like a loving couple, happy to be in each other’s company.
“Well?” She challenges.
“Taking lives changes you, beautiful.” I pause before I say my next words. “Maybe you won’t have as much sunshine when this is over.”
“I’ve seen you with Mira,” she replies. “I’ve seen the joy in you. The happiness and fulfillment when you play with her, when you teach her archery. That looks a hell of a lot like sunshine to me, Rhett. Is that all fake?”
“No,” I grunt.
“So it’s possible, then, to do this and still be capable of happiness.”
I shift in my seat. “You’d make a good cop, Elle.”
Her smile reaches her eyes. “Thank you. But none of this feels very date-like, my perfect, loving boyfriend…”
I grin, nodding. “You’re going to have to coach me. I’m not much of a dater.”
She snorts. “And I am? I’ve never even set foot in a place that doesn’t have prices on the menu. And look at these people, Rhett… they’re from a different universe. I’m pretty sure that guy’s in Congress.”
I reach across the table and take her hand. It’s like I need the physical contact to remind myself that some part of this is real.
“You deserve the best,” I tell her.
Even if it’s fake.
She nods, looking down at the menu. “So the plan is to make a show here, make him jealous, then leave and lure him someplace?”
“The plan right now is to pick something to eat,” I tell her.
“Okay, snappy,” she murmurs, tilting her head.
“I’m sorry, beautiful,” I say. “This is all new to me.”
“Just remember to smile, Rhett.”
I realize she’s right. I’ve let it slip. I put a smile on my face again.
“I’m going to get the steak,” I say.
She laughs, and it sounds real. “You didn’t even look at the menu.”
“I don’t need to.”
“Why? Did you look at it before we got here?”
“Nope. I just always order steak.”
She laughs again. “The big, strong, macho man needs meat to feed those big muscles, huh?”
“Something like that,” I tell her. “Or maybe I just need blood to be fully satisfied.”
Her smile falters for a moment. “Are you okay?”
Goddamn. What am I doing? I need to turn off the jerk switch. Whatever else is happening here, I’m on a date with a woman I actually like. That means something.
“Sorry, Sunshine,” I mutter.
“It’s okay,” she murmurs. “I know this can’t be easy. But… but thank you for doing this with me.”
I smile widely. Fake as hell. “So, girlfriend, what are you going to have?”