16. Macey
MACEY
The Burrow Bitches
Kira: How is this your life?
Macey: Honestly, I’m asking myself the same question
Britney: fake dating sounds hot
Ariadne: It sounds like a terrible idea. I can’t wait.
The next few dates went as smooth as the first. I would use the word perfect if I didn’t think that might jinx the next one.
Every time I returned home, I had to remind myself that this was all fake. Not only that, but we were on a real deadline. The expiration date of our relationship lingered in the back of my mind, souring our sweetest moments.
I had willingly agreed to the deal, though, so I had no one to blame.
My feelings for Noah confused me. It was like one day I was content accepting that our relationship would never be more than fake dating turned friendship, but the next night I was dreaming about him. I wished emotions came with a manual.
Deep down, I recognized the signs that I already liked him as more than a friend.
The way he listened to my problems and meanderings, the way his smiles planted butterflies in my stomach, and the unshakeable faith he had in me.
He proved over and over again that he wasn’t who I once believed he was.
Our newfound ability to open up to each other only increased our mutual respect.
That was something I craved in a relationship: respect for each other’s craft and respect for their decisions.
While Noah might encourage me to make a different decision at times—from the toppings on my tacos to my 9-5 job—he always respected my final choice.
My heart fluttered knowing he liked my independence and my dreams.
Damn, why was it acting like that? The bar for men was so low nowadays.
The mascara smudged my bottom lashes when I swiped too hard. Kira and I were getting ready for a few drinks at Rose Buds to celebrate Britney’s internship offer. She’d be working this summer at George Mathers LLC, a well-known local law firm.
Summer was coming quicker than I thought possible, and Britney’s new job had me wondering what I’d be up to. Noah shared all of my articles on his social channels, and I hated to admit it, but that got lots of new eyes on them. My numbers were up so high even Victoria couldn’t chastise me.
But…a part of me still questioned what if ? What if the blog I just started became successful? What if people were interested in me, outside of being a Roamer’s Digest writer and a fake girlfriend?
What if I was honest with Noah and told him how I was starting to feel? I took an anvil and immediately squashed that what if.
“Is Noah coming tonight?” Kira asked innocently. She sat next to me in front of the full-sized mirror we leaned against a wall in our apartment.
“No,” I said. “Why would he?”
Despite the world seeing us as boyfriend and girlfriend, our close circles had never crossed.
Kira applied a mauve lip color and blotted off the excess. “Because Xavier is coming tonight. I thought it’d be a good time for everyone to meet.”
I nearly dropped the hair curler in my hands. “Who is Xavier?”
“I’m pretty sure I mentioned him…” Kira avoided my eyes, staring at herself in the mirror. “We’ve gone on a few dates.”
The words shocked me the moment they came across my ears. Kira had dated a few guys in the last few years, but it never turned into anything serious. I had always hoped she’d find someone great, but I suspected she still compared every guy to Landon, the boy who had broken her heart years ago.
“I think you might’ve mentioned him once or twice—in passing, super casual. You know, the kind of casual that doesn’t scream ‘we’re dating!’”
Raking through my brain, I wondered how I missed this. Kira wasn’t always forthcoming when it came to stuff like this, but maybe I’d been too self-absorbed lately and missed the signs. I vowed to pay more attention.
Kira shifted in her seat, her violet skirt shifting up her thigh. She wore an all-colorful look while I went with a classic black dress. “It’s new.”
The implication was there: new like Noah.
“Noah and I have gone on dates, but they aren’t real,” I defended, searching for the hairspray scattered somewhere on the ground.
“Uh-huh,” Kira said as she threw me the bottle.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. That’s just the sound of me acknowledging that you think they’re fake. Can I get an invitation?”
“To our dates?”
“No, to the land of delusion you recently moved to.”
I rolled my eyes and finished setting my hair. When was the last time I went out with soft curls instead of the usual braid I folded my hair into? “If you saw us together, you’d believe me.”
“Invite him then.”
Kira was challenging me: invite Noah out tonight and prove to her that we were only fake dating. But how did you show your best friend that you were only fake dating a boy you actually liked while also showing the world that you were really in a relationship?
My head swam.
“Fine.” I could never turn down a challenge. Besides, it wasn’t our usual date night, so he was likely busy. “I’ll call him right now.”
I dialed Noah’s number and Kira tried to hide her grin.
After a few rings, he answered.
“Macey? Is everything okay?”
I could almost picture the confused look on Noah’s face.
“Yeah, everything’s fine.” I looked over at Kira once before taking the plunge. “Do you want to go to Rose Buds with me and a few friends tonight?”
A brief silence. “I was supposed to see my cousin Nathan tonight, but…maybe I can bring him?”
Damn it.
This wasn’t supposed to be a mix and mingle type of night. It was supposed to be a girls’ night to focus on Britney. But here we were.
“Of course,” I confirmed.
Kira’s all-knowing smile was fully strapped on her face now.
“What time?” Noah sounded like he was walking through his apartment, banging on things here and there.
“We’ll be there in about an hour.”
“Great. I’ll see you then, Scribbles.”
The phone clicked off.
Kira’s eyes widened as she turned to me. “Scribbles?”
I sighed. “Don’t ask.”
It was a quick Uber ride to Rose Buds. Outside, Ariadne and Britney waited for us, deep in conversation.
“I hope we can find a table,” said Ariadne. She brushed a stray curl behind her ear with one hand, pushing the door open with the other. “There’s a lot more people than normal here tonight.”
Rose Buds was packed, which was unusual but not totally uncalled for.
I couldn’t blame people for going out on a Saturday night.
A familiar jazz album played as we took a lap around the area.
Beams of colorful light from the ceiling cut through the dimness of the bar, lighting up our outfits as we walked.
Someone in the corner handed out free samples of an energy drink.
We were still scanning the bar for a free table when I spotted a familiar face. And a not-so-familiar face. Noah leaned against a table, drink in hand, as he chatted with the man who must be his cousin.
“I recognize Noah, but who is the other guy?” Britney asked as we walked toward them. “He’s hot. ”
“He’s Noah’s cousin,” I said offhandedly, attempting to dodge an intoxicated man trying to chicken dance his way through the floor.
Nathan lifted his glass to his lips as he listened intently to Noah speak. The glass looked like straight whiskey.
To Britney’s observation, he was attractive, all sharp lines and dark features. Soft-looking, near-black hair swept behind his ears, and he had green eyes that were a few shades darker than Noah’s. His clothes looked custom-made and expensive.
My eyes didn’t linger on him for long, catching as they always did on Noah instead.
If Nathan was a lion in lion’s clothing, then Noah was a sheep in lion’s clothing.
By now, I recognized that Noah only wore brand name clothing when we were out in public.
At home, he lounged in clothes that could have been bought on the sale rack at a thrift store.
Tonight, he dressed like a model for a New York magazine, and he looked the part too. Wavy hair, relaxed posture, and eyes that begged for a free drink. His freckles glowed under the flashing lights.
“Scribbles.” Noah’s easy smile filled me with warmth. “I got you a lemonade. Bear’s finest.”
I took a small sip of the tart liquid. “Thank you.”
Britney coughed quietly, pulling me out of my pathetic feelings.
“Oh, right. This is Britney, Kira, and Ariadne. My three best friends. Everyone, this is Noah.”
Noah greeted them all with a wave. “Nice to meet everyone. This is my cousin, Nathan.”
In between the greetings and general get-to-know-you questions, I drifted back into my own head.
I wasn’t sure how to act around Noah tonight.
We were out in public, so we had to at least keep strangers thinking we were together, but friends and family who knew the details of our arrangement surrounded us .
Then Noah’s hand grazed my lower back, and my mind went blank. Who would have thought that was a good cure for my anxious thoughts?
Britney flipped her long, red ponytail over one shoulder and asked Nathan, “What are you drinking?”
He gave her a polite smile, but his eyes lifted over her head to glance at Ariadne, who was too busy complaining about her day to Kira to notice. “Macallan. What did you guys?—”
“Sorry I’m late.” A man with a dark hair and darker brown eyes pressed a kiss to Kira’s cheek. He was paler than me—which was saying something—with thick eyebrows that took up a good chunk of his forehead.
Was I off my observation game, or did that kiss make Kira a little uncomfortable?
Britney turned her cheek toward me and whispered in my ear, “What the hell?”
“You’re not late.” Despite her near flinch a moment ago, Kira carried on like everything was great. “Guys, this is Xavier, my boyfriend.”
Silence like an awkward pause settled in.
The air felt much different than when I introduced Noah earlier.
Okay, Macey, take one for the team . I was likely the only person here who knew about Xavier, which wasn’t great considering I’d only known about him for an hour.