Chapter 20 #2
I turn to look at a woman approaching me with one arm wrapped around her teen daughter’s shoulders.
I recognize the girl as one of the kids who approached me and Oliver during the first practice a couple days ago.
Kayla, I think. My first thought is that Kayla’s mom is mad at me.
I don’t know why she would be. Maybe Kayla told her that everyone saw me fall to the floor with her band teacher the other night. The thought turns my face red.
I stand up. “Yes, I am.”
“I’m Marie,” she says. “Kayla told me that you’re the event planner who’s organizing this whole thing. I just think that what you’re doing is so sweet and romantic.”
“Thank you,” I say, beaming.
“I wanted to ask if you have any room in your calendar to plan a wedding in six months? I just got engaged last week and I don’t even know where to start with all the planning.”
I think about the contract that Malcolm gave me, intending for me to be exclusive with him. I don’t have to think too hard to decide that I would rather help plan this woman’s wedding.
“Absolutely.” I pull a business card out and hand it to her. I had them printed a few days ago along with my portfolio, right before my meeting with Malcolm. I’m happy that they’re coming in handy now, too. “Call me tomorrow and let’s talk some more.”
Kayla looks over her mom’s shoulder at the business card. Her eyes brighten. “You used the name I told you!”
I smile. “I wasn’t lying when I said it was a good idea.”
“Can I get one, too?” Another woman skips up to me and holds out her hand for a business card. “I’m not getting married,” she says as she takes a card from me. “But I run a nonprofit mostly by myself and I could use some help putting together events. Do you do that?”
“I do,” I tell her.
“How about a car show?” asks a guy who approaches behind Marie and the other woman. “Can you do something like that?”
“I can do any kind of event you need.” I hand him a business card, then look around as a small group forms around me. They all start telling me about what kind of events they need set up, and before I know it, I’m handing out the last of the business cards I brought with me.
Oliver waits for the people around me to leave before he approaches. “Someone’s extra popular this evening.”
“I think I just got a bunch of new customers,” I tell him. “Which is good, because I don’t think I can continue to work with Malcolm.”
He raises an eyebrow. “The chocolate crepes were that bad, huh?”
I laugh. Now that the room is mostly empty, we both head toward the exit. “I didn’t like the way he treated his employees. That, and I couldn’t get past his fancy sports car in the parking lot. Who does that at a charity?”
We reach my car. “It does seem a little tone deaf,” he agrees.
“Not to mention he asked me out, then immediately pretended he didn’t when I rejected him.”
I can’t help but notice Oliver’s smile gets a little wider when I say this. “Why did you reject him? Doesn’t every girl want to date a guy with a fancy sports car?”
I roll my eyes. “I guess I prefer real noses.”
His eyes go wide with pretend excitement. “I have a real nose!”
I clasp my hands together over my heart. “Wow. I guess you’re perfect for me.”
“Come on,” he says, elbowing me. “Let’s get dinner.”
“I can’t,” I tell him. “I’m meeting up with Tina.”
It’s been a while since she and I have gone over her plans. I have a new idea that I want to pitch to her.
“Oh. Cool. I guess I’ll see you at the next practice then,” he says.
“Or the next time I need to rush over to your house because I accidentally lied to Tina about where I am.”
“Whichever comes first,” he says.
He takes a step closer, and before I know what he’s doing, his chest is pressed against mine and his arms are wrapped around me. I can feel his muscles through his shirt. When I breathe in, I can smell his cologne, or maybe it’s his bodywash. Whatever it is, it smells good. It smells like him.
When he pulls back, he takes a lock of my hair with him and brings it up to his nose. “You smell good,” he says.
“Okay, weirdo,” I say with a laugh, even though I was just thinking the same thing about him.
I pull my hair away from him and run my fingers through it to smooth my curls out.
His eyes dip down, watching my fingers. My gaze lands on his mouth.
I think about the way his lips feel against mine.
I find myself wishing that I could feel his kiss without it being a show for our friends.
I need to put a stop to these thoughts. I don’t know what’s gotten into me.
This is Oliver, of all people. I know we have a truce, but deep down, we still can’t stand each other… right?
“I have to go,” I tell him.
“Have fun,” he says. He takes a step back so that I can get into my car. He waits for me to pull out of the parking lot before he gets in his truck.
I meet Tina at a little Indian restaurant a few blocks away. It’s in the basement of a brownstone building downtown.
“How did it go tonight?” she asks once we both have our plates in front of us.
“Really good. I think you’re going to love the turnout for the flash mob.” It’s hard not to talk about how excited I am about how the marching band is going to play into this. I take a bite of naan.
“I’m so excited,” she squeals. “I got his ring. Look.” She holds a box open for me to see. It’s a white gold band with small diamonds embedded all the way around.
“He’s going to love it,” I tell her. “I was thinking though…” I pause to finish chewing. Tina frowns and taps her hands on the table, urging me to continue. “Do you think we’re doing enough?”
She tilts her head. “We have a flash mob, fireworks, a carriage ride with white horses. Is that not big enough?”
“I was just thinking that maybe you need an airplane.”
“An airplane?” she scoffs. “You know I’m afraid of skydiving.”
“Not skydiving,” I say with a roll of my eyes. “The plane could be carrying a banner that asks Ryan to marry you.”
She purses her lips, thinking it over. The truth is that I don’t want Tina’s proposal to be overshadowed by the airplane Ryan is planning on having write his proposal in the sky.
If both of them have messages written in the sky, then it will be clear that both of them are proposing, not just Ryan. But I can’t tell Tina that.
“I love it,” she says. “Book it.” She claps her hands like an excited child. “On another note, you never answered my question the other day,” she says.
“What question?”
“Camping at the cabin,” she reminds me. “You, me, Ryan, and Oliver.”
“Oh. Right. I don’t?—”
“Oliver told Ryan that you both are in,” she says. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me yourself.” She kicks me under the table.
I’m surprised that Oliver answered for both of us—especially to say that we would go, when we never finished discussing it the other day.
Spending a whole weekend putting on a show is too much pressure.
I can’t say that now, though. Oliver already agreed.
She’ll think it’s weird if I back out now.
“Sorry. Guess I was a little busy and forgot.”
“Busy doing what?” she asks with a suggestive wink. “Having sex with Oliver?”
She says this right as our waiter appears at our table to refill our water. I snort out a laugh. I apologize to our waiter, who doesn’t acknowledge what was said. When he’s gone, I turn back to Tina. I shrug. “Maybe.”
She leans across the table, lowering her voice to a stage whisper. “Has he gone down on you yet?”
I blush. “That is none of your business.”
“Come on,” she complains. “He was standing right there when you said that no one had ever gone down on you before. Please tell me he took it upon himself to be the one to change that for you.”
I can’t believe we’re talking about this again.
At least we’re not having this conversation in front of the guys, but it’s still not a conversation I want to have.
The fact that Oliver might know is mortifying enough.
The thought of lying and saying that his face has been between my legs makes my body feel hot.
I start to imagine things that I shouldn’t be thinking about.
On the other hand, if I simply say that he hasn’t, Tina will want to know why, and I’m sure I’ll never hear the end of it. I might not hear the end of it anyway.
“Fine. Don’t tell me,” she says. Something tells me she’s going to bring this up again. “I’m just so happy that you two are finally together. This trip is going to be so much fun.”
I think about what this means for me and Oliver. Faking a relationship for a couple of hours is hard enough. Now we’re going to have to spend an entire weekend pretending, with Tina being nosy about what we’re doing behind closed doors. I’m surprised that he agreed to this.
“There are so many beautiful places to hike out there,” she continues. “Ryan and I had sex on the very top of the trail before.”
I almost choke on my food. “Seriously, Tina? I don’t need to know that.”
“I’m just saying,” she says with a shrug. “Whether you go for a hike or stay back at the cabin while Ryan and I do some exploring, there will be plenty of time for you and Oliver to be alone together.”
“Now I’m not going to be able to go out on the trail without wondering if I’m standing somewhere you and Ryan had sex.”
“Don’t be such a drama queen,” she says. “There aren’t many places left in this city that haven’t been christened by us. You should be wondering that everywhere you go.”
“Oh God. Why’d you have to tell me that?” I look around, then lower my voice to a whisper. “This restaurant?”
She smiles and points a thumb over her shoulder. “Bathroom.”
I snort and cover my mouth. “Ryan’s mom’s house?”
“Right on the living room couch,” she says proudly.
“You’re terrible. No wonder she acts weird around you.”
“It’s not like she was there. She has no idea.”
“As far as you know.” I cringe. “At least I’m safe in my apartment.”
She opens her mouth like she’s going to say something, then smiles instead and puts a forkful of rice in her mouth.
“I’m safe in my apartment, right?” I ask a little louder.
She wiggles her head noncommittally. “I think it’s best that I don’t answer that question.”
I throw my napkin at her.
“Gross, Priscilla.” She uses the tips of her fingers to pick up my napkin by the corner. She tosses it away from her plate. “You just threw your used napkin onto my food.”
“It’s barely used. And at least I didn’t have sex in your house.” I groan. “I don’t even want to know where. Please don’t tell me.”
“Stop being such a baby,” she says, laughing. “It’s sex. What’s the big deal? You and Oliver do it all the time, I’m sure.”
“Not in other people’s beds or couches, or…” I shake my head. “Let’s stop talking about this.”
“Kitchen tables can be fun.”
“Please don’t tell me?—”
“Not yours,” she says. “You should see the look on your face.” She laughs louder.
“I hate you,” I tell her, but I can’t help but laugh too.
“Anyway,” she says. “Ryan and I can pick you up bright and early on Friday. You’ll probably be staying the night at Oliver’s, right? We can just pick you up from there.”
“Yeah. Of course.” At least I have more notice this time so I won’t have to rush over and pretend I’ve been there all along.
“Perfect,” she says. “This is going to be such a fun trip.”