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“Absolutely,” I replied.
Gayle laughed. “That’s the easiest cake sale I've ever had in my life.”
Tess and Derek went to the front of the store with Gayle, setting up the details for their wedding date just a month after Mara’s movie premiere.
It made me sad to think that Mara would be here for all the preparations, but she wouldn't be at the wedding. Not as a friend and not as my date. Mom would be heartbroken. So would Tess. And maybe I would be too.
I stifled a sigh. I was definitely reaching.
Once all their arrangements were made, Mara asked, “Do you guys want to go to the beach? There's a great corn dog stand there.”
“Sorry,” Derek said. “We already promised my mom we would come over for lunch. She was horrified we missed church this morning.”
Tess shot me a frown behind his back. Even though Tess had forgiven his family for the whole ‘trying to sue her and destroy her store’ thing, relations were still a little tense with the in-laws.
“I have time,” I offered.
Mara smiled and said, “Sounds great.”
We got back in her car and drove the few minutes toward Seaton Pier, listening to music on my radio. It was one of those beautiful early February days that almost felt like spring but still had the briskness of winter. Wind fluttered through the open window, releasing small strands from Mara’s bun. She looked perfectly at home behind the wheel. Beautiful, really.
We got out of the car and walked toward the corn dog stand I’d been to a half a dozen times with Cohen. The owner’s name was Carl, and every time I came, the corn dogs were just as good as Carl’s personality.
He welcomed us with a toothy smile, complimented Mara, and handed us four corn dogs. We each held two as we walked down the wooden pier, farther out over the ocean waves.
“Thanks for coming out here with me,” Mara said. “I haven’t been to the beach as much as I’d like lately.”
I smiled over at her. “Of course.”
Mara said, “So what do you think about the cakes? Did they make the right decision?”
“Absolutely.”
There was an awkward silence between us as we reached the end and looked out over the ocean. I rested my elbows on the railing, wondering what the hell to say.
So much had changed in such a short period of time, but we still had to carry on with this agreement for a fake relationship. The dialysis machine had already been delivered to Mom and Dad’s house. The dialysis technician would be there tomorrow morning to show Mara how to use the machine. Mom was excited to be at home, even if Mara wasn’t my “real” girlfriend.
I glanced at Mara, and the sight of her eating a corn dog nearly had me doubled over, especially after the night before. Damn, I really was a fucking teenager right now.
Deciding to change the subject to something less sexy, I asked, “Are you ready for tomorrow?”
She swallowed her bite and said, “I'm more worried about waking up early than I am about helping with dialysis.” She let out a little laugh. “I'm not exactly a morning person, if you haven’t been able to tell. Although, if you make those pancakes every day, I could be.”
If Mara stuck with me, I’d make pancakes every damn day of the year. But I couldn't say that out loud. The lines were already becoming blurred. And even though I liked her, I didn't want her to feel like I was just using her since I couldn’t have sex with anyone else.
“What about you?” she asked.
“What?”
“Are you excited to have me out of your hair?”
“Out of my hair?”
“Yeah,” she said. “I'm calling the security company tomorrow, and I'm hoping I can throw enough money at them for them to do a same-day install.”
I shook my head. “You can stay with me as long as you'd like.”
She bit her lip, looking out over the ocean. “I'm sorry, Jonas. I'm just not great at being friends with guys.”