Page 21

Eliana

W hen I asked the universe to give me more face time with Katherine Fisher, I should have been more specific.

I never would have guessed I would be going out to dinner with one of my idols pretending to be her son’s girlfriend.

If I somehow managed to make it through this dinner without making a complete ass of myself — or revealing that Jake and I are, in fact, not dating — it would be a miracle.

Jake on the other hand was calm, cool, and collected.

If he ever wanted to pursue a career besides hockey, he should seriously consider acting.

The performance he’s giving currently is top-notch.

The second we walked out of the conference room, Jake immediately wrapped an arm around my waist like this was just a thing that we did.

He didn’t even flinch when I elbowed him hard in the ribs to get him off me.

Instead, he looked down at me, winked, and then gave my side a small squeeze that must be a secret pressure point because I immediately melted into his arms after that.

Even though I didn’t want to. Or at least I didn’t think I did.

With him acting like a boyfriend straight out of the romance novels I loved so much I didn’t know anymore.

We managed to make it to the restaurant without Katherine asking us any questions, but I could tell she was dying to pry and find out all the juicy details about the girl who had locked down her son.

Because evidently that’s what I had done.

Locked down one of the biggest players on campus.

Except our whole relationship was a lie.

A lie so his mom wouldn’t find out that we met because he needed a tutor.

I still have no idea why I didn’t protest coming to dinner more.

Or come up with an excuse, like my roommate needing my help with installing a new wall-mounted TV.

We put in our orders, and Katherine slips away to the bathroom, leaving Jake and me alone.

I make note of every exit sign in the vicinity and debate whether I can make it outside before she gets back.

I’d never been one to run away from a tough situation, but I feel extremely out of my element in this one.

Plus, Jake seemed more than capable of coming up with a quick excuse.

If I bolted now, he’d probably just tell his mom I came down with the flu or something.

“I’d catch you before you even made it 100 feet,” Jake whispers into my ear.

His words snap me out of my escape fantasy and I realize his gaze had followed mine to the exit in the back right corner of the restaurant.

He had also moved his hand from around my waist to over my shoulders, his fingers playing with my hair.

When had he gotten this close to me? And why hadn’t I immediately noticed and moved away?

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“So you weren’t scanning the room for a means to escape this dinner and plotting out how you would do it?” He lifts an eyebrow.

“Nope. I was just taking in the ambiance.”

“Is that so? ”

“Yup. I’ve never been here before. It's extremely fancy. Lots to take in. I wonder how much that crystal chandelier costs.”

“Eliana, c’mon. Be real with me for a second.”

“Oh, so now we’re being real? Funny. I thought we were still pretending to be together. I can’t keep up with you.”

“Alright. I get why you’re upset, and you’re well within your right to be. The second we get this dinner over with I’m willing to take whatever you have to give me. Whether that’s a long lecture or a punch to the gut.”

“You’re an incredibly disturbed individual.”

“You say the kindest things to me, Ellie.” He jokes.

I give him a look so lethal I see him physically cringe in response. Good. At least my resting bitch face wasn’t broken. Even though it seemed like every other part of me — including my rational side — was.

“You gotta loosen up or else my mom will start suspecting something’s up.”

“I’m sure any girl would feel nervous getting dinner with her boyfriend’s mom for the first time. Now double that, given the fact that we’re not even together.” I whisper the last bit and look around as if our entire conversation is being eavesdropped on. What a mess.

“It’s fine to come off as nervous, but right now you look like you’re going to be sick.”

“How are you so calm about this? You know she’s going to come back and start grilling us for details. And we haven’t exactly had enough time to coordinate a game plan so?—”

“First off, I told her this was new, so I think she’ll understand if there’s still a lot we don’t know about each other. But you do make a good point. We have a few minutes now, so why don’t we figure it out? If she asks you what your first impression of me was, what would you say?”

“That you were an entitled hockey player whose ego sucked all of the oxygen out of the room and nearly suffocated me.” The sarcasm in my voice is heavy, though there was a part of me back then that thought he was entitled.

Jake snorts. “That’s a perfect response.”

“See? I told you I’m awful at this. I’m going to ruin our cover.” I drop my face into my hands as I groan.

“Just stop overthinking it. My mom knows I’ve always been a huge flirt, and also anti-relationship. She always told me I would one day meet my match. She would get an absolute kick out of your answer and then turn to me and go, ‘See Jake? I told you this would happen.’ ”

“So I should just be honest?” The plan was so logical it could hopefully work. “Hopefully” being the operative word here.

He nods. “Be yourself and be honest with her. Or at least honest enough without telling her about the whole unofficial tutor thing. You’ve already withstood a job interview with her. What’s a casual dinner?”

“Sure, sure. Easy enough.” I take a deep breath as I watch Katherine approach our table. Be normal Eliana. You can do this.

“So what are you two kids whispering about?” Katherine beams, taking her seat across from us.

“Did you know that kangaroos are the size of a jellybean when they’re born?” I blurt out. Perfect. I’ve resorted to reciting facts you find on the back of Snapple Tea caps. I try to shoot Jake a look to help me out, but he’s too busy trying not to burst into a fit of laughs. Incredible.

When I finally look back at Katherine she has a confused, yet amused expression on her face. “Oh, how interesting. I can’t say that I did.”

“Yup. They spend the first 8 months in the mom’s pouch until they can finally hop around on their own.” Stop talking Eliana. Please. Stop. Talking. “Sorry, sometimes my roommate leaves Jeopardy on in the background when we study, and it seems I’ve retained a few random facts.”

“No apologies needed. I also love learning new things.” She takes a sip of her wine, and I resist the urge to chug from my own glass. “Like how my son has a new girlfriend.”

Welp I guess I walked right into that. “Ah.”

“I’m sure Jake already warned you that I can be a bit nosy. But isn’t every mother?”

“Alright, Mom. Let’s get the interrogation over with,” Jake teases. “Hit us with your hardest questions.”

I kick him under the table while trying my best to keep my composure. Her hardest questions? Why would he encourage her like that? Maybe I can sneak away to the bathroom or crawl to one of the emergency exits.

“Oh c’mon, stop making me seem so bad. I just want to know how you two met…and maybe a few other details.”

“Eliana’s tutoring one of the guys on the team. You remember Ollie, right?” The lie comes so naturally out of Jake’s mouth I nearly believe him.

“Of course I remember Oliver. He nearly ate an entire pot of pasta when you brought him over for family dinner last semester. So, he introduced you two?”

“Not exactly,” Jake continues. “Eliana would come over to Hockey House to help Ollie, and from the moment I saw her, I knew I wanted to get to know her. Find out who she really was behind all the layers and walls she puts up.” I try my best not to roll my eyes at his dramatic retelling, especially since I could tell Katherine was eating up every bit of it.

“Admittedly my approach to interrupt their sessions was not my smartest move. I was a bit of a nuisance during some of the early sessions.”

“Oh you think?” It was very hard to reconcile the cocky asshole hockey player side of Jake Keeley I had first met, with the kind thoughtful guy who got upset that I hadn’t eaten breakfast and had showed up with two large bags of groceries for me the next time we met.

“So suffice to say, you did not have a positive impression of him when you first met?” Katherine smirks.

While I know Jake said to be honest, I highly doubt any mom would take it well if they heard their son be called a pompous asshole. So I play it safe. “Oh…um...I wouldn’t say that. Jake was fine.” Fine . Suuuuper convincing, Eliana.

“C’mon, Ellie. You can tell her the truth. She probably already knows what you’re going to say .” He moves his hand from my hair up to my neck, drawing soothing circles up and down my skin.

“I may have initially thought he was a bit entitl?—”

“She thought I was an asshole.” Jake summarizes. “And in her defense, I was acting like one.”

“But you still gave him a shot?” Katherine raises her eyebrow at me.

“Nope. I told him off. Let him know that I wanted nothing to do with him.” I did crack eventually, but that was only after he looked so down and in need of a friend.

“Which is when I realized I had messed up. Big time. The usual Jake Keeley charms had finally run their course. I apologized and begged for a second chance. A second chance that she granted, and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to fully articulate how grateful I am that she did.

” Jake gives me a small smile, and I can see the sincerity in his eyes.

For some reason that’s enough to draw a blush from me, my entire face heating up and exposing how much his words affect me.

It takes me a second to realize Jake is waiting for me to respond. Dammit what would his actual girlfriend say in this moment? Think Eliana, think. “Looks like not all of your charms have been lost.”

Jake takes one of my shaking hands into his and gives it a squeeze. I try to ignore the voice in my head that tells me how nice of a gesture that was. This was all an act. Nothing more.

“You two are cute.” She makes a content noise. “Jake’s sisters are going to be so jealous that I got to meet you before they did. I let them know that the three of us were going out to dinner.”

Jake’s eyes widen. Oh shit. So much for keeping this lowkey. “Please tell me you’re joking.”

Katherine just shrugs as Jake reaches for his phone, and pulls up what I can assume is the family group chat. “Dammit. You’ve really done it now mom.”

“What? I’m just the messenger,” Katherine teases.

“I hate to be a buzzkill…” I hesitate, hoping what came next wouldn’t come off wrong.

“But a part of the reason why Jake and I kept this from you was because he knew I was applying to work for you. I don’t want people to think that the only reason I got the internship position is because I’m dating your son.

The cat’s clearly out of the bag, but maybe we can keep it between us? ”

Katherine gives me a sympathetic smile. “Don’t worry honey.

I know all too well how hard it can be for a woman to make her name in academia.

And so do Jake’s sisters. I support your decision to keep your private life private.

I just hope you know that his sisters won’t relent until they get to meet you.

You may have to come over to our house for family dinner. ”

If my heart wasn’t already in my stomach, it certainly would’ve dropped there now.

I don’t know if my heart could handle a series of dinners pretending to be Jake’s girlfriend with his entire family.

Hopefully she would forget this invitation, and the fact that I followed up with, “That sounds great. Looking forward to it.”