Page 28 of Reluctantly Yours

“Barrett! Wait!” I hear behind me.

I turn from the open car door to find a bright flash of color barreling toward me. Chloe’s pink skirt sways around her hips with every heeled step she takes.

When she stops in front of me, she’s out of breath. One hand on her rapidly rising chest, the other smoothing down wild hairs at her temple. She squints in the morning sun to look up at me.

“You have to fix this.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The fact that your mother thinks we’re dating.” She bites her lip. I remember how those soft pink lips were pressed to mine only minutes ago. “And we’re not.”

“I figured you didn’t want me telling her the real reason you were next to me at Gallagher’s Saturday night.”

“Yeah, but there are surely better explanations than that. I get it. You were caught off guard. I was, too. We weren’t prepared for this. But you have to tell her it was a mistake. That I was doing you a favor by filling in as your date for a last-minute business dinner. I don’t know. Make something up. Anything.”

Chloe’s right. I was caught off guard. I shouldn’t have been. I should have known that someone would see us and the news would get back to my mother. I’ve been so focused on getting face time with Fred that I’ve let details like this slip through the cracks. But my mother finding out about our date couldn’t be better. If I want to keep the charade up that I’m in a serious relationship for the sake of my business dealings with Fred, then I need Chloe on board.

“No,” I say simply.

Chloe’s face scrunches in confusion.

“What do you mean? I fulfilled my part of the bargain. I attended the business dinner with you. I rubbed your thigh, Barrett! That is like a thousand favors right there. You can’t go back on your word. You promised once I pretended to be your girlfriend at your business dinner that was it.”

“I made no such promise.”

“It was a favor for a favor. We’re even. Done,” she argues, again.

“That’s not how it works,” I say.

“What do you mean? That’s exactly how it works.”

“In order for me to keep my silence about the party you threw at my mother’s apartment, I requested you attend my business dinner as my girlfriend.”

“I know. That’s what I’m saying.” She looks at me like I’m insane.

“I never specified the terms of that agreement. Your assistance is still required until I can close my business deal with Fred Hinkle.”

Chloe scoffs. “Um, no.”

“A piece of business advice…put everything in writing.”

“You’re saying I should have made you sign some document saying you were only eligible for one date?”

“I’m saying without a contract, nothing is concrete.”

“Well, I can’t be your fake girlfriend. I have a date on Wednesday.”

The thought of Chloe going on a date shouldn’t bother me, but it does.

“Cancel it.”

Her lips part in outrage.

“You can’t force me to keep playing along. Besides, there’s no evidence. Wouldn’t it be your word against mine?” She crosses her arms in front of her chest. I ignore the desire to drop my gaze there.

Instead, I pull my phone out of my pocket, and pull up the video I saved from my mother’s apartment cameras Friday night. It was insurance. Now I’m glad I did it.

I move to stand behind Chloe, keeping my phone screen in front of us.