“The only restriction in the handbook says managers can’t date their subordinates.” Olivia was relieved when Jake answered for her. She’d had no idea. “But we don’t even work in the same department so it’s not an issue.”
“What department do you work in?” Sven asked.
“Talent,” Jake responded, as if that would explain everything. Clearly from the looks on her family’s faces, it didn’t.
“Jake is one of the anchors for the college football segment. So he’s part of the talent department. That’s what the network calls anyone who goes on screen.” She watched as the realization dawned on her parents, and her chest swelled with pride. That’s right. Olivia brought home a television star.
Around three-thirty, the rest of the clan started to show up. Cars lined the lawn along the driveway. Cousins, aunts, uncles, great-aunts, second cousins, all milled around playing lawn games and eating from the mountainous buffet table her parents had set up on the deck for the dishes everyone had brought. That’s how these things went; her parents grilled the burgers and dogs, and the rest of the family brought the side dishes. Olivia was chilling at a picnic table with Jake, on her second helping of her Aunt Cecilia’s macaroni salad when Matt sidled up to her.
“Yo, Jake, some of the guys wanted to know if you were in for a game of football.”
“Sure! Are you playing?”
“Nah, I don’t play. But I wanted to ask you.” He pointed out which group of cousins was setting up a game.
Jake leaned over and squeezed her shoulder. “Is that okay?”
She patted his hand and smiled up at him. “Go kick ass, honey.” He slipped into the crowd of her relatives and Matt slid into his abandoned seat.
“I wanted to talk to you anyway, Sis.” She slapped his hand in an unsuccessful attempt to keep him from stealing a chip off her plate.
“About what?”
“I don’t buy this for a second.”
Olivia’s hands felt clammy, and she refused to meet Matt’s gaze. “How come?”
Thankfully, he kept his voice low. “You just show up out of the blue with some guy I’ve never heard about, you don’t act like a couple, and I know Mom’s been on you to settle down ever since our cousin got engaged.”
“It’s new, Matt. And just because I’m not slobbering all over him doesn’t mean we’re not together.”
“I haven’t even seen him kiss you on the cheek.”
“Again, that means nothing.”
Matt sighed, and stole another chip. Olivia didn’t try to stop him; she’d lost her appetite. “Look, Liv, if you think you need some guy to come in and fake being your boyfriend so Mom gets off your back, I understand. But at some point he’s going to decide he wants to be with someone else for real and you’ll have to explain it to her. So either you’re faking it, or you’ve got a really lukewarm relationship. And I don’t like either option.” She stared into blue eyes that were so like her own, it was like looking at herself through that gender-bending filter on Snapchat. “You deserve somethingreal.”
He got up from the table and disappeared into the crowd. The thought of Jake being with someone else turned her stomach, but it was also realistic. No matter how nerdy he claimed to be, he still wanted to keep that side of himself hidden for his reputation’s sake. And she was anything but quiet about her hobbies. Even now she was wearing a shirt with Deedlit fromRecord of Lodoss Waron it.
Jake’s words from lunch swirled around her head as she watched him playing football with her cousins. He wanted a chance at something real with her. But this was all happening so fast. And could she ever trust another jock?
It felt good to get on a field again and chase a football. Olivia’s cousins ranged in age all the way down to fourteen, so they weren’t playing rough. He even got to coach the young ones a little, showing them a better way to grip the ball so they could throw it farther. After about a half hour, the young ones got bored and ran off to play with even younger cousins. Or second cousins. He wasn’t sure.
The guys were hanging around the coolers to shoot the shit, but Jake wanted to get back to Olivia. He told himself it was just so they could sell this fake relationship to her family, but a part of him wondered if she’d ever take his interest in her seriously. Matt walked up and grabbed a soda as Jake turned to find her. He had the look of a man with something on his mind.
“Can I talk to you for a second, Jake?” Matt popped the tab off his drink and tossed it in a nearby recycling bin.
“Sure, what’s up?” Jake followed suit and they wandered away from the crowd.
“What exactly are your intentions toward my sister?”
Jake gulped down his beer while he considered how to answer, surprised by the sudden inquisition. “We’re taking things slow.”
“Uh-huh.”
It was obvious Matt hadn’t bought their act. Jake wasn’t sure how to handle this. The parents had bought it, so what was he missing here? “What aren’t you telling me?”
“She’s brought boyfriends over before, back in college. And she was a lot more hands-on, shall we say, in the past. It’s like she barely knows you.” Olivia’s taller, husky brother watched for his reaction through narrowed eyes.
