Page 25 of The Other Plan

“We are dying to get to know you, so I insist you join us all for dinner tonight at Alexander’s.”

“Alexander’s?” His dark eyebrows rose. “Wow. I haven’t been there in years. That’s a nice place.”

My eyes widened as I caught his playful gaze. I gently shook my head, pleading with him to say no.

“I wish I could but—”

“I won’t take no for an answer. You’re joining us,” Aunt Tilly stated as she wiped the dust off her dress.

“I really wish—”

“You would say no to me after I just had such a scare?”

Damn it. Here we go. No one says no to Aunt Tilly.

“I suppose I could cancel my plans tonight.” Evan looked at me with a cocky smile. “I do love the shrimp tempura there, and I think I’ve earned a nice dinner out with my lovely girlfriend, Jenna.”

Shit, shit, shit.

“Right, Jenna?” he asked with a broad smile.

“Yes, of course. Dinner tonight sounds great,” I said through gritted teeth and a fake smile.

“Wonderful!” Aunt Tilly pressed her hands together. “We’ll see you tonight at Alexander’s. Seven o’clock.”

“Looking forward to it,” Evan said as he stepped over and tossed his arm around my shoulder. “My girlfriend and I can’t wait.”

As I swallowed another inward groan, I slipped my arm around his waist. “Yep. We can’t wait.”

I finally looked over at the one face I’d avoided looking at during this entire debacle. Carter’s carefree smile had been replaced with a scowl, and he looked away when our eyes met. Great. Dinner tonight wouldn’t be awkward at all.

***

“Hey, lover,” Evan teased as he came up behind me in the parking lot outside Alexander’s. “I don’t know why you wanted to drive separately. I mean, I should at least get to pick you up for our date, girlfriend.”

“I will kill you.” I slapped him on the shoulder and dissolved into laughter. “Seriously! This isn’t funny! Why couldn’t you have just said no to Aunt Tilly’s invitation?”

“And miss a fancy dinner at Alexander’s?” He snorted. “Hell no. I never get out to eat here, and I’m going to enjoy every single bite of food that I earned by being your fake boyfriend. Tempura shrimp. Seared ahi tuna. A big fat steak. The lava chocolate cake afterward.” He licked his lips. “Oh, yeah. I’m going nuts. Oh, and a few brandy old-fashioneds. You’re buying, of course.”

“Ugh. Okay, fine. But then we need to get our stories straight if we’re really doing this.”

I rattled off the details of our fake relationship before we plastered on smiles and walked hand-in-hand into the upscale restaurant.

I hoped maybe Carter would have skipped out on tonight’s dinner, but the very first face I saw when I walked inside was his handsome mug.

Ugh.

Torture. Tonight was going to be nothing but pure torture. I’d already been in my own personal hell all day, having to be so close to the man I still wanted to kiss after all these years. And after a decade of cursing myself for still having feelings for a liar and a cheat, I no longer had that excuse now that I knew the real story. Instead, the man I’d hated all these years was nothing short of perfection. Kind, sweet, funny, charming perfection.

He smiled softly when he saw me.

And sweet baby Jesus, he is still gorgeous.

“Hey, Jenna,” he said as he walked up to us. “And this must be Evan.” Carter’s face tightened with his smile as he extended his hand. “Hey, man. I’m Carter.”

“Hey, Carter. Nice to meet you.”

They shook hands, and I tried not to pass out from the awkward feelings swirling around inside me. My long-lost first heartbreak was shaking the hand of my fake boyfriend. How in the hell did I end up here?