Page 46 of Ardently Yours

“Yes, we should,” Lizzie says, nodding. “But it’s also the little things. See how close we’re walking? I’m doing that on purpose because people in this town notice things. If they see us walking this close together and they already know we work together, some people are probably already wondering if we’re dating. Then they’ll just assume we’re more than friends and coworkers. I do think we need to amp it up a bit, but like you said, an official date would really help. And announcing it to our friends would definitely help too.”

“You really think seeing us walk this close together is going to make people think we’re actually a couple?” I ask.

Inside, though, I’m thinking about how walking close wasn’t an accident. It’s something Lizzie intentionally did. Not because she wanted to but because it made us look like the fake couple we are pretending to be.

For some reason, that makes me feel a little salty. Which is not something I can dwell on right now. Or ever.

“You know what?” Lizzie says. “I actually don’t think making some big announcement to our friends is necessary because once Nic’s mom and dad saw us together, they’re definitely going to ask Nic about it. Then Nic is going to ask me about it, and she’s going to ask Jay about it. Then our whole friend group will be talking. And not just the friend group, but her parents, their friends, and basically everybody else. Because in this town, everybody talks, everybody knows your name or knows of you, and everybody knows your business. Allegedly.”

Lizzie’s phone buzzes as we reach the cafe. I pull the door open for her and let her step inside first. She pulls her phone from her pocket and looks down at the screen. She stops in the doorway so suddenly that I almost walk into her.

“Whoa,” I say. “Are you all right?”

“Look,” she says, pushing her phone into my face.

I see a text in her group chat with Nic and Jane.

Nic: Oh, what is this I hear about you and Will??? My mom texted me.

“I can’t believe Nic’s mom told her that fast,” I say, scratching my head in disbelief.

“What did I tell you about this town?” Lizzie replies, looking back at me. “We should plan to tell the crew at the wedding fitting. They’re really the ones we need to convince that this relationship is real first.”

As she walks into the cafe and waves at Wolfsheim, who’s been working at the front counter while we were at our meeting this morning, I can’t help but think that our friends aren’t the only ones we have to convince.

Because I’m trying to convince myself too. That none of this is real. That we have a plan. And that I have to stick to it.

Wolfsheim takes one look at me, grinning as he flashes that gold tooth of his.

“Do I even have to ask, Will?”

“I don’t even know where to start,” I say with a sigh.

***

Later that day, I finally get the courage to check my phone. I’ve got a few text messages I haven’t responded to. One from Mom. One from my sister. None from Dad.

Then there’s another one. One I hadn’t thought about. It’s from my ex-fiancée, Caroline Bingley.

Caroline: Miss me?

I begrudgingly reply, getting sucked into a conversation I do not want to have.

Me: Don’t start.

Caroline: You act like I’m the enemy here.

Me: It’s not about you, Caroline. Don’t do this now.

Caroline: What am I doing, Will? I’m reaching out because you ghosted me.

Me: I didn’t ghost you. I left because of the drama.

Caroline: So you and I are still a thing?

Me: We were never a thing.

Caroline: We could have been. If you had stayed.