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Still not fucking real yet, but the idea’s grown on me the more I think about it. I’ll take anything I can get when it comes to her.
Tatum saved our asses after getting caught by her brother by telling him we were dating, but too afraid to tell anyone. Rather than walk it back like she proposed, we’ll lean into it hard. We’ll make everyone believe we’re the most sickeningly in love couple. Romeo and Juliet won’t have shit on us.
It’s what I’ll need to patch up my oldest friendship. Jackson is pissed at me, but we’re like brothers. He’s probably more angry that I broke a promise I made than he actually is about what happened. Loyalty means something between best friends, and in his eyes I spat all over the trust we have in each other.
I did, but not in the way he thinks. I frown, scrubbing my face. He can’t ever find that out, though.
Tatum’s timeline for her original plan was up until college to prepare herself. I need this to go on longer than that. First, I need to fix things with my best friend. Then I’ll convince her until she can’t refuse me, just like I stood no chance refusing her.
* * *
The following night, the air in the Danvers’ house crackles with tension. It took nothing to get an invite to stay for dinner. Mrs. Danvers has treated me like one of her own since I was a kid.
“Pass the salad,” I ask.
Jackson ignores me, mouth set in a flat line. A worried crease forms between his mom’s brows. Tatum huffs in exasperation between us and reaches across Jackson to grasp the bowl, passing it to me.
“Thanks,” I say.
She nods awkwardly, shooting me her fifth curious glance from the corner of her eye. I didn’t tell her my plan, and she showed up after her and Jackson’s shift at the Shack while her mom and I were in the middle of cooking dinner. My lips twitch at the memory of her eyes bugged out all cute when she saw me.
Jackson forces out a breath through his nose, stabbing his chicken with agitated movements.
“Was work busy?” Mrs. Danvers asks him.
His jaw works. “No.”
“Is something else bothering you, then?”
Jackson opens and closes his mouth, gaze sliding to me. His eyes narrow and he shakes his head.
Mrs. Danvers hums around a bite of vegetables, chewing thoughtfully before responding. “If you aren’t willing to talk about it, then you can save the aggressiveness for after dinner. We’re happy to listen if you change your mind.”
Tatum chokes, smothering a laugh behind her hand as their mom sweetly tells Jackson to knock it off. She’s always had a gentle approach like that with both of her kids. He grunts an agreement, no longer taking out his irritation on his dinner.
The meal continues like that, Jackson giving us all the silent treatment, only offering clipped answers when his parents speak to him directly. Tatum elbows him, but it doesn’t help.
As dinner winds down, Mr. Danvers lets his family know he has some time off. They’re working out their schedules for a weekend trip before the fall semester starts.
“I have work every day that week,” Tatum says. “I’m trying to scrape every second I can to save up in case I don’t find a job on campus during the semester.”
I sense the opening I’ve been looking for throughout dinner.
“Not on Saturday, you don’t,” I say.
She turns to me. “What?”
“I already requested off for both of us with Marco.” I drape my arm over the back of her chair, making a statement to her family. It feels good to be able to do it without hiding it. “I was going to wait till after dinner, but I want to take you to the pier.”
“What? Like a date?” Tatum squeaks.
I give her a crooked half-smile, but I’m distracted from answering when the loud scrape of a chair interrupts. Jackson gets up, snatches his plate, and stomps away from the table without a word. The sink runs in the kitchen for a minute, then the kitchen door slams. My stomach clenches with the worry that Jackson is pissed enough to drive off again, but then I hear the muted smack of the basketball against the driveway.
“I see,” Mrs. Danvers murmurs, brows lifted. She gives me and Tatum a soft smile. “I’m so happy to hear you’re dating. Your father and I always said there was something between you two. We’ll figure out another weekend to take a trip. Have fun, kids.”
Her easy acceptance stirs warmth in my chest. She’s like a second mother to me, and having her admit she always thought Tatum and I belonged together makes my heart thump.
“Uh, but I—” Tatum pauses when I drop my arm to her shoulder, playing with the end of one of her French braids. “Yup. Sorry we didn’t say anything. It’s still new. We weren’t trying to sneak around.”
