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“Keep your voice down; I don’t want Daniella to hear us,” I whispered. I looked over Estelle’s head, just to make sure the coast was still clear. “She saw me with Nathan today, and I don’t think she was too pleased.”
“Probably not,” Estelle replied. “If you’re in any way affiliated withthe Nathan Hemingway—”
“Are you always gonna say his name like that?”
“—Then she can’t bully you anymore. But enough about that.” Estelle made acome hithermotion with her hands. “Let’s see what the text says!”
Resigning myself to my fate, I took my phone out of my pocket and looked at the texts. I must have missed one of the buzzes because there were three texts and a voicemail. I opened my phone and listened to the voicemail first, putting it on speaker so Estelle could hear it.
“Hey, Ciara, it’s me,” he said. Clearing his throat, he added, “Nathan Hemingway. Though you probably already knew that from the caller ID. I probably didn’t even need to say ‘It’s me,’ huh?”
I giggled; Estelle raised both eyebrows.
“Anyway,” he said. “Give me a call when you get this. Maybe we can hang out tonight after you get off from work? It doesn’t have to be anything big. We could do a movie at my place. Or froyo or whatever. Just call me back. Bye.”
“Wow.” Estelle whistled as I navigated to my text messages. “I think I like stumbling, humble Nathan more than I like Prince Charming Nathan.”
“Right?” I said, looking up from my phone. “Isn’t it adorable?”
I looked back down at my phone, reading the texts from Nathan.
Nathan:I hope I didn’t get you in trouble earlier today. Your boss seems like a piece of work.
Nathan:No offense to her, if you actually like her.
Nathan:But she can go kick rocks.
Icouldn’t help but laugh at his texts. Estelle joined in.
“Listen, you better go on a date tonight with that man,” she said as she straightened the T-shirts. “Otherwise, I will.”
I shook my head and smiled. Though I knew she wasn’t serious, I also knew that if I didn’t at least make an effort to see Nathan that night, I wouldn’t hear the end of it from her on my next shift.
Just see what he has to say,I thought to myself.Best not to make waves with your friendoryour fake fiancé.
I began to type.
Ciara: You didn’t get me in trouble. If anything, Daniella backed off a bit. So thanks ??. And yes to hanging out tonight. Froyo is perfect.
Itook a deep breath before hitting SEND, then pocketed my phone. Turning toward Estelle, I said, “Okay. Let’s get this work done so I can get out of here and hang out with—” I smiled—“the Nathan Hemingway.”
Estelle and I finished restocking in record time. When we’d finished, Estelle took off her name tag with a flourish, throwing it in her locker.
She waggled her eyebrows. “You ready for your date with Nathan?”
I grimaced, placing my own name tag in the locker. “Not sure it’s really a date.”
Estelle tilted her head to the side. “Why wouldn’t it be a date? You two met on a dating app. So…you’re dating, no?”
I pressed my lips together, remembering just in time that Nathan and I were supposed to be a real couple and fool the town. I figured that extended to Estelle. After all, she wasn’t supposed to know that it was just a business deal.
“You’re right,” I said. I looked away, unable to handle the glee in Estelle’s eyes. “I guess I just…forgot.”
“Forgot that you’re dating Nathan Hemingway? How?”
I shrugged. “It’s been a while since I’ve done it. I forget what it’s like to…date someone.”
We walked out to the front of the store. “Well, you’d better remember quickly,” she muttered under her breath. “Because he is here.”
