Page 11 of Class Act

“He agreed with Hillary when she said I looked pretty and told me he was glad I could make it. Then he asked which flavor of cake we’d stolen. That was all before Leonard arrived.”

“I’m such a fan of his mom,” Aryn said with a smirk. “Stealing a birthday cake like that deserves my admiration.”

“Cake, schmake. All he said was nothing. It was polite mumbo jumbo,” Ruby moaned. “Where was the jaw hitting the floor? Where was him begging you for forgiveness and showering you with apology jewels? Where was the grabbing you and pulling you against his heaving chest while gazing into your eyes?”

“If he’d done that, she’d have had to punch him,” Meredith replied.

“And then call 9-1-1,” I added. “No chests should be heaving.” Ruby pulled a face and I grinned. “He didn’t need to apologize. He’d been right about Hillary’s hopes.”

“Well, even if what he said was true, he didn’t have to be so rude about it.” Lizzie’s soft, easy voice entered the discussion. “He could have simply laughed and said, ‘I think my kid wants us to date.’ Why he even brought up marriage or accused you of being a schemer is beyond me.”

Lizzie wasn’t wrong, and my face threatened to warm again as I remembered those humiliating moments in the school cafeteria only last week. He definitely hadn’t needed to go for the throat the way he had.

Meredith slapped her palms against her knees. “So the plan was a failure.”

I shook my head, my mouth softening into a smile. “Not necessarily. I had a good time with Hillary and made her happy, which was the true plan all along,” I reminded her.

“Hillary’s so cute,” Aryn inserted.

My toes wiggled in my shoes as I opened my mouth. “The thing is, there’s more.”

“More?” Meredith’s eyes zeroed in.

I pursed my lips and tugged at the gold bracelet on my wrist. “Yeah, this has become like a boulder rolling down a mountain and collecting debris as it goes.”

“What else happened? You did set Leonard straight, right?” Lizzie asked.

“Yes, but Leonard struck again at family dinner yesterday. He announced to my parents that I had met someone.” I could still feel the horrified sting at his words, and I lightly gripped my hands together in my lap, staring down at my feet. “I stopped him on the way in and did my best to set the story straight one more time, but then he blabbed anyway. I was going to tell my parents the truth, but when I looked over at them, their faces were beaming with joy. Their baby had found someone. They hadn’t wanted to pressure me, but they’d started to worry a little, and this was wonderful news. I was sunk.”

I gazed around at those four familiar faces, expecting to see shock or sympathy or something that mirrored my own confusion and feeling of being trapped. Instead, I was met with bright, amused expressions and some soft chuckles, which I did not appreciate.

“This is a smirk-free zone,” I stated. “What am I supposed to do? My parents are involved now.” I pinched my lips. “They think I’m sort of dating Ford. I called you here to help me make an escape plan.”

“You call him Ford?” Meredith asked in an innocent tone that was exceptionally fake. “I thought you were maintaining a proper distance.”

“He told me to call him Ford after Leonard basically threatened him,” I stated. “Plus, it’s easier.”

Double plus, I really liked his name and the way it sounded in my head. Fordham Whittaker. Sa-woon. Fordham and Hailey Whittaker. Ooh, boy, I needed to erase that thought.

Aryn nodded. “Makes sense. As co-victims of Leonard’s giant assumptions, you should be on a first name basis.”

“Seriously, what do I do?” I looked to Lizzie and Aryn, the only two that weren’t either plotting a romance or a murder.

Neither of them had a chance to say anything before Ruby asked, “Didn’t you say there was a fancy business dinner coming up?” I nodded. “I say you get yourself invited and then stage a breakup in front of Leonard.”

No, nope, never. Ruby, an extrovert to the core, would think nothing of staging something. I, princess of the introverts, would rather fake my own death . . . and even that would be done quietly and without fanfare.

“I’m open to other ideas?” I looked to Lizzie once more.

“Just tell your parents what’s going on,” Lizzie replied in a completely logical tone. “They know Leonard well enough to be understanding about it.”

I nodded. That much was true. Leonard was well known for plowing over people. Then I pictured their faces. Mom’s so hopeful, Dad’s so pleased and patient. “Yes, they would understand,” I began. “But . . . would they really? They’d never told me they were worried about me finding a partner in life. I had no idea.”

“That’s a rough way to find out,” Ruby agreed. “One time at a family reunion, I overheard my dad telling my uncle that he’d always wished I could shoot a gun. I felt so guilty.”

We all blinked at Ruby for a moment before Meredith stated, “Rubes, this is hardly the same thing.”

Ruby shrugged. “You don’t understand my dad and guns.”

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