Page 11 of Love is an Open Book
“Fake dating is a trope,” she says. “Not something people do in real life.”
“A trope?” I’ve heard Mia talk about tropes at book signings, but I’m not one hundred percent clear on the meaning.
“A scenario common to the genre that builds anticipation. Like for fake dating, the characters might pretend to be in a relationship so their family doesn’t find out they’re chronically single—”
“Being single isn’t a disease.” Though come to think of it, my brother does seem to view it that way.
She ignores me and says, “Or they take it a step further and get engaged because a great-aunt’s will stipulates the hero will lose the family farm if he’s not married.”
“Is this medieval Europe?”
“Yeah, it can be a hard sell in contemporary romance,” she says. “The point is, it never stays fake. The characters always end up falling in love.” She scrunches up her nose at the wordlovedislodging her sunglasses, which slip off her face.
Catching them, I polish the lenses on my shirt. “You and I have been friends for almost ten years, Mia. We know where we stand. A bottle of merlot and candlelight isn’t going to change anything. Plus, we’re not going to be in a relationship. This would just be one date—”
“You think one date with you will be enough?”
For a split second, it seems like she’s implying she wouldn’t be able to stop at one. Then I realize she’s saying there’s no way a date with me will be enough to shift her mindset.
“Maybe not, but why not try?” I hand her back the glasses. “Can’t hurt.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” she says. “It could hurt.”
“Which is why your best friend is the perfect person to fake it with.”
She lets out a frustrated sigh. “A friend is the last person to fake with because it never stays fake. The characters alwayscatch feelings.” She glances up sharply, but she’s staring off into space, with what I recognize as the look she gets when making a plot breakthrough. Suddenly, her mouth drops open, and she grabs me by the shoulders. “That’s it!” Grinning up at me, she asks, “How do people who have been friends for years have a meet-cute?”
I’ve read enough romance novels by now to understand the importance of a good meet-cute—the moment when the love interests interact on page for the first time. I can also see where she’s going with this and find myself smiling back. “By seeing the potential for something more?”
“Exactly!” Smile wide, she says, “It would be kind of cool to get insight into what might change for my characters in that scenario.” She shakes her head. “What am I saying? That’s ridiculous.”
“It’s not,” I tell her. Even though it is. A little. “I’m your friend. Who better to do something a little ridiculous with? No judgment here.”
Frowning, she says, “I’m not sure...”
“I am.” I’ve always been sure when it comes to Mia.
She bites her lip and her grip tightens, bunching my sleeves. “You really don’t have to.”
“I want to.” I want to do a whole lot more than pretend. I want to close the distance between us and feel her fingers fist my shirt for a whole different reason when our mouths meet. But that’s the kind of dangerous thought that would be harder to push aside if we go through with this. Can I keep my feelings in check when all the usual boundaries of friendship are gone?
Just one date. I can do that. For Mia. For myself. To prove to my stubbornly hopeful heart that she doesn’t want me. Won’t want me. Not now, or ever.
Doing my best to keep my voice even, I say, “Let’s have some fun together. It’s what we do best.”
Four
Mia
For the first time ever, I’m avoiding my best friend. It’s been a few days since he suggested we go on a date, and I haven’t been able to face him. Going out with random guys to get my mind off work was a silly idea. Going on a date with my best friend to act out a romance trope? Unthinkable. Romantic relationships come and go, but friendships are forever. Romance just complicates things.
So why did I agree to fake it with him? Desperation, plain and simple. None of the scenes I’d been writing felt right, and I wound up caving to the temptation to scroll social media, only to discover I’d been tagged in yet another post speculating about the plot for season four. Once, while tipsy, I’d nearly commented on a similar post,Your guess is as good as mine, lol. Luckily Gavin had intervened before I’d finished typing.
Is a pretend date with him an equally terrible idea? Probably. But I need to write this damn book, and he’d made it sound so easy.
One date. Pretend to be someone else for a night instead of stressing over deadlines and reader expectations. But I know therisks. Minimal as it seems after our years of friendship, in books, someone always catches feelings, and that would be worst-case scenario. Life isn’t a romance novel. Happy-ever-after is the exception, not the rule.
So here I am, hiding out in my favorite stationery store until it’s time to join Evie, my good friend and critique partner, for our weekly writing meetup. Gavin’s working today and sometimes grabs lunch from the restaurant near the coffee shop, and I can’t risk running into him before I’ve had a chance to figure out how to back out of our ridiculous deal without making things weirder than they are.
