Page 19 of Quarterback Crush
I was momentarily lost for words, disappointed that she hadn’t given it some thought. “But...you, you must have an idea?”
“Well, I guess you want to go somewhere where Savannah will see us. Maybe a movie? Or The Diner?”
Yeah, I’d had a lapse in memory, forgetting that this was a fake date, just for show. But Maya obviously hadn’t.
“Uh, sure, yeah,” I said, though sitting next to Maya in a dark cinema and not talking was possibly the worst date I could envision—I actually wanted to get to know Maya better. “Of course.”
She nodded, smiled and looked ahead and reality hit that I’d gotten excited for the wrong reason—this wasn’t a date for Maya—this was a fake date—and there was a huge difference.
Chapter 9
MAYA
Waiting nervously at the kitchen table and with eight minutes until the scheduled pick up time, it had crossed my mind a hundred times that this was all a hoax, a prank, a fake ‘fake dating’ scenario.
That Oliver was going to ditch and say the act was off, that it was completely unnecessary and either Savannah had accepted the breakup or they were reuniting. The latter seemed most likely. After all, #Olivannah.
“Gosh, where’s he taking you? The Velvet Vines?” Dad snorted with laughter as he appeared in the doorway wearing the ugliest sweater known to mankind—a chunky brown knitted crew neck with a weird padded moose head on it.
“What?” The Velvet Vines was the fanciest and most expensive restaurant in Snow Ridge. “Am I overdressed?” I leapt off the chair and despaired at the short green floral dress I was wearing. “Should I change?”
“Don’t be silly,” Mom said at the same time that Dad was saying, “No. What? No, I think you look lovely.”
“But you said I look too posh,” I fired at Dad. “We’re just going to the movies and The Diner. Is this too much? Maybe I should wear jeans?”
“No!” Mom interjected. “Since when do you take your father’s advice on fashion?”
“I don’t wanna look out of place.”
“Your father is wearing a moose head sweater!” Mom cried. “You can’t take anything he says seriously. Sweetie, that dress is pretty. Oliver’s going to—”
“What do you mean?” Dad scowled, his eyes fixed on Mom. “I thought you liked this sweater. You know it’s my favorite but now you’re mocking it?”
Mom rolled her eyes. “The moose is fine,” she said, suddenly falling into fits of laughter. “As long as it doesn’t leave the house or is seen by anyone outside the family.”
Dad’s mouth gaped wide like a goldfish. “But I thought...”
“It’s hideous Dad,” I chimed in while Mom gasped for air.
“You said it was a good buy,” Dad pouted, staring at Mom. “I thought it—”
We were all stunned into silence at the ringing of the doorbell. Mom quit laughing and straightened up while my heart rate revved up as I drew in a nervous breath. Oliver was here—I glanced at the kitchen clock—four minutes early. He hadn’t canceled.
“Am I allowed to get that? Or will I be an embarrassment?” Dad said, already stomping to the front door. He tapped the padded antlers of his moose head sweater.
Mum and I looked at each other and giggled.
“Great win,” Dad was saying moments later as he led Oliver into our kitchen. “Really trounced St. Martin’s.”
I smoothed down my dress and gulped. Oliver was really here and the fake date was about to happen.
“Yeah, the team was stoked, Coach was—” Oliver stopped mid sentence and his eyes widened as he noticed me beside the counter. “Oh wow, Maya. You look amazing.”
I smiled in a shell-shocked daze, Oliver’s compliment sounding so genuine. He was really playing the fake boyfriend role to the hilt.
“Thanks,” I started to say, but was drowned out by Mom, “Yes, doesn’t she look fabulous?” But without waiting for Oliver’s reply, her nosiness took over. “So, you’re going to the cinema? What are you going to see?”
“It’s the latest Marvel movie, Mrs. Shelton,” Oliver said, his eyes flitting to Mom only momentarily. They landed back on me with a soft gaze, one that made my heart swell. Seemed the thirty minutes spent cursing my curling iron had been well worth the effort.
