Page 16 of The Perils of Pretending
Sadie’s grandma raises her chin. “I’m her grandmother.”
I reach my hand out, offering it for a shake. Sadie spins, her back flush against my chest. Her ponytail hits my face. A draft of ripe peaches wafts up my nose. Too bad the smell of her shampoo was overpowered by the Cowboy’s nasty cologne during our first flight. I prefer this sweet scent over the death odor we suffered with for two hours.
Sadie takes a step backward, forcing me to move with her. She holds up a finger. “Before proper introductions are made, I need to speak with my boyfriend real quick.”
What is Sadie doing? I’m giving her the perfect opportunity to get out of meeting whoever this Dorian guy is.
Sadie drags me into the closest store next to our gate. Hiding behind a shelf of vodka, she demands, “Explain, please.”
“Isn’t it obvious? Continuing our ruse to get you out of being yelled at by your grandma.”
Sadie puts her palm to her forehead. “No, no, no. You have no idea what you’ve done.”
I fold my arms across my chest. “I’m confused here. You used me on the plane to get that guy to leave you alone. Why is this any different?”
She flings out her hand as she speaks. “Because we don’t know the guy on the plane and will never see him again. This is my grandma. My meddling, controlling, won’t-leave-me-alone grandma. If she thinks we’re dating, that I’m bringing you to our family reunion—ooohhh, this is bad. So bad. And what were you going to tell Brody?”
I haven’t worked through what to tell my best friend, but it doesn’t mean I could stand there listening to her grandma berate her either. “Can’t we just tell Brody we’re faking? He can keep a secret. And besides,I’m not coming with you. This only lasts until we separate in Anchorage. Then you can keep using me as an excuse to not meet this Dorian dude.”
Sadie looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “You want to lie?”
“I see it as two friends taking advantage of a situation to help them get what they want.”
Sadie points between us. “We’re not friends. You’re my olderbrother’sannoying friend.”
My stomach hardens. She really only sees me as Brody’s friend? Sure, we don’t chat for hours when I visit their family, but we can carry on a conversation. “Yousnuggled up tomeon the plane. Like it or not, we’re friends, Sadie.” Maybe it’s time I ease up on the jokes and prove to Sadie I’m a nice guy.
She pinches the bridge of her nose. “I can’t believe I’m considering this. How and when do we say we broke up?”
I shrug. “After you get home?”
“This is seriously insane.” Sadie paces between me and the next aisle, biting the nail of her thumb.
“I didn’t like the way she was talking to you and was only trying to help back there. I promise. If you want me to tell your grandma I was teasing, I will. But if you need a reason to get your grandma off your back, I’m standing here offering you an out.”
Sadie stops, looks up at the ceiling, then finally meets my gaze. “We have to tell my mom and Brody. I won’t lie to them. This only lasts until a few days after we get home. Deal?”
“That’s what I already said. So those are terms I can live with.”
Sadie sighs. “Okay. I’ll call Brody and tell him our plan. Where are you sitting on the next flight? We may need to swap seats so we’re together. We have to get to know each other better to make our relationship believable.”
I pull up my boarding pass on my phoneand show it to Sadie.
She frowns. “New plan. You call Brody and tell him he needs to switch seats with you. I’ll call my mom.”
“Consider it done, princess.”
Sadie shakes a finger in my face. “That nickname is not happening.”
I grin. “Oh, but it is.” Some habits are hard to break.
I turn, walking to the back of the store. Finding Brody’s number in my recent calls list, I tap his name.
“Hey, man,” Brody says as his greeting. “Sorry, the sandwich line is taking longer than we thought. Have they started boarding already?”
I scratch the back of my neck. “Ah, no. We’ve got time.”
“Do you want a different sub?” he asks, confused.
