Page 30 of The Kiss Keeper
“Because anyone who even tries to touch her baby toe will have to deal with me,” Jake answered, lowering his voice.
“But wearing high heels could worsen bunions or aggravate knee or hip pain,” Leo sputtered.
Jake turned to her. “Do you have any of those issues, Heels?”
“Heels?” Leo snapped.
“Yeah, that’s what I call her because she looks so damn good in high heels,” Jake answered with a sly twist of his lips.
Leo gasped. “But the implications are devastating.”
“Well, Heels, are your feet falling apart?” Jake asked, tossing her a little wink.
She shook her head. “Nope.”
“Look at that, Dr. Dix, she’s fine. Now, kindly take the spot next to your wife so I can sit next to my—”
“Girlfriend,” she supplied. “I’ve been your girlfriend for five months and six days since we met at that happy hour in Denver, Colorado,” she added, trying to pack as much information as possible to get Jake number seven up to speed.
Everyone stared at her, except Leslie, who was focused on her phone.
Natalie patted her fake boyfriend’s arm. “But, of course, you already know all that.”
“Of course,” he parroted back, his eyes telling her to take it down a notch.
But she could hardly believe this was happening. This random man, who happened to be smoking hot and dressed to the nines, agreed to this…this…con.
That’s what it was. With his help, she’d con her family into thinking she was a normal functioning adult.
Leo took his spot on the bench next to Leslie, who continued hammering out an email, oblivious to the whole foot faceoff as Jake helped her into the van.
Her cousin shoved her phone into her purse, and her expression softened. “How’s Grandpa doing, Fish?”
The man glanced over his shoulder nervously, which was quite unlike him. “Good, all good,” he answered.
Natalie glanced between her cousin and the man she’d known her entire life. “Is there something—”
“And we’re off!” Fish called from the driver’s seat, cutting off her question as he maneuvered the grumbly old vehicle into traffic.
“Speaking ofbeing off, Natalie. Were you laid off or completely sacked this time?” Leslie remarked with her sour expression back in place.
“How do you know about that?” Nat asked, then the answer hit her.
The old Woolwich family grapevine.
Leslie pulled out her phone. “Your mom texted Aunt Tish, who talked to her daughter-in-law, you know, Pete’s wife, Patty, and she texted my mom who texted me.”
Lit only by the light of her cell phone, Natalie could see the smug curve of Leslie’s lips.
“Another lost job, Natalie. That sucks for you,” Lara added.
“It was actually perfect timing. Natalie’s going to start freelancing,” Jake said without missing a beat.
“I am?” she asked.
“You are. Remember, you’d mentioned that,” he said with a conspiratorial lilt.
“Freelancing? Do you even know what your girlfriend does for a living?” Leslie parried.
