Page 17 of Rosé with My Fake Fiancé
“Can we also take a minute to acknowledge that James obviously planned an engagement party before proposing?” Emma says. “How uncouth.”
“He’s an asshat,” Jade agrees.
“All the more reason for us not to go,” Sara says, pulling the discussion back on track.
You can bring your fiancé,James said. The opportunity to see Luc again intrigues me. If he’s available.
“I could see if Luc is available tonight. He might be working.”
Jade looks skeptical. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I am.” Feeling more confident now, I sit up. “It would be fun for us to go clubbing together. We’ve never done that before and what better place to do it? Sara, Zoe would absolutely die to know her mother’s been clubbing at Siempre. And Jade, you’ve said so yourself; you love the place. How about this: if Luc can come, we’ll take it as a sign to go. If not, then we’ll skip it.”
Jade smirks. “If we’re gonna go, then you’ll definitely need to have your young, hot fiancé on your arm to shove in James’ face.”
I text Luc, and we get on with our brunch. He doesn’t answer right away, but I check my phone as we’re leaving the hotel, and there’s a message from him.
Luc
I am free tonight. Send me the details and I’ll meet you at your hotel.
Jade and Sara are absolutely ecstatic to be going to Siempre. Even Emma warms up to the idea, though she was never one to be into bars or clubbing. Like Sara, she married young and had kids quickly, so there was never time for her to be a rebellious youth. But unlike widowed Sara, Emma’s marriage lasted decades and ended in divorce. Nerves and anxiety temper newly single Emma’s excitement.
My phone pings with another message from Luc.
Luc
Take your friends via the Pont des Arts. On a day like today, it’ll be brimming with artists and buskers.
I read it and adjust course, guiding the group to the pedestrian bridge.
I tell myself that the excited butterflies in my stomach are about having a fun night out and not about the possibility of seeing Luc again.
Liar.
7
Luc
Tessa wason my mind all day while I worked the lunch shift at the bar. When I woke up this morning and had a message from her inviting me out tonight, I was thrilled at the chance to see her again and to go to Siempre. I’ve had friends who’ve worked there, and the stories about the clientele are outrageous.
No one should miss a chance to go to Siempre, and it would be a memorable time for them. I also think about Tessa showing up alone and James and Yumi thinking that, at worst, I’m not really her fiancé, or at best, the truth—I’m too busy working three jobs and am completely out of my league with Tessa.
So, I tell her I can go. What I really mean is I’ll work my shift at the bar and cancel driving for the night. Yeah, it’s a sizeable chunk out of my pay for the week to not drive on a Saturday night, but I will do it for Tessa.
I want to know her better, and I want to meet her friends.
As I’m closing my tabs and checking out, my phone pings.
Tessa
Thank you for all your tips today. We loved them.
I smile. I’ve been sending Tessa tips for her friends, trying to make up for them not having a tour guide. She’s been texting back, thanking me and sending pictures of them having fun around the city.
The streets are busy as I walk home in the early evening, and if I was driving, I’d make a ton of money.
Not for the first time, I lament that I have to work three jobs. But a year ago, when Mémé brought up the idea of retiring, I encouraged her to do it. She always worked retail jobs, which were hard on her mentally. She took care of me growing up, so it was my turn to take care of her. All the money I can spare goes to my grandmother, and I just thank god that she owns her apartment.
