Page 38 of Rosé with My Fake Fiancé
I was counting on just fading away. Who would care whether Luc or I got married or if we broke up?
I try to get back to work, but every time my phone lights up with a notification, I jump, and I realize I just need to bite the bullet and get it over with.
Yumi picks up on the first ring.
“Hello, Tessa.”
If there’s any anger toward me, I can’t hear it in her voice. “Yumi, how are you?” I ask, years of politeness ingrained in me.
Yumi cuts right to the point. “I’m calling to apologize and assure you that I had no idea that James was still dating you.”
My eyebrows launch into my hairline. I wasn’t expecting that.
“Thank you?”
“You’re welcome. You should also know that we broke up. I owe you for that, too. James’s invitation to you for the party was pure hubris on his part, and I’m glad it came to bite him in the ass. I’m glad my eyes were opened to his character before I married him.”
“That’s good.” Yumi’s matter-of-factness about the whole thing is startling. Almost as startling as her next change of topic.
“How’s Luc?”
“Oh. He’s good.” I feel like she’s fishing for something, and I’m not sure what.
“Are you seeing each other?”
“Well, he’s actually here now, in The Algarve. But it’s complicated.”
“Hmm. Complicated or not,” Yumi says. “Can you do me a favor?”
“Maybe?”
She chuckles. “This is really petty, but James didn’t believe your engagement to Luc was real and obsessed about it.” She laughs without any humor. “Red flag, right? I should have known. Anyway, that’s not my business whether you’re engaged or not, but seeing as how Luc’s visiting you, could you maybe post a picture of the two of you on Instagram? James follows both of you with a sock account, and it’ll give me a real pleasure to know that he’s out there somewhere blowing a gasket over our engagement dissolving and yours thriving.”
“You are evil.”
Yumi cackles. “He deserves it. It’s a small ask, right? One last chance to make him jealous.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” I say.
“And Tessa? If James had looked at me with half as much affection as Luc looks at you, we’d be having a very different conversation. Think about that.”
I tell her I will, and then we say goodbye. I sit in my office for a moment, reflecting on the conversation. Bonding with Yumi over James’s shitty behavior isn’t something I thought I would be doing today.
A notification from WhatsApp pops up on my phone.
Luc
We are back in Tavira. Mémé slept most of the ride back and is exhausted. She’s going to have a quiet dinner tonight, but I still want to see you.
We message back and forth, me telling Luc I don’t want to take time away from his grandmother and him insisting that he lives with her and can spend a dinner apart. We finally settle on Luc picking up groceries and bringing them to my place for me to cook dinner.
I’m tidying up my apartment–stuffing the “possibly re-wear” pile of clothes into the hamper and wiping down the bathroom counter–when I get a text from Sara.
Sara
I HAVE A FUNGUS EMERGENCY.
Actually, it’s an entire apartment emergency!!! HELP!
