Page 73 of The Opposite of Romance
“Are you kidding me?” I interrupt her. “This is much better than anyrealfake date you could have arranged for me.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I was dreading another date like the first few ones, but this could be fun. It will also undoubtedly give me a million ideas for my books.”
“That’s true. So you’ll do it?” She grins at me.
“I’ll do it.”
“The birthday’s next weekend, and I’ll give him your number so you can make plans.”
“Sure.”
Turns out,Dean is a pretty cool, devastatingly handsome guy. He picks me up in his BMW, opening the door for me and handing me flowers.
“Thanks for doing this.” He flashes me a perfect smile, his stunning green eyes wrinkling at the corners. His light brown hair is meticulously groomed, and the crisp white shirt fits him like a glove.
“Full disclosure: I’m here because I love family drama.”
He lets out an honest chuckle. “I appreciate the honesty. And there should be plenty of it today.”
“So, should we get our stories straight? Pun not intended.” He chuckles again. “Do you have a character for me? Should I have practiced an accent?”
“You and I are going to get along just fine.” He grins. “No accents and no character. I thought you could play yourself.”
“Well, I’m a single mom of two, which could be a source of family drama on its own.”
“That’s perfect. It makes it more real. At my age, it makes more sense for me to be with a single mom than an aspiring college age influencer, you know?”
“Yeah, I guess. But we still need the part of how we met.”
“Well, I guess Liam introduced us. I’ve been complaining about the horrible online dating experiences, and he told me about his gorgeous, brilliant sister-in-law.”
“Makes sense.” I shrug, jokingly and we both laugh. “I know we just met. But if you don’t mind me asking, how come you’re not out to your family?”
“It’s a long story. But in short, it involves a conservative family and a father who called me the F slur all my childhood.”
“Shit, I’m sorry.”
“He died.” He shoots me a sad smile. “In a way, it makes it even harder. I also feel like this part of me is mine, and I don’t want to give them an opportunity to ruin it.”
“Sure, I get it.”
Grandma Eleanor, as Dean informed me, is celebrating her eightieth birthday. He describes her as frail in posture but rough in character, and I can tell what he means right away.
She’s a tiny woman in a classic, dark blue skirt and light blue blouse. Her hair is silver and short, framing her face in a way that showcases a recent blow-dry. Her eyes are lined with wrinkles, but she eyes me with suspicion of a much younger woman until Dean introduces me as his girlfriend, making her thin but contoured lips curve with a smile.
“Girlfriend, you say? Well, isn’t that a birthday surprise?” She reaches a delicate hand toward me, but she squeezes it with more strength than I expected.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Williams. What a lovelygathering you have here.” I gesture around me, laying on the charm.
Her eyes gleam with delight and I know it’s working.
The backyard we’re in is truly gorgeous. The first thing I notice is the impeccably made deck, almost as wonderful as mine will be when it’s done. My eyes trail over the place, taking in the kids who run around, screaming with delight, while adults laugh and chat in small groups. If I didn’t know Dean’s story, I would have thought this was a picture-perfect family.
He introduces me to a bunch of family members who are all thrilled to meet me.
“This is going ama-zing!” he singsongs. “I should probably ask you to marry me. That would completely blow their little minds.”
