Page 67 of Play Along With Me
"Some things never change," Jessica comments with a knowing smile.
The bill arrives, which Robert insists on paying despite Jake's protests. As we gather our things and prepare to leave, Patricia pulls me into an unexpected hug.
"I'm so happy Jake found you," she whispers. "You're exactly what he needs."
The sincerity in her voice makes my stomach twist with guilt. I catch Jake's eye over his mother's shoulder, and he mouths a silent "thank you" that only increases my conflicted feelings.
Outside the restaurant, we say our goodbyes with promises to meet again before Jake's parents leave town. Jessica departs with a gracious smile and one last meaningful look at Jake that I can't quite interpret.
Once his parents and Jessica are safely in their Uber, Jake turns to me with a mix of relief and apology.
"That was..." he begins.
"Intense? Surreal? An Olympic-level exercise in improvisation?" I suggest.
"All of the above," he agrees. "You were amazing. I can't thank you enough."
"I excel at making up ridiculous scenarios," I shrug. "It's basically my superpower."
"The squirrel funeral was real though, right? Because I've been visualizing that for days."
"One hundred percent real," I confirm. "Mr. Darcy watched it with me. He was very respectful."
Jake laughs, then grows serious again. "I'm sorry about Jessica being there. That wasn't part of the deal."
"It's fine," I say, though it's not entirely true. "But it did give me a new perspective on some things."
"What do you mean?"
I hesitate, organizing my thoughts. "I've been on Jessica's side of things before. Watching my ex with someone new, seeing his mother clearly prefer her. It's... not fun. And now I feel bad for all the times I complained about Daniel's mother comparing me to his exes, because I just did the exact same thing to Jessica."
Jake looks thoughtful. "I never considered that. I was so focused on avoiding my own awkwardness that I didn't think about how it would affect her."
"The human capacity for self-absorption is truly remarkable," I note. "Myself very much included."
"Still," Jake says after a moment, "I'm grateful. And I owe you big time."
"You mentioned compensation in the form of nachos," I remind him. "I'm holding you to that."
"Absolutely," he nods seriously. "Plus dinner at a restaurant of your choice. Sans parents and exes."
"That sounds..." I pause, unsure how to characterize what he's suggesting. Is it a real date? A thank-you dinner? A continuation of our charade?
"Like a date," Jake clarifies, looking slightly nervous. "A real one this time. If you're interested."
I study him for a moment. Jake Marshall, professional hockey player, with his complicated ex situation and overenthusiastic parents. Jake who laughed genuinely at my stories and built fictional memories with me so seamlessly it almost felt real. Jake who's looking at me now with a mixture of hope and uncertainty that makes him seem much more human than his NHL backup goalie status would suggest.
"I'd like that," I say finally. "But fair warning—my real life stories are usually even more ridiculous than the ones I make up."
"I'm counting on it," he says with a smile that reaches his eyes. "After tonight's performance, I think we've earned a real adventure."
As he hails a cab for me, I find myself wondering if this fake relationship might be the starting point for something unexpectedly genuine—or just another chapter in my ongoing saga of romantic misadventures. Either way, I'm surprisingly eager to find out.
"Goodnight, fake boyfriend," I say as the cab pulls up.
"Goodnight, fake girlfriend," he replies. "Real date coming soon."
The cab pulls away, and I watch Jake through the rear window until he disappears from sight. I pull out my phoneto text Leila, who has undoubtedly been dying for updates all evening.
