Page 69 of My Fake Fiancé

“Oh yeah,” more tapping, “sure. I wouldn’t want to be rude and say no. But is that going to be too weird for us?”

“Possibly.” I wait to see if she’ll say anything but all I hear is more tapping, “I can just tell them we can’t make it because we didn’t make it… hah.” I try for comedy.

She lets out a little laugh, more like a puff of air but it has some humor in it. “Well, that is the truth, I think.”

“You think?” I clear my throat and try to bypass the questions forming in my mind. “Should I just tell them we can’t? I should. Sorry, I called you.” I’m about to hang up when I hear her speak again.

“Wait,” more tapping and then a pause and I hear her more clearly. “No, no I’ll do it. We should do it. Dave was a great help at the party. I want to go.”

“Really? Okay, I’ll let him know. Oh, he said 7 o’clock sharp. I’ll pick you up at 6:30.” I say automatically then backpedal. “If you want me to, I mean. I can just meet you there if you’d rather.”

“Well, I don’t know where to go so I think it’d be okay if you picked me up.” I can hear her teasing me and again she makes me smile.

“Right, okay, that sounds good.”

“Okay, I’ll be ready by 6:30. I should go. I’ve got to finish this by tomorrow.” I want to ask what she’s working on but I don’t want to pry.

“Alright, I’ll see you Thursday at 6:30.”

“Thursday, 6:30.” She repeats back to me. “Bye.” She says softly then I hear a click, indicating the line has gone dead.

I’m not entirely sure going through with Thursday evening is the best idea but Dave has been a great friend to me and he made it seem like his wife is very excited and already planning the entire meal. So, I am glad Juliana agreed to go with me. I find myself looking forward to Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. But until then, I have to get back to my cases. I’ve been so distracted with everything going on I haven’t been putting in my usual effort at work. Well, time to get back to it. I can’t do anything else in regards to Juliana until Thursday so I might as well throw myself back into my work. Good thing it’s only Monday.

Case files scatter my coffee table hidden in the dark apartment. I cross the living room and pull open the blinds letting in the bright light, enough to brighten the whole apartment. No better time than when it’s a beautiful day outside, to sit down and work on my caseload. I crack my knuckles and get down to work.

Chapter 60

Juliana

Hanging up the phone with Kurt, I check the time. Only 5:30, I have time to finish before Callum shows up, I keep tapping at my keyboard. A few minutes later I hit print, officially finishing my letter of resignation. It’s time to move on from my current retail job and move up in the world.

I sigh and sit back, rubbing at my eyes a little. It hits me just how exhausting these last few days have been, weeks really. Reluctantly, I push myself up to get to the printer. After triple-checking the final paper, I see no mistakes and mark my end date in my calendar. I remind myself to tell Tatyana and hope she’ll plan a girls’ night out to celebrate. I also have big news to tell her.

I check the time again, it’s only 6, so I decide to call Tatyana.

“Hey, what’s up?” She answers the phone almost immediately.

“Were you waiting for me to call?” I laugh, teasing.

“Of course, I’m already headed to my car, so if this call isn’t to remind me to come home and help you get ready for your date with Callum…well that is too bad because I’m coming home anyway. I’ll be there in ten minutes or less.” She adds before hanging up the phone but not before I hear the start of her engine.

I plug my phone into my charger and then decide to pop into the shower, leaving the apartment door unlocked, knowing that she has probably left her key behind at Mike’s house. I hear the door close while I’m in the shower and hear Tatyana yell out that she’s here. All of a sudden, the bathroom door opens and a hand holding a glass filled with something appears thrust through the shower curtain.

“Uhm hi, can I help you?” The cup wiggles back in response to my question.

“Just take the cup.” I roll my eyes, which I realize she can’t see then take it and set it on the soap dish in the shower. I hear a dejected sigh and the clunk of the toilet seat being shut before a thud of someone sitting on the lid.

“What’s wrong, T?” I peek my head around the curtain and eye her. She raises her glass to ‘cheers’ me before taking a drink and then responding.

“Men suck,” she says after making a face from what must be hard liquor. She must not have minded it because she takes another sip, making the same face again.

“Tell me about it,” I say before disappearing back into the shower to finish up.

“Oh, I will.” She pauses and I assume she’s taking another sip. “Dammit, I’m out.”

“Here,” I hand my glass out to her and she takes it but then I hear another dammit. “What?” I ask as I turn off the shower, squeezing the water out of my hair and then grabbing my towel and wrapping it around myself before pulling the shower curtain back.

Tatyana is sitting on the toilet lid glaring at the glass. “You don’t drink, so I poured you a glass of tea.”

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