Page 6 of (Not Really) Faking It With My Best Friend's Brother

Tiffany nearly purred as she stopped beside us, batting her obviously fake eyelashes. "Nate! Fancy seeing you here." Her gaze flitted to me, her tone cooling. “And Susan, what a surprise. I thought you were Emily’s little friend."

I shrunk under her scrutiny, cursing my horrible luck. Of course, she would show up and get the wrong idea.

"We were just catching up," Nate explained with an air of nonchalance that contrasted sharply with the tension I felt. "It's been a while since we've had the chance to chat."

Tiffany's smile never faltered, but it was evident that she didn't buy it for a second. Her curiosity was as plain as the gleam in her eyes. "I didn't realize you two were close."

"Life's full of little surprises." I forced a smile while wishing I could disappear into the depths of my chair. My hands fidgeted with the napkin on my lap, twisting it into a tight spiral.

"Indeed, it is." She locked her eyes onto mine, searching for something I wasn't prepared to reveal.

"Tiffany," Nate's voice cut through the tension. "I appreciate you stopping by, but Susan and I were just getting to the heart of something pretty important."

Her brows knit together, a frown tugging at the corners of her perfectly glossed lips. The look she shot me was sharp enough to slice through concrete. It was a look that said she wasn't used to being sidelined, especially not for someone like me.

She put on a strained smile that looked like she had just had an injection of botox and couldn’t move her face. "I wouldn't dream of interrupting." She cast one last lingering look before finally turning away, leaving a trail of expensive perfume and unspoken questions behind her.

As Tiffany's presence receded, I allowed myself a quiet exhale, not realizing how tightly I'd been holding my breath. Nate's gaze met mine, a wordless conversation passing between us—one of relief, shared disbelief, and a hint of newfound friendship.

Nate gave me a reassuring smile. "Well, that was..."

"Awkward? Mortifying?" I supplied, eliciting a laugh from him.

"I was going to say 'unfortunate,' but yes, awkward and mortifying work too."

We laughed together, bonding over the absurdity of Tiffany's dramatic entrance and exit. Though my cheeks still burned from her scrutinizing gaze, I could feel myself relaxed again in Nate's presence.

"I'm impressed at how you handled that," I admitted. “You were so composed."

Nate shrugged, a glint of humor in his eyes. "Occupational hazard. I've had plenty of practice dealing with overbearing personalities."

I couldn't help but giggle. "Well, thank you. If I were alone, I probably would've just pretended to get a fake phone call to escape."

"Anytime," he laughed. "I could tell she was making you uncomfortable."

I was touched by his thoughtfulness. Nate had been kind when we were younger, but he was a little aloof and self-centered. I was seeing a new protective, assertive side to him that I found surprisingly attractive.

We settled back into easy conversation. The earlier awkwardness was gone.

For the first time, I felt like I was getting to know Nate beyond his role as Emily's brother. And the more we talked, the more captivated I became.

"So, it turns out we both have a thing for lavender mochas," I said as we sipped our intricately crafted drinks. "Who knew?"

Nate grinned. "I didn't peg you for having such adventurous taste in coffee."

"Are you saying I seem boring?" I feigned mock offense.

"Not at all," he replied seriously. “I just never saw this quirky side of you before, but I like it."

I told him about my love for discovering hole-in-the-wall cafes and their unique drink creations.

Nate leaned back in his chair, a familiar jazz tune humming quietly on his lips. "You surprise me," he began, mischief sparkling in his blue eyes. "Here I was thinking you stuck to the classics: books and black coffee."

"Appearances can be deceiving," I replied, matching his playful tone. "While I do love a good classic, there's something exciting about trying new things."

"Well, in that case," he proposed, raising his cup to clink against mine, "to trying new things."

Flushed from the laughter and warmth of our conversation, I tapped my cup against his and echoed, "To trying new things."

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