Page 8 of (Not Really) Faking It With My Best Friend's Brother

"Hey, Tiffany," Her proximity set my teeth on edge, but I tried to sound casual. "What can I do for you?"

"Don't 'hey Tiffany' me," she snapped. "You brushed me off at the café the other day when I saw you with Susan. You know, Emily's little friend? I want to know what was going on."

Of course, she did. Tiffany had been hounding me to go out with her nonstop ever since she moved back to Rivermint Cove almost a year ago. We had a short fling in high school, and no matter what I said, she was convinced that we were meant to be. I racked my brain for a plausible explanation, knowing full well that mentioning the blind dating app would only fuel Tiffany's relentless pursuit.

I feigned nonchalance. "Susan and I just happened to run into each other. We started talking about books and coffee, and time just flew by. No big deal."

Tiffany narrowed her eyes, clearly not buying my casual explanation. "You expect me to believe that? You two seemed pretty cozy for people who just 'ran into each other.'"

"Would you prefer I say we were discussing the merits of maple versus oak trees?" I tried to steer the conversation in a less confrontational direction. "Honestly, Tiffany, there's nothing to report."

"Come on, Nate." Tiffany insisted, her voice laced with hostility. "You can't seriously expect me to believe that you and Susan were just talking about books and coffee."

I looked into her eyes, searching for a way to defuse the situation without causing more problems. I knew she wouldn't let this go easily, but I needed a way out of this conversation.

"Okay, fine," I sighed dramatically. "You caught us. We're actually members of an underground book club that meets in secret to discuss literature over lattes."

Tiffany's expression remained unamused, her arms tightening across her chest. "Nate, I'm not in the mood for jokes. You told me you were too busy to date when I asked you out. I want to know if you were on a date with Susan?"

At that moment, my mind raced, grasping for an answer that would satisfy her curiosity and get her off my back. Desperate and cornered, I blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"Alright, Tiffany, you want the truth? Susan and I are engaged."

The words hung in the air like a thick fog, and I immediately regretted my impulsive decision. Tiffany's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Engaged?" she repeated, and I cringed inwardly at the absurdity of my own lie. I didn't even know how Susan felt about maple trees, let alone marriage.

"Yep," I confirmed, trying to sound more confident than I felt. "There you have it. Susan and I were... planning our future together."

Tiffany sputtered, trying to process the news. She looked at me like I'd suddenly sprouted a second head. "But how long have you two even been together?"

My hands wrapped tightly around the now lukewarm cup of coffee as Tiffany's gaze bore into me. Her perfectly arched eyebrows lifted in expectation of an answer: "For a few months now. We were keeping it quiet at first, you know, not wanting to make a big fuss over it."

Tiffany narrowed her eyes, looking suspicious. "A few months? How have I not heard about this until now?"

I forced out a laugh. "Well, you know Susan and me. We're kind of the ninjas of love." I made a joking ninja pose in my seat. "Stealthily building our relationship without anyone noticing."

"Really, Nate? Ninjas? That's the best you can come up with?" Her tone was laced with skepticism. "Well, congratulations, I guess. But I'll be keeping an eye on you two. Something about this doesn't add up."

"Thanks, Tiffany. We appreciate your support." My voice dripped with sarcasm, but it seemed to go over her head as she turned and stalked away, her heels hitting the tile like tiny ice picks.

I watched her go, my heart sinking. This little white lie was about to spiral out of control—I just knew it. What in the world was I going to do now? As the reality of my situation began to sink in, a mix of panic and humor bubbled up inside me. The thought of Susan's reaction to our supposed engagement was both terrifying and hilarious. Would she laugh it off? Or would she be angry that I'd dragged her into this mess without warning?

Lost in thought, I didn't notice Ethan until he stepped up beside me and gave me a friendly elbow nudge.

"So, did Tiffany finally make you snap?" he asked, one eyebrow raised in amusement. "Had to invent a fake fiancée just to get her off your back?"

I rubbed the back of my neck, knowing I had to stick to my story now and trying to figure out a way to convince Ethan. "About that...it's not entirely fictional. Susan and I are actually engaged."

Ethan's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You're kidding! And you didn't even tell your best friend? You just said you were going on a blind date."

"Well, we reconnected a few months back and hit it off. We wanted to make sure our feelings were real and enjoy some privacy before the rumor mill started churning. The longer we went without telling anyone, the harder it got to figure out a way to break the news." I rambled on, digging myself even deeper into the lie. "The dating app thing was just a cover-up, a way to ease into sharing the news of our engagement with everyone."

"Nate, you sly dog! I can’t believe you made up all that stuff about the app. Man, I thought it was kind of weird that you were being so open about your dating life. I don’t know whether I should punch you or hug you."

He laughed and pulled me into a bear hug. “Congrats on your big secret. I’m a little shocked that you were able to hide it, but I'm happy for you."

"Thanks," I said, trying to hide the guilt boiling up inside me. "Well, I'd better get back to work. I can't keep the patients waiting."

---