Page 33 of Pretend Girlfriend

Me: You threatened him? Seriously?

Oh God. This was a nightmare. Their entire story was going to fall apart tonight. They wouldn’t even make it to the wedding.

Joanna returned to the room with a little extra sway in her step. I tried not to stare; she looked amazing in that pencil skirt, enough that I was already starting to get hard again. Good thing I was sitting down.

Austin strolled in about a minute later. We had never met, but I’d heard Bradyn talk about him before. He’d been Marisa’s best friend since they were in high school, and Bradyn had always suspected that he still had feelings for her. I could see why he was worried: Austin was one handsome dude.

“You just flew back into town?” Clark asked me.

“I was in Columbus. At a beer festival.”

“Same old Teddy!” Danicka said with a smile. “What are you doing for work these days?”

“It was construction last time we talked, right?” Clark asked.

“I did construction for a little while, but now I’m trying my hand at plumbing,” I replied. “I got certified last fall. It’s good work.”

Joanna opened her mouth to say something, but stopped short. Obviously she couldn’t reveal that she knew I was lying.

“That’s really great,” Clark said. “Trade skills are seriously lacking in your generation. But you make good money, and don’t need an overpriced degree.”

“For sure,” I said.

Casually, Joanna began typing on her phone.

Joanna: Plumbing?

Me: Nobody knows I’m a dentist.

Joanna: Why not? That’s worth bragging about!

Me: Long story. Just be cool.

The Cozart family had known me since I was Bradyn’s college roommate. Back then I was the goofball screwup, always hungover and barely scraping by at class. I didn’t even get to walk at graduation; I had to stay an extra semester to finish two classes I had failed.

They still thought of me as that goofball, and honestly? I liked it that way. It was surprisingly nice to be around a group of people whose expectations were so low. Much better than trying to meet my own family’s unrealistic goals for my career.

Also, Danicka loved me like a third son. She’d tried—unsuccessfully—to set me up with at least a dozen of her single teacher colleagues. If she knew I was a dentist, she would never leave me alone about it. In that regard, I sympathized with Landon.

“We should talk to the property manager at the country club tomorrow,” Clark said. “He’s a buddy of mine. I could get him to throw some plumbing business your way.”

“Sure, maybe,” I said.

“They gave me too many cherry tomatoes,” Danicka muttered. “Liz, would you mind switching plates with me?”

“Of course, Mrs. Cozart.”

While they switched plates, Danicka suddenly flinched with realization. “Where are my manners! Teddy, you haven’t met Landon’s new girlfriend.”

I had been pointedly ignoring Joanna’s presence across from me this whole time, but now I turned my gaze toward her. “I should have introduced myself when I sat down. I’m Theo Manafort, but everyone here calls me Teddy.”

“I’m Joanna, but everyone here calls me Joanna,” she replied with a smirk.

“Isn’t she a hoot?” Danicka asked me. “We need to find you a nice girl like her.”

If only you knew.

The rest of dinner went smoothly. Joanna and I didn’t have to interact at all, and I spent most of my time chatting with Bradyn and Marisa. But I kept stealing glances at the woman across the table, and occasionally I caught her eyeing me, too.

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