Page 44 of The Fake Date Deal

Marco screamed up again, drowning him out. We all turned to watch him step out of the car. Then Juan was back.

“Okay, set up the terrace! We can’t lose our light.”

Workers swarmed the terrace, setting up tables. A hairdresser ran up to touch up my hair. I looked for the PA, but he’d disappeared. Boring Guy, too, was gone, heading outside. The one thing to remember, the PA had said, but then he’d been cut off by Marco’s entrance. What was the one thing? What did I need to remember?

“There you are,” said Juan. “Let’s get outside.” He hurried me out to the central table. Pulled out my chair, and I sat facing Boring Guy.

I leaned in to ask him, “Hey, did you catch?—”

“And we’re on!”

I had just time to wonder if it would be like on TV, with the clapboard, the countdown, the lights, camera, action. Then the lights came up and Juan yelled action, and just like that, we were rolling.

“Boring,” said Boring Guy. “I’m the sultan of boring. I’ve asked you to this place, but I can’t order dinner, because waiters doze off at the sound of my voice.”

I laughed. Juan yelled cut. I clapped my hand to my mouth.

“Boring Guy, be more boring. Eve, be more bored.”

I sucked in a deep breath and told myself focus. Juan called take two, and I slouched in my seat. This time, I didn’t listen to what Boring Guy was saying. I watched his lips move and let my eyes go unfocused. Let my shoulders slump slowly, my eyelids droop low. My chin grazed my chest and Juan yelled cut again.

“That’s great,” he said. “But go bigger. Yawn till your jaw pops. Fall off your chair.”

Take three, I had fun with it. Relaxed into my role. I “fell asleep,” jerked awake, and tried sipping my coffee. Dozed off again, head tipped back, snoring. I slackened my whole body and sagged off to one side. Juan rumbled laughter, but didn’t call cut.

“Boring Guy, poke her. Try waking her up.”

Seconds later, I felt something scratchy boop my forehead. When I crossed my eyes, it resolved into an almond biscotti. I burst into gales of helpless laughter.

“Okay, cut. Now, try one where you’re all stiff and glazed. Where you start out the date, and you’re trying to act into it, but the more he drones on, the harder it gets.”

This time, I thought about Rafael, dinners I’d had with him, one-sided conversations. I felt my face change, a gradual slackening, my eyes going glassy as he went on. Boring Guy smiled and I tried to smile back, but my lips were frozen. They barely twitched up. I covered a dainty yawn. Forced a fake laugh. When Juan shouted cut this time, I knew we had it.

“Perfect, you’ve got it. I nearly dozed off myself.” He turned to his PA. “Where’s Marco?”

“He’s with the car.”

“Great. Bring it up, and let’s shoot the rescue.”

Marco drove up again, slowly this time, and parked at an angle facing our table. The cameras moved around to shoot from behind us, catching the car and our table in the frame.

“I want it like Disney,” said Juan, striding up. “Like Sleeping Beauty. He holds out his hand to you and you come alive. Marco, you’re her prince, but with an edge of adventure. You’re passion, excitement, where this guy is boring. You hand her into the car and then you peel out. And don’t forget there are cameras inside the car, so posture, expressions, keep it up the whole time. You’ll drive up the hill with her, to your happy ending.”

I swallowed hard, nervous, but also excited. It was just a commercial shoot, but it felt somehow real, like Marco was plucking me from a lifetime of boredom. From settling for dreams that weren’t my own. From letting my life pass by while the world spun past me. It was a fantasy, a silly one, but it felt enticing.

“Action,” called Juan. Marco stepped forward. The wind machine swirled dust around his feet. He held out his hand to me, and I lit up. I wasn’t even acting. My delight was real. I did a half-skip as he led me to the car. Smiled up at him, radiant, as he helped me inside. Then we were tearing out of the village, up past the houses, up the bright mountain road. I laughed, threw my head back, basked in the speed. Trees and rocks flashed past us, ribbons of sky. Then we swung into a wide-open space, and Marco pulled the car around, and we got out. The cliff dropped behind us, the sky stretched above, and Marco drew me toward him and leaned in and?—

“You don’t need to kiss yet. We’re waiting for Juan.”

I didn’t see who’d spoken, nor did I care. Marco kissed me anyway, his lips rough on mine. The breeze whipped my hair around and fluttered my dress. Somebody whistled, and a few cheers went up, but all I could think was, my prince had come. He’d come when I needed him and plucked me away, and brought me up here to the top of the world. Nothing could touch us here, not Rafael. Not the press. Not wannabe influencers brandishing phones.

“Thank you,” I whispered, when he pulled away. “This has been the best day.”

He kissed me again. “Didn’t I tell you?”

This was my moment. Deep down, I could feel it. This was my chance to tell Marco the truth. Like Mother had said, the sooner the better. And what moment could be sweeter, more perfect than this?

Marco, I think… I want something real. With you, I mean. Not just revenge.

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