Page 135 of If Ever

I don't want to embarrass her further. "That's a lovely offer, but there's a problem."

"Oh?" Her face is adorable. She'll be a real heart breaker someday.

"You see, I have a girlfriend, and I don't think she'd be happy if I promised to marry someone else."

"He's just saying that so you won't feel bad," the older girl says.

The little one eyes me skeptically as if I'm lying. "It's true," I say. "In fact, see that girl over there by the light pole?" I point to Chelsea.

"The one on the phone?" Babette says.

"Yup. She's my girlfriend."

The mother bites back a smile. Babette crosses her arms. "You're making that up."

I laugh and Chelsea looks up, taking in the scene of me with the family.

Babette calls out to her, "Are you his girlfriend?"

Chelsea looks behind her, as if checking to see who we're talking to. "Who me?" she asks, feigning ignorance.

I wave her over. The French girls watch Chelsea step tentatively closer. "Ladies, this is my girlfriend, Chelsea."

But Chelsea squints uncomfortably from me, to the girls, and back. "Excuse me, have we met?" she asks me with a Tony-worthy expression of confusion.

My jaw drops. The young girls and their mother watch in fascination. "She really is my girlfriend. She's just being cheeky." I give Chelsea a tilt of my head and the eye for her cute little act.

Babette crosses her arms and hitches her hip, drilling me with a determined stare. "See, you are making it up."

Chelsea steps closer to the French girls in a united front. "Do you know this man?" she asks Babette.

"He's Thomas Evan Oliver, the star of the show. He's the very best."

Chelsea gives me a critical once over. "Really? I'd never guess it looking at him."

I burst out laughing. "I'm right here, I can hear you."

The older sister intervenes to get to the bottom of this. "Only one of you is telling the truth."

"I am," I volunteer.

"Can you prove it?" the girl asks.

"Sure can." I drag Chelsea to my side, and swing her into a dip. She squeals and I lay a kiss on her sassy mouth. "Remember me now, love?" I say into her startled eyes.

She giggles. "I think it's coming back to me."

I swing her up to her feet and without anyone seeing pinch her ass. She gives a little squeak.

"You are his girlfriend!" the little one says to Chelsea.

"After that kiss, I suppose I better be."

"You're so lucky," she answers.

Chelsea glances at me with a sweet smile. "That I am."

She offers to take a picture of me with the girls and their mother. We say our goodbyes and I tuck my arm around her and head off to meet my friends.

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