Page 80 of Writing On The Wall

“I look forward to working with you, Ethan.”

My brother and his fiancée exchange amused glances, their faces contorting into cringe-worthy expressions with each awkward sentence that slips from my lips until I end the conversation with Crystal. While I’m genuinely thrilled for Colton’s newfound happiness, there’s no denying the smugness that seems to have settled over him since popping the question. Normally, I’m the one teasing him relentlessly, but lately, it feels like the tables have turned, and I’m not quite on board with this new shift in our dynamic.

“Struggling with the ladies?” Colton remarks with a sympathetic click of his tongue. If Ember weren’t here, he’d be nursing a dead arm right now.

“Colton, don’t be the things that look like Steve Harvey’s mustache. I’ve never had that problem in my life.”

“You sure? Haven’t seen you on a date in a while.” He juts his chin forward, looking entirely too self-satisfied. I know he hasn’t told Ember about my feelings for Ivy, otherwise I’d already have endured an interrogation that would make James Bond cry. But he’s loving this opportunity to torture me with the information.

“I’d be very concerned if you had a habit of watching me on my dates, big bro.”

“Mm-kay, I’m going to interject before I pass out from rolling my eyes so much,” Ember adds with a raised finger. “We’re having an impromptupre-rehearsal dinnertomorrow night. Can you make it?” She smiles sweetly.

“Oh, he’ll make it,” Colton smirks. “Tell him who else will be there, babe.”

“It’s basically just the wedding party and one or two others. Opal and Gail. Jed and his wife. Ivy and Toby, and the three of us, assuming you can make it.”

Toby.

That’s why my brother looks like he’s talking to someone who’s had a unibrow drawn on their face while they were sleeping. Because he knows I’ll be seething while the woman I like is sitting across the table with another man. What he doesn’t know is I’m currently dating said woman and will have to watch her fake date another man. Only slightly less agonizing than the first scenario.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

IVY

“You didn’t have to come, you know,” I whisper through the side of my mouth to Toby.

“Ember invited me, how could I miss this?” He aims a giant smile at Opal and Gail. We’re all seated at a long table at Capelli’s, the Italian restaurant Ember and Colton both love. Well, notallof us. Ethan still hasn’t arrived.

I joked with him earlier about how hilarious it would be to end up seated between him and Toby. I also assured him I’d come up with an excuse as to why Toby couldn’t make it tonight. Jokes on me! Ember took it upon herself to personally invite my fake boyfriend, and soon I’ll be sandwiched between him and my real, but also secret and slightly jealous boyfriend. It’s my own personal hell.

And Toby seems to find it all hilarious, while I squirm uncomfortably as Opal and Gail impale the two of us with suspicious glares.

I’ve made a giant mess of things, but I’m in too deep. This fake relationship needs to fizzle out, and soon. I wasn’t made for the double life. I’m constantly on the verge of needingsmelling salts with all the stress of keeping up the multi-faceted charade. Can I add circus master to my resume?

The small talk around the table continues, my face aching from forcing myself not to frown too much. Who knew it took so much effort to appear casual. Ember is chatting excitedly with Jed’s wife, Rachelle, while Colton and Jed trade short sentences about sports. A server bustles around the room that’s softly lit with a warm glow over the rustic wooden tables and chairs. Exposed brick walls adorned with vintage photographs transport patrons into the charm of Italy’s countryside.

I catch a whiff of garlic and herbs as our server places a basket of heaven on the table, the warm rolls practically steaming. The soulful Italian ballad that plays over the speakers seems to come to a record-scratching halt as Ethan enters the room, and the vibe shifts immediately.

Holy cow—the man looksgoodin a sports coat.

Toby coughs under his breath beside me, hiding a smirk while he slides a napkin into my hand. “For the drool.”

I can’t help it. For so long I fought the urge to acknowledge my attraction to Ethan. But now that I’m dating him, it makes it hard not to appreciate howfinehe looks. It’s actually rather sad that I still need to hide my feelings and blatant googly eyes for him.

For the briefest second, his eyes meet mine, flashing a deeper blue that threatens to float me out of my seat and into his lap. Thankfully he greets everyone else before he takes his seat beside me. “Ivy. Toby.” He practically growls when his eyes flicker to the point of contact between Toby’s shoulder and mine. There’s enough chatter in the busy restaurant that nobody notices Ethan’s sudden surliness, but I bug my eyes at him for a second, reminding him to behave.

I need these two men in my life to get along, and as hot asthe jealous growls may be, I really want Toby and Ethan to be friends.

“Oh, Ethan, you do clean up nice,” Gail gushes from across the table. “It’s a pity you’re sitting on that side, seeing as you’re the only single man and there’s two perfectly delightful ladies across from you.”

Ethan flashes his devastatingly handsome smile at her, doing that thing where he feigns a bashful glance down, then lifts his head ever so slightly, flashing his pearly whites as his cheeks rise with a face-splitting grin. It’s enough to make me hum audibly. Toby elbows me, bringing me back to the unfortunate reality where he and I need to appear to be an item.

Ethan proceeds to shamelessly flirt with the seventy-year-olds across from him, and I shake my head in an attempt to remember the goal.

Fake it with Toby for a little longer. Try not to look absolutely enamored with Ethan.

Easier said than done.

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