Page 44 of On the Double

Grams face suddenly shifted to a huge smile and she walked around the counter to Edu, clasping him by both arms. “I just love musicals.”

“Don’t we all,” he answered, looking more uncomfortable by the second.

“Tell me, what’s your favorite? Harper and I used to watch them together all the time when she was a kid.”

“Uh…” He looked at me, sweating like a pig as he struggled to come up with something to say.

“I’ve just introduced him to them, Gram. Grease was the first musical we watched together. In fact, he messed up the words horribly when he was singing to me, but it was so sweet.”

He nodded furiously as he turned back to Gram.

“Well, that’s okay. You can watch a musical with me sometime.”

“Ooh, can I come too?” Fox asked, holding his hand up in the air as he jumped up and down. “I love musicals. We could watchKiss Me, Kate!OrShowboat. I loveShowboat!”

Gram laughed like she hadn’t in ages. I’d never seen her so happy in all my life. And it was all because she assumed I was marrying a man who liked musicals.

“We’ll have a musical marathon!”

“I love musical marathons!” Fox exclaimed. “And we can have popcorn!”

“And homemade cookies!” Gram laughed, clapping her hands together.

Fox’s eyes went impossibly wide as he walked over to Gram and wrapped her in a hug. “I love homemade cookies. Can we have some now?”

“You would have thought Fox was a little kid again as he talked to my grandma.

“Well, I have to make them first.” She pulled out a pen and piece of paper, writing down her number. Then she handed it over. “You call me and we’ll set up a time for a movie marathon.”

“We don’t have to wait. We’re having a barbecue tonight. You can come to that. Ooh, and you can meet the rest of the family. After all, they’ll be Harper’s family soon, too!”

My eyes widened in horror. Was he really suggesting we get together with his friends and spend time with them? With my grandma? This was horrible.

“Her grandfather and I would love to attend.” Then she turned to me with a withering gaze. “Harper, why didn’t you tell me about your beau before?”

“Uh…” All I could do was chuckle nervously. I had no idea what to say or do, and I definitely hadn’t planned on taking this any further than the check-out line. Now I was going to have to pretend for a whole afternoon that I was engaged to Edu. I barely knew the man!

My palms began to sweat as the intensity of the situation caught up to me. I was never good at lying, and now it was all going to come crashing down around me. Gram would be upset and she’d insist I move in with her. I’d be surrounded by porcelain dolls and plastic on the furniture. I’d never meet another man or be able to escape.

Suddenly, my whole life was flashing before my eyes. Any hopes of becoming a Supreme Court justice or working as a veterinarian flew out the window, along with all my sexual fantasies. I was going to end up an old cat lady, and all because I let Fox convince my grandma that Edu had proposed to me.

“I’ll see you later!” I heard her say before she hurried out the door, not even bothering to say goodbye to me.

I stood there speechless, much like Edu. Our eyes connected and I chuckled uncomfortably. “Guess we’re engaged, Pookie.”

His eyes rolled back in his head and he flopped to the ground like a cold fish. This engagement really wasn’t getting off to the best start.

I rushedinto the house and back to my room, needing a shower to wash the smell of the grocery store off me. I had to look good tonight and do an amazing job convincing my grandma this was real. Hopefully, it would convince her and then I’d come up with some reason why it all ended. I just had to make sure Fox didn’t get in the way and come up with any more brilliant ideas.

“What’s the hurry?” Oliver asked as I tore through the house like a tornado.

“I’m engaged and going to a barbecue tonight!” I shouted down the hall.

I was in the shower in less than thirty seconds, scrubbing my body and washing my hair. I heard the door open and my brother walk in.

“I’m sorry. Did you say you’re engaged?”

“Yes.”

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