Page 30 of One Pucking Chance

She exhales and stares off for a few seconds, seemingly contemplating her response. When she places her chopsticks on the table and focuses her beautiful blues on me, I know she’s about to fall into serious storytelling mode.

And does she.

I listen intently as she talks about her dislike of her costar and the complicated relationship she has with her parents, especially her father. She describes the dinner in great detail, including how her father and Simon conspired to create a fake relationship. I feel a sense of pride for her when she tells me how she stood up to her father and stormed out of the restaurant, food and all.

“That’s great, Anna!” I reach my hand across the table, palm out, and give her a high five. “I am so proud of you.”

She grins. “Thank you, but my father isn’t going away that easily. He’s used to getting what he wants.”

“You told him no and that you were in a relationship. That won’t stop him?”

She laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “Absolutely not. He’s only delayed. He won’t stop until he gets his way. Plus, once he realizes I was lying, he’ll make sure the whole media circus believes that Simon and I are together, and at that point, I’ll have to go along with it.”

“But what if you had a boyfriend?” I wonder aloud.

She rolls her eyes. “That’d be all well and good, but I don’t.”

“I’ll be your boyfriend,” I state.

“What?” she gasps. “No, Jaden…” she says my name on an exhale. “I’m sorry. I told you I didn’t want anything more than friendship.”

“I know. I heard you loud and clear, and I’m not pressuring you for that. I’m suggesting I be your fake boyfriend.”

She lets her head fall back and groans toward the ceiling. “Oh my gosh. Absolutely not. Jaden. We are not doing that.”

“Why not? All we have to do is be seen a few times in public. The media will report that we’re together. Your father will back off. You don’t have to fake date your creepy costar. Problem solved.”

“I don’t know.” She balls up a piece of her napkin and turns it between her fingers, staring at the table.

“Who would you rather fake date? Me or your douche of a costar?”

She looks up from the table. “I mean, you. I like you as a person.”

“Okay, then. What’s the issue?”

“Number one, my dad would flip if he thought I was dating a jock. He doesn’t respect sports at all. More so, he hates tattoos. He’d kill me if I dated someone covered in them.” She motions toward my arms.

“Seriously?” I laugh. “Your father has actually told you that you aren’t allowed to date someone with tattoos?”

She shrugs. “Yeah.”

“Well, so what if he doesn’t approve? Actually, that makes it better. Not only will he not get his way, he’ll be completely irritated by your choice. It’s kinda perfect.”

She gnaws at her thumbnail. “He’ll be livid.”

“But he’d leave you alone about Simon?”

“Yeah. I mean, he’d have to.”

I grin. “So let’s do it. You’ve already admitted that you enjoy hanging out with meas a friend. Yes? So wouldn’t you rather go out with me a few times to fake date than Simon?”

“I mean, obviously yes. But I didn’t want to do the whole fake dating thing to begin with.”

“But your father won’t leave you alone if you’re not in a relationship?”

“No, he won’t.”

“So you’re not left with many other options, right?”

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