Page 9 of The Boyfriend Swap

“Snow…what?” I repeated, looking at Robyn.

Robyn’s cheeks flushed an almost fluorescent shade of pink. “Oh my gosh.You’reWill?”

As Robyn’s wineglass teetered on the edge of the table, Perry stabilized it before giving Will a curious once-over. He met my eyes and mouthed, “Snow White?”

I shrugged and nudged Will in the knee. “Sit down. And please explain how you two know each other.” I hoped their prior acquaintance would help and not hinder our plan.

“We went to high school together,” Robyn said, a distinct tremble in her voice, at the same time Will said, “We lived on the same street growing up.”

“Snow White,” Will said, shaking his head. “Wow. How’ve you been?”

Perry cleared his throat. “Someone please explain the origin of Snow White.” He gazed over my head and lifted his empty glass. Within ten seconds, a waitress was at our table.

Conversation halted while we ordered a round of drinks and a truffle-oil popcorn appetizer for the table, but as soon as the waitress walked away, all eyes were on Robyn.

She smiled shyly, her face still flushed. “No one’s called me that in ages. Somehow, I got the nickname in high school. Everyone assumed I was pure as snow.” She fiddled with her cocktail napkin.

“Were you?” Perry asked in disbelief, making me question whether the missionary position was even in their repertoire.

I predicted Robyn’s answer would be “yes.”

Robyn took a sip of wine and mumbled, “No comment” into her glass. Then she looked up at us and giggled. “Totally.” She reached for her glass again and knocked it over the table. “I’m sorry!” she yelped, jumping up from the table.

Will stood up and mopped up the spilled red liquid with his cocktail napkin. “No worries. Shit happens.”

“Here,” I said, handing her my napkin as Perry hailed down the waitress. She was conveniently headed our way with our drinks and the popcorn. Poor Robyn looked mortified, and I second-guessed her ability to pull off the swap. The meet and greet was the easy part, and she was already falling apart.

The waitress washed down the table, and after Robyn ordered a fresh glass of wine, we resumed the conversation.

I swept my long fringe-style bangs to the side. “So Robyn was awarded the Snow White nickname because she was innocent?” I found it odd, since there were plenty of girls in my high school who could have joined the virginity club. I was no longer eligible midway through my junior year after giving my v-card to the son of one of my father’s biggest clients at the annual Bellows’ Christmas party.

Will pursed his lips together. “Not exactly.”

Robyn’s electric blue eyes opened wide. “It wasn’t?”

Will grinned. “It had nothing to do with your purity.” He glanced at me. “I wouldn’t know.” He stroked my hand gently under the table.

While Robyn shifted in her seat, I squeezed Will’s knee to confirm I wasn’t threatened. Robyn was pretty, but I wasn’t the jealous type. She was also a bit of a spaz, albeit in an endearing sort of way.

Will spooned a portion of popcorn onto his plate and then focused his gaze on Robyn. “You were always so cheery, dancing in the hallways as if there was nowhere you’d rather be than in school. I could almost picture you cutting a rug in your room as birds sang, and deer, rabbits, and raccoons played at your side.” He laughed. “Like Snow White. You even resemble her, with your black hair and blue eyes.”

Perry’s eyebrows drew together. “Youcould imagine? This nickname was your idea?”

Will shrugged and took a sip of beer. “It was a long time ago. I’m not entirely sure.”

“Right,” Perry said, sounding pathetically jealous over some stupid high school nickname.

I rolled my eyes and kicked Will under the table.

Robyn’s eyes glowed as she gazed at Will. “That’s funny, because you were so broody, I imagined you holed up in your room with the door closed silently pondering the meaning of life.” She cleared her throat before darting her eyes between Will and me. “We didn’t run in the same circles too much.”

“Why not?” I asked, hoping her answer would segue to a good opening to discuss the swap.

“I was a grade ahead of her,” Will said before smiling fondly at Robyn. “And she was a theater kid and I wasn’t.”

With a shrug, Robyn said, “Yes, Will was too cool to be in chorus or audition for a school production and I…wasn’t.”

“Some theater kids were very cool in high school,” Perry said. “Like me, for instance. In any event, I can vouch that Robyn’s purity is no longer an issue.” He winked and kissed the top of Robyn’s shrinking head as she slunk so far down her seat, she could be mistaken for a little girl. Perry and I laughed good-naturedly at her expense until Will reciprocated my earlier kick under the table.

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