Page 66 of Love Me Like It's Real
“Work?”
After the revelation of last night with Felix it felt wrong to think of him as work even though that’s exactly what he was. Work with benefits. But I’m pretty sure if I said this to Mom she’d have a field day and I wasn’t in the business of making my mom happy with my love life.
“Yeah. Work.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course, Mom. What else could it be?”
“I don’t know. A relationship you’re hiding from me or something?”
I scoff at the mere suggestion and put my glass down. “No, Mom. I’m not in a secret relationship. It’s just work. I’m fake dating a guy to make his daughters happy. That’s all.”
Mom stares at me and doesn’t say anything for long moments that feel like centuries. “That’s a first.”
“Tell me about it.”
“So…you’re fake dating for his daughters’ benefit?”
“Yeah.”
“And how does causing a ruckus at the Red Clover Inn help?”
“It doesn’t. What we do in between pick-ups and drop-offs is fair game.”
Mom narrows her eyes, sharpening her gaze. “Isn’t a dad supposed to protect his daughters from men like you?”
“Hey! What is that supposed to mean?”
She shrugs. “What do you think it means? You’re the kind of guy that doesn’t stick around?—”
“It’s just fake dating?—”
“Yeah, yeah. That’s even worse. You’re fake dating for what? A month? A couple months? And then what? You drop off the face of the earth and they’re left wondering what happened to the man that made their dad happy.”
“You’re overthinking it, Mom.”
“Maybe you’re underthinking it,” she suggests and I stare at her.
She does have a point. I don’t know how any of what I’m doing with Felix—if I’m still doing it—helps his girls, but I’m sure he knows his daughters and his reasons for doing this better than I do.
Besides, as far as they’re concerned it’s just an innocent thing. Their dad and I go out to dinner and make each other laugh. How attached to the idea of me could they possibly get?
Before I can respond, my phonebloopsand a text notification pops up. I don’t think I’ve ever picked up my phone and unlocked it faster.
Felix:
How does tomorrow night sound?
Hayworth:
I can’t wait.
“Or maybe…this thing isn’t so fake?” Mom says and it takes me a moment before I listen but when I do, I look up. “What do you mean?”
She smirks and shakes her head. “Nothing. Nothing. I’m sure you know what you’re doing.”
“Of course,” I say.
