Page 49 of Love, Academically
He hadn’t really thought about it, but yeah, perhaps he did like her. Lila was okay to be around, once you got past all the rainbows. She hadn’t had a clue what his family did, she hadn’t googled him, she hadn’t checked theSunday TimesRich List, and that was refreshing.
“I suppose I do like her,” he said, nodding.
“Hmm mmm,” Dan smirked. Rhys chose not to follow up on that ambiguous noise.
“I helped her out, she’s helping me out,” he said. “We have a transactional relationship.”
“Right,” Dan said. “And how is she helping you out?”
“She’s being my fake girlfriend for a family dinner.”
“Woah,” Dan said. “She’s meeting the parents already?”
“It’s no big deal,” Rhys said with a shrug.
“Yeah, it is. It’s much bigger than fake-boyfriending for an ex,” Dan said, leaning his arms on the table. “Why do you even need a fake girlfriend?”
“It’ll just be easier. My parents expect it, Seren will be there as well and I just want to prove to them that I’m succeeding at life.”
“Ah yes, Seren and Ieuan,” Dan said, voice hard. Rhys had gotten over Seren a long time ago, and her marrying his cousin, Ieuan, whilst weird, wasn’t the end of the world for him. He didn’t love her, had no claim on her, and if they were happy together, who was he to stand in their way? “I get it, man. Lila’s cute and I bet parents love her.”
Dan was right; Lila was cute, with her little nose and clear eyes. His mother would love her and so would his sister. But his father? Who knew what he would think. He’d just have to make sure Lila wasn’t left to fend for herself with his father’s scathing, penetrative questions. Whatever Lila said, his father would find some fault with her. There was no pleasing that man and he wasn’t about to subject Lila to an interrogation. No one deserved that, especially not someone who was helping him out.
She would be there as a prop. A physical manifestation of the success of his life. They could have an amicable fake break-up at a suitable time in the future.
It was time for a subject change.
“Tell me about work,” Rhys said. If this was supposed to be a ‘catch up’, he wanted to make sure he covered all aspects.
Dan launched into staff politics in the Engineering Department and Rhys was once again glad that he didn’t have to share resources or machines, or whatever engineers used, with other lecturers. It was bad enough having to share the departmental library where they kept the Charter Roll publications and not for the first time, Rhys wondered why he couldn’t just have them in his room. But rules were rules and they were made to be followed. Something about ‘being available for all staff and students’. Like his students were going to look for primary source material without having it shoved under their noses.
It was nearly ten before they left. Rhys dropped Dan home, ignoring the question as to why his car smelled of vanilla.
Lunch? How long would it take to buy a dress? If they were there for about ten, he should be home by midday. Shouldn’t he?
Chapter 8
Oniomania(noun) onio·ma·nia
An uncontrollable desire to buy things
Lila
Rhys was on time, precisely on time. Of course he was.
“Sit on the sofa. I will be two minutes,” she said, grabbing her handbag from the floor and plonking it on the table. She just needed her heels to try dresses on with (especially now she could walk properly again), and her sunglasses, because the weather had promised some sunshine.
“Are you not ready?” Rhys asked, arms crossed in front of his rather pleasant chest. Casual Rhys was looking especially edible today. Worn, dark blue jeans and a plain, long-sleeved beige Henley with the two buttons undone at the neck had never looked so good.
“I am ready, I just need two minutes to get a couple of extra things.”
“So, you’re not ready then.”
She pinned him with a look. “Rhys, are you going to be like this all day? Because I need to know whether to bring extra cookies or not.”
