“And until then?”
“We’re your friendly neighborhood coffee shop couple?”
His lips quirk. Nowhere near the almost-smile he rocks in the video, but we’re inching closer. Maybe that should be my new goal: get him to show me that face for real.
“I should probably do some work before we close up.” He starts to head into the back, but I can’t help myself from stopping him.
“But hey, I’m wondering.”
He turns back. “Yeah?”
“When do you think they took that video? Early on in the concert or…you know, after Fran and Nora showed up?” It’s a question I probably don’t want the answer to, but I ask anyway. Hope can be a pernicious weed that will take root anywhere.
He stares at me for a second, no doubt hearing everything Ididn’t say. Did they take that before I got you tangled up in this fake boyfriend mess? Or were you already acting?
“Must have been after,” he says.
The little seed of foolish hope in my heart shrivels up like a raisin. Pretty sure I hear a sad trombone somewhere, too.
“Right. Totally.” My hand flashes him a thumbs-up entirely of its own volition. “I’ll get started on closing clean up.”
He pauses but then nods, disappearing into the back.
I start wiping down tabletops, reminding myself that if I’m going to be in a fake relationship, at least I’m in it with a really good actor.
text thread
Nathan: Does anyone know where I can buy flannel shirts?
Nathan: Trying to get a competitive edge with the single women of Sunshine
Nathan: Since it worked so well for Reed
Graham: Why do you think flannel is what worked?
Nathan: It wasn’t his grumpy face
Nathan: I need tips
Lucy: You need a whole instruction manual
Nathan: I’m ready to learn
Luke: You could tone down the eagerness
Nathan: Not a problem
Nathan: I’m not even interested anymore
Nathan: Tell me more
Dad: A sense of humor helps
Luke: Do you think that worked for Reed?
Mom: His dry humor is delightful
Lucy: They fell into their assigned tropes