Page 16 of The Great Dating Fake Off
As soon as she’s out of earshot, I whistle softly and fist my hands on my hips. “Upscale and casual are antonyms—”
“I told you she was on another level, Nora.” Benji massages his temples. “Did I not tell you? My needs? Who says stuff like that? This is too much. And she’s going to immediately tell my sister and everyone else about the separate rooms, which will draw sus—”
“Whoa. Benji.” He’s about to blow our cover and it hasn’t even been an hour. My gaze darts to Sebastian, and then away from him just as quickly when I catch him watching us. I guide Benji into a cold, uncomfortable embrace so no one can hear what I say next. “It’s fine. She’s excited, but she’ll calm down when she gets used to me. We’ll get one room and one of our cots can go in the bathroom or entryway or something. Cool your jets, please.”
“What about my mother suggests she’s capable of calming down? She’s chill only when she’s asleep or sedated!”
I sigh and release him. “Do you want to be sedated? Because I’ve got Ambien and you can go lie—”
“I think we should bail. If we leave now, we can make it back in time for Jeopardy. Then we’ll phase this thing out.”
I try to body block him, as if it’ll stop people from hearing our conversation. Notably Sebastian and Alessia, who at this point aren’t even pretending not to eavesdrop. With Benji’s volume, there’s no point in pretending.
The line lurches forward, and Benji barely moves with it until I stare daggers at his face. He takes a small step.
I promised him I’d get him through the week and keep his family off his back so he could spend time with his grandfather and support Rosalina, and that requires keeping him here. Sure, feigning coupledom has seemed to result in even more attention on us—at least for now—but that’ll dwindle the longer we’re here. It has to.
And if it doesn’t, it’s just for a few days. As soon as we’re back, Benji will re-cocoon himself like a reverse butterfly, and he can tell them we’ve broken up when he so chooses.
In the meantime, we’re doing what we came here to do. He’ll be glad we stayed, even if he doesn’t see it now. His Nonno Santino isn’t getting any younger and his sister isn’t getting any less married. A brother doesn’t just miss a sister’s wedding week. If I had a sibling, I wouldn’t miss a single occasion of theirs for the world.
Time to use the same strategy I used when he refused to see a doctor for what ended up being a hernia that needed medical attention. Wear him down. “You spent all that time on the illustrated family tree and we’re just going to bail? All that ink from the printer wasted on colored headshots. Poppycock. I studied and memorized generations of Ferraros, Benjamino. Let me show off that knowledge.”
He groans. “Nora—”
I drive a finger into his chest. “Trust me. If you leave now, you’ll regret it. Who was right about your hernia?”
“You. You wouldn’t let it go until I went to the ER.” His frown deepens, and his tone takes on a rare sincerity. “Why are you so good to me? You really should replace me with nicer friends.”
“Nah. Your grumpy ass sends the best memes.”
“I am a meme curator first and a human second.” He sighs. “What the hell kind of word is poppycock, anyway?”
“A terrible one. Why don’t you text Santino? See if he wants to get a drink after we get our keys. Blow off some steam.”
He eyes the exit, his decision hanging in the balance.
And if the disappointment that floods me at the idea of leaving and missing Rosalina’s big week and all the shenanigans to come is any indication, I’m already committed to staying.But as I turn and catch the look of deep skepticism etched on Sebastian’s face, it seems we may have a more immediate problem than Benji’s indecision.
Chapter Four
Sebastian
Something’s off with Nora and her boss.
His mother was in the bookstore two weeks ago hounding Nora’s “boyfriend” about being single. And the other woman she was there with was force-feeding him phone numbers for potential girlfriends—in front of Nora, whodidn’t even bat an eye. If that wasn’t telling enough, she and her boss booked more than one room at this resort.
She’s now looking at me like a deer in the headlights.
Fake game recognizes fake game.
These two are no more a couple than Alessia and I .
It’s none of my business, but I can’t help but feel for the guy. His mom is more intense about marrying him off than Nella ever thought of being, and that’s saying something, since Nella once invited her cardiologist’s engaged granddaughter to the movies with us “in case I could turn the tide.” I understand the pressure he feels.
Benjamino looks like he wants to bolt. If these two are actually together—
They aren’t. I’m sure of it.
