Page 21 of The Bad Boyfriend Curse
“Okay. I have a dress shirt.” There is a small mischievous smile on his face. “But I can edge it all up a little. Studded belt? I can put jewelry in all my piercings?”
I turn to him, eyes wide. “You havemorepiercings?”
He nods. “Yeah. My ears, and my septum. I used to get a new hole in my face every time I got frustrated with living in this town. It ended up being… a lot.”
I wonder if he wears eyebrow rings because he knows he has the most expressive eyebrows in the world.Girl! Get a grip!I cough. “I wanted to get a septum ring last year, but I chickened out,” I say. I love the look, but I was worried that it would affect my chances of getting internships.
“But you still got the nostril piercing?” he asks.
I nod, my hand going to the small silver ball in my nose. “Yeah, because nostril piercings areIndian, so it’s culturally appropriate for a professional to have one.” Noah frowns, saying nothing. “Are you offended that I’m only asking youto come because I think my parents won’t think you’re good enough for me?”
He chuckles, shaking his head slowly. “Nah. I alreadyknowthat the LeClairs don’t think a Jacobs is good enough for one of their own.”
I suddenly wince. I’m an idiot. Noah said his fatherworksin the plant, and that he himself might work there in September. He should not be upsetting his dad’s boss, or his future boss, should he? “Aren’t you afraid of, you know,angeringthe LeClairs? Your dad works in the plant. And you said you might work there in September.”
Noah laughs again. “What are they going to do? Fire Dad because his son has a tattoo? The union would love that. Dad’s untouchable at the plant anyway.” He pauses for a moment. “And if they decide they don’t want me in September, then so be it. There are other places to get work. I’ll run it by Dad anyway, but I suspect he’ll love this idea as much as I do. This is going to be fun.”
Why would his dadlovethis idea? I clench my fist on the weeding tool, pushing down my nerves. I hope I’m not making an enormous mistake because of the curse again.
It should be fine. The curse might be the reason I have a bit of a (okay,a lotof a) crush on Noah, but it’s not why I asked him to be my pretend date.
I’m just willing to do whatever I need to do to get sent home.
Sadie and Liv pick me up from the park again.
“What did Noah say?” Sadie asks the moment I slide into the back seat.
“No!” Liv immediately exclaims. “Don’t tell us yet. I can’t concentrate on Meera while I’m driving. Let’s go for coffee.”
“Works for me,” I say.
“We can’t go to The Brewberry,” Sadie says. “Kaitlyn and Reagan are there, and I assume you don’t want to tell them. Donut Den?”
“Yes!” Liv says, turning left before the bridge. “I’ve been craving an apple fritter for a week.”
With a name like Donut Den, I expect one of those old-fashioned donut shops, like a non-chain Tim Hortons. So I’m quite shocked when instead we walk into a dark pub, complete with red velvet booths and a little stage on one side. It looks like it hasn’t been renovated in twenty-five years. “Um… this is a donut shop?”
“Yep,” Sadie says, heading to a booth. “Coffee, donuts, and sandwiches before six; beer, nachos, and burgers after six. Donut Den is a Cherrybridgeinstitution. Their apple fritters are the best in Ontario.”
When a young waitress comes to take our order, I get a coffee and an apple fritter.
“This place is weird,” I say, after closing the menu. “I can’t believe you’re allowed to hang out here.”
Sadie laughs. “Only before dark! Dad says it used to be a bar only, but when the only coffee shop south of the river closed, they changed the name and started serving donuts and coffee. Now there’s a Tim Hortons down the street, but this place is still super popular.”
“Their donuts arewaybetter than anywhere else in town,” Liv adds.
The waitress comes with our coffee and donuts, and as soon as she’s gone, I take a bite of the apple fritter. It’s amazing. The thinnest sugar glaze over crispy cinnamon-scented fried dough dotted with sweet caramelized apples. Keeley would love this place; she loves quirky hole-in-the-wall restaurants. I use my phone to snap a picture of my donut with a bite out of it with the brown mug of coffee.
“Okay, spill,” Liv says. “Did you ask Noah to the party?”
“Yep, and he said yes. Very little convincing needed.”
Sadie laughs. “Wow. I can’t believe he agreed.”
“Of course he’d agree,” Liv says. “Meera’s a babe. Who wouldn’t want to go on a date with her?”
I shake my head and make a face. “Thank you, butfakedate. I told him exactly why I asked—to upset Mom and Jason enough that they’ll send me home.”
