Page 21 of Pretend I’m Yours
It was obvious to me what she was doing, but I was confused as to why. She clearly could see that there was some sort of connection between me and the waitress. Hell, it had to be obvious to everyone in the whole restaurant with the display she had made.
Hannah was clearly trying to give off the appearance there was a real relationship between the two of us. I wanted to ask her what she was doing, but I didn’t dare. Anna Marie would be back in mere moments, and I wanted her to see this display of affection every bit as much as Hannah wanted to show it off.
“And I thought we could go on a cruise or something after I graduate. You know how stressed I’ve been lately, I’d love to see the Mediterranean or something,” Hannah continued. She was looking past me as she spoke, however, only turning her attention back to me when Anna Marie returned with the bottle.
As at the other restaurant, Anna Marie made a show of pouring the wine first into the decanter then into the glasses, setting them down in front of each of us, though she refused to make eye contact.
“Are you ready to order?” she asked, rather harshly. I could see the plethora of emotions that were playing around the corners of her lips. She was clearly angry, but it was difficult for me to tell if there was any sadness or regret.
“I think we need a few more minutes,” Hannah chimed in. “Thank you.”
Without a word, Anna Marie reached for the bottle and decanter, but I stopped her. “Oh, you can leave that. I’m sure we’ll make it through the whole thing.”
She gave me another look that was clearly full of anger. I wished to see some sort of regret or sorrow mixed in, but she just looked to be pissed off. Of course, that would be typical of Anna Marie. She loved to pretend like the entire world was out to get her, and nothing was ever her fault.
She probably thought that she was justified in doing what she did, and if I had been there to do what she wanted when she wanted, then she wouldn’t have had to leave me like she had. Hell, if I was right in my hunch that Charlie had left her, then there was little doubt in my mind she’d see any fault of her own in that, either.
Anna Marie, the girl everyone thought was perfect and whom most wanted, finally had to face the facts. If she wanted to live the rich and lavish life, she was going to have to work for it.
No one was going to just give it to her, and I was more than done trying. She turned on her heel and walked back toward the kitchen, and Hannah happily went back to her stories of her schoolwork. I knew I was going to have to ask her about them again sometime.
When I wasn’t so taken with running into my ex.
After another fifteen minutes, we both ordered, once again making a point of ordering expensive items off the menu. I got the impression Hannah was also proving a point to our waitress by ordering things that seemed out of character to her.
And I appreciated it. Hell, the more she could make it appear as though I was the one with money, the more I could put on the show, finally getting the revenge on Anna Marie I so desperately wanted.
I had sacrificed years of my life to making that woman happy, only to have her run off with my best friend. If I could make her think that I had finally achieved what she always wanted, but she missed out on it because of her own selfishness, then I was going to take full advantage of that situation. It felt petty, but in that moment I didn’t care.
After dinner, Hannah didn’t move as I paid for the food on the credit card she’d given me, then the two of us gathered our things to leave. I was glad it was a business card with just the company name across the front. Even then, my ex wouldn’t be able to know it wasn’t my money.
It wasn’t until we were out on the sidewalk that I turned to Hannah with an inquisitive look clearly written on my face. “What was that all about?”
She shrugged. “I saw when she walked over that both of you nearly threw up. Mostly, I could see there was pain in your face, however, and anger in hers. She had to have done something to you in the past.”
I hesitated. I didn’t want to go into the whole story. Not now. Not when I was feeling so good. Though Hannah had just done something amazing for me, and I felt it was only right that I told her the truth.
