CHAPTER SIX
ABIGAIL
“What in the hell was that?” I asked as soon as my parents drove away.
We were standing in the parking lot, outside of the restaurant, after saying our goodbyes to them. I turned to him with genuine fury in my eyes. The last thing I wanted was to have to go through this whole damn rigmarole a second time with them.
“What? I thought it went well considering I only met you two hours ago,” he said. “Don't you?”
He smirked at me, and as much as I wanted to smack that look right off his face, I couldn't help but laugh. It was the only thing I seemed capable of doing in such a screwed-up situation.
“Yeah, but my mom is expecting dinner at your place now,” I said. “And we only agreed to meet up this once to give me some space”
“Did you hear her?” Harry asked. “Your mother loved me! I think I deserve a little thanks for an outstanding performance, don't you think? Perhaps even an award or something.”
With a sigh, I nodded. “You're right. You do,” I said. “Thank you, Harry. You were wonderful, better than I imagined. I just don't know what to tell my mom about dinner being cancelled.”
“Easy,” he said with a shrug. “Don't cancel it.”
His answer took me by surprise and I stared at him blankly, trying to read his beautiful face for any clues he might offer up. But he just stood there with a smug smile on his face, as if this was enjoying this chaos he was wreaking in my life. I grinned and shook my head. I should have known that things weren't going to go completely smoothly – they never did for me. But the last thing I saw was my phony boyfriend striking up a friendship with my all too real mother.
“But that means dinner with my parents again,” I said. I reached for my phone. “Which reminds me, I need to pay you back for dinner tonight.”
“No, you don't, Abigail,” he said, squeezing my hand – I had no idea we were still holding hands until that moment. “I had fun, and I'd love to entertain you and your parents one more time. It's all on me.”
I looked at him, taken completely aback. “But why?” I asked. “You were only supposed to help me pull one over on them tonight.”
“Why not?” he said with a shrug. “Trust me, there are far worse ways to spend an evening than with a gorgeous, successful, intelligent and interesting woman – and her parents, who can't stop gushing over how wonderful and successful I am.”
“Oh, so this is about how my mom gushes over you?” I said and laughed. “Feeds the ego, huh?”
“A wee bit, yes, I won't lie,” he said with a laugh, turning to face me.
He was close enough that I could smell his amazing cologne, could almost feel the heat coming off of his skin. I was really starting to hope that Kirby had been wrong about him being gay.
“But it's more than just that,” he said. “You're absolutely stunning, Abigail Johnston, and I would love to see you again sometime.”
I looked at him for a long moment, and he held my gaze, a small, flirty smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Suddenly, laughter bubbled up from my chest.
“See me again? Okay, now you have me convinced, you're that good,” I said.
Knowing that he couldn’t really be interested in me , I playfully pushed him away, even though for some strange reason, I wanted nothing more than for him to get closer to me.
“I'm good at many, many things,” he said, taking my hands in his. “Most of which I can't show you in public.”
“Or at all,” I laughed. “Because I'm not a man, you mean. I'm going to give you credit though, you most certainly put on a hell of a show.”
Harry's smile faltered and he cocked his head, a confused look on his handsome face. “What are you talking about?”
I looked at him, feeling my own smile faltering a bit. “What are you talking about?” I turned the question back on him.
“Well, I was insinuating what I can do in the bedroom –”
“And so was I,” I said with a laugh, trying to recover my bearings. “Do I really have to explain the joke to you? Okay, well, since I'm a woman and you're gay, you –”
Harry stopped me with a look that threw me off guard. His eyes were wide and his mouth was hanging open. He looked – shocked. Maybe even a little embarrassed.
“I'm not gay,” he said. “Why would you think I'm gay?”
“Yes, you are,” I playfully punched him on the arm. “My folks are long gone. You can drop the act now. Well at least until next week, when you have to go back to being my straight boyfriend again.”
“Abigail, I promise you, I'm not gay,” he said again, this time with an amused chuckle. “You honestly think I'm gay?”
“But Kirby said –”
I played back everything she told me about my date in my head. And then I matched that with everything he'd said when I first met him in the bar. With wide eyes and an overwhelming feeling of nausea in my stomach, I stared back at Harry, covering my mouth.
“Oh God, you're not – you're not him,” I said. “She said his name was John – not Harry. Do you even know Kirby?”
“Honestly?” he asked, running a hand through his dark hair with a cocky grin on his face. “No, I don't. I have no idea who this Kirby is. I had no idea what was going on. I just saw a beautiful woman and decided to play along.”
“Fuck me,” I said, digging in my purse and scrambling for my car keys.
I knew things had gone too smoothly. I knew that something was going to go completely sideways. I just never expected the fuck up to be of such a grand scale.
“Yes, please,” he teased. “If you'll still have me, that is.”
“I can't do this. Harry, you're a nice guy, but I can't do this, I'm sorry,” I said. “I'll tell my mom we broke up, cancel the dinner and –”
“Keep her on your ass about getting a boyfriend?” Harry asked. “Because, that's what this little show was all about, right? Making sure your mom thinks you're happily with somebody?”
“Yeah, well, that's just the way it has to be, I guess,” I muttered, still not finding my keys in my purse.
I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. I wanted to punch something. I was so frustrated and angry that I wasn't thinking or seeing straight.
“It doesn't have to be that way, you know,” he said, his eyes sparkling. “I am still willing to have them over for dinner. I wasn't lying when I said I had fun. I enjoyed my time with your folks very much. And with you too, Abigail.”
“But you want something from me in return, don't you?” I said. “There's a quid pro quo here. There always is.”
He shrugged. “Just your company,” he said. “Listen, I don't want a girlfriend either. I have no desire to get serious with you, or anyone. Now, hooking up for a little fun, maybe –”
“No,” I said, putting my foot down – literally. “Because things just get messy and somebody always ends up getting hurt.”
I couldn't deny that my body wanted him in ways my brain would never allow. It had been two years since I'd had sex with anyone – and my toys just weren't getting the job done anymore. I wanted to hook up, to maybe have a fling here and there, but every time I thought about it, I remembered Trevor and all the pain he caused me.
Men weren't worth it.
But hell, the sex just might be.
“Alright,” Harry said, holding his hands up in defeat. “Just wanted to help. You seem like a nice girl, thought maybe we could work something out to help you with your little problem, but I guess not. It was nice meeting you, Abigail. If you change your mind –”
He handed me his number written on a napkin before flagging down the valet. I watched him walk away and admired the view. Tonight had gone so well because of him, I had to admit. And breaking it to my mom that we weren't together anymore? That would just convince her that we hadn't really been dating in the first place. And that would lead to all manner of drama I didn't want or need.
Things had only gone so smoothly to that point because we'd both worked it tonight and made a convincing happy couple. We even manufactured a convincing chemistry together. So for things to suddenly go downhill that quickly? Not impossible, sure, but my mom would always have her doubts.
And then she'd be back to pushing Chad on me. Or worse.
The valet pulled up with a sleek, black BMW. Even his car was amazing, go figure. He turned to wave at me, and I ran after him.
“Wait,” I said. “Maybe we can work something out.”
And that's how I set up our little arrangement. But it was more than just keeping my parents off my back. I figured I could use a little fun too. I deserved it, right? Harmless fun, that's all it would be. Neither of us wanted a relationship, just someone to satisfy our carnal needs. Nothing could be wrong with that. Could it?