“For what?” Kirsten scoffed. “To convince you to have more great sex?”
“Once was enough. I’m not going there again.”
“I thought you were the one living in the moment and surrendering to impulse.”
“I did that. I’m moving on.”
“Uh huh. Okay. Our first rule is no more sex, then.”
“Excellent rule.”
“What would undermine that rule?”
“A kiss,” Shannyn admitted. “He kisses like he invented it.”
Kirsten laughed again. “And there is no yearning in that comment. I can tell that you don’t want to go there again.”
“It’s not smart to go there again.”
“That is different. Number two: no kisses. What else weakens your resolve?”
“Phone calls in the middle of the night,” Shannyn said immediately.
“Why?”
“I don’t know. It’s intimate. Sexy. It feels like a guilty pleasure.”
“I can feel that shiver from here,” Kirsten said. “Is he likely to call you again?”
“I don’t know. He might text first.”
“Don’t answer your texts or your phone at night.”
“Then I wouldn’t be talking to you.” They laughed together then Shannyn agreed. “No sex, no kisses, no late night phone calls.”
“How about no more connections?”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t be drawn into just one more thing. Make a line in the sand.”
“But there’s this job at the club. I applied for it.”
“And you don’t think he’ll make sure you get it?”
“He promised he wouldn’t. It’s a nice bit of work, a steady trickle.”
“What else?” Kirsten demanded and Shannyn sighed.
“You know me too well.”
“I can smell it when you have an idea.”
“I do. I was thinking of making a pitch to them for a bigger job, taking photos for an ad campaign for them.”
“Remind me again who’s the one making excuses to prolong this?”
Shannyn laughed. “If I get either or both freelance jobs, I can do them without seeing Tyler. He has a day job. I can easily avoid him.”
“But will you?”
“Yes.”
“Uh huh. I think we should add another rule.”
“Like what?”
“No poetry. I remember how you practically swooned when it was his turn to read aloud in that class.”
So did Shannyn.
“I think that’s a gimme. There’s so little call for 19th century romantic poetry in real life.”
“That’s fair. I have one more proposed rule,” Kirsten said. “I think you like provoking him.”
Shannyn smiled. “Guilty as charged. He’s so in control. I can’t help myself. I just want to push him over the edge. It’s a perfectly natural reaction.”
“Well, you’re not allowed,” Kirsten said. “It’s also a sign of attraction and you can bet that he knows it. If you were really indifferent to him, you wouldn’t notice or care about his mood.” Shannyn knew her friend was right. “That’s the final rule.”
“You’re taking all the fun out of it.”
“Fun is what’s going to get you into trouble. Fun is what you called me to avoid.”
“True.”
“If you want fun, forget this list and just go for it, savor this fake date until the bride throws her bouquet and the happy couple drive into the sunset. But if you’re trying to play it safe, you don’t get to give him a hard time.”
“I’m not sure I can do that.”
“Then get ready for him to respond. If you can hold your ground on no kisses and no sex then, I’ll salute you.”
“You think I have it bad?”
“I know you have it bad. You would never have suggested this fake date for sex otherwise. You’ve known all along that he was a nice guy, at least in your heart. That’s why you were sweet on him. That’s why it made you so angry that he never noticed you. You were insulted and hurt, and that’s why you called him out.”
Shannyn sighed, knowing her friend was right. “Tell him that and I’ll have to kill you.”
“I know.” It didn’t sound as if Kirsten was troubled by that possibility. “All the better that you’re not bringing him to the wedding. I might get in a mood for confessions and matchmaking.”
“Don’t even think about it,” Shannyn warned and they laughed together.
Then Kirsten cleared her throat. “There is something I have to tell you, too.” Her breathless tone reminded Shannyn of whispered confidences in the darkness of their dorm room. They’d met on the first day of college when assigned to share a room and had bonded instantly. They’d been best friends, though thick and thin, ever since.
“Okay, then tell me.”
Kirsten took a deep breath then her words burst forth. “I’m pregnant.”
Shannyn’s heart made a jump for her throat and for a minute, she couldn’t say anything.
“Are you okay with that?”
“Of course!” It was hard to sound cheerful with a lump in her throat, but Shannyn would be damned if she would let her own biological history get in the way of this friendship. “When’s the big day?
“August.”
Shannyn was surprised. “That’s only three months away. You must have known for a while.”
“I did and not sharing the news has been killing me,” Kirsten confessed. “I wanted to tell you in person, Shannyn, but we keep blowing off our dinners together and with the wedding plans, there just hasn’t been a good time. You’ll notice my bump at the wedding and I knew I had to tell you first.”
“Aha. You had an ulterior motive for listening to me tonight.”
“No! It’s just that Lukas has been telling everyone and—” Kirsten exhaled “—I wanted to tell you myself. I really didn’t want you to learn from someone else.”
“Thanks.”
Shannyn let her friend chatter while she came to terms with the news. Kirsten was pregnant. Did this mean they’d drift apart? She’d seen it before, the rift widening between those with babies and those without, until it was a chasm that couldn’t be breached. It was as if those former friends had nothing left to talk about.
The possibility made her heart hurt.
“Would you be her godmother, Shannyn? “ Kirsten asked suddenly. “She’s going to need all the kickass women in her life she can get. All girls do. It won’t be the same as having your own daughter, of course, but I’d love to have your help. It’s kind of scary to think about being responsible for a little person.”
A girl. Shannyn was overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness of her best friend. “I’d be honored,” she said, her words husky and tears pricking her eyes. “Have you picked a name?”
“We have a list. You know how Lukas is.” Kirsten sounded exasperated. “Nine hundred and seven contenders.”
Shannyn smiled despite herself. “Not really.”
“Not really,” Kirsten ceded. “Maybe only fifty. And he’s making up systems to weigh them against each other.”
“Systems?” It felt good to talk about something else, and gave Shannyn a minute to catch her breath.
“Which ten are shorter,” Kirsten said. “Which ten are easier to pronounce. Which ten are harder to forget. He’s making me nuts.”
Shannyn didn’t believe that for a minute. Kirsten and Lukas were so perfect for each other, an ideal couple with each one’s strengths balancing the other’s. The one trait they shared was a great sense of humor and they teased each other mercilessly. Shannyn had watched them recalculate the balance many times but it always impressed her how smoothly they did it.
“I told him that if he doesn’t ease up on the name thing I’ll send him out for food cravings every morning at three.” Kirsten laughed. “I think he thinks it’s bad luck not to have it all decided in advance.”
“The baby might look like one nam
e suits her better than another,” Shannyn said.
“Exactly!” Kirsten cried. “I knew you’d understand.”
There was a beat of silence between them then Kirsten spoke softly. “You okay?”
“I’m okay. Congratulations.” Shannyn straightened. “You’re going to be great parents.”
“You must hate me right now,” Kirsten said. “We only decided to try at Christmas and it happened right away. I thought it would take at least a year...”
Shannyn interrupted her before she could go far down that road. “I don’t hate you, Kirsten. Don’t ever ever think that. I could never hate you. That’s not how it is with friends. You’re happy, so I’m happy. End of story.”
Shannyn knew it would be a thousand times better to feel dead inside, the way she had after the divorce, than to feel one crumb of envy against her best friend in the world. Kirsten was the only one who had held her hand, the only one who knew every detail and loved her anyway.
“Thank you!”
“And I’m so glad it happened quickly for you,” she said.
“No one needs to go through what you did, Shannyn.”
“It’s over and done, Kirsten. It’s okay. Don’t let that affect your joy right now. Please.”
“I won’t.”
They talked for a few more minutes about the plans for the wedding and the baby, then ended the call. Shannyn stood in her office, looking around her darkened apartment, very aware of her solitude. She heard Lisa turn off the television for the night and the floor creaked as her tenants went to bed. Fitzwilliam was snoring, but otherwise, it was very quiet.
She’d been devastated when Cole left, then insulated from the world by her anger. But thanks to her deal with Tyler, she felt invigorated and ready to take some chances. They had no romantic future, but she could consider that one day, she might find someone new. She had Tyler to thank for her newfound, if fragile, optimism.
The very least she could do was reassure him that their relationship could appear plausible to his family.
Shannyn knew exactly what dress to wear—even though their dinner wasn’t even a fake date. It was a strategy meeting to share information. Nothing more and nothing less.
Funny how that didn’t even begin to explain Shannyn’s level of anticipation.
After all, she had five shiny new rules.
The restaurant Ty had chosen was a small cozy one that had been in business for half of forever and run by the same family the whole time. Ty was greeted like an old friend—or maybe a long lost cousin—and ushered to his favorite corner booth. Shannyn wasn’t there, but he was slightly early.
He wondered whether she was going to show.
He felt uncertain as he seldom did, and yet excited about the evening. Anticipation was something that had been missing from his personal life and he liked its return. He really never knew what to expect from Shannyn, and Ty was surprised by how much he liked that. He thought he was a fan of predictability, but apparently not.
Shannyn kept him guessing and he just wanted more.
When she appeared, Ty almost didn’t recognize her. She was wearing a different black raincoat, one that was tailored rather than big enough to engulf her completely, and she carried a crossover purse that was much smaller than her messenger bag. She must have left her camera at home. He stood up as the maître d’ took her coat and he felt his eyes widen at the change. Shannyn was dressed in her typical black, but wore a sleeveless blouse and slim trousers. Along with her signature silver ring, she wore silver earrings that dangled against her cheeks and a bit of eyeliner. She looked elegant and artistic at the same time and Ty admired the combination. Uptown and downtown in perfect harmony.
Of course, Shannyn noticed his reaction. “You can pick your jaw off the floor now,” she said, sitting down and opening her menu. Her eyes were sparkling and he knew she’d planned to surprise him.
“You look great. A little different than usual.”
Shannyn laughed. “I just wanted to prove to you that your family might not think it insane that we’re together.”
“I’m sold.” In fact, Ty felt a bit boring in his usual suit and tie. He stole another look, trying to figure out how Shannyn took classic clothes and gave them her own twist.
This was also the first time he’d been able to get a good look at the tattoo on her arm. It was a large piece, of the sun and a crescent moon together on her upper arm, the rays of the sun reaching around her arm and raindrops falling all the way to her wrist.
He recalled the phases of the moon across the back of her shoulders. Why the moon again?
Shannyn caught him looking and her brows rose. “You could take a picture.”
“I’d like to,” he admitted, pulling out his phone before she could argue.
“Eye candy for the sisters,” she said, her tone patient as he leaned closer for a selfie of them together. “No,” she said when she looked at the result, much to his surprise. “You’re way better looking than that.” She claimed his phone and changed the settings. “Now lift your chin and squinch your eyes a little...”
“Squinch?”
“Yes, just a little narrowing. Be intense. No teeth in the smile. Do that dangerous one, the one that makes you look like you have it all figured out.”
Ty laughed out loud at that.
“No teeth!” Shannyn chided, then took a bunch of shots. “It’s digital. You can’t waste anything by taking multiples.” She scrolled through the pictures she’d taken, deleted half of them, including the one he’d taken and handed him back his phone.
One more time, Ty was impressed. “Damn. We look great.”
“Just like I know what I’m doing,” Shannyn said lightly and they laughed together. She cast him a playful glance. “And we both clean up well. Look at that. Something in common, against all the odds.”
“Oh, I think we have a lot in common,” Ty said, returning his gaze to the menu as if he didn’t have it memorized.
“Neither of us want more than a fake date,” she added.
“That’s two.”
“You make that sound as if there are more.”
“I think there’s a whole list, but discovering it is part of the fun.” He flicked a glance Shannyn’s way in time to see her eyes narrow. “Why that tattoo?” he asked before she could shut him down.
She held out her arm, studying her ink. “The sun and the moon, the rain and the stars. It’s pretty, and to me, it means seize the day.”
“Carpe diem.” An excellent philosophy, but not one Ty had associated with Shannyn. Maybe it explained Tuesday night.
“Not exactly,” she said with a little frown. “More like, good morning. You’ve gotten another day and maybe another night. What are you going to do with that? How are you going to make it count?” She shrugged as if the tattoo wasn’t important.
Ty wasn’t fooled. It had been an investment in time and money. It mattered.
She just didn’t want him to guess how much.
“How are you going to change the world?” he suggested.
“Or just your life. Maybe someone else’s life.” Shannyn shrugged. “We’re not just here to take up space.” She frowned at the menu but did a lousy job of ignoring him.
“And the other one?” he prompted. “The moons?”
“That everything has a season.” She smiled a little but didn’t look up. “Or maybe ‘this too shall pass’.”
Ty had the urge to straighten out her ex one more time. “Why do you need the reminders?”
“Because both things are easy to forget, of course. What’s good here?”
“Everything I’ve tried, which is pretty much everything except the squid.” He leaned in and talked to her about the choices, as if they were on a real date. They agreed on sparkling water instead of wine, and placed their orders, then sat back and considered each other.
“What’s really going on here?” Shannyn asked.
“Dinner, I think.”
“No.
More than that.” She fixed him with a look. Ty wondered if she had x-ray vision because he felt pinned to the spot. “You’re up to something.”
Ty shook his head. “Not a chance. I just have a new plan.”
“Aha! Care to share?”
“It’s not that complicated. You like having your own way. I decided it would be easiest to just fall in with that.”
“Meaning?”
“You make the rules and I’ll follow them.”
She studied him for a long moment, clearly skeptical. Ty braced himself for her reaction, whatever it might be. “You’re kidding me.”
Ty shook his head then crossed his heart with two fingers.
To his relief, Shannyn smiled, but she still looked wary. “By strange and unusual coincidence, I happen to have a list of new rules.”
“For?”
“For the rest of this fake relationship. From today though the tossing of the bouquet.”
“Should I take notes?”
“I think you’ll remember.” Shannyn looked him in the eye. “Number one is no sex.”
“Because it was bad or because it was good?” Ty had to ask.
“I don’t have to tell.”
“No sex between you and me, or between either of us and anyone else?”
“Between you and me. A fake date shouldn’t stand in the way of a real one with another interested party.”
“I have to beg to differ on that.” Ty thought that she was warning him, but didn’t believe they were that different. She’d left when Giselle had arrived, and he didn’t think that was about threesomes.
After all, she’d been the first to ask about other relationships.
“Okay, for a few weeks, I can surrender that. If either of us finds a candidate, we can renegotiate.”
Ty doubted she’d surrender more than that. “Sounds like a plan. Number two?” he invited.
“No kisses.”
“You’re taking all the fun out of this,” he teased, wanting to make her smile.
Shannyn looked startled instead. She shook a finger at him. “Number three: no late night phone calls.”
Ty couldn’t understand that one. The temptation of physical pleasure was one thing, but phone calls? “Why not?”
“My rules. I don’t have to explain them. You said you’d follow them.”
Just One Fake Date: A Contemporary Romance (Flatiron Five Fitness Book 1) Page 20
