by Piper Rayne
“I’m gonna go help Evan.” I point with my thumb behind me, then bolt. Evan is putting the plates on the table. “Something is going on. They know.”
She scoffs. “How on Earth would they know?”
“I don’t know, but they must. Something weird is going on.”
“Well, I agree with you there, so make the proposal fast, okay? If you wait, everyone will know you’re hiding something.”
“Hey, I’ll propose how I want to,” I tell her.
“I’m just saying that if you drag it out or get all gushy about it, that’s not you.”
“Not me? How do you know what I’d be like if I was actually going to propose to you for real?”
She stops placing the napkins next to the plates and stares at me with an expression that says, “I know you.”
“I’m going to be so convincing even you will think it’s real.”
She laughs and continues setting the table.
I shove my hand in my pocket, feeling for the ring. “Try me.”
As normal as it feels to be with Evan, our parents’ attitudes toward one another aren’t normal and I can’t help but think they know we’re pretending. But there’s no way they could’ve found out. Nothing has been announced. Sure, maybe the other paired restaurants know the situation with the show and the pairings, but no one would ever think that we’d collaborate.
Our dads come in smelling of cigar smoke, talking about football and who will win the Super Bowl. Evan and I keep exchanging looks, and I know in my gut that I’m missing something.
“Can we have a word with you two?” Mr. Erickson calls to us.
I take Evan’s hand like a good boyfriend, and we walk through the archway into the living room. Our fathers are seated in the two chairs, leaving the couch I sat on just days ago free.
“So, can we hear the story of how you two came to be?” Mr. Erickson says.
My dad sits back, glances at Mr. Erickson, and smirks my way.
They know. They fucking know what we’re doing.
“Um…” Evan begins, but I’m not going to play into their hands.
I grab Evan’s hand and entwine our fingers. “I can’t tell you how happy we are seeing you two mending your feud in support of us together.”
Evan squeezes my hand.
The smile strips from my dad’s face. “We both believe family comes first and we wouldn’t put our crap on you two. Right, Vic?”
“Sure. I mean, if you two love one another, who are we to stand in the way?” Mr. Erickson says. “Though, Seth, I’m upset to hear that you came to ask me for Evan’s hand after you’d already proposed.”
I look at my dad. Damn it. What doesn’t he understand about not saying anything?
“It was an in-the-moment thing. I’m sure back when you fell in love with Mrs. Erickson, you lost all rational thought when she was around. I do apologize.”
“There’s no ring though?” My dad glances at Evan’s hand.
“I have a ring.” I pull it out of my pocket and grab Evan’s hand—probably with a little too much force—to prove to the two smug men across from me that they’re wrong.
“Your mother has your grandmother’s ring. Evan will wear that one.” My dad raises his eyebrows at me to see if I’ll refute his wishes.
Nice touch, Dad, but I’m playing to win here, so I’ll give Evan the ring and she’ll give it back after this is all over. “Great. That would be wonderful. I didn’t want to ask because I didn’t know how you’d feel, but since we’re all one big happy family now…”
Both dads glance at one another.
“Dinner!” Mrs. Erickson calls from the kitchen.
“Come on, honey, you can tell us all about how you fell in love with Seth during dinner.” Mr. Erickson waves Evan to her feet.
We walk to the table, but there’s no dinner waiting. The salad my mom was cutting up isn’t even on the table. We slide into our seats anyway, giving each other questioning looks.
My dad plops a newspaper down in front of me. “Care to explain this?”
I read the announcement from the Food Channel congratulating all the local businesses that made the cut and will be spotlighted. Each eatery is announced, along with their counterpart, and sure enough, halfway down it reads, “The Bagel Place and Andrews Bagel Company.” I pass the newspaper to Evan and she sighs.
As my mind spins to figure out what to say, Evan opens her mouth and beats me to the punch. “I’m sorry we went behind your backs, but we did it so you guys would have to finally end this feud. And then we were going to tell you that we were dating, but well…” She looks at me and her face morphs into an expression filled with admiration and love. “Seth proposed and everything just spiraled out of control. Here we are.”
Good job, Evan.
Our parents all sit at the table, staring us down.
“So you guys really are together?” My mom’s hopeful expression says that smile on her face when I walked in was genuine.
My father’s scowl is as predicted. He and Mr. Erickson thought they could get one over on us.
Lord, please forgive me for what I’m about to do. “We are.”
Another wide smile creases my mom’s lips and she peers at Mrs. Erickson, who is smiling just as wide.
“Then we need to start planning the engagement party,” my mom says.
Evan chokes on her water, spitting it on the newspaper and wetting our names. “What?”
My dad’s scowl turns victorious. “An engagement party. You know, it’s a celebration that of the love you two share.”
“But—”
“Yes, great idea,” I cut Evan off.
“Grab a pad of paper, let’s start with the guest list,” Mr. Erickson says to his wife, who gets up and returns with a pad and pen.
And before I can think of how to spin this, our parents are rambling out a bunch of names to add to the list.
Okay, we can handle this. I mean, an engagement party is fine. It’s not like they’re asking us to elope.
“Oh, and you two?” my dad says, looking to Mr. Erickson for confirmation. “There will be no joint venture for the show. We can accept you two as a couple, but that’s it. So whichever one of you organized that with the Food Channel will have to tell them no.”
Evan sighs and her shoulders show her disappointment as they slump. I grip her hand and squeeze.
Parents one, kids zero. But we will come out on top. I promised her she’ll get out of her current situation, and I will make that happen one way or another. I just hope we don’t end up pretend married in the process.
Chapter Twenty
Evan
* * *
“Mom, I don’t have to go away this weekend,” I say, filling the bagel boxes and cream cheese tubs for our Friday morning orders.
“Nonsense, you two need to go and have fun. You’re only young once.” Her smile conveys that she means what she’s saying, whereas my dad always has some snide remark and a look like I’m about to confess that Seth and I are faking it after all.
Since they cornered us two weeks ago and called our bluff, we’ve portrayed ourselves like a real couple. Which usually consists of Seth coming to my house to pick me up, then we either head to his place, go to dinner, or a movie. It feels a little like we’re dating, but as soon as we’re out of anyone’s vision, the handholding and the little pecks on the cheek stop.
“But you’ll have to run the store—”
“Evan,” my mom says, squaring her vision on me. “Relax, we’re good. Elsie can come in, and your dad wants to work a bit. I think he got scared when he saw that newspaper article that things were moving out of his control. I mean, did you really think you two could do that Food Channel thing and get away with it?”
“It’s a good opportunity for all of us.”
Mom turns away from the boxes of bagels and grabs a few containers of cream cheese, adding them to the boxes.
I should let this go. Confess the truth. But that small sliver of hope I
had that maybe I can get out of running this place has been sparked, and I can’t douse the flame yet. “Mom—”
She shakes her head like a toddler who doesn’t want to hear what I have to say. “I know, Evan. I know what you were doing.”
“You do?” My heart nearly sputters to a stop. Fear rips me up and guilt consumes me. Guilt that I didn’t have the backbone to just confront my parents.
“You and Seth thought if you could mend fences where the businesses are concerned that we’d accept you two. You were so young when it all went down, there are things you don’t understand. Your fathers cannot work together. It was a disaster from the beginning. Competitiveness and pettiness about whose whatever was better. Your dad wanted to fiddle with the bagel recipe and Chris the cream cheese. We really are better off this way.”
“But are we? The people at the Food Channel raved about the combination.”
Maybe had our parents seen the judges’ faces, they’d have a different feeling about the entire thing.
She shakes her head. “Believe me, if you and Seth want to be together, it’s best to keep business out of it.”
I want to scream that we’re not a real couple, that we just want the businesses to collaborate this one time and then we can all go back to hating one another. “Not even just for the show?”
A hollow laugh escapes her. “I can just see it… national television, your dad and Chris at each other’s throats about which product makes the other better. It’s a lose-lose situation, honey.”
I take a handful of the boxes and bring them to the front for pick up. Looking up at the chime of the door, I assume I’ll find Seth—since he’s supposed to be here to pick me up—but it’s Brock. Panic flares and my breath hitches. He’s called me a few times since he texted me after we broke up, but I’ve ignored him.
He casually walks up to the register, staring at the menu as though he doesn’t know every item already from all the time he used to spend here, waiting for me.
“Can I help you?” I ask.
“Yeah, I’ll get an asiago with vegetable cream cheese. For here.”
My shoulders sink. “Brock, why are you really here?”
“Can’t a guy get a bagel? Or should I go to your fiancé Andrews’ place now?”
The phone rings and I hear my mom answer it in the back.
I inhale a deep breath before I speak. I guess we’re doing this. “We were already over before anything started with Seth.”
“Do I look like a fucking idiot? You embarrassed me. My friends and family think you broke up with me for that piece of shit, Andrews. Either that, or you were already screwing him behind my back.”
“I guarantee you, our breakup had nothing to do with him.” I narrow my eyes. “That was all you.”
I turn to busy myself making the bagel with the hope that the sooner he gets it, the sooner he’ll leave. If he’s here when Seth gets here, I can’t imagine what might happen.
“It’s like going down memory lane being in here again. Reminds me of when I used to sit here and admire you from the booth. You took so long to warm up and finally accept a date with me.”
I keep my back to him, not wanting to stroll down memory lane with him, but since he brought it up, I do anyway. And it’s like a mental block opens. I reflect on the days he spent here, as though he’d wait a lifetime for me to say yes. The stream of friends coming and going. How he’d make them buy a bagel or a drink and then—
It all clicks together.
How was I so fucking naïve?
I whip around, pulse hammering in anger, and shove his bagel in a bag before tossing it on the counter. “You were selling drugs here.”
“What?” His forehead scrunches, but I know I’m right. “You’re listening to your boy toy too much.”
I shake my head. “No, you were. That’s why you hung around here. Not for me, but for a place to sell your drugs on the sly. You asshole!” My voice raises. “You put my family’s business in jeopardy.”
“You’re crazy! Why would I sell drugs? I’m the next in line to run Floyd Steel.”
That’s the only thing that doesn’t make any sense and the entire reason I had a hard time believing Seth when he accused him. “I don’t know, but I trust Seth.”
A cackling laugh escapes him. “You trust a guy whose family screwed yours over? A guy you’ve hated for two decades?”
I shove the bag across the counter. “It’s on the house. Now go. And don’t ever come back.”
He scoffs and shakes his head. “You’ve fooled this town, you know that? You think you’re above everyone? Got them all fooled into thinking you’re so sweet and endearing when you’re no better than any other girl.” He walks backward, a condescending smile on his lips the entire time.
My gut clenches when Seth rounds the corner, and I watch him through the window, walking closer to the shop. He opens the door.
I’ve missed what Brock was saying, but I do hear him when he says, “You’ll spread your legs for anyone.”
Brock turns to leave and Seth’s fist cocks back and punches him in the jaw. Brock stumbles, the bag with the bagel fumbling from his hands.
“Fucking hell,” Brock says, wiping the blood from his mouth.
I’m half surprised they’re not wrestling on the floor right now. I can only assume Brock doesn’t want me to call the cops. Maybe he has drugs on him.
“I’m going to have to call you back,” my mom says from behind me on the cordless phone. She walks up to my side, her hand on my forearm as if she’s afraid for me.
“Get the hell out of here and never come back!” Seth grabs two fistfuls of Brock’s shirt, pushing him against the glass. “If you ever speak about Evan like that again, I swear to God, Floyd, you’ll be in a body bag.”
Seth releases him and Brock tries to straighten his shirt. “Then stop spreading rumors about me. I didn’t hook your fucking brother on drugs—he did it to himself.” He walks out of the bagel shop.
I’m too awestruck to say anything.
“Oh my,” my mom says. “Are you okay, Seth?”
“Hi, Mrs. Erickson. Yeah, I’m fine.” He leans over the counter and places his lips on mine as though it’s the most natural thing in the world. And maybe it is now, at least in front of others. It’s when we’re alone that things get awkward.
“Jenny,” my mom says, correcting him.
“Maybe I should just call you Mom,” Seth jokes.
“One day soon, and after what I just witnessed, I look forward to having you as a son-in-law.” She puts her hand over his. “Thank you for that.”
“Don’t thank me.” His gaze shoots to me. “I’ll always protect her.”
I swallow past the dryness in my throat because his blue eyes say he means what he’s saying. But I tell myself that this is all part of the act. “How are your knuckles?”
He shakes his hand. “I’ll be okay.”
“Good, now you two, go. You don’t want to be late.” My mom grabs my bag and places it on the counter.
Seth picks it up for me. “FYI, we’re with Knox, Jax, and Frankie.”
I don’t mind because at least they’re not couples. The last place I want to be is with couples who can’t stop touching one another, reminding me of what it’s like when Seth’s hands are on me.
Seth rounds the counter and kisses my mom on the cheek. “Bye, Mrs. Erickson. Thanks for letting Evan have the time off.”
I hug and kiss my mom’s cheek. “Thanks, Mom.”
“Stop thanking me, just go.” She waves us off.
We walk out of the shop and I glance back at my mom once more. I’m struck speechless when I notice the hopeful look on her face. Her smile is wide, her eyes sparkling. My gut clenches when I think about how disappointed she’ll be when we announce this was all a hoax, that we’re not really together and we’re doing it for the business so that I can abandon her to figure out my own dreams for myself.
Seth throws my bag into the back of an SUV. Fr
ankie is in the third row. Knox is in the driver’s seat with Jax acting as navigator. I say my hellos to everyone.
As we pull away from the curb and head toward Maine, Seth grabs my hand. “You okay?”
I nod, unwilling to admit the guilt that’s overtaking me over our stupid plan. I fear I’m hurting everyone around us, and it dawns on me now—what if I end up hurting the most?
“Fuck, Owens, you have to tell me where to go. Otherwise, I’m calling Frankie up here,” Knox yells when we miss a turn.
“Excuse me, I thought being a cop, you’d know your way around fucking town. How do you not know how to go north on the highway?”
“Because I always go south.”
Jax glances back and smirks. “So are you two doing it already?”
“What?” I look at Seth.
“My dumbass friends think that we’re doing it because we can’t date anyone else right now.”
Frankie leans in. “They only think that because those two can’t go two days without getting their dicks wet.”
“Not true!” Knox raises his hand.
Seth laughs and puts up his hand to Frankie for a high five.
“You’ve completely ruined my game since I started at Ink Envy,” Jax says, turning in his seat to look at Frankie. “So sadly, I have to go longer than two days now. Talk about a cockblocker.”
Frankie puts up her middle finger and slides it along the bridge of her nose. “You’re a bunch of idiots.”
“Yeah, they are,” Seth agrees.
I’ve never gotten the impression Seth is interested in a relationship, but then again, we weren’t exactly besties confiding in each other.
“I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to sit by that fire and do nothing,” Frankie says, pulling me from my thoughts.
She’s right. I haven’t had a weekend that didn’t include The Bagel Place in years, so I’m going to take this weekend for myself. Because if Seth and I aren’t successful with our plan, this just might be my last chance for a long, long time.
Chapter Twenty-One
Seth
