Five
Jasmine
Sebastian picked her up at half-seven. He was alone, but he still told her she looked beautiful in the floral dress she was wearing.
Jasmine had texted him earlier that evening to ask how posh they were going for this meal, and he'd said to dress smart, so she hoped she hadn't under or overdone it. The dress had a high neckline and came to her mid-thigh in a skater style. She'd wanted to pick something a bit longer, but her wardrobe wasn't exactly filled with demure outfits, and she refused to go out and buy something new.
When she came downstairs and was met by Sebastian's intense gaze as it traveled up and down her body, a kiss on the cheek, and a "You look beautiful," her nerves calmed.
She'd told her parents she was going on a date. They had no problem with her dating, and telling a half-truth was a lot easier than a lie.
She'd neglected to mention that her date was seven years older than her.
"Okay, it'll just be my mom, dad, brother and his wife there tonight. We mostly reminisce when we go out, so you should be able to just sit and listen mostly."
"Sounds easy enough," she said, twisting her hands together in her lap. "What's your brother's wife called again?"
"Sarah."
"Sarah, okay. Got it." She could remember his brother was called Blake. She pulled out her phone and made sure it was still on silent. It was the fourth time she'd checked.
"They'll like you," Sebastian said, sensing her nerves.
"I'm more worried I'm going to forget what you majored in than that, to be honest." Or what the fantasy life she'd been coming up with since first meeting him consisted of.
"They're not going to quiz you on me to check if we're a real couple. This isn't a green card marriage test."
She took a few deep breaths. "I'll be fine once we get in there. It's just the build-up to things that makes me nervous."
"Yeah, I get that."
They pulled into the car park of a large Italian restaurant on the outskirts of the city, and Sebastian walked around to let her out of the passenger side.
She accepted his hand to help her out, and a tingle traveled up her spine. "And they say chivalry is dead," she teased.
"No, the lock on my passenger door is just dead. You can't open it from the inside."
She laughed loudly, and they walked together into the restaurant, holding hands.
Her hand fit nicely in his, with their fingers laced together. His were large and calloused—presumably from the weightlifting he did—but they didn't swallow hers.
It was so long since she'd held hands with someone.
Her last boyfriend had been three years ago, and it was hard to call it serious when they'd both been fifteen. Since then she'd not really played into the dating game. All her spare time was consumed playing the harp, and her school was so small that after a few guys she'd have gone through all the attractive options on offer anyway.
Now she had a job, the harp and her most important year of schooling coming up, so dating was definitely off the table.
When they entered the restaurant, everyone jumped up to greet her. She'd been expecting to shake hands, but Sebastian’s family welcomed her with hugs and introductions of their names.
She was almost exhausted by the time they even sat down to order.
She stuck with a lime and soda because the alcohol was obviously off-limits and she didn't want to spend too much. Sebastian had told her he'd be paying for them both, but she'd have felt awful costing him a fortune.
She sat in between Sebastian and his brother's wife, which she was quite happy about. Sarah was a petite ginger woman with a warm smile who started chatting as soon as she sat down. "So, Jasmine, how did you two meet? I'm so excited there's another girl. I'm always stuck between the two boys."
"We actually went on a blind date." It didn't sound as cringeworthy as she thought now she'd said it, and she relaxed into the conversation.
Sebastian's family were nice. They chatted, and whilst she didn't pipe up most of the time, none of them ever made her feel uncomfortable.
If they'd been in a real relationship, Sebastian probably would have spent some of the meal resting his hand on her exposed thigh, brushing his thumb against her pale skin in a promise of what would happen when they got home.
He would have leaned across sometimes and whispered silly comments about his family in her ear, his breath tickling her neck, and his curls blocking her view.
None of those things happened, though.
In fact, they barely shared any words all night. He was occupied with his mom, and she was kept in constant conversation with Sarah, who asked her question after question, then nodded with wide, eager eyes as she answered.
Sebastian's dad looked perfectly healthy for now. He was perhaps a bit gaunt around the eyes, but he seemed lively around his family.
When she ordered the seafood risotto and Sebastian ordered a pizza, they shared an amused look, and she dug in with a big grin on her face.
She couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten dinner with more than two people.
At school, she dined with her two best friends, and at home, she tended to eat alone. Her mom and dad worked late, and Jasmine was always too hungry to wait. They appreciated coming home and just having to microwave the portions she'd made for them, anyway.
But here, with constant conversation being fired across the table, Jasmine couldn't stop the smile on her face. It was warm and cozy, and how a family should be.
Inside, she felt rottenly out of place, and she realized exactly what Sebastian had meant now.
She'd been out for one meal with them and already knew that letting go would be hard.
When they left, Jasmine was accosted with hugs from everyone once more, and she walked with Sebastian to the car hand in hand.
“I told you they’d like you,” he said, though there was something in his voice that she couldn’t place. It almost sounded like nostalgia. “Was that okay for you?”
“Yeah, it was really nice, actually.” She probably shouldn’t be admitting it. The colder she was to the situation, the better. She couldn’t start becoming attached. “My family aren’t really that close. My grandparents are dead, my parents are workaholics and I’m an only child. It’s nice being around people like that.”
They got in and Sebastian started the ignition. They both waved to the family, who were getting into their own cars. “My family have always been so close. Honestly, I don’t know how I’m going to manage when my dad dies.”
Her heart hurt for him. “I’m sure you’ll get through it.” She would have reached out and taken his hand in hers again, but that had only been for show, so she didn’t. “I was too young to remember my losing my grandparents, so I don’t have any life wisdom to share with you.”
His lips quirked. “No worries. I’m sure I’ll power through.”
She knew it would be rough, too, going back to school just as he was recovering.
“So what are you doing when you get in?” It was only nine o’clock, and she wondered what his typical evening looked like.
“Probably just sit and watch some TV. I’m not very imaginative. I normally go to the gym in the evening during the school year, but the early-morning summer vacation gym has been treating me.”
I chuckled. “I’ve always just avoided the gym. I go running in a morning instead. But yeah, TV tonight for me as well. I might practice for a while, I’m trying to learn a new piece and it’s really hard.”
“I’d like to hear you play some time.” Sebastian snapped his mouth shut after saying it, and she got the feeling it had slipped out without meaning to. “I’ve never heard a harp play solo before.”
She tried to contain her grin. “That’d be cool. It sounds great, but I might be biased.”
He laughed, turning down the radio so they could hear each other better. “When did you start playing?”
“When I was ten. I asked for one for my birthday on a whim. Kind of funny, really.�
� She opened her mouth, about to explain how her parents had bought it for her and were now so opposed to her studying, but held it back. That didn’t fit with Jasmine, the twenty-one-year-old classical music student. “I hadn’t expected to get this into it at all,” she settled for instead.
“It’s cool. Do you play for an Orchestra?”
Again she was forced to lie. She might be eighteen, but as part of the high school, she was still in the city’s Junior section of the orchestra. “Yeah, for the Madison City Orchestra.”
“Very impressive.”
It was only a short ride, and they pulled up outside her parents’ house moments later. Jasmine was glad that there was no outward sign she actually lived with her parents, even though it was probably obvious by the fact she wasn’t being dropped off at some shoddy apartment students lived in. She knew most people would have moved out by their supposed twenty-one years. “Okay. I’ll see you in a couple of days. We’re taking my dad out to Olbrich. It’s one of his favorite places.”
She already knew: he’d sent her an email with their updated schedule. “Okay cool, that’ll be nice.”
“See you then.”
She climbed out of the car without any sign of physical affection that a normal couple would. “See you then.”
Six
Sebastian
The Madison summer was hit and miss. Today had been a hit. Jasmine had come to the car to meet him in a summer dress and cardigan, and he'd been unable to keep his eyes off her.
He wasn't sure he'd ever met someone so beautiful. Her dress was a pretty floral pattern, without much cleavage showing, but with her long legs bare. Her black curls cascaded down her back, and she barely wore a smidge of makeup.
"Hi," she greeted with a grin, slipping into the passenger side of his car.
"Hey," he replied, turning down the radio so they could talk. He always had it unreasonably loud when he was driving alone. "Ready?"
"Ready."
They were meeting his family there. His dad needed to be in a wheelchair today. He could walk short distances, but for a tour around his favorite botanical gardens, he needed a chair. Jasmine's house was a little bit out of the way, so he thought it easier if he just picked her up himself.
"Been up to much the past couple of days?" he asked her, trying to keep his gaze on the wheel as she rested one leg on top of the other, dress hiking up even further.
"Working, mostly. I went to see some horrific romantic comedy that my friend wanted to see, so that was a waste of money. I can't believe how expensive popcorn is now."
"Seriously. The movies are basically a luxury hobby at this point."
"What about you, anything exciting with your summer of free time?"
"Nah. I finished the book I was reading and the end sucked, so that was disappointing."
"We've both had a fabulous past couple of days, then," she laughed, turning away from the window to grin at him.
He grinned back immediately, before forcing his eyes back to the road.
This had definitely been a bad idea. Not only was she so gorgeous he'd been unable to stop thinking about kissing her, but she was easy-going, too. Their conversation was natural.
"I love it at Olbrich," she said, playing with the hem of her dress. "I haven't been in years, though; I never really think to."
"Yeah, it's my dad's favorite place in the entire world, I think. Especially in summer. All the flowers should be blooming."
He could tell she was excited, and it seemed more like genuine excitement than anxiety this time. He'd been touched after they came out of the restaurant and she said how much she liked his family.
It didn't make any sense, and he hated that.
He couldn't become attached.
When they pulled into the parking lot, they were the first ones there. They took a seat on a bench beneath a weeping willow.
This was where the illusion began because his family would be pulling up in front of them soon. They sat with their sides pressed firmly together. "I really hope the temperature doesn't drop. I was too excited with the romantic image of summer dresses, sunglasses, and pretty flowers to dress appropriately."
Sebastian swallowed his comment about her looking gorgeous. "I hope it holds, too. I want an excuse to buy over-priced ice cream."
A car pulled up and he stood up, recognizing the rest of his family. Jasmine stood beside him, and they all hugged each other. "Lovely to see you, dear," he heard his mom tell Jasmine as they hugged, and a smile tugged at his lips.
She was practically a member already. He knew he'd reinvigorated his dad's hopes, and that was exactly what he'd wanted; his dad to think everything was going perfectly.
They all started their walk together. Sebastian and Jasmine linked hands, walking together at the edge of the group. She leaned over to smell the flowers as they passed, an excitable smile on her face.
Her hand was soft in his. He'd thought she might have calluses from the harp, but they were smooth and small. Every so often her thumb would brush against his knuckles, sending a bolt of heat up his spine.
It was clearly far too long since he'd had a good fuck.
The only problem now was that Jasmine was the only person featuring in his imagination.
He should go out drinking and find some random girl to get rid of his urges. His friends would be getting a text this evening, he needed to make sure of it.
"I'd really like a house with a big garden when I'm older," she said, squeezing his hand to tug him onto a white bridge that led them over a pond filled with lily pads and lotuses. “I don’t know the first thing about gardening, and I’m kind of lazy like that, but it’s just so pretty.”
"I always like the idea of a little balcony with plants on. Getting a trellis on the roof of the balcony and having plants hanging down." He chuckled. He hadn't thought about that for years, stuck now in his tiny apartment on the outskirts of town. Maybe it was a dream he should revisit.
They walked over the bridge and came to a small stone stage built into the ground. "I played here," she said, pulling away her hand to go and skip up the shallow steps. "With the orchestra. It was a few years ago now."
"That's cool."
"The acoustics were dogshit." She quickly covered her mouth, but none of his family were close enough to have heard. He'd listed not swearing around them as one of his conditions during their agreement. "But it was pretty. It was around this time of year, with all the flowers blooming. One of our percussionists was in a state, she had such bad hay fever."
He laughed, joining her at the top of the stage, which had more water and lily pads behind it. "When I was with my ex, I used to be all touchy-feely all the time," he admitted, wrapping an arm around Jasmine's shoulders now. "I won't if you're not comfortable, but I think my parents will expect it, to be believable."
She glanced up at him, a small tinge of pink on her cheeks. "As long as you don't mean you're planning to constantly cop a feel, then I don't mind."
He grinned. "I'll make sure I watch where I'm putting my hands."
They walked back down the stage to his family, and they continued their walk.
Every natural movement he'd had with Callie flicked through his mind. He'd run his hands through her hair absentmindedly, wrapped an arm around her waist.
It had been nice. She'd always seemed mildly irritated, or embarrassed, by him, but having physical contact with the woman he loved was automatic for Sebastian.
Now, Jasmine seemed to lean into his touch just as automatically. She'd laugh at a joke Blake made, and then look up through her lashes so that she was laughing with Sebastian especially.
His arm tightened around her, and that was automatic, too, because part of him wanted her as close as possible.
This whole thing was playing tricks on his mind.
He was just lonely and missing his ex. This had nothing to do with Jasmine, and her beauty and the way they eased into a conversation, as if they'd been doing it a thousand years.
They walked ahead a bit, both having naturally quicker paces than his dad in the wheelchair.
"This feels so surreal," she murmured, still plastered against his side. "Walking through the most romantic place I know, holding hands when I barely even know you. It's a head fuck."
"It definitely is," he replied, going to remove his arm to stop her being uncomfortable. She reached up at linked her fingers through his, keeping him there.
"I didn't mean stop. I just mean, it's strange. I didn't really know what to expect from this whole thing."
Clearly neither of them had thought about it hard enough before entering into the agreement. Sebastian should have known when she walked up to him at the coffee shop and he wanted to fuck her that it was a bad idea. And then after their first meeting, when he'd got that stupid fuzzy date feeling, he definitely should have called it off.
Now he was being pulled in when he knew it was impossible to trust someone again.
He was going to get hurt whichever way he took this.
But at least if he didn't date her and then end up fucking it up, she wouldn't get hurt either.
Besides, he said that as if she was already willing to date him. She was an actress, playing her part as his fake girlfriend. Of course it looked like she was head over heels for him. That's what he was paying her for.
He split off from her after that, going to talk to Blake whilst his parents accosted her. Sebastian watched Jasmine from the corner of his eyes as she pushed his dad’s wheelchair along the path and laughed along with something he was saying.
If she was just acting all of this, she was damn good at it. He couldn’t have faked the way her eyes gleamed in the sunlight as wide grins took over her face.
Blake nudged him in the ribs, interrupting his staring. “I like her,” he said, almost a smug look on his face. “Whoever set you up on that date did a good job.”
“Yeah, I’ll say. I definitely got lucky.”
“I’m glad you finally got back in the game.”
That one stung. He knew he’d get the comments, telling him they were glad he’d gotten over Callie, and it only made the knowledge that he was still stuck in a hole of distrust and bitterness even worse.
Resistance Page 2
