Neither one seemed appropriate for a Tango exhibition. She had dressy pants, maybe paired with a nice blouse she could pull it off. What if Marco overdressed and she wore something too underwhelming. They wouldn’t seem like a couple. Couples coordinated. Elena remembered how well Cecilia and Will had matched for the Thanksgiving dinner. Nothing obvious, but subtle enough to say, ‘I’m here with this person’.
She pulled out her phone and made the call before she could regret it.
It took two rings and then Marco answered.
“Hey,” he said. He sounded like she’d woken him up.
“Hey…”
Silence. Elena stopped rummaging through her closet. She wanted to know how he was feeling, but instead she asked, “What are you wearing tonight?”
“Dressy shirt,” he said. “No tie. Possibly black pants and dark shoes. Still haven’t decided yet. Why?”
“Do you have a blue shirt?” She pulled at the hanger with the blue dress, knowing she didn’t want to wear it. “Actually, never mind. I’ll figure out something.”
“Wait.”
Another pause.
“Yeah?”
Elena heard a laugh. “Are you trying to get us to match?”
She sighed. “No, just coordinate. I don’t know how fancy this event is and I don’t want to show up underdressed while you wear a tux.”
“I’m not wearing a tux,” Marco said. “My brother’s the one who bothers with that sort of thing. At most, I’ll wear a button down, okay? Wear whatever you’re comfortable in.” He paused. “Are you wearing blue? I can wear blue.”
Elena pulled the blue dress out. If you squinted, it didn’t look that bad.
“I’m wearing blue,” she said.
________
Elena didn’t feel underdressed until she walked into Will’s apartment to find Cecilia Hollace standing there, wearing a flowing knee-length dark blue gown. It looked like it had been tailored to fit every inch of her body. Elena quickly hid the blue dress she’d been carrying behind her back.
“He’s in the bathroom,” Cecilia said. “I brought by a few things for him to try on.” She collected herself and walked over to Elena, hugging her quickly. “I’m sorry, I should’ve said hello sooner. How are you? Will told me you were staying with him.”
“For now,” Elena said. “Your dress is beautiful, by the way.”
Cecilia nodded. “Thank you. I bought it a few weeks back in New York and hadn’t gotten a chance to wear it yet.” She pointed to the bathroom. “I brought Will a blue dress shirt, and some pants. He owns one set I think.” She paused. “Do you know what you’re wearing.”
Elena snuck a peak at the kitchen clock. The exhibition started in two hours. She hoped this lie would pay off.
“I’m going over to Marco’s. He picked out a dress.”
“Marco did?” Cecilia asked. She gave a delicate laugh. “I never would have thought he’d pick out a dress, or any clothing item for anyone. Are you meeting him soon?”
“Yep,” Elena said. Yep was her go to lying response. “I should go meet him there.”
“Why? Is he sick?” Cecilia asked. She asked the question like she didn’t know anything about the accident or that Marco had been in the hospital. Elena decided not to mention the incident at all.
“No,” Elena said. “He had a lot of homework.” This lie was just getting more unbelievable.
Before Cecilia could respond, the door to the bathroom opened. Will stepped out, looking like he could film his own cologne ad. The blue made his light blue eyes look a shade darker. He’d done his hair in a more relaxed version of his usual gelled look. Elena took him in, until Cecilia walked up to him and began to adjust the collar on the shirt.
“Much better,” she said. “Doesn’t he look handsome?” she asked, turning to Elena.
Elena managed a nod, as Will gave her an awkward hello. “You guys are well-matched,” Elena said. She tucked the dress further behind her. “I’m going to head out to meet Marco. I’ll see you two at the exhibition?”
Cecilia smiled. “We’ll save you a seat. Don’t be too late. I think a half hour early should be good.”
Elena gave Will a small nod goodbye and then headed out. She dialed Marco again.
“Hello?” He sounded suspicious already.
“Are you at home?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll be there in twenty minutes. Oh, and don’t wear blue.”
Elena didn’t know why she was heading to the Silva’s house, only that she was. It took her a good ten minutes to order another pooled ride. And it ended up dropping her off at the entrance of Marco’s neighborhood. Then another few minutes for the security guard to call the Silva house to confirm Elena could come through. By the time Elena got to the huge house, using walking GPS directions on her phone, she was freezing and out of breath. Her nose was the only thing she could feel.
The set of double doors opened before she had walked halfway up to them. Marco ran outside, his hands deep into the pockets of his jacket.
“What are you doing here?” he asked. “I thought we’d meet at the event. Did you run here?”
Elena caught her breath. She didn’t notice right away, but Marco had a hand on her cheek.
“I took a pooled ride,” she said. The frozen air burned her lungs.
“You’re freezing,” Marco said. “Let’s go inside.”
The floors were marble, a glass chandelier hung high above the stairwell. Paintings lined the walls and there were ornaments that looked like they’d been brought in from every corner of the world.
Someone stepped out to greet them. Elena recognized her. It was Abigail Silva, Marco’s stepmom. Marco didn’t seem to notice her at first, not until she walked up to them.
“Elena,” Abigail said like they’d known each other for a long time. “Is everything okay?”
Marco’s entire demeanor changed. He glared at his stepmom. “We’re fine, Abby. She came to help me pick out something to wear for the exhibition.”
Abby smiled but toned it down when Marco glared at her again. She looked at Elena, who really hadn’t spoken up to this point. “Oh, you’ll love the tango exhibition. What are you wearing?”
Elena swallowed, because there was no lying now. She’d made a mad rush here without thinking. She held out the blue dress that was now wrinkled beyond the point of return.
“This,” she said. “I thought I would.”
Abby eyed the dress and then shook her head. “It’s a pretty dress,” she said. “But I have a few you could try on, in case. Come with me.”
Elena turned to look at Marco, who looked stunned now.
“Abby, wait-” he began.
But she was already pulling Elena away, up the grand staircase.
Chapter 22
Marco tapped his foot against the marble floor. He adjusted the cast on his wrist.
How long did Abby plan to keep Elena hostage? He looked at his phone for what felt like the hundredth time. The exhibition started in an hour. That didn’t account for the drive over or finding their seats. There was also the part of that night he’d been rehearsing, the conversation where he made sure Elena wasn’t mad with him over the hospital incident.
“You look beautiful,” Abby’s voice echoed down the hallway. It had a familiar, happy tone Marco hadn’t heard in long time.
He remembered then when Abby had helped him put together his costume as a member of the lollipop guild for his eighth grade rendition of the Wizard of Oz. Marco had had one line, but even then, she’d made sure he’d had the best costume in the whole play. At the end of the play she’d assured him, in the same happy, full of life tone, “You were great up there. I’m so proud.”
Marco drowned the memory. His mom hadn’t been there, neither had his dad. That didn’t matter. His mom was there for him now. It was his dad’s fault he couldn’t see her until he was eighteen.
Abby stepped out first and then motioned for Elena to follow her. M
arco stood, watching as Elena made her way down the staircase. She wore a dark red dress, cut right at her waist. The sleeves stopped at her elbows, adorned with tiny red beads sewn into bits of mesh fabric. She wore her short waves out, held back by a matching red hair piece.
Elena looked up at Marco, her brown eyes intense under the eyeliner Abby had probably forced her to wear. Marco cleared his throat, even though he had nothing to say.
His fake girlfriend looked beautiful, not that she normally didn’t, but tonight, she wore the sort of beauty that only came with feeling that way. He knew he was staring, but still, Marco didn’t look away.
Abby guided Elena, who walked on flimsy heels, down the steps. Marco walked over to the pair, not feeling angry at seeing his nanny turned stepmom for once. Abby gave him a quick nod.
“Luckily, I had a few dresses my stylist brought over that were too short for me. Elena fit right into this piece. I’m sure you have a dress shirt similar to the color.”
Marco managed a nod. “I’ll go change,” he said. Then he looked at Abby and, despite himself, he said. “Thank you for the help.”
He swore Abby teared up. She looked away and then gave Elena a hug. “I have an errand to tend to for the Christmas banquet. But it was lovely finally meeting you, Elena. I hope you two have a wonderful time.” Then she turned to Marco, like she might reach out to hug him too, but stopped. “You make a great pair.”
Then Abby was off, getting her coat from the closet, and the keys to the rental she had until her car repairs were done. Now it was Marco and Elena, together in the silence of the empty Silva home.
“You look nice,” Marco said.
Elena pressed her hand to the dress. “I had no clue Abby and I were the same size. Well, close in size.” She turned. “We snuck a safety on the bust area.”
Marco, to his great humiliation, looked at Elena’s chest. He looked away just as quickly, but when turned his glance back to her, he knew she’d caught him staring.
“Uh, what shirt are you going to wear?”
“I think I have a burgundy button up in my room.” He walked up the stairs again, not realizing Elena was following until he was in front of his bedroom door. He turned to see her, standing a distance away. “Uh, you can come in, if you want. It’s messy.”
Elena walked over, her heels clicking as she did. They looked a bit big on her feet, but he didn’t say anything. Marco let her walk in first, thankful his bed was made and his desk dusted. Elena walked up to a picture, his first grade shot.
“You had no teeth,” she said, smiling. “Cute.”
Marco went to his closet, pretending like hearing the word cute in reference to himself meant nothing. He’d asked Lucas to help him pull his loose front teeth for that picture. For some reason, seven-year-old Marco had thought having no front teeth for picture day was an accomplishment.
Marco pulled the dark red shirt from his closet. He didn’t know if it was an exact match, but it’d have to do. He pulled his other shirt over his head, realizing too late Elena was still in there with him.
“Oh,” she said simply. “I can step out.”
He stilled, but played off the embarrassment. “You’ve seen more of me before.”
He remembered the changing room incident. It felt like a lifetime ago. Elena nodded, instead of looking away.
“Try it on, then,” she said. “We should start heading out soon.”
“Need help?” Elena asked. She looked at his cast.
Marco wanted to say no, but instead, he nodded. “Sure.”
She walked over and started with the bottom button, making her way up, each button making Marco feel like he was on the verge of kissing her. Why was he letting her do this? He could do the buttons on his own. Elena acted like this was something she did casually.
She paused on the third to last top button, catching his stare. “How are you feeling?” she asked. “Lucas said you got discharged on Monday night.”
Elena went back to buttoning his shirt, quicker than before. Marco realized for a second he didn’t want her to pull away. He pressed a hand over hers as she finished up the button on his collar.
Elena froze.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t have kicked you out of my hospital room.”
“You didn’t kick me out,” Elena said. He wanted to tell her that he knew about her mom, but he figured that had been something Will had told Lucas in confidence.
“I don’t like people making a fuss about things like that,” Marco said.
“You were in the hospital,” Elena said. “People can make a fuss when they care, Marco.”
Marco moved his hand away from hers. He remembered then that she’d hugged him, and for some reason that had felt more intimate than the kiss they’d shared. Why would Elena Castro care about him? He wasn’t paying her to. In fact, he was starting to forget why he’d signed on for the whole fake relationship in the first place. It wasn’t even like the public had been making as big a deal as they’d thought. Maybe his dad had paid to have the stories silenced.
Elena sighed. “My mom died in a car accident,” she said in a whisper. “When she passed away, we never made it to the hospital in time to say goodbye. I sat outside a waiting room, alone, while my dad cried in another empty one, trying to figure out how he’d tell me.” She shook her head before he could respond. “I’m not telling you that so you feel sorry for me. I’m trying to explain why I was a sobbing mess Monday night.”
“You don’t have to explain,” Marco said. “And I’m sorry, about your mom.”
Elena shrugged. “I don’t cry about it anymore, if that makes you feel better.” Then she paused. “I’m glad you’re okay. And I know this is a fake relationship, and that we both like other people right now, but I think at the end of it, I consider you a friend.”
“You do?” She nodded. Marco smiled involuntarily at that. Elena was in love with Will, that was obvious. But, maybe when the fake dating ended, it didn’t mean they had to go back to being complete strangers. He remembered then, they had a double date.
“Why did you rush over here with a wrinkled dress behind your back?”
Elena’s expression changed. “Cecilia came to over to Will’s. She was wearing this pretty blue dress that made her look gorgeous. And she brought Will a matching outfit. I didn’t have another dress, and I sort of panicked.”
“When you saw them together?”
Elena shook her head. “No, I’m used to being around the girls Will dates. I panicked because I realized to everyone at tonight’s event we’re a couple, and I figured it wouldn’t look good if I showed up in that dress.”
“There was no guarantee I’d have something for you to wear.”
“Like I said, I panicked.”
She adjusted his collar, the movement catching him without warning. “Well, it looks like we’re wearing red tonight.”
Marco’s heart thumped in his chest as Elena organized his hair. He pulled away.
“Thank you,” he said. “I think we’re good to go. I’ll get Greg to pull up the car.”
He walked out of his room, leaving Elena inside as he shut the door. Marco held a hand to his heart. He could still feel her fingers in his hair. His heart thudded more. She’d mentioned Cecilia and he hadn’t thought twice about his high school crush.
In fact, he hadn’t thought about Cecilia much lately. Marco leaned against the door as the realization struck him across the face.
To some degree, he guessed he considered Elena a friend too. Because that’s all this was, feelings for a friend. He still planned on making sure he and Cecilia ended up together.
___________
Elena held onto Marco’s arm as they entered the tango exhibition.
Like most events attended by the city’s elite, it was taking place at the Glensford County Club, in the biggest ballroom, it seemed. Elena nestled closer to Marco, with a familiarity that he didn’t seem to reject. He leaned in toward her too, making them resem
ble the couple they were supposed to be.
“Do you have the tickets?” she asked him.
Marco pointed to the front row of seats, near the front of the stage. “I see a couple in blue waving in our direction.” He looked back at her. “Lucas said they had our tickets.” Then he walked her past the doors, giving a nod to the person collecting tickets.
Elena almost laughed to herself. She’d forgotten this side of Marco, the part of him that acted like he could own the world. They walked to the front row, Marco taking the seat beside Will, leaving Elena to sit beside a stranger. Will stood to greet them. Cecilia followed.
“I’m so glad we finally get to go on a double date,” she said. “It was about time.” Then her eyes scanned Elena, not in a cruel way, but in an interested way. “I love your dress and the makeup. You both look great.” Cecilia walked around Marco and kissed him on the cheek, where he sat. She waved at Elena and then retook her seat, leaving Will standing.
Elena caught his blue eyes, as they didn’t turn away from her. Marco was watching him too, and now Cecilia.
“You look great,” he said, repeating Cecilia’s sentiments.
Elena swallowed down her words. Will always looked at her, caring and gentle, like the best friend he’d always been. Right now, though, he was looking at her in the way she knew she looked at him, or had once. She was misreading things.
“You both look great too,” she said. Then she leaned over and gave Cecilia a nod. “I’m glad we finally got to go on a double date too.”
Will sat down. Cecilia grabbed his hand.
Marco leaned in more toward Elena. “Your dress matches the stage setup,” he said.
Elena gazed over the stage. He was right. Everything around the open stage was either the wine red of her dress or a deep black. There was an area for a guitarist to sit, and microphones for singers spread around. She gathered it would be a live performance.
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