by Joy Fulcher
“Hello?” she asked, sounding husky as if she’d been sleeping.
“Oh, shit, sorry. I forgot it was late.” He glanced at the clock by his bed and saw it was almost midnight.
“Drew?”
“Yeah. Is it okay that I called?”
“Are you drunk?” she asked.
He huffed. “No, I’m not fucking drunk. What is with everybody?”
She was silent for a moment, and then he heard a rustling sound as if she were moving around in bed.
“What are you talking about, Drew?”
He explained about the night he’d had and how ridiculous his parents’ accusations were. “Don’t you agree they were totally overreacting?”
“Umm…”
“Ariel, come on!”
“I’m sure they were just concerned about you. But if you don’t think you have a problem, then I believe you. I don’t really know enough about your life to have an opinion. If I believed what the tabloids said, then I might be concerned, though.”
“They’re liars. You know that.”
She let out a long breath. “I’m sorry you’ve had a bad night. Is there something I can do to help?”
“Just talking is nice. It’s good to have someone on my side. Hey, do you want to meet up tomorrow? Maybe lunch?”
“I can’t. I’m working.”
“Prince Eric foils my plans again.”
“If you say so.” She giggled.
The sound of her laughter was soothing and he wanted to hear it again.
“Knock, knock,” he said before he lost his nerve.
“What?”
“Oh come on, Ariel. Everyone knows the response to a knock-knock joke!”
She sighed. “Who’s there?”
“Interrupting cow.”
She was silent for a moment before giving her response. She had a wary tone in her voice as she said, “Interrup—”
“Moooooooooooo!” Drew said, interrupting her. He laughed. He couldn’t help it. The joke was stupid, but it was funny. Jade groaned but gave in to a few giggles of her own.
“Hey, you wanna meet up?” he asked when they were both quiet again.
“It’s really late, Drew.”
“I know. I just want to see you. It’s been such a shit night and talking to you has really helped.”
He waited, hoping she’d say yes.
“All right. Can you pick me up?”
“Ahh, fuck. Sorry, I just remembered that my parents locked me in.”
“That’s a bit extreme. You’re a grown man.”
“Tell me about it!” Drew felt his anger come alive again, being reminded that he was trapped like a baby in a crib.
“Drew,” she said, her voice hesitant.
“Hmm?”
“Please don’t get mad. As I said earlier, I don’t really know you well enough to make a judgment, but I just want to ask something, okay?”
Drew didn’t like the sound of that.
Her voice was a whisper as she asked, “Do you have a problem?”
“My parents are a fucking problem.”
“Drew, please be honest.”
He let out a long breath. “It’s under control. Everyone has a few drinks.”
“I don’t drink very often,” she said. “Only a glass of champagne for a special occasion or something.”
“Well, bully for you. Living up to your Disney image.”
“Drew! Don’t be an ass. I’m your friend.”
“I better go before I say something I regret.”
He hung up the phone, feeling worse than he had before he’d called her. Guilt from being rude to her when she was trying to help him boiled in his stomach. He’d woken her up and then teased her. Nice work there, Drew!
He typed a quick text and sent it, hoping that would be enough to smooth things over.
Sorry. Had a bad night. I didn’t mean it. Sleep well, Ariel.
Her response came almost instantly and put a smile on his face.
No damage done. I’ll still marry you, but remember that I need my beauty sleep. No more late night rants.
And Drew, if you decide you want to make some changes in your life, I’m here for you. Friends, right?
Chapter Nine
Engaged
“SO, WE’RE ON FOR SATURDAY?” Drew asked into the phone.
“Yeah.”
“This is going to be a very important day for us, Jade. My parents aren’t stupid, so we have to make sure our act is flawless.”
“I know. Don’t worry. I might just surprise you with how convincing I can be.” She laughed, and the sound made him smile.
“I have a little surprise in store too.”
“Oh, really?” Her voice raised an octave with her curiosity.
Drew loved how flirty and playful she’d become since they’d grown more comfortable with each other.
“And what might that be?”
“If I told you, I’d have to kill you,” he replied. “Just be prepared for everything.”
“You’re so dramatic.”
“It’s a pretty big surprise.”
“Interesting. Should I be expecting strippers? Maybe a cake with a person who jumps out of it? Oh! Drew, are you going to wear a dress?”
Drew snorted. “Where do you come up with this stuff?”
“I’m just gifted like that.”
“Obviously. I think you might keep me on my toes, Ariel.”
“Stop calling me that,” she snapped.
“Calling you what…Ariel?”
The dial tone sounded in his ear, and he laughed, shoving his phone in his pocket. He was very much enjoying getting to know Jade. He was sure that, at the very least, they would have a good friendship. That would make the whole marriage situation easier.
He got out of his car, which he’d parked ten minutes ago, and walked into the jewelry store.
“Good afternoon, sir. May I show you something in particular?” an older woman asked from behind the glass counter.
Everything in the store was glistening. The glass counters, the jewelry, even the saleswoman’s teeth. Drew wondered if there was special lighting.
“I’m looking for an engagement ring.”
“How delightful. May I enquire about your budget?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Drew felt a slight niggling of guilt that he was about to use his emergency credit card. He’d never had to use it before, because his parents had been quite generous with his allowance, but since his father’s new rules about living on a budget, he had to use drastic measures.
He had a plan, though. Drew would use the card his parents had given him for emergencies and explain to them that they could either give him the money for the ring as an engagement gift, or he would pay it back when he got the money from his inheritance.
“Our selection of diamond rings are in this cabinet.”
Drew followed the woman to a particularly well-stocked cabinet and made his selection.
“Are you nervous about meeting his parents?”
“Of course I am, Clare! And I don’t need you reminding me of it every thirty seconds.” Jade threw her arms up in the air and glared at her friend.
“Whoa! Bitch alert. Take a breath!”
Jade did as her friend asked and took a deep breath. “Sorry. I’m just freaking out.”
“I would be too. You’re going to meet Aaron Fucking Malik!” Clare’s eyes got wider with each word that left her mouth.
“You’re going to meet him too, may I remind you. And I don’t think that’s really his middle name.”
Clare poked her tongue out.
“I’m going to meet him, but I’m not the one sleeping with his son. He won’t care about me.”
“I’m not sleeping with…”
Clare’s eyebrows went up as Jade hesitated. “Hold up. You haven’t bumped uglies with this guy?”
“Uh, not yet.” Jade bit her lip and busied herself with a hangnail.
&nb
sp; “Then why are you meeting his parents? I know you’re not one of those people who abstains until marriage, because you’ve had more guys than—”
“Careful, Clare.”
“You know what I mean.”
“We’re just taking things slow. God knows I haven’t had the best history with guys, and maybe that’s because I always rush into sex. I’m just trying something new with this guy. I think he could be special.”
“Huh.” Clare popped her hip and put her hand there in a dramatic gesture. “I guess that kinda makes sense, in a boring kind of way.”
“Thank you. Now, can we please move on from my sex life and decide on my outfit?”
“But your sex life is so much more interesting than mine!” Clare whined.
“I really doubt that, seeing as you are a newlywed and I’m not getting any.”
Clare rolled her eyes. “All right, all right. Let’s pick something that’s sexy enough to get this guy’s blood flowing and maybe get you some action but that’s also appropriate to meet parents.”
“Yeah. Because that won’t be hard.”
“Have faith in me, Jade.”
Jade had to give it to Clare—she was good. Somehow, from the depths of Jade’s closet, she’d put together an outfit that was sexy and yet still conservative. The green dress contrasted with her hair and made her eyes pop. At least that’s what Clare said.
“Okay, you look stunning. Use a little green in your eye shadow…not too much…and wear those false eyelashes I bought you. Keep your lips soft, maybe a coral or sand, and leave your hair out,” Clare said once she was satisfied with fluffing the skirt of Jade’s dress.
“I was going to braid my hair.”
“No. Trust me. Leave your hair out. It’ll make you look softer and more girl-like. It’ll charm his father and make you more likable to his mother.”
“If you say so.”
“I do. I’m going home to get ready. Stuart and I will see you at the restaurant.”
“Thanks, Clare. Love you like pancakes.”
“Love you like chocolate,” her friend called over her shoulder as she showed herself out of the apartment.
Jade took her time getting ready. She hadn’t told Clare how nervous she actually was, but she was dreading their upcoming dinner. Why had Drew thought it was a good idea for them to meet each other’s friends and family all at the same time? She would have much preferred to have a quiet dinner with his parents without all of Drew’s friends staring at them.
The only positive she could convince herself of was that meeting everyone together was like removing a Band-Aid. All at once, quick and painless. Jade washed her hair and then cursed herself for twenty minutes as she tried to get the frizzy, fluffy mess under control. She fought the urge to slick it with hairspray and tie it back and instead decided to hot iron it straight. It took more time than she’d planned, and then she had to rush her makeup.
She looked at herself in the mirror and rolled her eyes. She was a mess. Her hair was too long. It usually curled to halfway down her back, but being straight, it hung well below her waist. She tried to put some green in her smoky eye shadow, but it just looked muddy, not highlighted. She’d done the best job she could with the eyelashes, but the left one was slightly crooked, and the corner of her right eye was glued closed. Every time she blinked it pulled apart slowly, giving the impression that she had a lazy eye. She put the dress on and dug around in the bottom of her closet for shoes.
“No wonder you can’t find a real husband,” Jade said to her reflection when she was dressed.
She couldn’t wallow in her self-pity for long, though, as there was a knock on her door.
“I’m coming!” she called as she ran through the apartment.
She pulled the door open, and her breath caught in her throat when she saw Drew standing there. Each time she saw him, she was shocked at how handsome he was—as if her memory dulled him down so she wouldn’t try to picture him all the time. She decided it was a coping mechanism.
“You look gorgeous!” he said, smiling.
“Oh, this old thing?” she said, flicking the hem of her skirt.
He laughed and leaned forward, kissing her quickly on the cheek. “You ready to go?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be.” She swallowed her nerves and grabbed her clutch purse.
Drew’s hand felt warm laced with hers as they walked out to the street.
“My parents are very excited to meet you. My mother bought several different dresses for tonight because she couldn’t decide what to wear.”
“Did you get a new car?” Jade asked, stopping dead in her tracks and staring at the black sports car at the curb. Drew’s usual silver sedan was nowhere in sight.
“It’s my dad’s. He let me borrow it tonight.”
Jade’s nerves returned in an avalanche. It was abundantly clear how different their lives were. His mother had bought several dresses for this dinner, and Jade had worn something out of her closet. Drew’s dad drove a car that cost more than her annual salary, and she had a broken Volvo that she couldn’t afford to fix. This plan suddenly seemed ridiculous.
“What’s wrong?” Drew asked. “Your face has gone the same color as your dress.”
“I’m fine. I just realized how different we are.”
“I think we’re more the same than you think. I couldn’t afford that car. Right now, I’m broke.”
“That makes two of us.”
He reached up and stroked her cheek. “If we pull off tonight, we’ll be one step closer to getting my inheritance. You haven’t changed your mind, have you?”
“No, I haven’t. I’m just nervous.”
He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug.
“This isn’t a cake walk for me either. You don’t think your friends are going to give me the third degree?”
Jade thought about that and then laughed. Clare would undoubtedly give him the third degree. “Oh, you’re in so much trouble!” she said, giggling.
The car ride went quickly, as each of them gave the other details about their childhoods and hobbies. They felt it was important to know as much about each other as possible to help pull off their ruse.
“How old were you when you lost your virginity?”
“Drew! I really doubt anyone is going to ask you that,” Jade said, scolding.
“This is just my curiosity.”
She rolled her eyes. “Seventeen.”
Drew grinned. “Let me guess. Prom night?”
“Hey! I’m not a cliché.”
“I never said you were. It was just a lucky guess.”
Drew seemed to be finding their whole conversation quite entertaining.
“Okay, is there anything else I should know about you before the dinner?” she asked as they drove through downtown LA.
“My favorite Disney princess is Ariel.”
“Shut up.”
“I’m serious. What’s not to love about her? She wears a shell bra and lies around on the beach.”
“You are utterly ridiculous.”
He chuckled and pulled the car into a parking garage.
“Maybe. But it’s good cover for your nickname, Ariel.”
“I really wish you wouldn’t do that.”
“Why? It’s cute. You can pick a nickname for me if you want.”
Little did he know her friends had already taken that liberty. “How about Douchebag? That has a nice ring to it.”
“Play nice, Ariel.” His voice held a warning tone, but the smile never left his face.
He parked the car and rushed around to open the door for her. He laced their fingers together and led her out onto the street and to the restaurant.
It looked like they were the last to arrive, because when the hostess showed them to their table, it was full of smiling faces. Jade expected there to be two groups at the table: her friends and Drew’s friends and family. It seemed, though, that everyone was mingling, talking, and getting
to know each other. Several of the faces at the table were familiar even though Jade had never met them.
Aaron Malik, of course, was recognizable as he chatted with a gushing Clare and Stuart. But there were others too.
“Why is Tully Whittaker glaring at me?” Jade whispered to Drew.
“Don’t worry about her.”
He didn’t stay to explain why she shouldn’t worry about Tully. He moved through the room, greeting people with confidence. It appeared his parents had booked the entire restaurant as all the other tables were empty.
Someone clinked a knife against a glass, and everyone fell silent. Drew appeared instantly at her side and slipped an arm around her waist.
“I’d like to welcome you all to the joyous occasion. To the familiar faces in the room, you’ll know how amazing it is that Drew has found a girl that he wants us all to meet, and to those of you I have yet to meet, welcome and I look forward to getting to know you. Now, where is this magical girl who has bewitched my rascal son?”
“Your father doesn’t seem to think very highly of you,” Jade murmured under her breath as Drew walked her toward the head of the long table where his father was standing.
“I’m shocked.” Drew’s voice was flat, and Jade was quite sure he was being sarcastic.
“Here she is! It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jade,” Aaron said, pulling her out of Drew’s grasp and twirling her in front of the staring crowd at the table.
She blushed and stared down the row of faces for Clare. She saw her friend and bit her lip. Clare gave her a thumbs-up.
“Enjoy your dinner, everyone,” Aaron said loudly. As if on cue, and Jade was sure it was, a parade of waiters appeared carrying plates of food.
The buzz of chatter filled the room, and everyone went back to their conversations.
“Jade, it’s lovely to meet you,” said a woman with a warm voice.
Jade looked to her right and saw a middle-aged woman with a slightly familiar face. She wasn’t sure if the familiarity came from having seen her in magazines or the fact that her son looked so much like her.
“Mrs. Malik, it’s nice to meet you too.”
“Oh, none of that. Please call me Laura.”
Jade smiled.
“This is a bit more than we’d talked about, Dad,” Drew said, taking his seat beside Jade.