Faker - Sarah Smith Page 0,24
a sorority-girl drink. You left before I could say it.” His tone reminds me of how he spoke to me after rock climbing. “I actually really like Cherry Coke and rum.”
“Good for you.” I refocus on my phone. I’m not in the mood to play games.
“You seem distracted.”
I ignore him, but then he pushes another Cherry Coke and rum in front of me. “Thanks.” I take a long sip, finally considering him. I’m not above accepting a free drink. “Jamie’s supposed to meet me here tonight.”
The edge of his jaw tenses. He must be biting down. “You two hit it off.”
“We did.” If I remain short in my replies, maybe he’ll get the hint and leave.
My phone hits seven o’clock, and I look up. Almost all of Nuts & Bolts is gone, like I predicted. Lynn and Kelsey are the only ones left beside Tate and myself. I give Kelsey a hug good-bye before she walks out with Lynn, then resume the staring contest with my phone.
“He’s late, huh?” Tate says. What a nosy parker.
“It’s fine. I told him I’d wait and have a drink with him.” My foot shakes against the metal footrest on the stool. I wish he would leave so I could have a moment to myself before Jamie comes. That way I could finish my drink in peace and then run to the restroom to freshen up my makeup.
“Good thing I’m here to keep you company.”
I frown at his smug face. “I don’t need you to do that.”
He has the gall to look hurt. I can’t tell if it’s fake or real. Before I can decide for sure, the bartender blows a whistle. We both cover our ears and glower at him. He dons a bright red shirt with a pink heart on it, whistle dangling around his neck. I can’t remember what he was wearing when I got here, but it sure as hell wasn’t that.
“Folks! It’s August and you know what that means! It’s our Halfway to Valentine’s Day contest! If you want to play, please sit at the bar. This is a couples contest, so only couples at the bar.”
I guess the rabidly enthusiastic bartender is supposed to be Cupid? I roll my eyes, but I’m also relieved. This crazy contest is my ticket away from Tate. We can leave the bar, he can go home, and I can wait for Jamie. I try to stand up, but Tate’s hand on my arm keeps me in place. A light bulb seems to go off in his head the moment I look over to him. There’s a knowing expression behind his eyes. It’s the look of a mischievous child who just caught his sibling in a tattletale-worthy act. I bet that’s exactly the kind of kid Tate was.
“Let’s play, shall we?” he says.
“What? No.”
I try to maneuver myself away, but his arm wraps around me, pulling me closer to him. The heat from his body disarms me, just like during the company meeting. It’s been so long since anyone’s held me like this. Even in the shock of this moment, I could be tempted to stay under his arm, content and warm.
He hollers to the bartender to sign us up. “Come on. It’ll be fun. The prize is a hundred-dollar gift card. We can pretend to like each other for a hundred bucks, right?”
A text from Jamie lights up my phone, and I pull away. Jamie says he’ll be here in a half hour. I scan the bar to see if there are free single seats anywhere, but now everything is taken. I sigh. If I walk away from this ludicrous game like I want to, there will be nowhere else for me to sit. I could wait outside, but this August heat wave is unrelenting. I don’t want to greet Jamie all sweat soaked and smelly. Sitting in my car with the AC cranked seems like a hassle. I guess I’m stuck here.
“Fine.” I scowl at Tate, silently cursing his existence, but he’s staring ahead and doesn’t seem to notice.
The bartender hands us a dry-erase board and a marker, and just like that, we’re a fake couple.
“Okay, people, here are the rules,” the bartender bellows. “I’ll ask a series of questions relating to either the holiday Valentine’s Day or the word ‘Valentine.’ The couple with the most correct answers wins the gift card. Understand? And no using your cell phones. Keep them on the bar top facedown so I can see them and