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