Fake Boyfriend - Kate Brian (16 page)

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"Good!" Curtis said with a grin. "I'll pick you up around seven. Cool?"

I'll pick you up around seven. It sounded like a date. But no. She and Curtis were just friends. The guy quite possibly had a date for the prom. She had to calm down. Maybe his prom date was going to be there, too. Maybe he'd invite Vivi and Isabelle as well. Do not let yourself get carried away, Lane told herself.

"Okay. Cool," Lane agreed with a nod.

"Hey, are you guys gonna sit down, or are we eating lunch here?" Vivi said, coming up behind them.

Lane flinched, but managed not to drop anything. Together, the three of them headed off to join Isabelle at their table. Lane sat down, trying to invest herself in the talk about graduation and the post-graduation party, but she just kept waiting for Curtis to bring up this weekend's bash--to invite Vivi and Isabelle--but he didn't. He didn't so much as mention it.

Looked like it was just her and Curtis. Oh, and maybe his prom date. But Lane would deal with that if and when it happened. For now, she was just going to be happy. Happy and, for once, hopeful.

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* * * * sixteen * * * *

Vivi's leg bounced up and down under the table in the back corner of Lonnie's. She pressed her hands down on her thigh to try to get it to stop, but it was no good. She was nervous. Like she was going out on a first date. Which, she supposed, she was. Only it wasn't her first date, it was Isabelle's. Isabelle's first date with Jonathan.

And of course, Isabelle looked like a goddess. Smooth hair, perfectly understated makeup, and a lovely, girly outfit that would have looked like a Halloween costume on Vivi. Isabelle had even refused to order anything to eat, not wanting to mess up her lip gloss. Vivi, meanwhile, had already polished off half a bagel with peanut butter and a bag of Doritos.

"Are you sure this dress isn't too much?" Isabelle asked, smoothing the front of her cotton Ralph Lauren strapless.

"Well," Vivi started to say. "Maybe--was

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"No, Iz," Lane said, shooting Vivi a silencing look. "Y look beautiful."

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Isabelle smiled. "Thanks for coming, guys. What would I do without you?"

Vivi grinned, but Lane looked so uncertain it gave Vivi a sour feeling in her gut. But no. No. They were doing the right thing. They were keeping Isabelle away from the toxic substance that was Shawn Littig and handing her the most amazing guy on the planet. They were, quite possibly, the best friends ever.

Isabelle checked her delicate silver watch. "Where is he? Y don't think he's ditching, do you?"

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If he does, I will personally hunt him down and burn all his preppy little sweaters. "No," Vivi said, glancing at the neon clock on the wall. "He's still only fashionably late."

Just then, the glass door swung open. Vivi turned around, her heart in her throat. But it wasn't Jonathan who walked through the door of the restaurant. It was Marshall and his frizzy-haired, Lord of the i"mgs-obsessed friend, Theo. Vivi rolled her eyes and clucked her tongue as she slumped down again.

"Hey, Marshall!" Lane called out, waving.

Marshall looked up and smiled. "Hey, Lane." He said a few words to Theo, then came over as Theo got on line behind a pack of junior girls from the cheerleading squad. Marshall was wearing that new green jacket of his over a black T-shirt and yet another pair of trendy jeans. He even wore a studded black belt. His blond hair was uncharacteristically mussed.

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"What are you doing here?" Vivi demanded, annoyed.

"Can't a guy get lunch?" he asked smoothly. "Hey, Isabelle."

"Hey," Izzy said. She glanced at him quickly, but then did a double take. "Y look different."

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"Thanks," Marshall asked, smiling shyly. "I think."

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Vivi asked through clenched teeth. Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed his arm and dragged him toward the counter. "What are you doing here? She's gonna know something's up!"

"Uh, Vivi? This place is always filled with people from school. Theo and I are just getting lunch. People do it all the time," Marshall said. "And besides, I wanna see this guy. I'm as much a part of this plan as you are."

Vivi glared at him. She actually couldn't argue with that. "Fine. But get your food to go. As soon as he gets here, you're out."

"Whatever," Marshall said, rolling his eyes.

Vivi balked as he turned around and strolled over to the counter. Apparently the new, tough wardrobe was going to his head. He said something to Theo, and they both chuckled, glancing over at Isabelle and Lane. Vivi could have killed him. What better way to ruin the vibe of a date than to have creepy genius boy spying on them? She stormed back to the table and dropped onto the bench. All she wanted was to get this song and dance over with already.

"Omigod. That's him. Is that him?" Isabelle said suddenly. She positively glowed.

Lane's face went totally slack. "That's him. I mean ... it's gotta be," she added quickly.

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Vivi whipped around, and the world stopped spinning. Jonathan stood at the door, slowly surveying the room. He slipped his sunglasses off, and his eyes finally fell on her. Vivi felt as if the heat emanating from her body could have warmed the rest of the shop. He looked incredible. His blond hair was perfectly disheveled, and he'd grown out a bit of blond stubble all along his cheekbones and chin--but not over his scar, she noticed. It was a hot day, so he had deviated from the agreed-upon wardrobe, but he'd done well. He wore a red T-shirt with black block writing over one shoulder and a pair of baggy, torn jeans. His black boots were scuffed, and he was wearing--unfortunately--the exact same belt as Marshall. Not that anyone other than Vivi would ever notice.

"Brandon?" Isabelle asked.

Slowly, Jonathan smiled. An intensely sexy, closed-mouthed smile. He strolled over to the table, his eyes never leaving Vivi's face.

"Hey," he said, looking deep into Vivi's eyes.

Vivi replied in a near whisper. "Hey."

"Hi," Isabelle added.

Vivi's shin exploded with pain--thanks to a kick from Lane--and she snapped out of it. She kicked Jonathan's foot, and he finally focused on Isabelle. Vivi watched with a mixture of dismay and triumph as his smile widened.

"Isabelle?" he asked, pleasantly surprised.

"Brandon," she replied, grinning wildly.

"Y photo did you no justice," Jonathan said, his voice low and husky.

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Isabelle blushed with pleasure. "Thanks."

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He reached into the back pocket of his jeans and produced a perfect pink rose. Isabelle gasped. "Pink's your favorite, right?" Jonathan said.

"Y remembered," Isabelle said breathlessly.

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Jonathan shrugged. "My grandfather always told me, never show up for a date empty-handed."

Vivi had to concentrate to keep from shaking her head at his brilliance. He'd been told how much Isabelle loved and respected her grandparents. This guy was good.

"That's so sweet," Isabelle trilled, sniffing her flower.

Jonathan sat down next to Vivi, across from Isabelle, and Vivi scooted away a touch, just to be safe. After Izzy introduced "Brandon" to her two friends, Vivi and Lane were finally able to exchange a look without being obvious. Lane beamed with pleasure, and Vivi smiled back. Her heart squeezed painfully, but she ignored it. It didn't matter what stupid reactions her body chose to have. Because Isabelle was obviously happy. And that was all that mattered.

***

"I have trouble sleeping sometimes. Too many thoughts, you know?" Jonathan said, narrowing his eyes in a smoldering way. "Like last night was really bad. I didn't get to sleep until about four in the morning." He was slouched back in his chair, legs spread, toying with the straw in his soda. The complete antithesis of his usual, straight-backed, polite self. Vivi was amazed. He was doing

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it. He was really doing it. Isabelle was riveted. Vivi, meanwhile, was wondering how much of what Jonathan was saying was true, and how much was stuff he made up for his Brandon character. Because the more he talked, the more she and Jonathan seemed to have in common. If this stuff was, in fact, true.

"I have the same problem," Vivi couldn't help mentioning. "Like I just can't turn off my brain."

"Do you?" Jonathan asked, for a split second falling back into his real voice. That was how Vivi knew that this part, at least, was true. Then he seemed to recall himself and slipped back into character. "Anyway, so when that happens I usually play my guitar for a little while to relax."

Vivi's heart thumped, and she glanced at Lane, who went white as a sheet.

"Guitar? I thought you played drums," Isabelle said, confused.

There was the briefest, almost indiscernible twitch in Jonathan's expression, but Vivi was pretty sure she was the only one who caught it.

"Y eah, but it's kinda hard to play drums in the middle of the night," he said, sitting up and leaning in toward Izzy. "I do still live with my parents. Unfortunately."

Isabelle grinned. Good save, Vivi thought.

"But when the guitar doesn't work, I have all these lists I recite in my head," he continued. "That usually does the trick."

"Lists? What kind of lists?" Vivi asked.

"Oh, you know. The states and capitals. The presidents,"

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Jonathan said, then glanced at Isabelle. "Boring crap like that," he added. "Usually puts me right out."

"Omigod! I totally do the same thing! Except I try to recite the names of all the people in our class," Vivi said.

"Really? That seems like a lot," Jonathan replied.

"It's a small class," Lane said flatly. She kicked Vivi's shin under the table again.

Jonathan glanced at Lane, cleared his throat, and then returned to Isabelle. "What do you do when you can't sleep?"

"Me?" Isabelle blushed. "Oh, well, I don't usually have that problem. Ever. I usually pass out as soon as my head hits the pillow."

"Oh." Jonathan looked disappointed for a moment, but then smiled a completely sexy smile. "Well, I envy you. And your pillow."

Isabelle giggled and blushed even deeper. Vivi rolled her eyes. She almost couldn't believe how easily her superintelligent friend was falling for this ruse. Not that she minded. She was feeling quite proud of herself, actually. When her heart wasn't panging in that annoying way.

"So ... are you sure you don't mind coming all the way down here again next weekend?" Isabelle asked.

Vivi held her breath. Was this it? Had Isabelle made up her mind to go to the prom with Jonathan? And if so, why did Vivi suddenly feel like screaming instead of jumping up and down for joy?

"For you? Are you kidding? I'd drive to California," Jonathan said without missing a beat. He leaned his elbows on the

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table, hooked his finger around Isabelle's pinkie, and held it there. Vivi couldn't have ripped her eyes off those entwined fingers if the Starbucks across the street had spontaneously combusted.

Isabelle smiled and held his gaze. "Good answer."

Jonathan smiled back. Vivi could practically feel the attraction between them. She was actually growing hotter from her proximity to it.

"Does that mean I passed the test, then?" Jonathan asked, cocking his head to the side and smiling that sexy, intimate smile again.

Isabelle blushed. "This wasn't a test."

"Sure it was," Jonathan said. "But I was more than happy to take it."

Isabelle turned her hand, lifted Jonathan's, and laced their fingers together. There was no moisture left in Vivi's throat.

"Then yes. Y passed the test," Isabelle said, never taking her eyes off his.

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Jonathan squeezed Izzy's fingers, and he may as well have been squeezing Vivi's heart. Please let this be over soon, she thought.

"Good. Then I'll be here next week," Jonathan said. "Just name the time and place."

"We're meeting at my house," Vivi blurted.

Jonathan looked at her like he'd forgotten she was there-- or that she existed at all--and dropped Isabelle's hand.

"Cool. Well, you'll e-mail me the details, right, Isabelle?" he asked, drawing himself up in his seat. "I should probably hit the road. I've got a ... thing. Back home."

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Isabelle jumped to her feet. "Okay. I'll walk out with you."

"Cool." Jonathan looked at Lane, and then held Vivi's gaze for a long moment. "Ladies."

"Nice to meet you," Lane said loudly.

"Bye," Vivi added.

As they walked out the door together, Isabelle turned around with a gleeful grin and mouthed the words "Oh my God!" like she just could not take how lucky she was. Vivi forced herself to smile back.

"Wow." Vivi swallowed hard and kept the smile on. "How perfect was he?" she said to Lane.

"Y eah. Perfect," Lane said in a strained voice. She pushed herself up and out of the booth. "For you."

"What do you mean?" Vivi asked, scooting to the edge of the vinyl booth. "Isabelle's freaking."

"Y eah, because she's blinded by his gorgeousness," Lane said, throwing up a hand. "But I swear, Viv, it was more like he was on a date with you than her. Y guys talked practically the entire time!"

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"Give me a break, Lane. They were drooling all over each other at the end there," Vivi stood as well, her adrenaline shoving away her melancholy. "I'm happy for her!"

I am. I really, really am.

"Y eah. Sure. Y just keep telling yourself that," Lane replied.

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I am! I really, really am!

At that moment, Isabelle burst back through the door and skipped over to Vivi. "Omigod. I cannot believe how perfect

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he is! I'm so glad you guys didn't let me get back together with Shawn. I had no idea there were even guys like him out there. And he was so nice to you guys! Could you even imagine Shawn chatting with you like Brandon did? That would never have happened."

"Nope. Never," Vivi said, smiling triumphantly at Lane.

"This is going to be the best prom ever!" Isabelle said, showing every one of her perfect teeth. "Okay. Now I have to pee. I've had to for, like, twenty minutes, but I didn't want to get up from the table." She laughed as she ran past her friends for the bathroom at the back of the shop. Ever so slowly, Vivi turned to Lane, eyebrows raised. But Lane simply scowled, refusing to board the happy train.