Plus One

Priority

Anna knew luck wouldn't be on her side as the day seemed to fly by thanks to meetings and stand ups about upcoming projects. She looked at the clock one minute it was 11:30 in the morning the next minute it was 3:15 in the afternoon. "This isn't fair." Anna groaned to no one in particular. "What's wrong?" Jamal asked leaning back to look at her. "Nothing. I'm meeting the family tonight and I'm a nervous wreck." Jamal seemed surprise at her words.

"I didn't know you two were that serious." Jamal offered. Anna couldn't decipher the expression or look in his eyes and she didn't care to. "Yeah, well we are. We care a lot about each other and I just want them to like me." Anna didn't even know why she was explaining herself to him. He made it very clear his stance on interracial relationship despite his own lineage. She braced herself for a nasty retort.

"I'm sure they're going to love you. You're a great woman, Anna. They'd be crazy not to." Anna looked up at him and saw sincerity and a hint of sadness. "Thanks Jamal. That's really sweet of you to say." They went back to working for what seemed like five minutes to Anna before she felt Ethan's hand rubbing the back of her neck. "You ready, pretty girl?" Anna's eyes grew wide as she saw the clock read 5 o'clock.

"I guess so." She groaned causing Ethan to chuckle. He held the cake in his hand tempted to see what kind it was. They made their way to his car and Ethan knew she was nervous beyond compare. "It's going to be okay, Anna." Ethan offered holding her hand. "You're great. They're going to like you, but this is all pretend remember. In the end, it doesn't really matter what they think."

His words may not have meant to hurt, but they did. Anna removed her hand from his and looked out the window. He was right. She was actually acting as though she was meeting her boyfriend's parents, but she wasn't. She was meeting the family of an acquaintance that she agreed to help fool others that they were in a relationship. We mean nothing to each other, Anna thought sadly.

Ethan knew he fucked up. He was just trying to say something that would loosen her up and get her out of her head. He didn't mean to offend her or worse hurt her feelings. The rest of the car ride was silent and he hated it. "Anna, I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean-" Anna shook her head and interrupted.

"No, you're right. I have these moments where I feel like this is real. That something is happening between us, but it's not. This is all make believe. I just got caught up. It won't happen again." Ethan looked over at her and sighed. He had hurt her and yet she had said things that were heavy on his mind from the moment they agreed to this farce.

"Prunes." Anna looked at him with tears in her eyes, but a smile on her face. Ethan pulled over as they were minutes from his parents' home. "I have moments where this feels real to me too." He sighed as he grabbed her hand. "I know we have our rules, but we didn't make any rules for what to do if we actually started feeling something real. And I do. I do feel something real, but I'm not good enough for you. I have been selfish my whole life and a part of me wants to keep you, but I can't do that. I won't do that to you."

Anna looked him over. He was still that same guy she met at the bar years ago though now he was sober instead of so far gone. "I get to decide who I want and don't want. I want to see if there's something real between us, Ethan. I want to know that we feel the same way for one another. The rules still apply, because I think we need to get to know one another a bit more. But I'm open to there being an us if you are."

Ethan smiled at her before starting the car up again. "I'm open, but I'd like to amend a rule." Anna quirked an eyebrow at him. "I want to be able to kiss you whenever and wherever I please." Anna giggled at him before nodding her head. "I'll be sure to make that change to the list as soon as we get home." Ethan kissed her hand before pulling into a gated mansion.

"This is insane." Anna looked at everything from the manicured lawn, fountains and designed hedges to the brick mansion liken to an old English manor. "You grew up here?" She was still in awe. Ethan chuckled as he parked on the circular driveway. "No, I grew up in a three-bedroom house in South Portland. Anna quirked an eyebrow at him. "Your family practically founded this city, so I know you've always had money."

"We have, but my dad like his father before him and his before him wanted to make an honest living on his own. Most of the money we have is old, but the money we use is our own. My siblings and I invested what was ours when we were teenagers. We work for our Dad, because we like it for the most part and it makes the old man happy." Anna looked at him with a new lens. "You just get curiouser and curiouser, Ethan James." He chuckled at her before unlocking the door and heading out. Anna grabbed the strawberry shortcake and waited for Ethan to open her door. They made their way to the top step and Ethan gave her a quick peck that did nothing to calm her nerves.