Words & Whiskey

EDITED VERSION: Chapter Twenty-One

After opening gifts, we all worked together to make a giant breakfast. Nathan made French toast - something he is strangely good at, Darian made bacon and eggs, and Samara and I tried to make cinnamon buns. Emphasis on tried. Nathan ate them like a trooper and Darian kindly spit it in his napkin when he thought we weren't looking. Samara, on the other hand, thought they tasted great. She ate four.

When the breakfast was done, Samara had to leave because her aunt invited her to dinner. She tried to convince me to go, but I decided she should be with her family.

For the rest of the day, the boys and I watched Christmas movies. When three o'clock rolled around, Darian got up to get dressed for their family dinner.

Nathan stayed on the couch with me and I glanced over at him, his expression puzzled. "Shouldn't you be getting ready too?"

He sighed and scratched the back of his head, looking a little hesitant to speak. "I need to tell you something."

My heart picked up in pace as I studied his face. He looked like he was about to tell me he drowned a kitten. I swallowed some air and I said, "W-what's going on?"

"I-" Nathan began. He paused for a moment and muttered a curse under his breath. When he found the words he was searching for, he continued. "I told my parents I have a girlfriend."

I sucked in a breath and I felt my stomach sink a little bit. I didn't know he was seeing anyone. It kind of hurts that he didn't tell me, I thought he and I were closer than that. But maybe he wanted to wait until he was serious about the girl. That thought made my stomach sink even lower.

Snapping myself out of my thoughts, I gave him a small smile. "Who's the lucky girl?"

Nathan looked at me, clearly astonished and then he chuckled so loudly it filled the room. "No one! I just told my parents that."

I blinked a few times but I didn't speak. That jerk face had me worrying for like two minutes only to be single and lying to his parents. Shifting so I could face him completely, I licked my lips. "So...?"

"So..." He sighed and ran his hand through his silky hair and muttered, "I need you to be my fake girlfriend."

"What?" I jumped off the couch and looked at Nathan, bewildered. "Nate, I can't be your fake girlfriend! Do you know how weird that would be for Darian? Not to mention, me?"

Nathan stood up and placed his hands on both my shoulders and gave me his best pleading look he could muster. "Please, Audrey? You don't understand, all my mother has ever wanted was for me to find a girlfriend to bring home and that's all she talks about when I see her, eventually I just snapped and said I'd bring my new girlfriend over for Christmas so she would get off my back. I can't just tell her I lied, especially on Christmas."

I stared at Nathan and his hazel eyes poured into mine to the point I couldn't look away. Not even if I tried. Damn, he's good. I bit my lip and nodded my head slowly. "Fine. I can be your fake girlfriend."

Nathan's face lit up like a Christmas tree and he hugged me so tight I could barely breathe.

"Just-" I breathed. "-this once."

He pulled away and gave me a quick peck on the cheek and then started for his bedroom door. "I promise you won't regret this! I'll be the best fake boyfriend you'll ever meet!"

I stood in the living room, stunned at his reaction. Absently, my hand made its way to my cheek where he had kissed me and I couldn't help but notice the tingling feeling it had left behind.

***

"Audrey, we're leaving!" Darian yelled from the hallway.