Prank Date [✔]

Part 4

"So," Lisa said, leaning against my electric car that was just as cute as its owner. "Can I have your number?" She gave me a teasing wink, aware that it sounded like some kind of pickup line.

I gave her a skeptical look. "Are you flirting with me?"

"Me? Flirting? No, that's my normal style of communication." Hand on her heart, she added, "I'll save the flirting for when Jin is watching." In a more serious tone, she said, "I'll need your number to talk about our plan."

After unlocking my car, I reached into the glove compartment for a pen, wrote something on a business card, and handed it to Lisa.

Jennie R. J. Kim, CPA. Senior Associate. Chua & Jung. I was exactly what I had said I was. Lisa could already tell that, unlike my brother, I wasn't one to exaggerate to get attention.

Lisa looked at the cell phone and private number I had written on the back of the card. My handwriting was clear and strong.

"I assume you want me to call you at home, not at work?" She asks.

Nodding, I clicked off my pen. "That would be better. Speaking of calling me ... what do I tell Jin when he calls me to enjoy his little joke?"

"What do you tell him when you had a date with a man that went really well?"

"Nothing."

Lisa looked up from the business card. "Nothing?"

I stared at my car keys, avoiding eye contact. "Not much to tell anyway."

"Why not?" Getting personal information out of me was like cutting old vines—hard work. "You don't date?"

"I do. Sometimes. But ..."

"But?" Lisa stepped closer. "Jennie, I don't want to be nosy and intrude on your privacy, but if we want to pull off making Jin think we're a couple, I need to know a bit about your relationships."

"Not sure you can call them that," I mumbled. "I usually have one date, and that's it." My cheeks reddened at the admission.

"That's it? Why?"

I shrugged. "Usually, either my date is completely bored by the end of the evening, or I am, and neither of us wants a repeat."

"I know what you mean," Lisa said. "I had a few dates that were more boring than watching grass grow."

"So what do I tell Jin?" I asked again.

"Let's try to stay as close to the truth as possible. Otherwise, it won't be long until we get caught."

My eyebrows rose. "Sounds as if you're speaking from experience."

She sighed. "Years of trying to hide my sexual orientation from my very conservative father. When I finally told him, it turned out he suspected all along. I'm not a good liar."

The skin above my nose crinkled. "But you still think you can pull off this," I pointed back and forth between us, "in front of Jin?"

Pretending to be smitten with you? Sure, no problem. Lisa thought to herself. "Shouldn't be a problem. We're not going to do this for years, just until we get some revenge."

"Any other advice for the phone call with Jin?" I asked.

"Don't try to convince him you have fallen in love with me tonight," she replied.

I frowned. "I thought that was the plan. To make him believe I fell in love with you?"

"Yeah, but not so fast," Lisa said. "I have a feeling you're not someone who falls in love at the drop of a hat."