When Does the Pretending End?

Chapter 65- Maybe He Was Right

  Lucy's Pov

"Hello" Coleen says kissing my cheek and I immediately relaxed a little. She did seem nice. "Perfect timing. The others have just arrived" Coleen says taking my hand. I look around the hall. It's beautiful. "Wow. You have a lovely home" I say. "Thank you" Coleen says. "Now come meet the rest of the girls. They can't wait to meet you" Coleen says. "I still can't believe you didn't tell us about having a new girlfriend Cristiano" she says walking beside me. The knots in my stomach feel more real as we head to the door.

When we walk into the room, everyone looks towards us. "Everyone this is Lucy. Lucy this is everyone" Coleen says. "Nice to see you again" Michael says. "I'm Lisa, Mike's finance" a tall blonde lady says standing up to kiss my cheek. "Hello" I say. "You remember Wes and Nani" Coleen says and I nod a hello to the two men sitting together. "Nani is Wes's date tonight since Leanne couldn't come. I'm Rebecca by the way" the woman next to Rio says. "Nice to meet you" I say as I notice Rio smirking at me. "It's just all of us. Darren and Hayley already had other plans for tonight" Coleen says as Cris and Wayne arrive into the room.

"Rio thought you wouldn't come" Michael says to Cris. "I said we would" Cris says and I feel his arm around my waist. It's going to more than his arm to make me relax tonight I think.
"We were surprised when we heard Cristiano had been keeping you secret Lucy" Rebecca says. "We were keeping things to ourselves for a while" I say saying the well-rehearsed line.

"Ronnie probably didn't want to share you with us" Wayne says and everyone laughs. If only you knew the truth I think laughing. "Right. Dinner is ready. So we should go to the dining room" Coleen says and we all head to the beautiful decorated dining room.
Cris kisses my cheek as he pulls my chair out for me to sit. I know I'm not hiding my nervousness from him.

"Your head doesn't look to bad tonight" Nani says as we eat. "He says it's not sore anymore" I say as I remember Cris trying to stop Dolores from fusing over him this morning. "I bet you kissed it better last night" Rio smirks. Muppet I think. "So how did you two meet? Michael is hopeless at remembering things" Lisa Michael's finance asks. "We just met at a restaurant" Cristiano says. "Just at a restaurant" Nani says. "What he means is that he bumped into me and made me drop all the files I had in my arms. But he did help me pick them up" I say smiling at Cris. "Such a gentleman Ronnie lad" Rio says.

"I could think of a certain cutie who thinks so" Cris says when Coleen asks how much Cristiano's family like having me around. Which cutie I think. "Well your nephew loves my cuddles and cooking. "I'm sure Ronnie like your cuddles too" Rio says. "Rio" Rebecca says looking at her boyfriend. "I'm sure he does" I say looking straight at Rio. What was his problem?
"Did you have fun at the match yesterday Lucy? Ronnie said you went to Liverpool" Wayne asks.

"I didn't end up going" I say. I'm glad I didn't go too. Dolores needed someone to be with her. Especially since her son got hurt. "Still don't think she's insane" Rio says looking at Cristiano. "Rio why are you saying that" Rebecca says. "It's ok Rebecca. Your boyfriend here thinks I'm insane since I'm a Liverpool fan and I'm dating Cris" I say. Cristiano shifts in his seat clearly remembering how I reacted the last time Rio called me insane.

"I'm a Liverpool supporter Rio. Does that mean that I am insane?" Coleen asks Rio. I smile. Know your audience I think. "No" he mumbles. "It's nice to have another red fan around" Coleen says me.
"So tell me Ronnie lad. How did you manage to forget that you had a girlfriend? Rio asks drinking his beer. Will he give it a rest?

"I don't know. How did you forget a drug test?" I ask. And the whole table falls silent. "Guess that's round one to Lucy" Wayne jokes and watch everyone laugh but Rio. "Surely that was a knock out" I say trying to hide my smile at Rio's reaction by taking a sip of my drink. I jump a little as I feel a hand on my knee. I turn to look at a smiling Cris.

"Thanks for helping with desert, Lucy. It looks lovely" Coleen says as I help her in the kitchen a little later. "It's the least I could do. Dinner was lovely" I say as I watch Coleen cut into the black forest gateau.

"So tell me how nervous were you before you came here tonight" Coleen asks laughing. "I still am" I say telling the truth. "Don't be. Everyone likes you. It's nice to like Cristiano's girlfriend" she says. "What do you mean?" I ask. "Well he doesn't have the best taste in ladies until now obviously" she says. "Do you have these type of dinners a lot?" I ask.

"Sometimes. Although Cris doesn't normally come. The last time he brought a girl around, well let's just say she didn't exactly look like she liked us" Coleen says. "Now I find that hard to imagine" I say and we smile at each other. "I guess we should take these plates out" Coleen says. "Or we could eat it all" I say and she laughs as she heads to the door. "Make us another one and it's a date" she says pushing the door open with her heel.

Turns of my dress was just right for tonight. Neither of the girls were too dressed up. It was funny that we all were wearing black tights.

As I take my seat at the table again Cris leans in closer to me. "Told you it wouldn't be so bad" he whispers into my ear. I lean back against my chair and feel his arm around me.

Maybe he was right about this dinner not being bad. I was actually having fun. Coleen and the other girls were really nice.