Fake Game (The System #3)

Chapter Fifteen

FIFTEEN

DEER

“ T his is my girlfriend.”

Jackson squeezes my hand, and I let his strong grip bolster me.

I don’t totally understand what is going on here, but I know it’s not the time to hesitate. I can’t let myself lag for even a second. I’m going to show this woman why I’m one of the most beloved streamers. This lady is going to get the full show.

I stand up and relinquish my hand from Jackson’s, holding it out to his aunt instead.

“I’m Deer, it’s lovely to meet you.”

Her brows pinch together as she reluctantly places her hand in mine. “Deer?”

I really wasn’t racking up any bonus points with this woman, and, in retrospect, this isn’t how I would ever introduce myself to my supposed boyfriend’s family, but I am grasping at straws here.

One might say this is all my fault because I’m the one who decided to continue this whole ruse, but how was I supposed to know his aunt came to the same damn nail salon? I thought his family lived farther south.

“Yes, it’s a nickname.”

“I see.”

She releases my hand and continues that scrutinous appraisal of my appearance. It doesn’t slip past me that she hasn’t introduced herself. She doesn’t respect me enough for that. I’m beneath her, not worth her time.

A little much , apparently.

I swallow, my throat rough as sandpaper.

I feel more under the microscope now than I have at any gaming convention ever, surrounded by thousands upon thousands of people. It makes me feel like shit. This is what I get for not taking Aleks seriously. He grew up with Jackson. I should’ve trusted him when he said that pretending to date Jackson wouldn’t go well with his family.

Gods dammit.

I need a way out of this, some sort of an excuse that she can’t avoid.

I grip my anxiety and keep it locked in my chest, lacing a soft smile across my face as I attempt to smother this cold woman with all my fake cotton candy kindness.

“We’re about to head to a lunch reservation, if you would like to join us?”

“I’m afraid I’ll have to pass as I still have my appointment.”

Thank Gods. That’s what I’d been banking on her saying.

I allow my mask to fall into one of carefully feigned disappointment.

“Oh, shoot. Next time? I would love to get to know Sh—Jackson’s family more.”

I see the moment an idea passes through her gaze with a calculating glint. She turns her thin smile to Jackson, who comes to stand behind me.

“You should bring her to Angela’s recital next weekend. I’m sure everyone would be delighted to meet your girlfriend. ” She says the word like it is laced with lies.

Jackson’s hand comes to rest against the small of my back, sending a shock through me.

“Of course, that’s a great idea.” He leans forward and peers at me. “I just paid. We should head to lunch if we don’t want to be late.”

“Right. Yeah.” I nod like a bobblehead. “Can’t miss our lunch date.”

“I’ll see you soon, yi ma .”

“It was nice meeting you,” I smile back at his aunt as he ushers me out of the salon.

The bell on the door chimes as we exit. My feet continue to move on autopilot, following the direction Jackson keeps leading me in.

“Wait, I didn’t text—”

“Miss Deer. Mr. Lau.”

I blink up to see Francis opening the back door of the BMW.

“I texted him,” Jackson explains as he holds my hand and helps me into the car.

The door closes before I’m able to get another word out, leaving me staring out the tinted window in confusion. The car dips when he gets in on the other side, and it jiggles me out of my stupor.

“What the hell was that?”

“Seriously? You’re asking me that?” He crosses his arms.

“You’re the one who—wait, oh my Gods, I totally forgot to pay!” I scramble around to grab my phone from my handbag, just to realize I never grabbed it from the salon. My brain feels like someone smashed a dozen eggs and is trying to fry them all at once. “Shit. I left my—”

“Purse?”

Jackson holds the fuzzy white purse out to me, the handle dangling off the end of his pointer finger.

“Thanks.” I pluck it from him, uncertainty clouding over me as I look for my phone.

“And I already handled the payment. Did you not hear a word I said in there?”

I pause in my rummaging, my mind taking a second to recalibrate.

Right. Right, he did say that.

“Wait, why did you do that? I told you I was going to pay.”

“Because if we spent another second in there, I was going to drown myself with nail polish remover.”

“Dramatic.”

“Says you.”

“At least when I do it, it’s on brand.”

“This is never going to work.” He runs a hand down his face.

“What isn’t?”

“Us. Dating.”

“Not true.” I straighten my spine. “Everyone in the salon believed us. Grace believed us.”

“None of those people actually know us.” He slumps against his seat. “My family will see right through it.”

“’Cause I’m not good enough, right?” I can’t stop the venom from leaving my lips.

“No. Because you always argue with me. What couple argues this much?”

“They say it’s healthy for couples to argue.”

“Who?”

“The internet people.”

Jackson groans.

“Besides, this is barely even arguing.” I cross my arms and slouch back against my seat.

“I’m so fucked.”

There’s a hollowness in the words he speaks that catches me off guard. He’s normally so gravelly and growly that hearing the misery-laden words causes my chest to clench. I chance a glance over at him and see the way the skin tightens around his distant gaze. I pull my lower lip between my teeth.

I don’t want him to feel this way.

“Hey.” I reach over and poke his bicep with my freshly pointed nail. “Hey, come on. I’m…I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?”

“Because your aunt overheard what I said.”

“You only said that because I pulled you into this last night. That was my decision, not yours. I only have myself to blame.”

The mood of the car is becoming drenched in depression, a heaviness cloying the air with thick disappointment.

Before I can second-guess myself, I curl my hand around his bicep. His taut muscles are massive beneath my small hands. I give a light squeeze, and Jackson finally tears his eyes away from the window to look at me.

“Let me help you.”

“Deer, I don’t—”

“I’m serious.” I scoot myself over onto the middle seat. “Consider it a repayment for you helping me, for letting me crash at the apartment and stay in your room…and also for finishing off all the sour candies in the pantry.”

“You ate all our sour candy?”

“Jackson.”

His eyes swirl as his name leaves my lips, but just as quick, they steel up. “This isn’t your responsibility, Deer. I can handle it on my own.”

“Weren’t you the one preaching to me about not being a hero? About letting people help lighten the load so you don’t become crushed by the weight?”

“Why do you have such a good memory?” he tsks.

“Come on, trust me. I’ve got this. I’ll be the best fake girlfriend you’ve ever seen.”

“If this doesn’t work…”

“It will.”

“But if it doesn’t, I’m going to get caught up in another lie.” Conflict wars in his eyes. “My family will never forgive me. I don’t know if I can risk that—I can’t risk that.”

I reach up and rest the palm of my hand against his cheek. That conflict melts away into shock, his lashes fluttering as he stares down at me. My heart turns to a goopy mess, dripping as I gaze at the man who has always been a pillar of stoic strength but is beginning to crack.

I want to make his struggle disappear.

I want to pull him into a hug.

I want…I want to kiss him.

Shit .

I force a smile onto my face.

“It’s up to you. Whatever you’re comfortable with, I’ll support that. But just know that if you need me to, I’ll fake girlfriend so hard, even our friends will wonder what’s fake and what’s real.”

I peel my hand away even though it’s hard and shuffle back to my side of the car. Jackson doesn’t say anything else, so I just stare out the window, watching cars and palm trees pass us by in a gray tint.

The air in the vehicle is still marked with uncertainty, and I begin to spiral, worried that I totally put my foot in my mouth.

It’s only when we pull into the garage under the apartment complex that he speaks again. It’s one word spoken so low that it causes my skin to prickle as it rolls over me.

“Thanks.”