I swat him on the shoulder. “Don’t make fun of me!”
“I’m not making fun of you,” he protests. “I just—you’re as in over your head as the rest of us. I thought that the two of you had managed to find a way to squirrel out of this mess, but you’ve just found a different one to step in.”
“It was supposed to be convenient,” I say. “I wanted my father to get off my back, and he wanted the same thing. We weren’t trying to make things worse for you.”
Charlie shakes his head. We’ve stopped beneath a streetlamp, just standing under the fluorescent yellow glow as we talk. He asks, “And how’s that worked out?”
“I think it’s worked out great for Grant, and my sister too.” I’m trying to be cheeky when I say it, but it comes out a little lacking.
Charlie asks, “Are you going to tell him?”
“That I’ve changed my mind about our fake engagement, and I want to date him for real?” I ask, the words chased down with a laugh. “Charlie, what would you do if something like that happened?”
Charlie gives a relinquishing shrug. “I don’t know. I’ve never had anyone like me that much.”
“You’ve neverletanyone like you that much.”
“I haven’t.”
I shake my head, leaning one shoulder against the post of the lamp. “Neither has your brother. This whole thing—he agreed to it because he doesn’t have any interest in having a relationship with someone. If he did, he could have swiped right on a pretty girl that he wanted to date a long time ago.”
Charlie purses his lips together, but he doesn’t argue the point. “So you’re just not going to say anything.”
“Neither are you,” I tell him, firmly. “Not to your brother, and not to your parents. About any of this.”
Charlie reaches out and gives the necklace that I’m wearing a single tug. “Why?”
“Because it won’t fix anything,” I tell him, a soft tone creeping into my words. “Your father is still going to have the same expectations for you.”
He looks away from me. He knows that I’m right about that.
I continue, “He’s still going to have the same wants. The same happy, perfect family that he’s got pictured. Telling him that what Grant and I have isn’t real won’t change anything with Don.”
“It’ll make me feel a hell of a lot better,” says Charlie, frowning. He sounds sullen. In that moment, he looks much more like a younger brother than a big business tycoon.
I reach out, taking his hand again. The gesture is purely friendly. “It’s only going to make you feel better in the moment. After the fact, you’re going to see that it’s hurt what you and Grant have. It’s going to cause more issues than anything else.”
Charlie doesn’t say anything to that, but he slams the button for the crossing walk again, so we can head back towards the hotel.
I say, “You know that I’m right.”
“I don’t like that you’re right.” Charlie gruffly tells me. We stand there in silence for a few long minutes, waiting for the light to flick green again. One last car rushes past, and then we hurry to the other side of the pavement and start the walk back towards the hotel.
We round the corner. I glance over at the pub, but the windows have drawn shutters on them. There’s no way of knowing if Grant is still over there, or if he’s gone back to the hotel yet. But I told him I’d meet him in the room so that’s where I head.
Still, nothing is said. We go up the path together, and then step into the front lobby of the hotel. The difference is glaring. The bright light is neon in comparison to the smoggy near-dark of the city.
That’s the other thing about London. There aren’t really any shadows to hide in.
Charlie heads for the stairs, but I grab onto his hand and I ask, “Are you going to say anything to your parents?”
Charlie looks like he’s still debating it, but then he gives a shake of his head. “No.”
Relief rushes through me. “Thank you.”
Charlie takes his hand back. He turns, taking two steps towards the stairs, and then moves to look at me again. “You know, you’ve had smart things to say this evening, advice that you wanted to share. Well, I’ve got something to say, too.”
I hold out my arms. “I guess I’ve got no choice but to listen, since you listened to me.”