7. Creative Juices

Chapter 7

Creative Juices

Noah

My alarm startled me awake from a dream I shouldn’t have been having about my new fake girlfriend. But let’s be honest, I’d been dreaming about her for the past week.

As I rolled over in bed to turn off my phone alarm, the events from the night before replayed in my mind. What the hell had I been thinking? Sure, Jade was gorgeous, and there was an undeniable spark between us—at least, I thought there was—but faking a relationship with a woman I barely knew was certifiable.

I opened the group text with my brothers, figuring I should tell them, since this ultimately might affect them too.

Me: Houston, we might have a wee bit of a problem.

Gabriel: It’s Sunday morning, what kind of problem could you possibly have?

Lex: Are we talking about the size of your dick because that violates one of Gabe’s group text rules. *three eggplant emojis*

Gabriel: It’s too early for this.

Me: *rolling eyes emoji* I might have entered into a fake relationship situation with William Dalton’s daughter.

Gabriel: Excuse me?

Me: She’s my neighbor... the one with the cat. *weary cat emoji*

Gabriel: Stop with the damn emojis! *steam from nose emoji* The cat that scratched you? How did this even happen?

Me: At the gala last night. We’re having brunch with William and his wife this morning.

Gabriel: Did you fail to remember there’s a reputation clause?

Me: I hardly think that me dating his daughter would trigger that, right?

Gabriel: But you aren’t actually dating her, and it’s his daughter. This can be perceived as deceptive.

Lex: Wait... Jade Dalton? *smiling face with horns emoji*

Me: Yes.

Lex: You asshole. I called dibs. *enraged face emoji* *middle finger emoji*

Me: I didn’t even know who she was.

Gabriel: Doesn’t matter, but you better not cost us this contract or future contracts, or it’s entirely on you.

That was just a great way to start my day. Not too long ago, Gabriel had finally loosened his reins on me after I stepped up when he was dealing with family matters. Now I felt like we were about to slip right back into the boss-and-underling dynamic instead of equals.

He acted like William Dalton would pull the contract, but there were only a few weeks until the start of the regular NFL season. Apparel was already in stores, and money was already paid. Plus, it’s not like me dating the owner’s daughter was a ding to anyone’s reputation.

Next year’s contract was a different story, and I could understand his concern, but Badden Apparel was the best. William would be a fool to not renew a contract over his daughter’s dating situation.

I got up and got ready, trying to mentally prepare for what very well might turn into the brunch from hell. From the interactions with her parents the night before, I knew I would have to work extra hard to be charming. I wasn’t so sure I’d be able to sit by and watch Jade’s mother or father treat her like shit, though.

As I walked downstairs, I grabbed my phone and shot Jade a text.

Me: Good morning, my beautiful girlfriend. I’m ready to go when you are. We should probably go over some stuff on the way.

Jade: My parents don’t know that much about me, so just make something up and I’ll go with it. I’ll be out in a few.

She was going to wish she’d never said that. I chuckled to myself as I grabbed the gift bag I’d put together for Jade’s mom after getting home last night. It was completely innocent but also not.

When I pulled out of my garage, Jade was already waiting at the end of my driveway, looking like a fucking snack in a floral sundress. It fell right above her knees and had ties on both shoulders. The deep purple flowers and light purple background really made her green eyes stand out. I couldn’t stop staring as I pulled to a stop to let her in.

“Good morning.” She slid into the passenger seat, her scent reminding me of a cherry pineapple Popsicle.

She adjusted the hem of her dress on her thighs and buckled her seat belt.

Me? I was momentarily speechless.

Jade waved a hand in front of my face. “Are you awake?”

“What? Oh, sorry.” I put my attention back on the task at hand: driving. “Are you a magician?”

“No.” She sounded so unsure of her answer and where I was going with my question.

“Are you sure? Because every time I look at you, everything else disappears.” I glanced over at her and grinned. It was true, but she didn’t need to know that. At least, not yet .

She snorted. “Do these kinds of lines actually work for you?”

“Absolutely.” I never was one for pickup lines, but for some reason, seeing her reactions was worth embarrassing myself. “You ready for this?”

She blew out a long breath. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

I turned out of our neighborhood. “We should probably figure out how we got into this relationship. Everyone always asks how couples met, and your parents are probably going to want more than we’re neighbors .”

Jade pulled a pair of sunglasses out of her purse and put them on. “Why not just go with the truth? You had a hissy fit over my cat and your vegetables.”

I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel, considering that option. “That’s lame. This is our opportunity to get our creative juices flowing.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Can we not talk about anyone’s juices flowing? Let’s hear your brilliant backstory, since sticking to the truth is lame, according to you.”

I cleared my throat dramatically. “It was a dark and stormy night?—”

“Seriously?” Jade pushed her sunglasses onto the top of her head and blinked rapidly at me. “You’re going to start with that?”

“Don’t knock the classics. Anyway, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, it was a dark and stormy night. One of those freak summer storms that takes no prisoners. The power had gone out, and I heard a scream coming from your house.”

“Let me guess, you rushed over to save me?” She rolled her eyes, but I could see the hint of a smile playing at the corners of her lips.

God, it was hard to focus on driving with her next to me. I found myself wanting to stare but had to settle for quick glances instead.

“No, I called the cops because I thought you were being murdered.”

“Wow, my hero.” She clasped her hands together over her heart, mocking me.

“The cops showed up, but it turned out you had seen a spider and freaked out.”

“I’m not afraid of spiders.”

“You are in this story. So there I was, watching this all play out from an upstairs window, when I see none other than Captain Purrcard von Clitty Cat walking along the fence. He must have gotten out when the cops stormed your house to rescue you from Charlotte.”

“Is Wilbur part of this story too?”

“Well, come to find out, Charlotte was in your house, trying to save him, but unfortunately, you already had Wilbur in your fridge.”

Jade gasped, and I couldn’t contain my laugh as she playfully swatted my arm. “You take that back!”

“It’s already out in the open, so no take backs. Anyway, I saw Captain jump into my yard, where my vicious canine awaited his feast. I knew I had to act fast.”

“Oh, geez.” Jade put her face in her hands, but she was laughing now.

“I rushed downstairs and outside in time to rescue Captain from the jaws of my beast.” I pointed to my chin, where there was still a faint mark from her cat. “I was wounded in the process.”

She turned in her seat, so she was angled toward me. “Poor baby. Did you cry and ask me to kiss it better?”

“You were so thankful for my bravery that you insisted on playing nurse to thank me. And, well, the rest is history.” I winked at her as I pulled into the valet line at the hotel.

“There’s no way my parents would believe any of that.” Jade shook her head, but her smile nearly left me breathless.

“Maybe not, but it’s a hell of a lot more interesting than how we actually met, don’t you think?”

“Definitely more creative, but maybe we should keep it simple. We met because we’re neighbors, you asked me out, I said yes. Easy.” She played with the hem of her dress, drawing my attention to her legs. They looked so soft and smooth. What I wouldn’t give to run my hands up them.

Calm down, Badden.

We were pretending, but my brain was not processing that fact at all. Maybe if I wasn’t attracted to her, I’d be able to keep myself distanced enough, but I already knew I was walking a fine line with my feelings. Feelings that had been pretty foreign to me up until Jade.

I pulled forward, putting the car in park to wait for the attendant to get to us. “We’ve got this. Follow my lead, and if all else fails, we’ll just start making out. That’ll shut them up.”

“You have an answer for everything, don’t you?”

“I’ve got your back in there, okay? If things get too intense or you want to leave at any point, dig your nails into my thigh. I’ll get us out of there. ”

She looked at me with an amused smile, some of the tension leaving her shoulders. “You’re crazy.”

“Crazy like a squirrel that can’t find his special nuts.” I flashed her a grin, then leaned over to press a lingering kiss to her cheek. “Let’s do this, girlfriend.”

I reached into the back and grabbed the gift bag. She eyed it with a questioning raise of her eyebrows.

“It’s a gift for your mom.”

“Noah…” It was amazing to me that a woman could speak so many words by just uttering a man’s name.

“It’s harmless. Just some vegetables from my garden.” I reached in and pulled out a zucchini I’d picked yesterday. “There’s more where this came from.”

She shook her head in disbelief. “You’re going to be a great fake boyfriend.”

“That’s the idea.” I opened my door and placed a twenty and my keys in the valet’s hand, getting a ticket in return.

Another parking attendant opened Jade’s door, and she stepped out. “This is such a bad idea. You still have time to run.”

I offered her my arm, feeling a rush of protectiveness as she looped her hand through the crook of my elbow. “I’m staying right here. Just think of it as improv. We’re playing the starring roles in our own rom-com.”

She laughed, though it was clearly strained. “Easy for you to say. You don’t have my parents.”

Fair point.

Jade and I walked into the upscale restaurant that screamed money, with its crystal chandeliers, white tablecloths, and a string quartet playing music. It was even a little too much for my rich tastes. I would have much rather grabbed a giant breakfast burrito from a hole-in-the-wall place.

The hostess greeted us with a smile that was so big, I wondered if it hurt. “Welcome to The Regal Room. Do you have a reservation?”

“We’re meeting the Daltons.” Jade’s grip tightened on my arm.

The hostess led us to the back of the restaurant, where large windows looked out to an atrium. Jade’s parents were already at a table, both looking like they’d rather be anywhere but brunch with their daughter and her boyfriend.

When we got to the table, I pulled out Jade’s chair for her. “Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Dalton.”

“Good morning. Please, call me William.” He extended his hand across the rectangular table for a handshake, his grip firm and almost painful.

Yeah, this was going to go really well.

Margaret looked me up and down like she was appraising a piece of art, giving me a tight smile as I took my seat. I wasn’t wearing a suit like William was, but I was in business casual attire befitting of a casual Sunday brunch.

It didn’t escape my notice that Jade and Margaret didn’t greet each other. Was her mom really so against what Jade did for a living? She was a CEO of a seven, possibly eight, figure business, and she wasn’t even thirty. I barely knew the woman but was proud as fuck.

I set the gift bag in front of Jade. “Sweet cheeks, will you hand your mom the gift I brought her?”

Jade kicked my foot under the table .

Margaret’s perfectly sculpted eyebrows shot up in surprise. “For me?” She took the bag from in front of Jade before Jade could even hand it to her and peered inside. “What’s this?”

“They’re from my garden.” I placed my hand on Jade’s knee, squeezing lightly. She didn’t shove my hand away, so I took that as a green light to keep it there. “My zucchini was really quite hardy this season. It’s almost too much to handle.”

William made a noise in his throat, but I couldn’t tell if he was trying not to smile or was contemplating my murder. I knew the man had a sense of humor; he’d shown it during our contract renegotiations.

“How... sweet.” Margaret set the bag down on the floor next to her chair, her lips pursed like she’d sucked on a lemon.

Jade placed her hand over mine, and a weird feeling shot through me. A thrill? Elation? Hunger? Maybe touching was a bad idea.

The waiter stopped at the end of the table, his white shirt so crisp, it was probably chafing his nipples. “Good morning. May I start you off with some drinks?”

“My wife and I will both have black coffee.”

The waiter turned to me. “And for you two?”

Jade cleared her throat, drawing his attention to her. “I’ll have the bottomless mimosas, please.”

Margaret’s perfectly arched brows drew together disapprovingly as she made a soft tutting sound. “Jade, it’s not even noon.”

“It’s brunch, Mother. Mimosas are practically a requirement.” Jade’s tone was light, but I could feel the tension radiating off her.

I fought back a grin, leaning closer to murmur in Jade’s ear. “That’s my girl.”

“And for you, sir?” Oops. I hadn’t realized the waiter was waiting on me.

“I’ll have what she’s having.” If she was going to drink, I would too. That’s what Ubers were for, right?

“I’ll get the drinks right out.” The waiter hurried off like his ass was on fire. He probably sensed the awkwardness.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the table. William cleared his throat, his gaze shifting between Jade and me. “How did you two meet?”

I glanced at Jade, wanting to give them an elaborate story like I’d told in the car, but judging from her posture, I needed to keep it simple. “A package for Jade got delivered to my house by mistake, and I took it over to her.”

“Interesting.” William lifted a hand to his chin, tapping his lips with a finger. “That garden of yours must take up all of your balcony space.”

“Oh, I don’t live in an apartment building. I live in the Lake Hollywood Estates. Plenty of space.”

Margaret’s head snapped toward Jade, her eyes wide with surprise. “You bought a house? Why didn’t you tell us?”

Jade’s shoulders tensed, and she gripped my hand tighter. “It was a recent decision. I wanted more space and privacy.”

“More space? For what?” Margaret’s tone was disapproving. What was wrong with this woman?

“For my dildo collection. It needed its own shrine.” Jade’s voice was steady, but I could hear the underlying frustration .

I was glad the waiter hadn’t returned with our drinks yet, otherwise I would have spewed mine all over William and Margaret. The minute we escaped this brunch from hell, I was going to ask Jade if she really did have such a collection, and if so, could I see it.

“Jade.” William’s voice made me bristle, and I had to bite my tongue. He would have a heart attack if he heard the way my family joked around, even with my parents.

Jade sighed. “A two-bedroom apartment was fine at first, but there was no privacy, and it wasn’t really mine. Now I can do whatever I want because it’s my home.”

Margaret opened her menu. “We could have helped you find something more suitable.”

“More suitable than the gorgeous house she has in one of the most sought-after neighborhoods?” I was unable to hold my tongue any longer. “Jade’s home is perfect for her. She doesn’t need anything else.”

William’s gaze bore into me. “And you would know, being her neighbor and all?”

I met his stare head-on, refusing to be intimidated. “And her boyfriend. I’ve seen her place, and it’s just right for her and Captain.”

“Interesting.” William leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable.

Interesting? What the hell did that even mean, and why did he keep saying it?

Margaret’s lips pursed in what seemed to be her semi-permanent expression. “I suppose we’ll have to come see this house for ourselves, won’t we, William? ”

“Indeed, we will.” He picked up his menu, signaling the end of the conversation.

I glanced at Jade, trying to gauge her reaction. She was staring down at her menu, her jaw clenched. Under the table, I ran my thumb over her knuckles.

This was going to be a long brunch.