Chapter 19 — April

We were talking in the limo like we were the best of friends and I was enjoying it, knowing come tomorrow morning we would go back to the way things were before.

He wanted me here to show my face, to make out he wasn’t as cold as ice. Except the few times I’d spent with him like this, I knew he was far from it. He should cut himself some slack, but he didn’t seem to want to in the office, maybe if he did people would like him. All he wanted was respect in the office.

As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by two people. I could only assume that they were his parents.

“Mom, dad this is April.” He stroked my back and then moved his hand slowly to my waist. He was charming and I was slightly tipsy.

“Wow, I thought my eyes were deceiving me. Aren’t you a pretty thing.” His mom smiled, and I felt so intimidated. She was friendly and nice, but stunning just like Meryl Streep and like all the ladies that my eyes cast on quickly as we stood by the limo. Luke was right about one thing, I wouldn’t stand out compared to some women, but not all of them.

Luke’s dad was a lot lighter and less stiff than his son, as he smiled. “I hope my son is treating you well.”

He didn’t give me a chance to reply as one of the other men whisked him away.

“Can I steal her for a minute?” Luke’s mom asked and before Luke could reply she had enveloped my arm and was heading me in the opposite direction. “I hope I’m not too forward dear in stealing you away from my son?”

I shook my head. “No. It’s fine.”

She laughed then addressed everyone who we passed. “I can’t remember the last time he came to one of these things let alone brought a date.”

“Oh.”

I muttered in a state of shock. She took my hand. “I know, I was surprised too. You must really be doing a number on Luke.”

I didn’t know what to say to her remark.

She laughed. “I’m just teasing. It’s just Luke is sensitive. He walks around like a bear with a sorehead, probably why they tease him behind his back and call him LW.”

Who didn’t know about his nickname?

“But underneath it all, he’s really sensitive. Look at him walking around as if he’s lost because I’ve stolen you. You’ve made such an impression on him. I’m glad.”

I smiled. “Thank you, Mrs. Winters.”

She shook her head. “Oh no, call me Bianca. Everyone does. Besides I have a feeling I’ll be seeing more of you. I really must go and socialize, after all, it is my party.” She patted my hand. “Enjoy yourself and I hope to see you again soon.”

She kissed me on the cheek and for a split second, I felt guilty about this pretense because his mom was being so nice and welcoming. His dad continued to talk to a group of men, all with the same white polo shirt and blue logo like they wanted make sure everyone knew they were part of the same club.

Meanwhile, his mom moved swiftly through the crowd in her long silk pantsuit which showed off her slender figure. Her hair was tied up like mine, but with her lose blonde strands, it fell naturally around her face. Unlike mine, where I’d spent nearly one hour figuring out which strands to let loose and which ones to pin up.

Everything about their house was perfect from what I could tell from the outside. The servers walked around offering drinks on silver plates and a fountain which stood in the middle of their landscape garden. They had a stage at the side where a jazz band played music, not too loud I was a few feet away. The soulful notes on the keyboard and saxophone drifted lightly over the crowd. This wasn’t a normal house or garden. It was so big the idea only his parents lived here seemed unreal. Everything about his world was so far from mine. The reality, Luke and I could be nothing more than a fake relationship hit home like a ton of bricks.

“Penny for your thoughts.” Hayley laughed as she pinched my arm.

I didn’t even see her in the crowd, but seeing a familiar face was much needed right now. The confusion and being overwhelmed by it all felt a little too much.

“You look beautiful,” I said as I admired her sky-blue dress and her hair was out, rather than tied up like always, I never realized how long it was until now.

“Thanks. You know Ed didn’t even notice. Then again, he’s been a little bit stressed out lately.”

“Oh?”

She sighed. “The joys of being married to a doctor. See the way he keeps looking at his phone. He’s on-call today and has been every single day and it’s getting to him.”

I nodded, thinking he had the most stressful job in the world, and no one really gave doctor’s the credit they deserved, but it was a passion, one I knew Ed loved dearly even if it did take its toll on him at times.

“You’re not eating or drinking, what are you doing?” She pointed to my empty hands while she finished off her flute, which no doubt which once had the champagne. They were passing out and for some reason by the time the servers got to me, there wasn’t any left on their tray.

“Yeah, I’m just trying to take it all in. You must be used to all this.”

She shook her head, “No, when my parents have a barbecue, my dad is on the grill and my mom’s the one telling everyone to go help themselves. Believe me, it’s nothing like this. This is old money which has been passed on from one generation to the next. But they have some crazy ritual to ensure they get even more money, it’s crazy. I’ll tell you more once you have something in your hand and we get to the barbecue the chef’s cooking up.”

“It smells good and I’m dying to eat. I’ve been nervous all day and haven’t eaten.”

She passed her empty flute to a server and grabbing a couple for us.

“You don’t have to be nervous. They have money, but they’re the most laid-back rich people you’ll ever meet. Trust me. I deal with a lot of them when I’m designing their houses and I wish they were all like the Winters’s. They are a class of their own.”

I agreed with her. One thing about Luke was he never made me feel worthless, not as if I was beneath him at any point. Even when I insisted he took the cost of the laptop and phone out of my first salary, he refused, stating it was only money. It made me realize he didn’t value it as much as most did.

We reached the grill and Luke was with another woman. He looked awkward as if he was dying to get away. I could tell by his posture and cold expression which he brought to work, he was not happy. Also, he had his sunglasses on while he was talking to her. Earlier, I noticed that whenever he spoke to someone, he took them off, but with her, he had them firmly on.

“Shit, it’s Kim. I suppose no one warned Luke she was coming.”

“His ex?”

“Yeah.” She cut the conversation short as we drew nearer to them.

“Hi Kim, didn’t know you were coming?” Hayley said in a high-pitched voice as she approached, and then air kissed her. I never saw this side of Hayley’s personality it was all new to me and surprised me a little.

“Yeah, Silvia invited me. Even though I’m busy with the wedding plans and all,” Kim’s last sentence was directed at Luke, but he ignored her as he moved toward me and once again placed his hand on my lower back.

It annoyed me he was looking at her, but then touching me.

“Kim meet April. April, Kim,” Hayley introduced her.

“Oh, this is the famous April.” Kim dramatized her expression by rolling her eyes, she reminded me of a reincarnation of Marilyn Monroe, she had the figure face and even the dress from her iconic subway scene.

“Looks like Ed got called into work. I’ve got to tell him something before he leaves. Excuse me, ladies,” Luke said.

He left quickly and I hated the idea of him leaving me alone with his ex, but at least Hayley was with me.

“We are just getting something to eat. We’ll catch up with you later.” Hayley gave both of our flutes to a server and obviously wanted to make a getaway too.

“Just make sure he doesn’t end up proposing to you.” Kim waved her finger at me.

I pulled back, not sure I heard her right. “Sorry?”

She moved so close to me, if I didn’t know any better I’d have thought she wanted to kiss me.

“Just make sure Luke doesn’t put a ring on your finger. He may leave you standing by the altar too. The man’s no good with commitment. It scares him.”

Then she waved and left me standing confused, so I asked Hayley, “I thought she stood Luke up.”

She shook her head. “No, it was the other way around, but we were all sworn to secrecy to save Kim the humiliation. You can imagine how the family felt. Luke’s the one who can’t commit, not her. But don’t worry it was a long time ago. He’ll change if things go well between the two of you. I’m sure he will. Come on, let’s eat.”

I hated this lie. It was our first time we were out as a fake couple and so far, I felt guilty about lying to his mom, who I just met and Hayley.

Kim was just pretty and a bitch. I had a couple of encounters with her. She had said a couple of things to me like, “That dress is stunning, but it doesn’t look good on everyone.”

“How long have you been in L.A.? And you still look as pale as a white sheet.”

Hayley had taught me how to put on a fake smile and reply to people like her in L.A., with grace and as a lady. It worked because I could tell it agitated Kim when she made a nasty comment about my dress, all I said in return was, “Thank you.”

Luke spent one minute with me when we got here and had not attempted even once to check on me. Luke was being a gentleman by letting everyone think Kim stood him up at the altar, but then how much of a gentleman was he really when he was lying to everyone about our relationship? I needed to eat because I could feel the champagne swirling around in my stomach and the lie going to my head.