Under Chateau Lights | Complete

6 | Will You Be My Girlfriend?

The coffee shop we're sitting in smells of vanilla and cinnamon. The girl working the till has a Santa hat flipped over her head haphazardly, and a bright green 'Happy Holidays' sign adorns the wall behind Christian's head.

"Thanks for being my girlfriend for a few minutes," Christian says, blowing on his coffee to cool it.

"Oh, it was no problem. I have a new photo so it wasn't a total waste." I'm still laughing at myself and finishing the last bites of my sprinkle donut when my phone buzzes from my pocket. "Those girls move fast."

And of course the news from this afternoon has reached my mother and her name is already lighting up my call display.

Christian's mouth is full of apple fritter so whatever he tries to say comes out more like a muffled sound than an actual word.

I assume he wants clarification of some kind. "My mother is calling me to ask why I didn't tell her we were dating. So that should be fun to explain."

"You could avoid answering." Christian's face is now mercifully free of food but I still feel like everyone in the restaurant is staring at us.

"If I avoid answering, she'll just call more and more frequently until I pick up. Or she'll show up at my house. And then Elodie's. You underestimate the amount of free time that woman has now that Gerard is moved out."

"Here." He holds out his hand. "I got you into this mess. I'm sure I can get you out of it."

A camera flashes from the corner of the dimly lit room. He really was hard to be around sometimes. I hold up one finger to make him wait while I pick up the call. "Hey, Mom."

"Julie Lynne Kendrick. You never told me you had a boyfriend! You let me go through all that trouble last night only to embarrass poor Benjamin."

Yes, because I encouraged her to invite Benjamin at all.

"I'm sure he'll live," I say, brushing some stray sprinkles into my hand and walking them over to the garbage. "But I'll reach out and apologize if you think that's more appropriate."

I have no idea why I said that, but as usual with my mother, stuff was slipping out my mouth without consulting my brain first.

"Julie, that will not be necessary. But you should have told me. I don't do this for my own health, you know."

Really? Then why do you? You really really don't have to. But here we are, me sitting in a coffee shop watching the employees bustle around making coffee as the crowd grows slightly larger than it would on any other day because Christian Xie is here.

"... so I really think you should have let us meet him before we have to rearrange all of our plans for Christmas and--"

"Mom, what plans for Christmas?"

"Well, there's a nice gentleman your uncle knows. Owns a little chain of shops in Quebec. I think he would be so good for you, Jules."

Her use of my nickname makes me feel physically sick and I decide to take Christian up on his offer of help.

"Hey, Mom. Do you want to talk to Christian now? He's here and wants to say hello."

I don't wait for her answer, sliding my phone into Christian's waiting hand. "Hello, Mrs. Kendrick. So sorry to be meeting like this, but we've been very busy with work lately."

That's a face saving lie, but propriety will mean my mom has to at least pretend to accept it. Smooth.

My heart races in my chest as Christian nods and smiles and interjects some agreements with my mother. I can't help but pick at the edge of my thumb, bouncing my leg under the table as I wait for the fallout from her finding out the truth.