My Fake Fiancé

Chapter 38

~Kurt~

Running into Adriana in the bookstore was a happy accident. I had been wanting to reach out to her but ever since our goodbyes at her apartment, I felt the need to wait for her to approach me. Everything had seemed so final, yet I found myself wishing she would reach out. When I saw her sitting there, on the floor of an old bookstore, my breath caught in my chest and I couldn't move for a second. I watched her shifting through the books and watched as she tucked her hair behind her ear.

I shake my head trying to get rid of the images that my mind seems to have immediately stored away. There's no point in reliving every little moment. She and I are only friends now, if we are even that. The thoughts subside as I head down the sidewalk towards my car, when I near it, I see someone leaning against it.

"Dave, how are you doing?" Dave grins at me and we shake hands as I unlock my car.

"I'm alright, man. How are you and Adriana doing? Nicole keeps bugging me to get you two over for a dinner or barbeque or anything really. She doesn't really care what, she's just so excited to have another couple to hang out with..." He trails off when he notices my expression. "What? Trouble in paradise? Don't tell me that."

"You could say that," I hold off on telling him the truth. Honestly, I haven't told anybody the truth yet. Maybe I just don't want it to be true.

"Okay well get over whatever that issue is because Nicole wanted me to invite you over for dinner Thursday night. Don't ask me why Thursday, that's just what she decided. Okay? 7 o'clock sharp. You don't need to bring anything, she has the whole meal planned out." I can't come up with an excuse without having to tell him what's happened, so I just nod.

"Sure, sounds good. Now, get off my car." He laughs as he pushes himself up.

"See you then."

"See you at work tomorrow." I remind him and he waves, laughing.

"Right right, work. See you tomorrow." He walks off and I get into my car. After turning on my car, I reach for my cell phone to call Adriana. I scroll through my contacts finding her under W for Wifey. I smile, she must have changed that at some point. When I look up from my phone, I notice a car, with its turn signal on, waiting for my parking spot. I decide to call her later and put my phone down to head back to my apartment.

The light turns red and I ease to a stop. My eyes dart to my phone. "No, it can wait. I'll call her when I get home." I nod, trying to convince myself. I can't. Reaching for my phone, I swerve a little bit. "Okay, that convinced me." Hands at ten and two, I grip the wheel and concentrate on the road. The call can wait.

Finally, I pull into the parking lot of my apartment building. With a turn of the key, the car shuts off, letting out one last huff.

"It can wait," I repeat after sitting in my car for a few minutes. I grab my things and head into the building. Stopping briefly to talk to the doorman, once again trying to distract myself and calm my thoughts. It only lasts for a minute before I excuse myself to make the call.

Once in my apartment, I drop everything and pull out my phone. Clicking on Wifey, the phone begins to ring.

"Hello?" I hear her voice answering her phone without checking who's calling, it makes me smile.

"Adriana? It's me, Kurt." I add for good measure.

"Oh, hi," she seems surprised or confused, I can't tell. "It's been a while." She chuckles.

"Hah, yeah. Sorry to call, I ran into Dave right after I saw you." I pause and I can hear her tapping her nails on a keyboard before they stop.

"Dave? Oh, Dave, you work with him, right? I've met him at the house warming party..." She drifts off remembering that evening. "Sorry what were you saying?"

"Dave and Nicole, his wife, have invited us over for dinner. This Thursday. He was very adamant, or well, his wife was very adamant on wanting us to come over. So, unfortunately I was not able to say no." I stop talking and listen to her calm breathing and I hear the tapping on the keys continue.

"Oh yeah," more tapping, "sure. I wouldn't want to be rude and say no. But is that going to be too weird for us?"

"Possibly," I wait to see if she'll say anything but all I hear is more tapping, "I can just tell them we can't make it, because we didn't make it... hah." I try for comedy.

She lets out a little laugh, more like a puff of air but it has some humor in it. "Well, that is the truth, I think."

"You think?" I clear my throat and try to bypass the questions forming in my mind. "Should I just tell them we can't? I should. Sorry I called you." I'm about to hang up when I hear her speak again.

"Wait," more tapping and then a pause and I hear her more clearly. "No, no I'll do it. We should do it. Dave was a great help at the party. I want to go."

"Really? Okay I'll let him know. Oh, he said 7 o'clock sharp. I'll pick you up at 6:30." I say automatically then backpedal. "If you want me to, I mean. I can just meet you there if you'd rather."

"Well, I don't know where to go so I think it'd be okay if you picked me up." I can hear her teasing me and again she makes me smile.

"Right okay, that sounds good."

"Okay, I'll be ready by 6:30. I should go. I've got to finish this by tomorrow." I want to ask what she's working on but I don't want to pry.

"Alright, I'll see you Thursday at 6:30."

"Thursday, 6:30." She repeats back to me. "Bye." She says softly then I hear a click, indicating the line has gone dead.

I'm not entirely sure going through with Thursday evening is the best idea but Dave has been a great friend to me and he made it seem like his wife is very excited and already planning the entire meal. So, I am glad Adriana agreed to go with me. I find myself looking forward to Thursday evening at 6:30pm. But until then, I have to get back to my cases. I've been so distracted with everything going on I haven't been putting in my usual effort at work. Well, time to get back to it. I can't do anything else in regards to Adriana until Thursday so I might as well throw myself back into my work. Good thing it's only Monday.

Cases files scatter my coffee table hidden in the dark apartment. I cross the living room and pull open the blinds letting in the bright light, enough to brighten the whole apartment. No better time than when it's a beautiful day outside, to sit down and work on my caseload. I crack my knuckles and get down to work.