Chapter 21

Renee’s POV

Eric stands with his jaw slack. His eye twitches. Jasper gives my hand a slight squeeze, a simple way of telling me that our plan is working. I look up at Eric and feign confusion.

“What’s the problem?” I ask innocently. Eric snaps his jaw shut and his eyes harden.

“I don’t believe you,” He says. I roll my eyes.

“Well, it’s not my job to convince you. Besides, I don’t really care if you believe us or not,” I say putting air quotes around the word ‘believe’. I’m having way too much fun with this. Eric’s eyes dart between me and Jasper as though waiting for us to tell him it’s a prank.

Jasper pulls me in closer to him so that I’m snuggled up against his chest. Eric’s eyes blaze with anger and if I didn’t know any better, I’d say he’s jealous—nervous energy courses through my veins. If Jasper isn’t careful, he’s going to get himself punched.

Just then another nurse in scrubs walks by, her eyebrows reach her forehead as she sees Jasper holding me so possessively. It becomes obvious that public displays of affection isn’t something Jasper does regularly.

Eric notices my gaze and follows my direction of sight, though by then the nurse has already returned to minding her own business. Though, I sense it’s too late. It seems that Eric is already picking up on the confused stares Jasper and I are getting.

When he turns back around, his look is more pointed. “When exactly did this happen?” I open my mouth to speak, but Jasper’s voice cuts in.

“Actually, for quite a while. That time when you and Mia came in because of your headaches and Mia jokingly asked if we were dating,” Jasper hugs me tighter and I feel the curve of his bicep hook on the small of my back. “Well, she was spot on.” Jasper says smiling ear to ear.

Eric on the other hand has turned a dark shade of red. I zone out for a moment, thinking about that. Eric came in because of the headaches he was having. Headaches he said that started around the time when I, when Annie, left.

I look back at Eric and see him in a different light. Maybe he does care about me. There would be absolutely no reason for him to. It’s possible he’s upset that Jasper and I are supposedly dating because that means I could get special treatment.

Maybe he doesn’t want his doctor dating someone who looks like his ex-wife because that just weirds him out. Doctors and patients have personal relationships, and perhaps the thought of Eric having a close relationship with someone who is also intimate with someone who looks like someone Eric used to be intimate with is too much.

I almost can’t blame Eric for that, but then again it is none of his business. If he doesn’t like it, that’s too bad. He can’t control the romantic aspects of my life, especially because I’m no longer Annie. I’m no longer his fated mate.

When I come back to the present moment, I notice Eric looking at me strangely. “Is this Debbie’s father?” He asks accusingly and I suck in a rush of air.

“Of course not!” I gasp. “Why would you think that?”

Eric lifts one shoulder and lets it fall. “All you said was that Debbie’s father is apparently from a past boyfriend, maybe you lied and you’re still with him.”

I shake my head. I have no idea what Eric is getting at here, but as far as he’s concerned Debbie’s father does not exist. “No,” I finally verbalize after finding my voice.

“We actually wanted to keep this private for Debbie’s sake,” Jasper says calmly enough to put my nerves at ease. I start to nod my head vigorously.

“Yes, you can’t tell her,” I say, thinking quickly on my feet. If Eric thinks he has the upper hand in all of this, then maybe he’ll buy it. His ego can’t pass up an opportunity to lure something over me. “Please?” I throw in just to really sell it.

“And why shouldn’t I?” Eric sneers.

“I know she says she wants a dad, but she isn’t ready yet,” I say.

“Is that what this is?” Eric scoffs as he looks between me and Jasper. “Jasper is going to me Debbie’s new father?” I shake my head again, not sure how to set this straight. I begin to get worried that the plan is back firing.

“Let’s just slow this down,” Jasper says releasing his hands off of me as he puts his palms out in front of him. “We’re just not ready in our relationship yet to bring it to Debbie, but when we are that will be something we decide” Jasper looks down at me lovingly, “as a couple” he adds.

It’s the perfect answer. I smile warmly up at him. I knew I could trust him to follow through on this plan with me.

Eric stills eyes his sharply.

I squirm in my skin. Jasper picks up on my discomfort and is quick to soothe my troubles.

“We’ll be going to check on Debbie now,” Jasper says turning us to head towards the doors.

“Prove it,” Eric says stepping out in front of us, blocking our path.

“Excuse me?” I say, a bead of sweat forms above my brow. I can’t tell if I’m sweating because of this ridiculous summer heat, or from the pressure of Eric.

“I still don’t believe you two are an item,” he says simply. “Prove it,”

A sudden sense of impatience takes over me. “Fine,” I say with a huff. I spin on my heels and take Jasper’s face into the cup of my hands and I bring my lips to his.

We kiss. I don’t know for how long because I actually lose sense of time. Jasper is caught off guard at first but quickly melts into me and kisses me back with such intensity that if my lips weren't busy, I’d be blushing.

I didn’t know kissing could be like this, intimate yet passionate. His lips are warm and hungry. There’s something primitive about the way his lips search mine, it floods my body with a tingling sensation and just before I can completely lose myself he pulls away. Like a gentleman and leaving me wanting more.

I bring the tips of my fingers to my mouth and try not to smile. That was a good kiss.

Looking at Eric now, I can tell even he knew that was a good kiss, a real kiss. “See you at Work tomorrow,” he says tersely and marches away. I almost want to laugh. Isn’t he the one who asked for this?

I clear my throat. “Do you think he bought it?” I ask Jasper, trying to get back down to business but my head is still spinning from that kiss.

“It’s hard to say,” Jasper says sounding way more cool than I feel. “We should probably keep the act up, just in case,” He says in his very professional doctor-like tone.

I don’t know if we’ll be having any more run-ins like the one we just had, at least not if Eric wants to see another kiss, but there’s no harm in keeping up appearances.

I find myself agreeing and just like that- I have a real, make-believe boyfriend.