Jake’s smile is oh so tight now, and I can see that he’s trying his best to not let this situation eat at him. I touch his arm, and he whispers, “It’s fine.”
It’s not fine. I can feel that it’s not.
“Evelyn Grace, tell Amy all about your wonderful little service dog company.” Now it’s a wonderful company, is it?
“Oh yes!” says Amy, eyes twinkling in rehearsed anticipation. “You know, a few girls from the club and I were just saying that we needed a new little project to keep us busy. And from what your mama says, it sounds like your company could use a few patrons.” She pauses. “Or…” Blink. Blink. Blink. She turns her doe eyes to Tyler. “Actually, Tyler might be just the person for the job.”
“Tyler?” I ask, not bothering to keep the disgust from my voice.
“Well, yes! Who better than him? I’m sure that he could drum up all kinds of high-profile sponsors for you with all of his connections from New York. You two could get together and brainstorm through a game plan. You would be happy to work with Evie to further her company, wouldn’t you, son?” GAG ME. Do they really think I don’t see through this charade?
“I’d love to help you with your company, Evie,” he says in a way that sounds like he’s undressing me with his words.
I give him a tight-lipped smile. “Thanks, but I’ve got it all handled. Our benefit is tomorrow night, and I already have lots of big companies signed up to donate services and items for everyone to bid on. So, yep. Don’t need your help.”
“A benefit?” says Tom, stepping into his part now. “We didn’t hear anything about a benefit. Is it open to the general public?” Oh, shoot.
“Well…no. It’s by invitation only.”
“Surely, we are invited, though, and our invitation just got lost in the mail.”
“That’s exactly what happened, isn’t it, Evelyn?” says my mother. “Because you specifically called me and asked for their address a few weeks ago. And are you and Tyler still going together like you two talked about?” Okay, so first, Mama is manipulating me into inviting Tom and Amy to the benefit, and now she is flat-out lying about me and Tyler. Where to start?
One quick look at Jake, though, answers that question for me. “I—no. I’m going to the fundraiser with Jake. He’s my date. He and I are going together.” How many more ways can I say this? Jake es mi cita. Jake + Evie = Together.
My mother pouts and turns a broken-hearted smile to Tyler. “Oh. I’m terribly sorry, Tyler. I hope you’ll be able to find a date on such short notice.” Unbelievable.
“I’m sure he’ll be just fine calling one of the many girls from his little black book and asking them to leave their Barbie dream houses for the night.” Wait. What? He isn’t even invited to the fundraiser! Did I just get tricked into inviting him, too?
“Don’t be jealous, Evie. You know you’re my number one choice. Just say the word, and I’ll go with you.”
My mouth falls open, and I look at Jake. He’s looking at me, and his expression is so hard to read it could be an instruction manual from Ikea. “Like I said, I don’t need you to go with me, Tyler, because I’m going with Jake. The man sitting right here beside me.”
“Right. Sorry, man. I didn’t mean to make you feel weird.”
“You didn’t,” Jake says, but his voice is so hard that it’s clear he’s annoyed.
“Oh, Jacob, you’ll have to excuse all of us,” says Mama. “We tend to go on and on about Tyler and Evie because…well, there’s no other way to say it, but we’ve all been waiting for the day they finally get back together and tie the knot.”
Honestly, I’m shocked. I shouldn’t be, but I am. I knew my family was capable of some manipulative stuff, but this is so out of bounds. “Mother,” I say, using that title as a warning. I’m about to lay into her at this table in front of everyone when my daddy pipes up, blotting his mouth and setting his napkin down.
“Come on, Evelyn. Enough’s enough. It’s time you stop this hippie lifestyle of yours and get back to real life. Tyler is your future. No offense to Jacob, because I’m sure he’s working very hard in his business, but he can’t give you the life you’re accustomed to by owning a small-scale residential architectural firm. But Tyler can give you the life you deserve right now, and he’s willing to do it. I’m sure he would even bankroll your little dog business, too, if it means that much to you.”
“Don’t you remember how good together you two were in high school?” asks Amy, jumping in with a smile that I want to smack off of her plastic face.
“It’s true, Eves. We were great together, and I’d like for us to be a we again. What do you say?”
Is this really happening? Please tell me this is just a nightmare, and any minute now, I’m going to look down and realize that I’m not wearing pants. I’ll wake up in a cold sweat and then immediately call Jake, and he will make me feel better by laughing and saying it was just a dream, because in real life, we would never be so stupid as to set foot willingly in my parents’ house. I feel so stupid for believing her that this was ever about her giving me a check for the company.
I don’t want to look at Jake. I’m so humiliated by the way my parents are treating him, especially when his parents were so kind and welcoming to me. But I do, and the look on his face breaks my heart further. His brows are pulled tightly together, and he looks deep in thought. I can feel him slipping from me. I want to cry right here at the table. This night had started out so well for us, promised so many things for us, and now, here we are, sitting at this table, and a wall is physically being constructed between us for all to witness, just like they planned.
And now, I’m pissed. I shoot up out of my seat and make the legs scrape painfully loud against the floor. Good! I hope they leave a big ol’ scratch! “That’s it. We’re leaving. Come on, Jake.”
He stands up beside me, but his movements aren’t as full of fire as mine are. I grab his hand and Charlie’s leash, and we start walking from the room, hearing everyone’s protests behind us. I then whirl around and level each of them with a searing glare. “For the last time, I’m not going to marry Tyler. And all of you should be ashamed of yourselves and the way you treated me and Jake tonight. Consider yourselves uninvited to the benefit.”
“Evelyn Grace,” my mother says, fire blazing in her eyes. “Are you forgetting about something?” She’s referring to the check she’s trying to dangle in front of my face.
“Keep it. I don’t want your manipulative blood money supporting my company, anyway.”
I grip Jake’s hand tighter and race us through the house and out the front door like we just robbed a bank. The second we have put enough feet between us and the enemy, I drop Jake’s hand and turn around to face him. “Jake, I am so sorry! I had no idea they were going to gang up on us like that. It was a trap, and I should have seen it coming!” He’s not meeting my eye. He’s looking over my head into the distance, and I can feel that wall between us grow taller. “Jake, look at me.” He does, but the look in his eyes says things have changed. My heart squeezes painfully.