Truth or Dare: A Sweet Romantic Comedy Collection Read online

  A twinge of disappointment nips at my stomach as I take the ring and put it on. “Perfect fit.”

  Ryder grins, and it’s the first sign of emotion he’s given me since we entered the room.

  “You do know this is all fake, right?” I say, just making sure. Ryder’s face falls but he covers it with a cough as he clambers to his feet. “Of course, I do.”

  Another blast of wind rattles the windows and I frown at them.

  “Don’t worry,” Ryder says lightly, pulling me out of my thoughts. “I had a strong word with Storm Sally and she’s promised me she won’t stir up any drama for the wedding.”

  His words prompt me to laugh. Is that a joke? Did the serious, brooding Ryder come back from college with a degree in comedy?

  My phone pings, I glance down, and my stomach knots at Debbie’s message.

  Dad is asking questions. Come down NOW.

  “There she is!” Debbie exclaims, jumping up from the table to join me with arms open wide. Ryder and I walk into the restaurant. It's full of my relatives, and if I didn’t have Ryder’s arm to hold onto, I’m sure I'd have fallen into a heap on the floor by now. My legs are like spaghetti. But the delighted look on Debbie’s face gives me courage. She turns back to everyone and raises a glass.

  “Everyone, I have a special announcement to make.”

  The chatter falls quiet and I scan the room for my friends. Mark’s whole family is at a single table and they look just as overwhelmed by all the chatting Italians in the room. Cameron, Holly, Jonah, and Michelle look at me with identical Cheshire cat grins. My sight lands on my parents just as they look up at me, and my heart softens. They moved back to Italy to retire last year; it feels like a decade has passed since I last saw them. I resist the urge to run across the room and throw my arms around them both, pulling them into a giant hug.

  “Mark and I are thrilled to see so many of you have made the effort to be here for our wedding. I can announce, with permission and great delight, that I am not the only one getting married.”

  Debbie glances at me with an evil glint in her eye and for a moment I wonder if she's about to announce that Ryder and I are also getting married this weekend. What an evil plot twist that would be and yet totally something Debbie would do to me.

  I hold my breath and force a smile, waiting for the gauntlet to fall. But Debbie, as if knowing where my thoughts are taking me, turns back to everyone and says, “My sister just got engaged to her high school sweetheart, Ryder Black.”

  The room explodes into shocked gasps. Some people even manage to clap. Jonah and Michelle hoot from the corner and I squeeze Ryder’s arm as if my life depends on it.

  My dad, however, jumps to his feet with such force that he knocks into the table. His glass falls over and bubbling champagne soaks into the white table linen.

  He stares at Ryder with such intensity, I fear laser beams will shoot out of his eyes and nothing will be left of my fake fiancé but a pile of ashes. There's a heavy silence as Ryder stares back at my father like a deer in headlights. I see a pool of sweat collect above his upper lip.

  Nobody seems to have noticed the spilled drink that is now dripping onto the carpeted floor. All eyes are swiveling from Ryder to my dad and back again, as if watching an intense tennis match.

  The last thing Debbie needs the night before her wedding is for my dad to beat my fiancé into a pulp, so I do what every dutiful daughter does in these situations. I square my shoulders, raise my head and say the first thing that springs to mind.

  “I dooooo!”

  Granted, my reaction is a little over the top. My ring hand is up the air and I’m waving it like a white flag. But the effect is exactly what I was aiming for. My dad breaks his steely glare and turns to me instead. His eyes flit to my ring. The diamond is glinting so hard in the light; it’s probably blinding everyone in the room.

  My dad's dark mustache twitches and I give him a reassuring nod to seal the deal. Now satisfied that I haven't been bribed or coerced into this situation––which of course is totally what has happened––he breaks into a huge beaming smile, marches around the table, and takes long strides across the room to pull Ryder in for a gigantic hug.

  “You came to your senses. Wonderful, wonderful,” he says. Then he turns to the rest of the room, with his chest puffed out. “Both of my baby girls are getting married!”

  The announcement provokes rousing applause. And even though this is all an elaborate lie, I beam too.

  “Come, come. Eat,” My dad kisses us on both cheeks and hurries us to our seats––next to my mom. She dabs her eyes with the corner of a napkin, and we exchange kisses.

  The chatter in the room picks up again as everyone takes up their knives and forks and continues with their meal. Meanwhile, Ryder and I sit next to my parents, slightly stunned.

  I thought I could get my dad to cool off. But I never expected him to react like that. Like, he’s over the moon his daughter got back together with her ex.

  What about the endless rants I had to endure on every phone call? I never wanted to bring Ryder up in conversation, but my dad never failed to. He hated him. Or so I thought.

  Now he can't stop grinning. His eyes are twinkling like two diamond rings. He grabs my mother’s hand and presses it to his lips.

  “Isn’t this marvelous, dear?” he says, looking adoringly at my mom. She shoots me an inquisitive look and for a second, I wonder if she doesn’t buy the act.

  So, I lean my head on Ryder’s shoulder and rest my hand on his. He flinches, prompting me to tilt my head upward and look at him. As if picking up on my thoughts, Ryder bows his head and he kisses me gently on the forehead. I close my eyes, basking in the warmth of his kiss, my entire body tingling. Then I sneak a peek at my mom. She’s resting her hand on her collarbone and her face has broken into a delighted smile.

  “Yes, my dear. It’s… Marvelous.”

  As we enjoy the food, various family members come up to our table to congratulate us. With a giggle, I wipe rosy lipstick marks off Ryder's cheeks after my aunt Helen's enthusiastic greeting.

  “I’ve not been kissed by so many people in one night…” Ryder says, his face flushing. I smirk at him. “…since college?” I finish for him, raising a brow. My words erase his smile and he just stares at me with his brows knitted together.

  Oh, what I’d give to be inside Ryder Black’s head. Unless he’s replaying the fraternity parties where he was probably making out with endless girls. I clamp my jaw at that thought. No, on second thought, I don’t want to know. He can keep those memories to himself.

  But then Ryder shakes his head and as if following my train of thought, he says, “There were no parties.”

  I inhale sharply and stretch my eyes wide to check he isn’t just saying that to spare my feelings. But he nods and looks at me like he’s giving me a confession.

  “I guess you could say, after we split up, I was never in the partying mood.”

  He turns away to greet some of my young cousins and proceeds to wow them with a magic trick. The kids watch him in awe as he pulls out a coin from behind his ear. I relate to those kids. Ryder is kind of amazing, and now I can’t stop thinking about what a great dad he’d be.

  Oh boy. I’m in trouble.

  Ryder

  I still love Katia.

  The thought leaves me stunned. And I’m still reeling from her dad’s reaction to our fake news.

  All these years, I had myself convinced I didn’t even know what true love was. We were kids, after all. But now she’s back in my life, and back in my arms. I can’t stop the emotions from building.

  I love her.

  It’s so easy to say it in my head. So why is it so hard to talk to her about it?

  When I saw her again––first at Michelle’s house, then Holly’s––I couldn’t stop looking at her. But the pain of seeing this Italian beauty, who I hurt, was too much. So I’d take my laptop and bury myself in work. Being a developer means there’s always somet
hing to do. In some ways, the work never ends. And I like it that way. Because so long as I keep my mind busy, it doesn’t wander off unlocking forbidden memories and flooding me with all of these conflicted feelings.

  Now, she’s surrounded by so many family members. Kids, aunts, uncles, parents, grandparents… and it's a reminder of the stark contrast to my own upbringing. After my parents’ divorce, my dad found a woman half her age and set up a new life on the south coast of England. He doesn’t even send birthday cards. My mother bought a camper van and is always on the move, who knows when I’ll see her again.

  I glance at Katia’s dad. He could probably kill a person with one look, but at the same time, he exudes warmth and love to his family. He waltzes around the room, greeting people and striking up friendly conversation. Looking around at the smiling faces of all of Katia’s loved ones makes me feel like they’ve all pulled me in for a big hug.

  “So Ryder, tell us, how did you two end up getting back together?”

  The innocent question sets off like an explosion in my ears. “What?”

  Katia has it under control though, she pats my arm and gives the fake story we came up with in the coffee shop.

  “Well, our mutual friends played matchmaker,” she begins. I nod politely, trying not to stare at Katia’s Nonna, as she picks up a brown medicine bottle and stuffs a straw in it. She catches my look though and her eyes glint at me, reminding me of Katia when she’s caught doing something devilish. “Indigestion medicine,” she says, leaning to me. “The doctor says I shouldn’t eat meat. But…” she chuckles to herself at an inside joke, then motions to Katia with her fingertips. “Sorry, please continue.”

  “Michelle knew I never got over Ryder,” Katia glances back at me. “Never.”

  I gulp, if this is only an act, I’m falling for it. Hard. “Mark got sick of me pining after Katia,” I add. “You see, we split up the summer before college. At the time, I thought I was doing the right thing. Long-distance relationships… Statistically speaking, they never work out.” I scratch the back of my neck, losing myself, and before I know it, all of my jumbled thoughts come tumbling out in word vomit.

  “But being without her made life lose its color. Every new discovery was tainted by the thought of wishing that I could share it with her. I soon realized that living without Katia is not living at all. I was only…”

  “Surviving,” we say in unison. We look at each other and just sit there, gazing into each other’s eyes.

  Then a collective sigh pulls me out of the moment, and I blink at the group of ladies that have now gathered around our table.

  Debbie gives me a thumbs up. “Perfect,” she mouths.

  “Let me see the ring, darling. Oh yes, it's gorgeous isn't it? Look Daphne!” Nonna reaches out to the old lady next to her, who hums her approval.

  “Very nice.”

  “I picked it up in a small jewelry store in Sicily,” I blurt, looking down at the golden ring on Katia’s delicate finger.

  “Sicily?” Katia says, incredulous. “But that must have been last year when you were traveling…” She pauses, and her thick lashes flutter at me. Her response has my stomach in knots. I take a large gulp of my drink, hoping it might give me the courage to finally tell the truth. Then I look at Katia again, resolved.

  “I saw it through the window. The sun’s rays settled on that very band and your face sprang to mind,” I admit. The chatter that erupts from the ladies does nothing to calm my nerves. Katia drops her knife and fork and just stares at me in shock.

  I go on and explain that I had been carrying that ring around with me in my pocket ever since.

  “Excuse me,” Katia says in a breathy voice and rises from her seat. She avoids my eyes as she marches away, her dress swishing.

  “You two make a beautiful couple. So… Have you settled on a date yet?” Nonna smiles at me expectantly. I look at the door Katia just walked out of and swallow. “Sorry,” I say abruptly, then I stumble to my feet. “I just need to…” I can’t collect the words to finish the sentence, but Nonna nods along anyway.

  “Sure, sure. Go. We’ll talk later.”

  Debbie reaches me before I get to the door. “Whatever you did, fix it,” she hisses at me. I give her a nod and do my best impression of a casual smirk. But I’m not Mark. I can’t do a real casual smirk, let alone a fake one. So, I imagine I look like I’m being sarcastic instead. Debbie’s eyes narrow at me before she swivels on the spot and returns to the party.

  “What the heck was that?” Katia says pacing the lobby and shooting daggers at me. My heartrate picks up at the sight of her so flustered. But I can’t read her. Is she angry? Upset? Shocked? All of the above?

  I stand still, wondering how to make this better.

  “Tell me,” she says, coming to a halt. “Did you make all that up on the spot, or is any of it true?”

  I bite my lip, trying to gather my thoughts, but under the heat of her stare, my mind comes undone. “I––technically, it’s true,” I say, averting my gaze.

  Katia remains frozen on the spot and silent. But even though her lips aren’t moving, I can sense the tirade of words being thrown at me. A flood of color rises to her temples and she looks at me like I’m the biggest traitor on the planet.

  She opens her mouth and I brace for impact, but instead, she changes her mind and stomps outside.

  “Ma’am… I wouldn’t go out there. The storm is picking up real bad.” The man on the front desk shouts after her. I give him a fake smile and point in her direction. “I’ll go get her.”

  Once outside, a huge gust of wind blasts me, nearly knocking me off my feet. I brace against it and strain my eyes to trace where Katia went. A streetlamp illuminates the silhouette of a woman in a dress walking toward the beach. I pick up a run and jog to catch up.

  “Katia, we can’t be out here. The storm…”

  “I don’t care,” she shouts back. I swallow hard and just as we reach the sand, I take her arm. She jumps at the touch. “Get away from me.”

  “Please, can we talk inside?” I shout over the raging winds. Lashings of rain plummet to the ground and hit me like tiny needles. Katia wrenches her arm away from me and glares at me. The anger palpating from her is so intense, it's as if her mood is summoning the storm.

  “You cut me off!” she shouts, her words echoing in the wind. A car alarm wails in the distance and the two of us blink at each other, sopping wet. “Do you even remember what you said to me that day?”

  I clench my jaw.

  How can I forget? The day I broke up with her.

  I knew that we needed to focus on our studies. Four years of college on opposite ends of the country… No relationship can last that. I wanted her to be free to live her life. Experience the world. Maybe even fall in love.

  But I couldn’t just stand by and watch.

  “You said, ‘it would be prudent to break up now before anyone gets hurt down the line.’ But don’t you see? I got hurt, Ryder. You hurt me. And then you stopped taking my calls. Heck, you’ve been back six months and we’ve been to all these parties… And you never even thought to talk to me!” The icy sea wind whips against my face, but it doesn’t sting half as much as hearing my own words being used against me.

  “Please Katia! Come back to the hotel. We can talk about this.”

  “Oh!” Katia throws her hands in the air. “Now you want to talk?”

  A rogue umbrella flies past, narrowly missing Katia’s beautiful face. The conditions out here are not suitable for this conversation, but Katia is stubborn. She looks at me with fury. When another object flies past us, I make up my mind.

  “What are you––put me down!” Katia screeches as I lift her up and carry her like a new wife. “I’m getting you somewhere safe so we can talk about this and live to tell the tale.”

  Katia crosses her arms but grips my shoulders when a bike crashes into a tree. My stomach tenses at the crunching sound, magnified by the wind.

  We re-enter th
e hotel lobby to find Mark and Jonah standing by the doors.

  “Look at you two. A couple of drowned rats,” Mark says with a chuckle. Jonah frowns at him.

  “You should stay inside. We’ve just been talking to the staff, and they expect the storm to really mess up our plans.”

  I set Katia down, the two of us panting and dripping on the tile floor. “What does that mean? Is the wedding off?”

  “No way,” Mark says with a laugh. “You think a little rain will stop us? Nah. The storm has stopped another wedding party from arriving, so there’s a conference room all set up for a wedding and it’s got our name on it.”

  “Great. I’m gonna go and take a shower,” Katia says, trembling.

  Mark elbows me and gives me a wink. “Nice one. I knew you two would hook up.”

  “It’s definitely not what it looks like,” I say with a hard look at him. Katia enters the elevator and I watch the doors close. “I don’t think she’s going to speak to me ever again.”

  “Where the heck have you been?”

  I look back to find Debbie and Holly walking over. The sight of the family milling out of the doors makes my heart race. I can’t let Katia’s dad see me like this.

  “I have to go.” And without another word, I hot tail it out of there.

  The problem is, now I’m not sure what I’m more afraid of. Katia’s dad finding out I’ve upset his baby girl... Again. Or walking into our room to find Katia fresh out of the shower.

  Katia

  My boiling, Italian blood pumps through my veins as I stand in the steaming shower, trying in vain to calm myself down. I bite my lip furiously, replaying the night’s events.

  Ryder bought an engagement ring for me. After years of giving me the silent treatment.

  Is he crazy?

  And how could he have carried this thing around all these months without a word to anyone? Deciding that the shower is doing nothing to cool my nerves, I turn off the water and stumble out. Have I secretly wished, all this time, that Ryder would turn around one day and profess his love? Well... Sure.