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I Was at My Coworker’s Wedding…Then My Beautiful Neighbor Sat Beside Me and Whispered, “Play Along” — Transcript

by The Heart Remembers · 7,087 words · 1,070 segments · language en · Watch on YouTube

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0:00The first time my beautiful neighbor
0:01called me her boyfriend, we were sitting
0:04at a wedding and I was holding a fork
0:06full of chicken, I suddenly couldn't
0:08swallow. Claire Mercer slid into the
0:10empty chair beside me, leaned close
0:12enough that her perfume made me forget
0:14my own name. And whispered, "I told my
0:17mom you're my boyfriend. Please play
0:20along." Across the reception hall, a
0:22woman in a plum-colored dress was
0:24staring directly at us. So were three of
0:27my co-workers who had spent the past
0:29month asking when they could meet the
0:31mysterious girlfriend I had foolishly
0:33claimed to have. I looked at Clare at
0:36her mother's hopeful expression and at
0:38the table full of people waiting for an
0:40introduction. Then I smiled. Perfect. I
0:44told everyone I was bringing my
0:46girlfriend. Clareire blinked. You have a
0:49girlfriend? Apparently she's sitting
0:51right here. She took my hand under the
0:54table. then we'd better be convincing.
0:57The real problem was how quickly
0:59pretending started to feel like the
1:01truth. If you enjoy a romance where one
1:04little lie creates a very big
1:07possibility, please like this story,
1:09subscribe, and tell me in the comments.
1:12Would you play along for a neighbor you
1:14secretly liked?
1:16To understand how I ended up in that
1:18chair, you need to know two things.
1:21First, I'm 28, reasonably competent with
1:24power tools, and almost completely
1:26incompetent when a woman I like smiles
1:28at me without warning. Second, Claire is
1:3224, lives in the little yellow house
1:34next to mine, and has spent the last 8
1:36months making Ordinary Tuesdays
1:39dangerously interesting. We lived on a
1:42quiet Columbus street where everyone
1:44knew whose recycling bin stayed out too
1:46long, usually mine. Clare had moved in
1:49with pottery equipment, a bicycle, and a
1:51house plant named Gerald. When Gerald
1:54died, she held a porch ceremony and
1:56accused me of emotional unavailability
1:59for refusing to wear black. I had liked
2:02her from our first conversation. She'd
2:04been trying to carry a heavy kil shelf
2:06through her front gate, and I offered to
2:08help. She glanced at the tape measure
2:10hanging from my pocket and asked, "Are
2:12you qualified to carry fragile things,
2:15or do you just enjoy looking employed?"
2:17I said I worked for a restoration
2:19company and had carried several things
2:21without breaking them. She handed me the
2:23shelf. Wonderful. You're on probation.
2:27Probation had apparently lasted 8
2:29months. Some mornings she left a cup of
2:32coffee on the fence post between our
2:34yards because she made too much. Some
2:36evenings I tightened a loose hinge or
2:38carried boxes into her studio which
2:40occupied a converted garage behind her
2:43house. We argued about whether pineapple
2:45belonged on pizza, exchanged terrible
2:48garden advice, and pretended not to
2:50notice when our porch conversation
2:52stretched past midnight. There was
2:54enough flirting to make my friend Ben
2:56call us the slowest moving emergency in
2:59Ohio, but neither of us had made an
3:02unmistakable move. I had my reasons. My
3:06last relationship ended after 2 years of
3:08feeling as if I had been hired to play
3:10the role of dependable boyfriend instead
3:13of actually being seen. My ex wasn't
3:16cruel. We simply kept saying what we
3:18thought the other wanted to hear until
3:20there was almost nothing honest left
3:22between us. I had promised myself I
3:25wouldn't repeat that mistake.
3:27Unfortunately, promises about emotional
3:30maturity tend to sound persuasive right
3:32up until a pretty neighbor laughs at
3:34your jokes. Clare had her own reasons
3:37for keeping people at arms length. She
3:39taught pottery classes and was preparing
3:41to open a neighborhood workshop. She
3:44carried a notebook, drawing tiny stars
3:46beside ideas she loved. She was stubborn
3:49enough to want help only when she asked.
3:52What I didn't know was that she would be
3:54at Natalie Parker's wedding. Natalie
3:57worked with me at Cedar and Stone
3:59Restoration. She coordinated schedules,
4:02rescued projects from my talent for
4:04underestimating how long things took,
4:06and considered matchmaking a civic duty.
4:09A month before her wedding, she had
4:11attempted to introduce me to her
4:13cousin's dental hygienist, her husband's
4:15accountant's sister, and a woman
4:17standing behind us in a coffee line who
4:19was simply trying to order a muffin. I'm
4:22seeing someone, I'd blurted out after
4:24the coffee line incident. Natalie
4:26stopped stirring her latte. Really? Yes.
4:30Who? Someone. That's a beautiful name.
4:34Is it French? I should have confessed
4:36immediately. Instead, I explained that
4:39my girlfriend preferred privacy and had
4:42a busy schedule. Natalie accepted
4:44neither statement and promptly added a
4:46plus one to my wedding invitation. On
4:49Friday, when she asked whether my
4:51girlfriend was coming, I said yes. By
4:54Saturday afternoon, my imaginary
4:56relationship had acquired a reserved
4:58chair, a vegetarian meal option, and
5:01expectations I was spectacularly
5:03unprepared to meet. My plan was to
5:06arrive alone, claim my girlfriend had
5:08been delayed, and hope everybody got
5:10distracted by the cake. It wasn't my
5:13proudest plan, but it was a plan, and I
5:16had already ironed my shirt. Then Clare
5:19sat beside me wearing an emerald green
5:22dress with her dark hair pinned up in a
5:24style that left one loose strand against
5:27her cheek and my plan quietly walked
5:30into traffic. "Your mom?" I whispered,
5:33glancing toward the woman in plum. Clare
5:36nodded. "The one looking at us as if
5:39she's deciding what size our wedding
5:40cake should be." "Why did you tell her
5:43we were dating?" because she asked if I
5:45was seeing anyone and I was tired of her
5:47trying to arrange introductions. She
5:50just watched you help me unload that
5:52enormous kiln last Sunday. Your name
5:54came out before my brain could
5:56intervene. Understandable. My name has
5:59that effect on people. Daniel, focus.
6:02I'm focusing very hard, mostly on the
6:05fact that you've selected me as your
6:06imaginary romantic partner without
6:08checking my references. I've seen you
6:11rescue a raccoon from a trash bin. Your
6:14references are excellent. Her fingers
6:16tightened around mine as her mother
6:18started walking toward us. I noticed
6:21something then. Clare could deliver a
6:23sarcastic comeback without blinking, but
6:26her smile had gone a little stiff.
6:28Whatever this meant to her, it wasn't
6:31only a joke. Rules, I said quickly. We
6:35need rules. Fine. Don't tell her we've
6:38been dating for 3 years. Why is that
6:41implausible? We've been neighbors for 8
6:43months. Good catch. Rule two, no
6:47elaborate fictional vacations. I get
6:49lost on the way to the pharmacy. Rule
6:52three, she said, looking me straight in
6:54the eyes. Don't kiss me just because
6:57somebody expects you to. The laughter
7:00left my throat. I wouldn't. She studied
7:04my face, then nodded. I know. Her mother
7:07arrived before I could ask why she
7:09looked relieved. Clare," the woman said
7:12warmly. "There you are." Her gaze
7:15dropped to our linked hands, her smile
7:17widened. "And this must be Daniel." I
7:21stood, resisting the urge to salute.
7:23"It's nice to finally meet you, Mrs.
7:25Mercer. Please call me Linda." She shook
7:29my hand and gave me the careful onceover
7:31of a woman who loved her daughter and
7:33trusted absolutely no male stranger on
7:36principle. "So, you're the famous
7:39neighbor? famous," I repeated. Clare
7:42coughed into her water glass. Linda
7:45glanced at her daughter with obvious
7:47pleasure. She's mentioned your coffee,
7:49your terrible jokes, your woodworking,
7:52and the way you put a lantern on her
7:54porch when the power went out last
7:55month. I turned slowly toward Clare. "My
7:59terrible jokes made the list." "They
8:01were the majority of the list," Clare
8:04said. Linda laughed. Well, it's lovely
8:07to meet the young man who finally
8:09persuaded my daughter to stop pretending
8:11she never needs anybody. Claire's
8:14expression changed for a fraction of a
8:16second. Not anger exactly, more like a
8:19door quietly closing. Mom, she said,
8:23that's not what I told you. Before Linda
8:25could answer, a voice shouted from
8:27behind me. Daniel, you brought her. Ben,
8:32my coworker and occasional accomplice in
8:34extremely bad decisions, appeared with
8:37two champagne flutes and the expression
8:39of a man witnessing a minor miracle. His
8:42eyes moved from Clare to our hands. I
8:46owe Natalie 20 bucks. Linda lifted an
8:48eyebrow. You were betting on their
8:51relationship. We were betting on whether
8:53it existed, Ben admitted. Very different
8:56thing. Ben, I said, meet Clare. Claire,
9:00meet the reason workplace
9:01confidentiality is a fantasy. Clare
9:04shook his hand. Hello, I'm Daniel's
9:07mysterious girlfriend. Ben blinked
9:09twice. You have an actual first name. I
9:13picked it myself. Linda laughed again
9:15and suddenly our bizarre arrangement
9:18seemed to be working. Clare tucked her
9:20arm through mine. Ben began asking
9:22questions. Linda took a seat. At the far
9:25end of the room, the wedding band struck
9:27up a lively song while servers threaded
9:30between tables, balancing trays of food.
9:33And then Ben asked the one question I
9:36hadn't prepared for. "So, how did you
9:39two meet?" I opened my mouth. Clare
9:42opened hers at the same time. "Through
9:45our fence," I said. "At a hardware
9:48store," she said. "Silence."
9:51Ben leaned forward. Linda folded her
9:54hands. Clare smiled at me with an
9:56expression that promised consequences. I
9:59cleared my throat.
10:01[clears throat] Both true. We met
10:03because of offense and I later saw her
10:06at a hardware store. Where? Clare added
10:09smoothly. He spent 20 minutes telling me
10:12I was holding a screwdriver incorrectly
10:14because she was using it to open a paint
10:16can. It worked. It damaged the lid.
10:20Listen to us. she told Linda. 8 months
10:23together and we're still flirting. 8
10:25months? Ben repeated. I squeezed Clare's
10:29hand. Give or take. Linda looked from
10:32one of us to the other, perhaps
10:34calculating the timeline. But just then,
10:37Natalie crossed the room in her wedding
10:39gown and stopped so abruptly that her
10:41veil nearly caught on a chair. "Clare,"
10:45she said. "Daniel." Clare's shoulders
10:48lifted. Surprise, cousin. I stared at
10:51her. Cousin? Natalie stared at me. You
10:55two know each other. Ben shut his eyes.
10:59Oh, this is going to be fantastic.
11:02Natalie recovered first. Claire Mercer
11:05is my mother's sister's daughter, she
11:08explained to me, speaking very slowly.
11:11Daniel Carter is the man who fixes every
11:14crooked doorway at our office. How do
11:16you two know each other? We're
11:18neighbors, Clare said. And dating, I
11:22added before my brain could order a
11:24tactical retreat. Natalie's mouth fell
11:27open. You're the girlfriend. I'm
11:30beginning to suspect so, Clare said.
11:33Natalie clapped once, delighted. This
11:36explains everything. You both kept
11:39talking about the same person without
11:41using a name. We did? I asked. Oh,
11:44absolutely. Daniel complains about his
11:47neighbor who steals his tomatoes and
11:49leaves tiny ceramic ducks on his porch.
11:52Clare keeps telling me about the guy
11:53next door who pretends not to like her
11:56ducks. I like the ducks, I protested. I
11:59just object to waking up with seven of
12:01them staring through my kitchen window.
12:03Clare looked at me. You kept all seven.
12:07I didn't have an answer that sounded
12:09remotely casual. Natalie rested a hand
12:12on each of our shoulders. This is
12:15adorable, and I'm going to enjoy
12:17interrogating you both later, but first,
12:20I have approximately 40 guests asking
12:22where the seating chart went. She kissed
12:25Cla's cheek, smiled at me, and swept
12:27back toward the dance floor. Ben watched
12:30her leave. "Well, there's your problem."
12:33"Which problem?" I asked. "You've got
12:35the bride invested. You're basically
12:38engaged now." Claire's laugh escaped
12:41before she could stop it. She leaned
12:43against my shoulder for half a second,
12:45and I felt absurdly grateful to Ben for
12:48being ridiculous.
12:50Her mother excused herself to greet
12:52another relative. The moment Linda was
12:54out of earshot, Clare pulled her chair
12:56closer. "We need to revise the rules,"
12:59she murmured. "Agreed. Your cousin
13:02apparently knows my coffee preferences
13:04better than my doctor. Also, Natalie
13:07will remember every detail we tell her.
13:10We can't build an entire fake history.
13:12Then let's use the real one. She
13:15blinked. The real what? Our history.
13:18We're neighbors. We help each other. We
13:21argue about your horrible taste in pizza
13:23toppings. Everything they've heard so
13:25far is true except the relationship
13:28label. Clare looked down at our hands.
13:31And how long have we supposedly been
13:33together? Let's not give them a date. If
13:36somebody asks, we can say things
13:38happened gradually. That's annoyingly
13:41believable. It's my special talent. She
13:44smiled, but the smile faded as she
13:46glanced across the room. I followed her
13:49gaze. Linda was speaking with a tall
13:52young man in a navy suit. He seemed
13:54pleasant enough, although he'd selected
13:56a bow tie that looked like a small blue
13:59butterfly had landed on his neck. Evan,
14:02Clare said quietly. Friend of yours.
14:05Mom's friend's son. She keeps suggesting
14:08we have coffee. He's perfectly nice. We
14:11have nothing in common and he knows it.
14:13Then why is she still suggesting it?
14:15Because he's safe. Reliable job, polite
14:19smile, no inconvenient obsession with
14:21opening a pottery studio. I glanced at
14:24her. Your studio is an inconvenience.
14:28Not to me. She turned her glass in her
14:30hands. My mom means well. She worries
14:33that I've spent 2 years building
14:36something without knowing whether it
14:37will work. She thinks if I dated someone
14:40stable, everything else would settle
14:42down. That's a lot to ask of a man
14:44wearing a bow tie. Clare laughed, then
14:47sighed. I shouldn't have dragged you
14:50into this. You didn't. I already had an
14:52imaginary girlfriend when you got here.
14:54You gave her excellent bone structure
14:56and a surprisingly expensive dress. It's
14:59borrowed. Still excellent. her cheeks
15:03colored. It wasn't the dramatic reaction
15:05I expected from a romantic comedy, just
15:08a small change in her face, which
15:11somehow felt more important. "Thank
15:14you," she said softly. I shrugged,
15:17trying to appear unaffected. "I'll send
15:19you an invoice for boyfriend services.
15:21First hour free. Good. I'd like a refund
15:24for your jokes." The band shifted into a
15:27slower number and couples started
15:29gathering near the dance floor. Linda
15:32returned with Evan in tow. He introduced
15:34himself with a firm handshake and to his
15:37credit didn't appear disappointed to
15:39find Clare sitting beside someone else.
15:42"Daniel," he said. "I hear you're the
15:44famous neighbor." "I'm working on
15:46merchandise." Evan grinned. "Do I have
15:49to sign a waiver to hear the raccoon
15:51story?" "No," Clare said immediately.
15:54"He'll tell it for free, but you'll lose
15:5620 minutes of your life." Linda settled
15:59into her chair. Evan's going to help his
16:01dad renovate their cabin this fall.
16:03Daniel, you'll have plenty to talk
16:05about. We did. Evan asked about
16:08replacing rotten porch steps, and I gave
16:10him a few practical suggestions. Clare
16:13watched us, visibly surprised. After he
16:16left to find his parents, she leaned
16:18toward me. You're supposed to be
16:20jealous, she whispered. Of a man who
16:23doesn't know what a ledger board is. I'd
16:26feel terrible exploiting that advantage.
16:28Seriously? Seriously? He seems like a
16:31nice guy. You told me you're not
16:33interested. I trust your answer. For a
16:36moment, she didn't say anything. Then
16:39she reached for my hand again. This
16:41time, while Linda was busy talking to
16:43someone else, there was no audience for
16:45the gesture. That detail stayed with me.
16:4910 minutes later, the bride needed help.
16:52A server had accidentally nudged the
16:54display of tiny ceramic place card
16:56holders that Clare had made for the
16:58reception. A corner of the linen covered
17:00table had folded inward, sending dozens
17:03of handpainted clay hearts tumbling into
17:06a pile. Nothing serious broke, but the
17:09alphabetized escort cards were now
17:11scattered like autumn leaves. Natalie
17:13was trying not to panic while the
17:15photographers's assistant apologized for
17:17moving the table. Claire was already
17:20standing. I'll fix it. I followed her
17:23and she glanced over her shoulder. You
17:26don't have to. I know. She paused, then
17:30handed me a stack of cards. Alphabetize
17:32these. And don't put Anderson after
17:35Bailey like you did with my glaze
17:36samples. That happened once. You
17:39organized them by color. They were
17:42literally colors. Natalie looked between
17:45us. You really are dating. For 20
17:48minutes, we worked in easy, practical
17:51rhythm. I stabilized the table and
17:53sorted cards while Clare checked the
17:55ceramic holders for chips. At one point,
17:58she crouched to retrieve a heart that
18:00had skidded beneath the display, and I
18:02held her skirt clear of a puddle from a
18:05toppled flower vase without making a
18:07production of it. When she stood, our
18:10faces were closer than either of us
18:12expected. "Thanks," she said. "That's
18:15another charge on your invoice. put it
18:18under emotional damages. She was
18:20smiling, but then she looked at the tiny
18:23heart in her palm. Along its edge was a
18:26hairline crack. I recognized the look
18:29that crossed her face. I'd seen it when
18:32a glaze failed or a firing produced
18:34something a shade darker than she'd
18:36planned. Not just disappointment, but
18:38the belief that the mistake somehow
18:40belonged to her personally. "Can it be
18:43repaired?" I asked. later. It won't be
18:47perfect. Neither will the table after 50
18:50people spill wine on it. Doesn't mean
18:52it's not worth keeping. She turned the
18:54heart over considering that. Then she
18:57slipped it into her small evening bag
18:59instead of throwing it away. Natalie
19:02hugged us both. You just saved my
19:05seating display. How can I thank you? By
19:08dancing with your husband, Clare told
19:10her. You're allowed to enjoy your own
19:12wedding. Natalie laughed and hurried
19:15away. The work had distracted us long
19:17enough that when I looked up, half the
19:19guests were on the dance floor, and
19:21Linda was watching us with an expression
19:23I couldn't read. "She looks pleased," I
19:27said. Clare followed my gaze. "She's
19:30pleased that someone helped me without
19:32taking over. Does that not happen
19:34often?" "Less often than you'd think."
19:37She opened her mouth as if to explain,
19:40then closed it. Instead, she nodded
19:43toward the dance floor. Come on,
19:44boyfriend. You're late for our first
19:46dance. Our what? Our first dance.
19:50Apparently, we're committed to the
19:52narrative. I should warn you, my dancing
19:54has caused two minor injuries. Yours or
19:58other people's? One of each. Clare took
20:01my hand. I'll sign the waiver. Beneath
20:04warm lights, I set a hand lightly
20:06against her waist, leaving her room to
20:08move away. She rested a hand on my
20:11shoulder and we started dancing.
20:13"Relax," she said at last. "You look
20:17like you're diffusing a bomb. There's
20:19less pressure when I diffuse imaginary
20:21bombs. You work in restoration, Daniel.
20:24You've never diffused a bomb.
20:26Emotionally, every project meeting
20:29counts." She laughed and moved a little
20:31closer. There was a faint smudge of blue
20:34paint near her thumbnail, probably from
20:36the ceramic hearts. I realized I'd seen
20:39those hands holding coffee cups,
20:42watering a half-dead rosemary plant, and
20:45balancing clay on a spinning wheel. I'd
20:47never noticed how much I wanted them to
20:50keep finding mine. "You're better at
20:52this than you claim," she said. "I'm
20:55following you. Most men hate admitting
20:57that. Most men haven't seen you direct
21:00traffic around a pottery kiln." Her
21:02expression softened. "You notice a lot
21:05about my neighbor? Of course, somebody
21:08has to document the duck invasion,
21:10Daniel. She stopped teasing. You really
21:13do notice. I couldn't quite look away.
21:17Yes. The music continued around us,
21:20guests swaying and laughing, but the
21:23space between us became strangely quiet.
21:26I wanted to tell her that noticing had
21:29long since become looking forward to.
21:32That I sometimes took my trash out later
21:34than necessary because she watered her
21:36flowers after sunset. That my porch
21:38light stayed on because I liked seeing
21:40her wave across our yards. Instead, I
21:44said, "For the record, you don't need a
21:47boyfriend for your studio to matter."
21:49She swallowed. I know. Good. Her hand
21:53shifted a fraction higher on my
21:55shoulder. But thank you for saying it.
21:58When the song ended, she didn't let go
22:00immediately. Neither did I. We might
22:04have stayed that way until the next
22:05song, but Ben appeared at my elbow
22:07holding a camera. He wore the grin of a
22:10man who believed discretion was a
22:12weakness. Photo booth. He announced.
22:16Natalie says every guest has to
22:18contribute one picture to the guest
22:19book. You two look annoyingly
22:22photogenic. Clare glanced at me. We
22:25should probably do it. We should
22:27probably arrest Ben for approaching
22:29people during slow songs. I heard that,
22:32Ben said. You were meant to. Beneath an
22:35arch of greenery, Clare placed
22:37heart-shaped glasses on my face. I
22:40retaliated with a plastic crown. She
22:42caught herself smiling in the preview
22:44screen before we managed a pose.
22:46"Remember," she whispered. "We're
22:48supposed to look affectionate. I was
22:51planning to look like a tax auditor.
22:53Save that for the Christmas card. The
22:55countdown began. For the first picture,
22:58we stood shouldertosh shoulder
23:00attempting a dignified smile. For the
23:02second, Clare pulled my cheeks into an
23:05expression that made me look like a
23:06startled bulldog. The third picture came
23:09when I lifted the crooked crown off her
23:11head and accidentally caught a loose
23:13strand of hair in my fingers. She turned
23:16toward me, laughing, her hand resting
23:19against my chest. Neither of us saw the
23:21camera flash.
23:23When the strip printed, we stared at the
23:26third picture in silence. She wasn't
23:28looking at the lens. She was looking at
23:31me. I wasn't looking at the lens either.
23:34That's a convincing performance, I said.
23:38Clare traced the edge of the photograph
23:40with her thumb. It is. She tore off one
23:43copy for Natalie's guest book. I
23:46expected her to hand me the other, but
23:48she slipped it into her purse beside the
23:50cracked ceramic heart. Evidence? I
23:53asked. Insurance? She said, and refused
23:56to explain. Back at the table, we
23:59encountered the first significant flaw
24:01in our arrangement. Natalie had
24:04apparently mentioned us to her father,
24:06who told an aunt, who told Linda that
24:08we'd known each other for 8 months.
24:11Linda had heard us say we'd been
24:12together for 8 months. Those statements
24:15weren't impossible to reconcile, but
24:17they were close enough to make her
24:19pause.
24:20Claire, sweetheart, she said while we
24:23were waiting for dessert. When did you
24:25tell me you two started dating? Clare
24:28took a measured breath. Mom, does the
24:31date matter? Only because last Wednesday
24:35you told me you hadn't been seeing
24:36anyone seriously.
24:38I felt Clare's fingers stiffen on my
24:40wrist. It would have been easy to invent
24:43another clever explanation. I could
24:46already feel one forming. She'd meant
24:48not seriously until recently. We'd
24:51wanted to wait. We weren't ready to tell
24:53people. Every sentence might buy us 5
24:56minutes and create a new problem
24:58tomorrow.
25:00Instead, I set down my glass. Linda,
25:04you're right to ask. Clare and I should
25:06probably talk to you privately before
25:08the night ends. Her expression changed.
25:11Not anger, worry. All right, she said. I
25:16appreciate that. She stood when another
25:18relative beckoned, leaving Clare and me
25:21alone. Clare turned toward me with an
25:23unreadable expression. You didn't have
25:26to do that. I didn't want to make you
25:28responsible for another lie. We agreed
25:31to play along for tonight. We didn't
25:34agree to make your mother doubt
25:35everything you tell her next month.
25:37Clare looked away. I know. I just wanted
25:41one evening when she looked at me and
25:43saw someone who was doing fine. You are
25:46doing fine. You don't know what she sees
25:49when she comes to my studio. No, but I
25:52know what I see. She waited. I could
25:55have described the shelves she'd built
25:56herself. The students who arrived
25:59nervous and left carrying lopsided bowls
26:02or the handwritten thank you notes she
26:04tucked into the frame over her
26:05workbench. I could have told her how her
26:08classes had become the happiest place on
26:10our block. Instead, I said the one thing
26:14I thought she needed to hear. I see
26:16someone building a life she's proud of,
26:19one imperfect piece at a time. You don't
26:22need to borrow me to make it
26:23respectable.
26:25Claire's eyes shone briefly before she
26:27looked down at the tablecloth.
26:30The annoying thing, she said, is that
26:32you're very difficult to argue with when
26:34you're being kind. Don't spread that
26:37around. Ben would ruin my reputation.
26:40She smiled but didn't reach for my hand
26:42again. Later, while she was helping
26:45Natalie collect the guest book pages, I
26:47stepped into the hallway to get some
26:49air. Ben followed, abandoning a plate of
26:52cake he had clearly intended to finish
26:54in my presence. "Okay," he said. "What's
26:58really happening?" I leaned against the
27:00brick wall. "What do you mean? You told
27:03us you were dating somebody before
27:05anybody knew who she was. Natalie says,
27:08"Clare has been talking about you for
27:10months. Clare acts as if she wants to
27:12kiss you and run away at the same time.
27:15Something about this feels complicated.
27:18That's because it is." He folded his
27:21arms. I wasn't asking for entertainment,
27:24Dan. That surprised me. Ben was an
27:27expert in making everything
27:29entertaining, especially my discomfort.
27:32But there was something sincere beneath
27:33his usual expression. You remember why I
27:37invented the girlfriend? I asked.
27:39Because Natalie kept trying to set you
27:41up. Because after my breakup, everybody
27:44treated being single like a medical
27:46condition. Every lunch came with advice.
27:49Every party came with a spare woman. I
27:52wanted people to stop deciding whether I
27:54was all right. Ben nodded slowly. And
27:58Clare, her mother's been trying to fix
28:00her life with an appropriate boyfriend.
28:02Clare said she had one. She said it was
28:05me. We found out about each other's
28:07stories about 5 minutes after she sat
28:09down. Ben stared at me. Then he began to
28:13laugh so hard he had to put his plate on
28:15a window sill. I'm glad my emotional
28:18crisis is nourishing you. [laughter] I'm
28:20sorry, he gasped. You both independently
28:24invented a relationship with each other.
28:26That's [laughter] spectacular. Please
28:28don't tell Natalie tonight. She deserves
28:31a wedding without discovering she
28:32employed an idiot. Daniel, she already
28:35knows she employed an idiot. I raised an
28:38eyebrow. Fine, he said. I won't say
28:41anything, but I have one question. Of
28:44course you do. Why, Claire? What? You
28:47could have named anybody. You could have
28:49asked a friend. You could have stayed
28:51home. When she offered you a way out,
28:54you jumped at it. Why her? I looked
28:57through the open doorway. Clare was
29:00kneeling beside Natalie's chair,
29:02carefully pressing a loose photograph
29:04into the guest book while laughing at
29:06something the bride said. Her green
29:08dress pulled around her knees, and she
29:10seemed completely unaware that I was
29:12watching. Because it's Clare, I said.
29:16Ben grew quiet. There you go. That's not
29:19an answer. It sounded like one. I stayed
29:23behind, turning Ben's question over. Why
29:26Clare? Convenience had nothing to do
29:29with it. I wanted the woman who made
29:31coffee too strong, mourned house plants
29:34dramatically, and laughed at my worst
29:36jokes. A few minutes later, Clare
29:38appeared in the doorway carrying both
29:40our coats. I found you. I'm hard to
29:44lose. Look for the tallest person hiding
29:47from emotional development. She handed
29:49me my coat. I spoke with Natalie. She
29:52wants to know if we'll help her sort the
29:54guest book after their honeymoon. Of
29:56course, she called us a great team. We
29:59are. Claire studied me. Are we? The
30:03question sounded too serious for the
30:05hallway outside a wedding, and I
30:06realized she wasn't asking about seating
30:09cards. Yes, I told her, "Even when we're
30:12being ridiculous." She stepped closer,
30:15then stopped. "Can we go outside for a
30:18minute somewhere we won't have to
30:20perform?" I opened the garden door for
30:22her. Lead the way. The reception garden
30:25surrounded an old fountain filled with
30:27floating candles. I could hear the band
30:30through the glass doors. Clare slipped
30:32off her heels and stood on the cool
30:34paving stones. "Thank you," she said,
30:37"for opening a door. My parents raised
30:40me well. For tonight, I leaned against
30:44the wall beside her. We made a
30:46surprisingly effective criminal
30:48partnership." She didn't laugh. I told
30:50my mom I had a boyfriend because I
30:52wanted her to stop worrying. But there
30:54was another reason I picked you. I
30:56looked at her. I'm listening. When she
30:59saw you helping with the kiln last
31:01Sunday, she asked whether you were
31:03single. I said yes. She asked if you
31:05ever came over for dinner. I said
31:07sometimes. She said, "Claire, if you
31:10like him, why haven't you asked him?" My
31:13heart gave a small undignified leap.
31:16What did you say? that I didn't want to
31:19mistake a good neighbor for a man who
31:21was interested in me. I straightened
31:24Claire. And then she started talking
31:26about Evan again and I said you were my
31:28boyfriend. It was ridiculous. I know.
31:31She looked at the fountain instead of at
31:33me, but for one second I got to say it
31:36out loud and it felt nice. I stepped in
31:40front of her, careful not to corner her
31:43against the wall. Why didn't you ask me
31:45whether I was interested? She gave a
31:47quiet, rofal smile because you're kind
31:50to everybody. You help Mrs. Alvarez
31:53bring in her groceries. You repair Ben's
31:56porch swing for free. You even watered
31:58my roses while I was visiting my aunt. I
32:01couldn't tell whether I was special or
32:03just one more item on your list. You're
32:05not an item on a list. How was I
32:08supposed to know? That was fair. More
32:11than fair. I'd spent eight months
32:13dropping hints soft enough to be
32:15mistaken for casual remarks, then
32:17congratulating myself for not taking a
32:20risk. You couldn't, I admitted. I liked
32:23having you next door. I was afraid if I
32:26made it awkward, we'd lose that. She
32:28finally met my eyes. You liked having me
32:32next door? I exhaled. Claire, I changed
32:36my grocery shopping day because you
32:38usually ask to walk to the farmers
32:39market on Sundays. I've watched six
32:42online videos about fixing pottery, even
32:45though I'm terrible at it. And I bought
32:47rosemary I don't even like because you
32:49said your garden needed company. She
32:52stared. You bought that rosemary for me?
32:55It's mostly a monument to poor
32:57communication. Her smile trembled. I
33:00thought you just really loved herbs. We
33:03both laughed, but the laughter didn't
33:05make the moment smaller. If anything, it
33:08showed me how much I'd been keeping
33:10behind ordinary conversation.
33:13There's something else, she said. My
33:15workshop preview is next Saturday. I've
33:18been telling everyone I don't mind
33:19whether people come. I mind a lot. I'm
33:23terrified. I'll open the doors and
33:25nobody will walk in. I'll be there. You
33:28haven't even asked what time. Tell me
33:30the time. 11. Then I'll be there at
33:3310:00 to help set up unless you tell me
33:35to stay out of the way. She blinked
33:37rapidly and turned back toward the
33:39fountain. This is the problem. What is
33:43you say things like that and I can't
33:45always tell whether you mean them
33:47because you care about me or because you
33:49don't know how to say no. I understood
33:52then how our performance had made
33:54everything harder. Every tender gesture
33:57tonight had arrived with a convenient
33:59explanation. I could hold her hand
34:01because her mother was watching. I could
34:03dance with her because the bride
34:05expected it. I could promise to help
34:07next Saturday because I was the reliable
34:10neighbor. We had designed the perfect
34:12hiding place for our actual feelings.
34:15Then we need to stop pretending. I said
34:18she looked startled right now. Yes. I
34:22think we should tell your mom and I owe
34:25Natalie and Ben an apology for my part.
34:28After that, anything I say to you
34:30belongs to me. No audience, no act.
34:34Clare folded her arms against the night
34:36air. What if stopping means this was all
34:40we get? I could hear how difficult it
34:42had been for her to ask. I wanted to
34:45answer by pulling her close. Instead, I
34:48gave her something I should have given
34:50her months earlier. I want more, I said.
34:54But I won't ask you to decide while
34:56we've got half a wedding convinced we're
34:58together. You deserve to know when I
35:01choose you, I'm not choosing the easy
35:03way out. She took a long breath. I need
35:07to talk to my mom first alone. Okay. And
35:11then I need to know you won't disappear
35:14behind another joke. I can manage that.
35:17She slipped her shoes back on. When she
35:19reached the door, she looked over her
35:21shoulder. Daniel? Yes. Don't change your
35:25mind while I'm gone. I haven't changed
35:27it in 8 months. Her eyes widened and
35:31then she went inside. I stayed by the
35:34fountain for another minute, wishing I'd
35:36found a smoother way to say that last
35:38line, but it had been true. And for
35:41once, I was willing to let the truth
35:43stand without a punchline. Inside, I
35:46found Ben near the coffee station and
35:48told him I'd spoken with Clare. He
35:51looked at my face and stopped joking.
35:53When I said I intended to tell Natalie
35:55the truth, he offered to walk with me. I
35:58told him I could handle one awkward
36:00conversation on my own. He nodded and
36:03handed me a cup of coffee anyway.
36:05Natalie was standing near the guest book
36:07barefoot now, her husband beside her. I
36:10waited until she finished speaking with
36:12the photographer. Natalie, can I borrow
36:152 minutes? She looked concerned.
36:18Something wrong? Only with a story I've
36:20been telling. When you asked whether I
36:22had a girlfriend last month, I lied. I
36:26was tired of everyone trying to find me
36:27a date, and I didn't know how to say
36:29that without sounding ungrateful. Claire
36:32and I really are neighbors, but tonight
36:34was the first time we agreed to call
36:36each other anything else. Natalie's
36:39expression moved from confusion to
36:41disbelief to reluctant amusement. Wait,
36:45you weren't dating before tonight? No.
36:49Her husband glanced toward the dance
36:50floor. That's one way to meet somebody.
36:53I should have told you earlier, I said.
36:56I'm sorry. Natalie considered me for a
36:59moment. I was trying to make you happy,
37:02she said. But I guess I wasn't listening
37:05when you said you didn't want another
37:06introduction. You were trying to be a
37:09friend. I could have been honest. We can
37:12both do better. She nudged my shoulder.
37:15So, do you actually like my cousin? Very
37:18much. Then I have some valuable
37:21professional advice. What's that? Go
37:24tell her. I smiled, working on it. At
37:28the other end of the room, Clare stood
37:30with Linda beside a tall window. Her
37:32mother was speaking quietly. Clare
37:35listened, then said something that made
37:37Linda reach for her hand. I couldn't
37:39hear a word. I didn't need to. Clare was
37:43standing straighter than she had all
37:45evening. When they separated, Linda
37:48walked toward me. For a second, I
37:50prepared myself for a lecture about
37:52honesty and emotional responsibility. I
37:55would have deserved it. Daniel, she
37:58said, "My daughter told me everything."
38:02"I owe you an apology. You do, and she's
38:05already apologized, so you'll both
38:07survive." Her expression softened. I
38:11wish she'd known she didn't need a
38:12boyfriend to prove anything to me. I do
38:16worry about her workshop. I worry
38:18because she's poured her heart into it,
38:21not because I think she's foolish for
38:22trying. She told me you want her to have
38:25someone stable. Linda sighed. I wanted
38:28her to have someone who stood beside
38:30her, not someone who made her plans
38:33smaller. Apparently, I haven't said that
38:35very clearly. You could come to the
38:37opening next Saturday, I suggested.
38:40She'd love that. I'll be the first
38:42person through the door. Linda glanced
38:44toward Clare and Daniel. If you're going
38:47to ask her on a real date, don't make a
38:49speech that sounds like you're applying
38:51for a permit. I blinked. Was it that
38:54obvious? My dear, you've been looking at
38:57her like somebody turned on all the
38:59lights in the room. Then she squeezed my
39:01arm and walked away, leaving me with a
39:04coffee I hadn't touched and the distinct
39:06sensation of having been gently but
39:09thoroughly examined. I found Clare just
39:12as the band announced the last dance.
39:14She was standing near the edge of the
39:16floor, barefoot again, her shoes in one
39:19hand. This time there was no anxious
39:21performance in her smile. "Your mother
39:24talked to me," I said. She said she
39:27likes you. She also questioned my speech
39:30making abilities. "She's a good judge of
39:32character." I put the coffee aside.
39:35Claire, before this song ends, I want to
39:38ask you something. Not because your
39:40mother is watching. Not because Natalie
39:42thinks we're a couple. Not because we
39:44need to make anybody believe anything.
39:47Claire faced me fully. Okay. Would you
39:51go on a real date with me tomorrow? No
39:53audience, no cover story, no free
39:56boyfriend services, just dinner, and I
39:59want to walk you home afterward, even
40:01though home is literally 6 feet from
40:03mine. She pressed her lips together as
40:06if trying to hold back a smile. That's a
40:09very inefficient walking arrangement. I
40:12intend to take the scenic route. How
40:14scenic? Depends on whether you like me.
40:17Her smile broke free. Daniel, I've liked
40:20you since the day you carried a kiln
40:22shelf through my gate and pretended not
40:24to be impressed that I knew how to use a
40:26drill. I was impressed. I know. You came
40:30back the next day to help fix a gate
40:32that wasn't broken. It squeaked. It
40:35still squeaks. Then my work there isn't
40:37done. She laughed, stepped closer, and
40:40placed her shoes on an empty chair. Yes,
40:44she said. I'll go on a real date with
40:46you. I held out my hand. And this dance?
40:50She took it. Also real. We moved on to
40:54the dance floor without trying to
40:55impress anyone. I didn't count steps. I
40:59didn't scan the room for her mother.
41:01When the music slowed, Clare rested her
41:03forehead briefly against my shoulder and
41:06let out a long breath. I touched her
41:09hand and asked quietly enough that only
41:11she could hear. "May I kiss you?" She
41:15lifted her head, her expression suddenly
41:17bright. "You remembered rule three?" "I
41:20remember everything you say. It's become
41:23a medical concern." "Yes, Daniel, you
41:26may." I kissed her gently and the world
41:29did not explode into applause. Nobody
41:32dropped a glass. The band kept playing.
41:35The bride stayed happily occupied with
41:37her husband, exactly as she should have
41:39been. Claire's hand tightened around
41:42mine. And when we stepped apart, she
41:44smiled at me as though we'd finally
41:46arrived somewhere familiar. "Just so
41:49we're clear," she whispered. "That one
41:51doesn't go on your invoice." "No," I
41:54said. That one was entirely voluntary.
41:58We left the reception after
41:59congratulating the newlyweds and I drove
42:01us home through quiet streets. Clare
42:04kept the photo booth strip on her lap.
42:06At a red light, she showed me the third
42:08picture again and pointed to our
42:10expressions. We were terrible at
42:13pretending, she said. Awful. Not a
42:16believable moment in the whole evening.
42:18She gave me a sideways look. Especially
42:21that part where you alphabetized 46
42:24escort cards. I suffer for love. You
42:27suffer because you can't remember
42:29whether M comes before N. Both can be
42:32true. At home, we stood between our
42:34neighboring gates, not quite ready to
42:37say good night. She reached into her bag
42:39and drew out the little cracked ceramic
42:41heart. I think I can mend it, she said.
42:45It'll still show the line. Maybe the
42:47line will make it more interesting. She
42:49turned the heart in her palm. You're
42:51getting surprisingly good at this
42:53pottery. Saying what you mean. I kissed
42:56her cheek. Practice starts tomorrow at
42:59dinner. The next morning, I found a
43:01small ceramic duck on my porch with a
43:04note tied to its neck. Boyfriend trial
43:06period extended. Coffee at 9:00. I took
43:10my mug across the grass at 8:59.
43:13Clare opened the door in pajamas with
43:15her hair loose and flower on her cheek
43:18from an ambitious attempt at pancakes.
43:20She kissed me hello before remembering
43:22to pretend she wasn't nervous. I kissed
43:25her back and volunteered to rescue
43:27breakfast. At her workshop preview the
43:30following Saturday, I arrived at 10:00
43:32carrying folding chairs. Linda arrived
43:35at 10:15 with flowers and a handwritten
43:38sign that read, "So proud of you,
43:40Clare." Ben turned up at 11:00 carrying
43:43a coffee cake and announced that he had
43:45come to inspect the famous pottery
43:47ducks. Natalie and her new husband
43:49stopped by after lunch, still glowing
43:52from their honeymoon. By closing time,
43:54Clare had booked enough classes to fill
43:56the first month's schedule. I watched
43:59her hand a finished bowl to an older
44:01woman who'd once been convinced she was
44:03too clumsy to learn. "You made it,"
44:06Clare told her. "Don't let anyone
44:08convince you otherwise." When the woman
44:11left smiling, Clare caught me watching
44:13and raised an eyebrow. "What?" she
44:16asked. "Nothing, just enjoying the
44:19view." She looked past me toward the
44:21studio window. "The view of the parking
44:24lot?" "The woman who built this place?"
44:27Her cheeks warmed. "You really have
44:29stopped hiding behind jokes." "Not
44:31[clears throat] entirely. I have a
44:33reputation." That evening, we sat on the
44:36steps of her porch, sharing the last two
44:38slices of cake. The repaired ceramic
44:41heart rested on the railing, its thin
44:43gold colored seam catching the porch
44:46light. Clare leaned against me and held
44:48up the photo strip from the wedding. "Do
44:50you ever wish we'd just told everybody
44:52the truth from the beginning?" she
44:54asked. "I wish we'd told each other the
44:57truth sooner." She considered that. "So,
45:01what should I say if somebody asks how
45:03we started dating?" "Tell them you sat
45:05beside me at a wedding and ask me to
45:07play along." And then I put my arm
45:10around her. Then tell them I finally
45:13stopped pretending. She smiled and
45:15kissed me as the porch light flickered
45:17on exactly the way it had on all those
45:20evenings when we were two neighbors
45:22inventing excuses not to go inside.
45:26If this story made you smile, please
45:28like it. Subscribe for more heartfelt
45:30romances and share your answer in the
45:33comments. When two people have been
45:35quietly falling for each other, is the
45:37hardest part finding the right moment or
45:40finally being brave enough to tell the
45:42truth?

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