Page 198 of The Bluffing Game

“It went fine, thank you.”

“He looked like he really …” I pause, and her eyes narrow.

“What were you going to say?”

“I was just going to say, he looked like he really took care of himself for being in his eighties.”

“He was not in his eighties.” She shakes her head. “He was in his fifties.”

“Yeah, and I’m seventeen.” I start laughing, and she groans.

“I know. I didn’t even believe he was in his fifties either, but I told him straight up that we weren’t going on another date. I really don’t like men who lie to me.”

“So, if he told you that he was that age⁠—”

“I never would’ve gone on a date with him in the first place. So, yeah …”

“I guess that sucks then. Any other potentials?”

I wonder if she’s going to bring up Bradley to me. I don’t know how I’d feel if she did. It’s not like I can tell her I’m Bradley. It’s not like I can tell her that I created a fake profile with a picture that was me, but wasn’t quite me, and that we’ve been chatting back and forth. Not now that I know just how much she hates lying. I initially thought I’d set up the profile and then come clean immediately, but I already feel like it’s been too long.

“No, not really,” she says, and I’m slightly disappointed.

“Oh, well, that sucks. I’m sure you’ll meet someone to go on a date with soon.”

“Oh, I didn’t say I have no dates planned. In fact, I have a date this evening.”

“I see, that’s…” I bite down on my lower lip to stop myself from saying something that comes across as jealous.

“That’s what?” She furrows her brows and waits for me to continue.

“I’ve actually been meaning to ask you if you could babysit Toby for me for just a little bit. I have a meeting with Brett later, and it’s going to be a couple of hours, and I don’t really want to leave Toby alone, and Izzy and Lucia are working here, and I don’t really have anyone else.”

I’m not sure why I lied about the length of the meeting. Maybe I just needed a way to explain the chagrin on my face. I could hardly say I was upset that she had a date.

She looks down at her watch. “What time exactly is your meeting?”

“It’s at four o’clock. So, what time is your date?”

“It’s at six thirty,” she says. “If it’s only going to be a couple of hours, I guess I could watch Toby and then just leave for my date from your house, if you don’t mind me getting changed there and doing my makeup and stuff.”

“Oh, of course not, I would just be so grateful to you for looking after Toby that I wouldn’t mind whatsoever.”

“Okay”—she nods—“I can do it.”

“Great. You are a lifesaver, Sage.”

“I don’t know about that, but I do believe it takes a village to help raise a child.” She pauses. “Is Toby’s mom not in the picture at all?”

I so badly want to tell her the truth about Toby and his mom and everything, but once I go down that road, I’ll have to tell her everything, and I’m just not ready for her to know exactly who I am, exactly who I’ve been, and exactly what my life has meant. I want her to get to know me without having any judgments in her mind, and I fear that once I tell her the truth, she’ll never look at me in a positive way.

“He—” I pause. “Look, I …”

“It’s okay,” she says. “I don’t mean to be nosy, and if you’re not ready to say anything, it’s not my business. I’m happy to look after Toby.”

Before we head into the dining hall, I grab her hand. “It means a lot to me, and I know it means a lot to Toby as well. Thank you, Sage.”

“You’re welcome,” she says.