He was usually reserved and diligent at work, and since he’d always been single, many people in the department had been trying to set him up with someone.
He might just be the perfect person to impress in front of my family.
“Um, Zachary, are you still single?”
“Yeah.”
I was surprised to see him blush slightly at my question.
After hesitating for a moment, I stammered, “Zachary, I was wondering if, um, you might be able to do me a favor. It might be a bit awkward.”
Normally, as the team leader, I’m all business, but now I was stumbling over my words, which caught Zachary off guard.
“What’s the favor? It won’t be a problem. I’ll help.”
Looking at his handsome, earnest face, I decided to go for it.
“Could you pretend to be my boyfriend and come home with me for the holidays? Don’t worry, it’s just for show, just a few days to trick my parents.”
A stunned silence followed.
Zachary was clearly shocked, just standing there, speechless.
I was so embarrassed that I wanted to disappear into a hole.
“I’m sorry if I’m being forward. Just pretend I was joking. Please don’t take it seriously, ha-ha… ha-ha…”
“When do we leave?”
My awkward laughter was cut short.
Before I could recover, he asked again, “When are we heading back?”
“Tomorrow. Is that too sudden?”
“No, not at all,” he replied, showing no sign of discomfort. “It’s just that time is a bit tight, so we need to move quickly.”
“Move? Where are we going?”
I was still trying to process how he’d agreed so easily.
He gave a relaxed smile. “When meeting my girlfriend’s parents for the first time, it’s only right to bring a few extra gifts.”
On the way to the mall, I booked plane tickets for both of us.
As I was typing the passport details, he glanced at me with a faint smile and didn’t say a word.
“What’s the matter? Are you having second thoughts because I’m five years older than you?”
“No, no,” he quickly reassured me. “Being the boss’s boyfriend? I’d actually love that.”
What a charmer!
I gave him a playful nudge. “Just so we’re on the same page, you’re not actually my boyfriend. This is all just for show, alright?”
At the mall, while I was browsing, I felt someone grab my hand.
I turned to see Zachary holding onto me, his smile wide and his eyes shining.
“We’re meeting your parents tomorrow, so we’d better practice being a couple. Don’t mess this up,” he said with a grin.
He had a point.