When Does the Pretending End?

Lucy’s Pov

“Hey do you have the Jenkins file” Josh asks forcing me to look up from the computer. “Yeah here it is” I say handing the file to him. “Hey where did you disappear to on Monday? You never came back after your meeting with Mr. Angelo” he asks. “I just went home to work from there” I reply. After leaving Cristiano’s on Monday I was nervous. Nervous at the thought of actually having to act as his girlfriend in front of his sister. I didn’t want to talk to anyone. Well I did actually. I wanted to talk to Tina. But that wasn’t going to happen so instead I sat in her bedroom in the flat we shared and just sat there. I spent the next few days busy at work. Nuno and I had been texting back and forth since I left that day. Mostly about our favorite places in Manchester. In fact he liked some of the places I had been involved in promoting.

Cristiano texted asking me over tonight to talk. Nuno texted five minutes later to make sure I was coming and that he was going to make me dinner. Nuno is so funny.

“Hey do you fancy dinner tonight” Josh asks. “Rain check, I have plans” I say. “Ohh plans, hey anyone I know” he says winking. I ignore him. “Tell him I’ll kick his ass if he hurts you” he says as he walks out of my office.
I head home to change out of my work clothes. The weather is gorgeous lately and I want to wear my sun dresses as much as I can. I open my wardrobe. What the hell do you wear to dinner with a guy you will be pretending to be his girlfriend? And Nuno.

I settle on a blue summer dress and drive over to Cristiano’s. I’ve been at the house only a few times yet I still face nervous every time I reach the door. Nuno opens the door in a red apron. “Well hello Lucy. Glad to see you. How was your day?” he asks. “Lovely” I say as I follow him to the kitchen. “Where’s Cristiano?” I ask noticing we were all alone. “Who knows? He said he’d be here. But if he doesn’t come back, they’ll be plenty more food for us” he says gesturing to the pan. I spend the next thirty minutes listening to Nuno describe how he loves to cook and how Cristiano gave his dad food poison.

“Hi Lucy sorry I’m late I was at a friend’s house and lost track of time talking” Cristiano says as he appears behind me. “It’s ok. The master chef here was showing me how could of a cook he is” I say rolling my eyes. Nuno’s phone rings and he puts me in charge of the food. “I’m not that bad of a cook” Cristiano says to me. “I know. I have tasted your cooking remember” I say with a smile. It’s nearly a week since I sat with him at the very table that sat only a few feet away with us. Who would have thought I’d be here after that night? When Nuno arrives back, Cristiano takes me over to the fireplace. I pick up the dame picture frame that I had picked up last week. I watch his face as he speaks about Katia and his nephew. I could tell they mean the world to him. It was so sweet to see.

During the meal Nuno keeps the conversation going. And by going I mean doing all the talking. I watch Cristiano and I could tell he was annoyed that Nuno wouldn’t shut up. Bet he is worried about all the stories Nuno could tell me. But I’d liked listening to Nuno. Especially stories about Cristiano’s family. Because I need to know what they are like. “When did ye break up?” I ask Cristiano when Nuno mentions an old girlfriend. “Less than two months ago” he says. “Not going to ask why” he asks me. “None of my business.” I reply. And it wasn’t. But from the look on his face I could tell he wanted me to ask.

Cristiano’s phone rings and he just gets up from the table. Just like that. Doesn’t even excuse himself. How rude. “He always manages to get out of doing something” Nuno says holding up the dishes as he took them to the sink. I follow him with the rest. “What’s the dog’s name?” I ask Nuno as the dog follows me. “Marocsa. Stupid dog” he says. “I think he’s a cutie. I love pets” I say rubbing Marcosa’s head. ”Really. I’m minding a friends pet at the moment. He’s really cute” he says I walks off not waiting for my answer. Cristiano still hadn’t come back. Wonder who was on the phone. Probably the next bimbo.

“Now this is a pet” I hear Nuno behind me and I turn to face him.“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh” I shout. What the hell is that, Nuno” I say moving as far away from him as I could. He follows me towards the couch and I jump onto it. “Get that thing away from me Nuno” I yell. I look up I see Cristiano come running towards us. I jump of the couch and run to him. “Your cousin is an idiot” I say to him. “What did he do” he asks putting his arms around my shoulders. Protecting me. “I was just showing her Marco’s pet” Nuno says gesturing his hands towards us. “A rat. Who has a rat as a pet?” I yell at him. “Seriously Nuno take that thing away” Cristiano says. “Yeah before I find something to kill with or even you” I say. “On second thoughts maybe stay there” Cristiano mumbles. “Stop it” I say and shrugs his arms off away from me. What is it with the two of them?

“I’m sorry Lucy. I didn’t mean to frighten you. But that was funny. You screamed like a girl” Nuno says as he comes back into the room. “She is a girl you muppet” Cristiano says. “Where did you go anyway?” I ask him. “I was on the phone to my mother” he replies. Suddenly he jumps off the couch and throws of the cushions before he walked out of the room on his phone.
Nuno and I were doing the wash up when Cristiano came back into the kitchen “Thanks Nuno. Thanks a lot” he says. “What did I do?” Nuno replied. “Máe knows about Lucy thanks to the screaming” he says. “Hey he was the one with the rat why wouldn’t I scream” I say pointing to Nuno. “I wasn’t blaming you Lucy” he sighed sitting on the stool.

“What’s the problem? I thought you wanted to mother to know about us” I say. He raises an eyebrow. “The fake us” I say. He smirks. “Yeah I do but I was hoping to tell Katia first. Now it isn’t just Katia that’s coming but Máe and Elma too this weekend” he says. “Everyone?” I ask. He nods. “At least you won’t have to deal with Hugo” Nuno says. “Yeah just have to deal with all the women who love Cristiano more than anyone in the world. Nothing to worry about at all” I say. “You can back out” I hear Cristiano whisper. I look at him. They guy is giving me a way out. Why am I not biting his hand of? “No. You kept your side of the deal, so I’m keeping mine” I say. He looked relieved by my answer.

“So do they hate all his girlfriends” I ask Nuno pointing at Cristiano. The look the share makes me even more nervous. “It will be fun” Nuno says. What have I agreed to at all?