Free Fiance by Fate by Jennifer Shirk

she wanted to keep things between them as businesslike as she could. Thankfully, she was saved from answering when she saw David and the redhead enter the restaurant.
    Her head spun back around. “He’s here,” she said eagerly.
    Jack peered over her head and let out a low whistle. “Huh, your fiancé sure has some taste in women. First you, now her. Yet for some reason, I’m the one who always gets demonized. If that’s not media bias, I don’t know what is.”
    She looked at him incredulously. “Once again it’s all about you. Are you this way all the time or is this strictly for my benefit?”
    He chuckled. “I aim to please.”
    “Well, aim it elsewhere. You’re not helping matters.”
    “Okay, calm down and act as if you’re enjoying my witty banter,” he said, looking back out into the dining room. “They’re walking this way.”
    “Oh, dear,” she moaned. She wasn’t sure she could confront David. She was such a wimp. What was she going to say? She’d have to play it light and breezy. Pretend it was a total coincidence she and Jack ended up at the same restaurant on the same night.
    She took a deep breath. It was time to put up or shut up if she wanted him back. With all the muscle force in her face, she summoned up what she hoped was her most captivating smile—then said a quick prayer she didn’t have lipstick on her teeth.
    “Save it,” Jack told her. “They’re walking the other way now.”
    Her face immediately fell, and she let out a huge rush of air. “Where are they? I’m afraid to look.”
    “They’re sitting diagonally from us, across the room.”
    “Can they see us?”
    He looked at her. “I can see them, can’t I?”
    “You know what I mean.”
    He peered back up and nodded. “Your doctor can see us if he decides to look left.”
    Their waiter approached and they gave their orders. Jack ordered the filet mignon and she decided on the spinach quiche. Her stomach was in knots. She was sure she wouldn’t be able to eat a crumb, but she didn’t want it to appear as though she and Jack were there for any other reason than dinner.
    After the waiter walked away, Jack lifted his chair and slid closer to her. “We better look cozy,” he explained, when she slanted him a look.
    She remained silent and took a sip of ice water to calm her nerves. This was a mistake. She felt so pathetic. Why had she let Jack talk her into this whole scheme in the first place?
    What would her parents think about her sitting in a lovely romantic restaurant attempting to make her ex-fiancé jealous? Not only that, but with a man who was practically a stranger.
    She should accept her fate the way it was dealt, cancel her dinner order, and leave with her dignity still intact. With the kind of luck she’d been having, David wouldn’t even know she was there anyway.
    Resigned to throw in the towel and finally act like an adult, she turned to inform Jack she’d changed her mind. But before she could get the beginning of a syllable out, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close. She panicked, afraid he was about to kiss her, and shoved him away. Hard.
    “What is your problem?” Jack asked, rubbing where her fist slammed into his chest. “You want David to be jealous. Remember ?”
    “Making out in a public place is not what I had in mind,” she snapped. Although she was more angry with her own lack of control than anything Jack had done.
    Good Lord. She held a hand to her forehead and tried to regain some composure. It wound her up more than it should have to be held in Jack’s arms. Obviously, she hadn’t thought this thing all the way through. She’d told him she didn’t want to kiss him, but she hadn’t counted on having any real contact with Jack either—or him smelling so incredible.
    “Sheesh, I had no idea I was fake dating such a prude.”
    She slapped her hand on the table. “I am not a prude.”
    Jack held up his hands. “Hey, take it easy now. I’m just saying that