Viola's POV
My eyes widen. Of course. It wouldn't make sense for his 'girlfriend' to be working here as a waitress.
I nod, quickly untying the strings and slipping the apron off before folding it neatly and placing it on the empty chair beside me.
My name tag follows, disappearing into the pocket of my jeans.
Without it, I look just like any other customer, dressed casually in a fitted top and jeans.
It isn't exactly date-night attire, but it will have to do.
"Better?" I ask, brushing a hand through my curly blonde hair, trying to act like this is totally normal.
Garrett glances at me, then nods, his lips curving into a small, approving smile.
"Much better, Viola."
Wait a minute, how does he know my name?
Ah! Then I realize he must have read that from my name tag earlier.
I barely adjust to my new 'role' when I spot Jessica making her way back from the ladies' room.
She looks even more put together than before, her lips a shade redder, her hair cascading in perfectly styled ebony waves, and a determined look in her baby blue eyes.
She is on a mission.
Without missing a beat, Garrett slides his arm around the back of my chair, his hand gently resting on my shoulder.
My heart does a weird somersault at the sudden contact, but I force myself to stay calm, reminding myself that this is all just pretend.
Jessica's eyes narrow the moment she sees us.
I can practically feel the chill in her gaze as she takes in the sight of Garrett's arm around me, her confident stride faltering just for a split second.
Then she crosses her arms over her chest, trying to regain control of the situation.
"Really, Garrett?" she sneers, her voice loud enough to make heads turn. "This is your girl?"
Garrett's fingers tighten slightly on my shoulder, a silent reassurance. His voice, when he speaks, is steady, cool, and unapologetic.
"Yes, Jessica. This is Viola. I told you earlier,I'm taken."
Her eyes flick to me, and I see the raw jealousy swirling there.
It isn't just disbelief now; it's anger, pure and unfiltered.
"Her?" Jessica spits, gesturing at me with a manicured finger as if I'm something less than human.
"You expect me to believe you're with... her? She doesn't even look like she belongs here!"
I stiffen but bite my tongue.
I'm not about to rise to the bait, though every part of me wants to tell her exactly what I think of her attitude.
I remind myself this isn't real. I'm not actually Garrett's girlfriend. I don't have to defend myself. But still, her words sting more than I expect.
Garrett, however, isn't so restrained. He leans forward slightly, his voice lowering, but the warning in it is clear.
"Enough, Jessica. I'm not going to let you insult her."
"Oh, please!" she exclaims, her voice rising even higher now, catching the attention of more and more people. Ugh. What a drama queen.
"You seriously want me to believe you're dating some nobody? Look at her!" Her hands flail wildly, as though she's presenting a case to a jury.
"She doesn't even have the nerve to dress properly for a place like this!"
I clench my fists in my lap, my heart pounding as the humiliation begins to creep up my neck.
The room feels like it's closing in, the whispers from nearby tables growing louder.
People start to stare, and I can feel their eyes burning holes into me. Jessica is creating a scene, exactly what I fear.
"Jessica," Garrett's voice cuts through the noise like a blade. He is calm, but there's a finality in his tone that leaves no room for argument.
"This conversation is over."
Jessica's face turns a shade of red as her perfectly composed facade begins to crumble.
"You're going to throw away a meeting with me for... this?"
"I'm not throwing anything away," he replies, standing up and taking my hand in his, pulling me up with him.
The sudden touch surprises me, but I don't resist. "We're done here."
The look on Jessica's face is a mixture of disbelief and fury.
"You'll regret this, Garrett! You'll regret walking out on me for her!"
Garrett doesn't respond. Instead, he keeps his grip on my hand, leading me toward the exit as whispers follow us, some murmured in shock, others in amusement.
I can feel the weight of a dozen eyes on us, and part of me wants to shrink away, to disappear into the shadows of the club.
But Garrett's touch is firm, and there's something oddly comforting about the way he shields me from the chaotic energy Jessica has unleashed.
The cool night air hits me like a splash of water as we step outside. I suck in a breath, feeling like I can finally breathe again.
Garrett lets go of my hand, and I find myself immediately missing the contact, though I quickly push the thought aside.
This is all for show. None of it is real.
"Thank you," he says, his voice softer now that we're out of the noise. He runs a hand through his dark hair, clearly frustrated.
"I didn't expect things to get that... out of hand."
I let out a nervous laugh, still reeling from the whirlwind of events. "I definitely didn't expect to be dragged into all of that."
Garrett glances down at me, his expression softening.
"I'm sorry you had to deal with that. Jessica... she's not usually like this, but she was being difficult tonight, and I didn't want you getting caught in the middle of her tantrum."
I wave it off, though my heart still hasn't settled. "It's fine. I mean, it's not like I've never had someone try to humiliate me before, but... that was something else."
He frowns, his jaw tightening. "You shouldn't have to deal with people like her. I should have handled it better."
I shrug. "It's not your fault. I agreed to help, remember?"
Garrett stops walking and turns to face me, a determined look in his eyes.
"Still, I don't want you to get into trouble because of me. I don't think it's safe for you to go back to the club right now. Let me take you somewhere,just until things calm down."
I blink, not quite understanding what he means. "Somewhere? Like... where?"
"My hotel suite," he says simply, as if it's the most natural thing in the world.
"Just for a little while. I don't want Jessica causing more problems for you if she comes back."
I hesitate. Go with him to his hotel? The idea sounds crazy, but at the same time, there's a certain logic to it.
Jessica is clearly on a warpath, and the last thing I want is for her to s
how up at the club to create a scene and risk me getting fired.
"Okay," I agree, biting my inner cheeks. "Just for a little while."