The days following the family gathering were surprisingly smooth. Noah and Amara easily adapted to spending more time together pretending to be a couple. The transactional relationship had slowly grown to be something like nature.
In the middle of their tight plans, they would grab lunch and chat about non-issues over text messages; they even had some private jokes. Amara unexpectedly felt comfortable around him; she learnt that he had a funny bone while they interacted more. Their exchange grew more casual, and they delved into meaningful discussions.
One night, they sat going through the final draft of their "relationship timeline" in his stylish downtown flat. Amara was analyzing every part of Noah's plan on what he would say if his relatives ask about how he met her.
"Now," said Noah reclining on his sofa, "how was our meeting? A mere accident by the way side?"
Amara pretended to roll her eyes. "Let's make it simple. You brought me in for some consulting work, and we got along well."
He chuckled with a deep, hearty sound. "It's not very romantic like I wanted but I suppose it's better than most lies."
Their talk was smooth, and with each passing hour Amara came to see that she was totally at ease with Noah. There was something odd about it given their agreement, but it couldn't be denied that there existed some chemistry between them – an unspoken connection lying just underneath everything else.
After exchanging goodnights and reaching for the doorknob, Amara remembered one particular moment very clearly when she looked back at him as he led her out – their eyes locked for an instant, during which she experienced a kind of change or movement within herself. It was slight but real – a spark among fake ones! In haste, she dismissed the idea, telling herself that it was part of the agreement. Nevertheless, on leaving Noah's flat later that evening, she has a feeling that there is a catch somewhere.