**Chapter 7: A Desperate Plan**

A Desperate Plan was exactly what Asher and Ethan needed, and they were determined to come up with one. As they sat at the coffee shop, they began to brainstorm ways to handle Mrs. Jenkins' unwanted advances. Ethan suggested using reverse scare tactics, telling Mrs. Jenkins that Asher's mom was onto her and was planning to take action. "I mean, think about it," Ethan said, a mischievous glint in his eye. "If she thinks Asher's mom is onto her, she'll back off for sure." Asher shook his head, though. "I don't know, Ethan. That sounds too risky. What if she doesn't believe us? What if she confronts my mom and things get out of hand?" Ethan frowned, considering Asher's concerns. "Yeah, I guess that's a possibility. We don't want to risk escalating the situation." Asher nodded in agreement. "Exactly. We need something that's going to deter her without causing more problems." Ethan thought for a moment before a sly grin spread across his face. "I've got it. The old bait and switch." Asher raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" Ethan leaned in, a conspiratorial look on his face. "We'll make it seem like you're not interested in her, but actually, we'll just make it seem like you're not interested in her in the way she wants you to be." Asher's eyes widened as he caught on. "You mean, we'll make her think I'm not into her, but really, I'll just be pretending to not be into her?" Ethan nodded. "Exactly. We'll make her think you're not the type of guy she's into, and she'll lose interest." Asher thought for a moment before nodding. "I like it. But how are we going to pull it off?" Ethan grinned. "Leave that to me. I've got a plan." Asher raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What is it?" Ethan leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "We'll make it seem like you're into... knitting." Asher's eyes widened in surprise. "Knitting?" Ethan nodded. "Yeah, think about it. Mrs. Jenkins is clearly into the whole 'distinguished gentleman' type. If we make it seem like you're more into granny squares and crochet hooks, she'll lose interest in no time." Asher couldn't help but laugh. "That's genius, Ethan. Let's do it." With a plan in place, Asher and Ethan set out to put their scheme into action, determined to rid Asher of Mrs. Jenkins' unwanted advances once and for all. They spent the rest of the evening brainstorming and refining their plan, making sure that everything was perfect before they put it into action. Asher felt a sense of relief wash over him, knowing that he had a friend like Ethan who was willing to help him through this difficult time.