I rush back inside. Robe off. Dress on. The bronze satin slides over my skin and settles heavy and cool against my body. I fasten the straps, zip the side, smooth my hands down my stomach. The woman in the slightly blurry mirror looks better than she deserves, given how this afternoon has gone. Heels on. Clutch packed: phone, lipstick, tissues, and my glasses case tucked in at the last second because these contacts have a limited shelf life and I know it.
I’m at the front door. He’s there. A vehicle idling in the driveway, passenger door already open, and he’s standingbeside it in a suit. The details blur together, but the shape is undeniably captivating. Handsome, broad, dark-haired. I’m suddenly breathless and just wish I could see him properly.
He gestures to the open door with a small, theatrical sweep of his hand, and I climb in. He shuts the door, walks around, gets in.
“This is the address,” I say, handing him the invite, which has the details.
“Got it,” he says and punches it into the GPS.
The cabin smells of vanilla from a hanging air freshener, and when he settles into the driver’s seat, his cologne fills the small space. Something woody and sweet, and underneath it, a scent I can’t quite isolate. Somehow different from the other night, but the vanilla and the aftershave are muddling everything, and I can’t find the base note I’m searching for.
He starts the engine, then pulls onto the road, while the radio plays.
“I appreciate this,” I say, clicking my seat belt. “I know it’s not how you planned your Saturday, and I’m nervous but really am grateful.”
“I’m a spontaneous person. When an opportunity presents itself, I take it.”
“With my ex being there, and my family, I need to look like I have my life together for approximately three hours, and then I can go home and fall apart in private.”
He glances at me, then back at the road. “I promise I’ll make it look real.”
“I know. I just don’t know ifIcan pull off my half.” I rub an eye and wince. “And these contacts are going to give me raccoon eyes by the time we arrive.”
He laughs. Not his usual chuckle, the bright, loud, unselfconscious one I’ve heard through the window. This is shorter. Warmer. A quick burst through his nose followed bya grin I can almost see. Something about it feels different, but different isn’t wrong. People laugh in various ways depending on the situation, right?
“So tell me more about this ex,” he asks, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on his thigh. “How far are we pushing this? Low-key but attentive? Hand at your back, inside jokes, laughing at the right moments? Or are we going full possessive Alpha mode where I keep you tucked against my side, kiss you when he looks over, and make it obvious I know exactly how lucky I am to have you?”
My brain trips over the image so hard it practically face-plants. “Wow. Is that how you are with dates, or did I accidentally hire the deluxe package?”
His mouth curves. “You asked for a fake date. I take responsibilities seriously.”
“That sounded alarmingly rehearsed.”
“I work fast.”
“Clearly.” I smooth my hands over my dress, mostly because they need supervision. “Just… present. Attentive. You don’t need to fight anyone.”
“But I could if needed?”
“Please don’t fight anyone at the wedding.”
“What if he deserves it?” he asks.
“He probably does.”
“Then I appreciate your honesty, but I’m keeping a contingency plan.”
I bite back a smile, knowing it’s going to be a good night. Just making Louis jealous will bring me all the satisfaction I’ve needed.
“If he’s rude to you, I’m allowed to stand close enough to him that he has to be scared for his life.”
Despite myself, I laugh, and some of the tightness in my body loosens. “Deal.”
We drive, the outskirts of Mistberry Cove sliding past in soft, watery shapes through my traitorous contacts. I should be terrified, and I am, but every time he glances over, far too comfortable with the idea of pretending I’m his, my panic loses a little ground.
Then my phone rings, and I answer, placing the phone to my ear. “Hello?”
“Hey!” Nina’s voice explodes through. “Tell me everything. Is he there? In the car? Right now? Is he wearing a suit?”