“I’m so sorry you have to deal with that,” he says, sounding so sincere.
Damn. He would be a great fake boyfriend.
“Thanks, Parker. And the worst part is my father helped me start my company, so he’s stuck in my life. I’d forget the family money in a second, but my business is my baby. I don’t want to risk him sabotaging it.” I hug the pillow in my lap tighter to myself before letting out a defeated laugh. “I was actually hoping you’d be able to help me out, but I guess I was convincing myself that you had feelings for Oakley to try to justify what I wanted you to do.” I shake my head, trying to get over the disappointment that the plan wasn’t happening. “It was a stupid idea anyway,” I mutter.
“What was?” he asks, sounding genuinely curious.
I hesitate, but fuck it. What’s the harm in telling him? “Well, I thought that maybe, if you were in the same position as me, doomed to pine after your best friend while watching them fall for someone else, that you wouldn’t mind dating me, or pretending to at least,” I explain.
His shocked reaction is comical, jaw dropping open ashe gapes at me.“Why would you want to pretend to date me?”
“Mostly to get my parents off my back,” I huff out. “They want me to move back there, and they keep going on about how ‘it's clear I can’t find a husband in Chicago.’ But, if I were dating a successful, wealthy man like you, then they would have to shut up about it, and I could at least buy myself some more time here.”
“Like a beard?” he asks slowly.
I nod. “It’s also been referred to as a lavender relationship. I thought it would be perfect that we’d be able to keep going on double dates and spending time with our best friends instead of competing for their time with their new relationship,” I add with a shrug.
That's the part I’m the most disappointed about. I still have time to find someone else to pretend to date, but none of them will be best friends with Sage’s new boyfriend.
Parker is quiet for a moment, deep in thought. I don’t dare to let myself hope he might actually be considering it. Why would he? If he isn’t into Oakley then there would be no?—
“I’ll do it,” he blurts out.
He can’t be serious. I tilt my head and arch a brow, assessing him as I ask, “Do what?”
“I’ll be your pretend boyfriend,” he agrees, and it's like a huge weight is lifted from my chest. I feel so much lighter, breathing is easier, I think I might actually have some hope for my company and my future for the first time sinceArthur’s visit. “We can keep spending time with Oak and Sage,” he continues. “And you can get your parents to give you space to stay in Chicago and figure out a more long-term plan.”
I can’t hold back my smile as I scramble to a kneeling position on the bed. “Really? You’d do that?” I ask, wanting to make sure he’s completely serious before I truly believe him.
He nods. “I’m not going to agree to marry you or anything, but at least while Oak is dating Sage, I don’t see why we can’t all spend that time hanging out together,” he offers.
I’m off the bed and jumping into his lap before he can brace himself, wrapping my arms around him in a tight hug.
When he pulls back he looks a little surprised, but unbothered by my invasion of his space. “So, do you want to go home or spend the night here?” he asks. “We can watch TV or I have a lot of puzzle books if you do want to stay.”
“You don’t mind if I sleep here with you?” I check, a little surprised that he would even offer. Supposedly he doesn’t have feelings for Oakley, and he just went on a date with me that he believed was real, but now he’s fine platonically sharing a bed minutes later?
“No. Oak and I used to share a bed all the time. I don’t think it would be weird, if you’re okay with it,” he explains.
I’m still not entirely convinced that this man doesn’t have some complicated feelings for his best friend, but he’shelping me out, and if he doesn’t care about sharing a bed, I’ll take him at his word. Maybe I should be more concerned about sharing a bed when I don’t know him that well, but I’m not. I can’t explain why I already trust him so completely, but I do. “That would be great. I’m sure Sage will be staying,” I agree.
The sounds from the other side of the wall are gone now. “We can see what they say in the morning as far as seeing each other again.” He nods.
“Want to watch that new blind dating reality show for a bit before we sleep?” I suggest, not tired at all with how excited I am that he actually agreed to my plan.
“Where that guy thinks he’s talking to a girl, but it’s a man?” he checks.
“Yeah, the commercials look so funny.”
“Sure, let’s get ready for bed first, though,” he suggests. Then he heads into his en suite and lays out an extra toothbrush and even some clothes for me to sleep in.Great fake boyfriend.
We settle into bed and pull upLove Without Labelson the TV. Even though he’s a giant, his king-size bed is big enough for us both to have our own space, and there’s zero tension as he plays with a very strange looking Rubik’s cube as we watch the show.
After a few episodes, we’re both drifting off, so we turn off the show and the lights, going to bed with simple “goodnights.” In the morning over breakfast, Oakley asks Sage when she’s free for their next date. Parker looks at me, and Igive an encouraging nod before he suggests we all plan something together again.
Sage lights up at the idea. Maybe I should feel guilty that she doesn’t know the truth about my intentions with Parker, but after all this time, I know she genuinely likes to spend time with me. We’d be doing that if she wasn’t dating anyone, so this doesn’t feel any different.
Plus she seems to really like Oakley, so spending time with the both of us can only be a good thing. And if my plan works, then I can stay in Chicago without worrying about my family.
