I don’t know why I like that so much, but it feels too damned good.
Hattie’s mom huffs, stamps her foot, and walks away without responding.
I can almostfeelthe disappointment in Hattie when she sighs and pulls away. “We know what she means,” Hattie murmurs, glancing up at me with a shrug. “My mom just knows you’ll probably tell your mom, and then she’ll be a social pariah.”
I grit my teeth, looking in the direction she stomped off in. I’m pissed all over again. At that woman, at the situation Hattie has been in for a decade.
A situation you helped put her in, I remind myself.
Yeah, dating her evil stepsister for a couple of weeks didn’t help. Even if it was the last thing I wanted to do.
With a shake of my head, I grab Hattie’s hand. “Fuck them,” I say. “Don’t you want to see the venue while you’re here?”
Hattie releases a breath that almost sounds like a laugh. “Yeah, I would.”
“Good.” I pull her with me away from the barn. “Oh, and our deal is on.”
“Fine,” she replies, shaking her head. “We have a deal.”
FOUR
HATTIE
What have I gotten myself into?
Making a deal with Casper? Allowing him to not only pretend to be my boyfriend, but also convince me to stay?
This is a whole lot of trouble I cannot afford. Seriously, I should not be asking for it.
And yet, it feels nice having his hand wrapped around mine. The callouses of his palm brush against my own, the feel of him sending a shiver down my spine.
Once, a long time ago, I’d imagined what it would be like to have these hands all over my body. Wondered what it would feel like to have him touch me in ways I’ve never experienced before. During the height of my crush on Casper Sterling, his hands on me stared in all of my dreams.
Now, those feelings come rushing back. My cheeks burn like he might somehow read my thoughts.
Casper pulls me towards the entrance of the barn. I can’t see the rest of my family anywhere, though I don’t think I want to see them again today. I’m once again thankful I passed up on the opportunity to stay in the guest bedroom, instead getting myself a room at the local inn. At least when I leave here, I can escape the potential storm that would be waiting for me at their house.
“Well, the cars are still here,” Casper says, nodding to the two vehicles the others came here in. “So, they haven’t cancelled the wedding yet.”
I snort. “Stella won’t do that.”
“No,” he replies, glancing down at me with a smirk, “but that fiancé of hers could.”
I shake my head at that, though when we enter the barn, I fall silent. The space is partially set up like a show room to give off the image of how the barn could be used. Half is staged like a reception, with large round tables decorated with white cloths and different flower arrangements. They look picture perfect with the swaths of white gauze hanging from the rafters and the fairy lights dangling from above.
The other half of the barn, though, is set with a wedding arch made of old wood probably found around the ranch, with wooden pews lined up either side of an aisle.
Both options are gorgeous, exciting. They make my mind whirl with all the possibilities.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Casper asks, pulling me out of my thoughts.
I glance up, only to find his eyes on me. I feel my cheeks burn as I look away. “Yeah,” I reply, clearing my throat. “You guys really made this place work.”
He shrugs. “I only helped with the building. The rest of this is Foster and Walter—being led by Foster’s fiancé, of course.”
I can’t help but laugh. “She’s the wedding planner, right?”
“Yep.” He starts walking me towards the wedding arch. Just the sight of it makes my heart clench.
