I smirked and hearted the message. Warmth bloomed low in my stomach before I could talk myself out of it.
Fake, fake, fake.
I chanted in my head over and over. He was flirting to make it easier to pretend in public.
I peeled off my stage outfit, and I was halfway through swapping it for sweats when another text buzzed in.
Since you’re playing in Vegas next week, why don’t we get together? I’ll be close by.
Did you look up my schedule?
Gotta know where my girl’s at.
You’ll be in Arizona. That’s a long drive for only a few hours together.
Oh, did you look up my schedule?
And I’ve done worse things for a good cheeseburger. This would be for PR. We haven’t exactly given the public much to chew on yet.
He wasn’t wrong. The fake dating thing only worked if people actually, you know… saw us together.
We can grab dinner or something? Something casual?
Deal. Casual. Totally casual. Just you, me, and a few dozen paparazzi.
You’re really selling the romance here.
You haven’t seen anything yet, baby girl.
I rolled my eyes, smiling like an idiot. My thumb hovered over the keyboard for a second longer than necessary.
Can’t wait.
A few hours later, I was holed up in the hotel room, with Rachel sprawled on the bed beside mine, both of us knee-deep in room service and halfway through a classic true crime doc.
“What a week,” she said, tossing a piece of popcorn in the air and catching it in her mouth.
“I don’t think I’ve actually sat down since Monday.”
She gave me a look. “How was everything with Sawyer’s family? Weren’t you in…what was it? Woodchuck Falls?”
“Woodstone Falls,” I said, laughing. “Surprisingly, it was really nice. I thought I’d be anxious, but it was…oddly peaceful.”
The family dinner wasn’t anything I could have expected. No flashing cameras, no prying eyes, just a house full of people who treated me like I belonged. Dotty’s bluntness somehow felt like a secret handshake, and Noah’s kindness was the kind that settled into your chest and made you breathe easier. Lilah and I found ourselves quietly swapping glances over the chaos, both of us newcomers trying to figure out where we fit. His brothers joked and laughed like this was just another Sunday night, and his dad’s warmth—equal parts teasing and tender—was the glue of it all.
But it was Sawyer’s niece, with her unstoppable energy and wide-eyed awe, who reminded me why this felt less like a performance and more like home.
I’d always been used to just my parents and me. Seeing a whole family come together like that was new for me, but it felt surprisingly nice, like watching pieces click into place in a way I hadn’t expected.
Then, there was Sawyer.
Whenever I was around him, I felt safe in a way that defied explanation. I could say anything, and he wouldn’t just listen. He’d somehow sense exactly what I needed, whether it was silence, advice, or validation. With him, I could finally let my guard down and be myself.
Rachel tilted her head. “You’re thinking about him, aren’t you?”
I shook my head. “No, not him. His family…and how the visit went.”
“You enjoying big, cozy family vibes? Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?”
