“Perfect.” Cam grins. “I can’t wait to meet my future sister-in-law.”
“Don’t make an ass of yourself,” I warn him.Or of me.
“You can trust me,” he says, his devilish grin still in place.
* * *
Mia
Since Declan and I are—you know—gettingmarried, we decide it’s wise to exchange phone numbers. Because having your fiancé’s contact information seems like a good idea and all.
I’m at Jamie Beth’s house, filling her in on my situation when he calls and asks me to dinner tomorrow night at Wild Ranch.
I’m curious to meet his family, but I immediately feel like I’m going to be outnumbered.
“Can I bring my best friend?” I ask him. “She knows the whole story, and she’s an amazing secret keeper.”
“Of course. She’s more than welcome. I’ll see you both at seven tomorrow.”
“What will you tell everyone who’s going to be there?” I say before I can stop myself.
“The truth. I can’t keep something like this from them because they’ll see right through it. But they’re sworn to secrecy. And they’re the kind of people you can trust with your life.”
And now, I have no choice but to trust them also. “Okay, that sounds good.”
As soon as I hang up, Jamie Beth pours herself more wine. “I definitely am not drinking enough,” she says. “And I’ll drink on your behalf, Mia.”
“Why?”
“Because I could have sworn you just included me in an evening with your fake fiancé’s family. That means you’ll get in too deep with these people when I’ve been telling you to keep them all at arm’s length. Business marriage, remember? And you know how bad I am at being fake. I won’t last five minutes with these people.”
“Declan’s down to earth,” I tell her. “And his cousin, Luke, was too. Hopefully, we’ll all get along.”
“I don’t know,” Jamie says, doubt in her voice. “I hate most people.”
“You’re a social butterfly,” I say. “You do not hate people.”
“I’m social, yes,” she says. “But you’re my only real friend, Mia. I flit around, party it up, and then I go home alone. Or with a guy I never spend the entire night with.”
“And why is that?” I ask her. “Why are you so damn picky?”
She averts my concerned gaze. “Back to you. You’re the one in distress right now, not me. You’re not just getting married to a man you barely know. You’re marrying one of the greatest ice hockey players of all time! This is going to change your life, honey. I hope you’re prepared.”
I’m not prepared, but not because Declan’s famous. It’s because I don’t know how I’m going to turn off my attraction to him. Physically or emotionally.
Chapter Eleven
Mia
Eating dinner with Declan and his family at Wild Ranch doesn’t help resolve my attraction problem.
The second Jamie Beth and I walk through the door of the main house, I fall for my future fake husband a little harder. The ranch and the smell of barbecue cooking in the backyard feel like home.
And Declan…sweet Lord.
If it’s possible, he looks even more gorgeous tonight than he has the previous two times I’ve seen him. He’s wearing a maroon button-down shirt and black jeans that hug his muscular thighs and ass to perfection. His facial hair is neatly trimmed, and his gray eyes are bright as he fixes them on me.
“You look beautiful,” he says, his gaze running down the length of my body in appreciation.
