“He and his wife will be invited to the ceremony. The whole point is to cement that relationship.”
Carson is already taking notes on his phone. “This is going to be incredible. By the time we’re finished, your approval ratings will be through the roof.”
After they depart, I sit alone in my office, staring out at the Chicago skyline.
On the other side of town, Freya is probably working on a design project or painting in her studio, completely unaware that her life is about to become exponentially more complicated.
CHAPTER 8
FREYA
Ipush through the glass door of Grounds Up, breathing in the familiar smell of espresso and pastries. It’s not even eight yet, and while I usually like to sleep in, I need my caffeine fix and the comfort of routine to help me process the fact that Ben and I are getting married.
And whose brilliant idea was it?
Mine. Mine alone.
It’s fine. Totally okay.
Of course, I’ll have to explain the whole marriage to my family and friends… And that will come with its own complications.
Do I even want to tell them the truth? Or is it better to pretend Ben and I are actually in love?
Shaking my head, I jump into line. The morning rush is winding down, so there are only a few people ahead of me. I pull out my phone to check the weather, thinking it might be a good day to pick up running again, when I notice two teenage girls at a corner table staring at me.
Not unusual in itself. I have pretty distinctive red hair, and sometimes people think they recognize me from somewhere. But these girls are whispering to each other and pointing, which is definitely unusual.
I look away, assuming they’ll lose interest, but when I glance back, they’re still staring. One of them has her phone out now and appears to be taking pictures.
What’s going on?
“Next!”
I step up to the counter, ordering my usual cold brew, but I can feel the girls’ eyes on me the entire time. When I turn around to wait for my drink, I see that a guy sitting by the window is also looking at me, and he’s watching something on his phone that’s making him glance up at me every few seconds.
My heart starts beating faster. This is weird. Really weird.
“Freya!” The barista calls my name, and I hurry over to grab my coffee. As I’m adding cream, I catch a glimpse of the guy’s phone screen.
It’s a video—some kind of social media reel—and I can see what looks like a photo of Ben and me. My hand freezes around the coffee cup.
Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no.
I practically sprint out of the coffee shop, my mind racing. How is there already content about us online? We just had dinner last night. We haven’t even announced anything officially.
Once I’m safely back on the sidewalk, I pull out my phone with shaking hands and open Instagram. I don’t have to search long.Ben’s name is trending, and when I click on it, I’m greeted with dozens of posts about his “surprise engagement.”
The photos were clearly taken outside the restaurant last night. Ben and me walking to our table, his hand on my lower back. Me smiling at something he said. Both of us looking, admittedly, very much like a couple in love.
The captions are even worse:
“OMG Ben Lawlor is ENGAGED! Who is this mystery woman?”
“Chicago’s most eligible bachelor is officially off the market ”
“She’s gorgeous! They look so happy together!”
“Childhood friends to lovers is my favorite trope!”
