Jacob stiffens.
“Your secret’s safe with me,” Chris says with a wink. “And I won’t stand in your way.”
He looks at me, imploring me with a steady, stern gaze and I realize all at once, Chris doesn’t want this anymore than I do.
And he’s willing to step aside and let me fight for it.
“Thanks,” I say as I settle a hand on Jacob’s back.
“You, uh… think you can show myboyfriendthe house while I get our stuff?”
Chris smiles and nods. “Absolutely. Come on, buddy.”
Jacob’s gaze meets mine and I nod. “Go, I’ll catch up.”
“Okay,” he says, his voice barely a whisper, but then something changes in his gaze. His stature. He straightens his posture, brushes some hair out of his eyes and all at once I realize he’s putting his mask on.
Prince Charming has arrived.
Chapter Sixteen
Jacob
“Jacob! So lovely to see you!” Betsy calls out as Chris drags me into the kitchen. The kitchen that is the size of my entire apartment.
The granite white countertops are covered with groceries strewn about haphazardly. Some bags are still full while there are half-opened containers of fruit and blocks of cheese and crackers scattered along with bottles and jugs of wine, soda…
It’s the most beautiful chaos I’ve ever seen.
“It’s so lovely to see you, too, Mrs. Everett. Thank you so much for inviting me,” I say as she pulls me in for a hug and kisses my cheek. Her lips are wet, and I try not to cringe.
“Please, call me Betsy, sweetheart,” she says smoothly as she lets me go.
“Where’s Aaron?”
“Grabbing the luggage,” Chris says. “I was just giving Jake the tour.”
Betsy smiles brightly. “Oh, he must really like you,” she coos. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that man fetch anyone’s luggage. Not even his own, half the time.”
I blink as Chris chuckles. “So… continuing on—”
I look at Betsy and she nods. “We’ll catch up later, hon. Don’t worry. I’ve got lots of things to discuss with you.”
Panic forms in my stomach as she winks at me. Right, of course. They want to get to know me better. Want to know who I am and why I’m supposedly in love with their son. My intentions, probably.
Or Prince Charming’s intentions. Which reminds me, Aaron and I need to hash out the details of our pseudo-relationship. Since this is just an illusion and we’ll have to break up off camera at some point—I know that’s how this ends, because I’m only here for the week to help sell this illusion so he can get this job he so desperately wants—I don’t want to give them the impression we’re serious enough for a long-term commitment like an engagement, but I need them to think we’re serious enough that I’ll be around for a hot minute after this week, even if it’s not true.
Maybe I just moved in, and we can use that as a cover for the breakup. Claim we weren’t gelling with living together. It happens, sometimes. I’ve seen The Break Up.
I’ll ask Aaron about it later, and nod to Betsy as I follow Chris through the sweeping house. It’s gorgeous. Spacious. Modernbut with bright, historic accents. It’s the perfect blend of old and new, of cozy and luxurious.
It really is like a dream come true.
“...and this is probably where you guys are staying,” he says as he opens a door. I nearly gasp at the large bedroom—all decked out in shades of blue with hints of red and white. It’s nautical, but it’s also somehow masculine and opulent in an understated, simple way.
“This is Aaron’s room.”
Of course, I assumed we’d be staying together, but there was still a part of me that wondered about the arrangements and I didn’t have the courage to ask.
