Still, I hesitate, not immediately jumping on her offer.
“You don’t have anyone else, Lincoln. This will obviously help you out. So, I guess that’s five reasons why this is a good idea for all three of us.”
I stand there, staring at the sidewalk and weighing a dozen different pros and cons. I don’t like spur of the moment decisions, but it’s hard to refute the logic of most of Jules’s points.Plus, letting Jules get involved with Cameron might be one of the easiest ways to help prove that we’re a legit couple, a legit family.
And most importantly, Jules will be in my house. Day in, day out. I’ll get to see her everyday.
My skin buzzes. I’m getting excited about this.
Head in the game, Lincoln. Focus.
My poker face makes an appearance. “Okay. Fine,” I agree. “I’ll hire you to babysit. But only…” My gaze shifts to Cameron, who’s still asleep in the back seat. “Only for now.”
In other words, only while we’re playing house. Jules nods once, indicating that she understands what I’m saying.
“Fine. We’ll talk later about arrangements,” Jules says, wobbling up the sidewalk to her house. She looks back and her expression softens. “Thanks for making it through family dinner tonight. You did good.”
“Sure.” I climb back behind the wheel.
I sit in the car long after she opens her door and disappears inside her house. I’m fighting off a smile the entire time.
Jules is moving in with me. Jules is moving in with me. Jules is moving in with me. And I sort of like that.
21
JULES
“Give us a twirl!” my mom commands with a smile as I step out into the waiting area.
I stiffly turn in a circle, letting all the women eyeball me in another long, flowing wedding dress.
“That one’s…nice.”
“Yeah, it’sokay.”
“Not really my favorite, though…”
“Can we see another one?”
Apparently, Renewed Gowns is a huge name in the second hand bridal gown niche. The owner, Alexia Kingston, just so happens to be doing a pop-up bridal shop here in Fairy Bush for the next two weeks. And my friends wouldn’t let me pass up this opportunity to find somethingextraspecial to wear.
Gotta look pretty as fuck when I walk down the aisle to my fake husband who hates me, y’know?
I amsoout of my element here. I don’t understand the big deal about wedding dresses, and I’m certainly not the bridezilla type. I’m sure I could find a way to work with an outfit that’s already in my closet. But instead, I’m standing in this brightly-lit bridal showroom, struggling to keep my shit together.
In addition to my mom, Alba and her mother are here, too. So is Laney, and our other friend, Tammy. They’re sitting around on the fancy Victorian chaise lounges, sipping on champagne and making their opinions be known.
And, I can’t for the life of me figure out why, but my half-sister Hilary is here, too. I don’t even know how she found me. She’s either prying details out of Great-Grandma, or she’s straight up stalking me at this point.
Hilary has a way of showing up unannounced and uninvited. She’s done it my whole life. If this is her way of trying to have a better relationship with me, then—
Oh, what am I thinking?The silly notion that my evil half-sister might want to be besties is actually laughable.
I know she’s not here to support my big day. Hilary’s just here to fish for information.Whatever my half-sister is scheming against me is the last thing I want to be worried about while I force myself through this wedding dress shopping excursion. But I’m just going to grin and bear it, and get this day over with as quickly as possible.
My mom plucks a pale pink slip of lace and beads off the rack. “This one is different. What do you think?”
The dress catches my attention. But only for a second. I quickly shake my head. “Ugh. No…”
