“Don’t tell him, Katherine. Please. We want to keep things between ourselves for a little bit. Not put too much pressure on. You know?”
Katherine’s face falls a little. “Okay, but you know I’m one hundred percent behind this. You’re both ... feisty. But honestly, two of the kindest hearts I’ve ever known. I just know this is all going to work out. We’re going to beactualfamily, not just chosen family.”
I take back everything I’ve ever said about Katherine being irritating. She’s just a sweet, wholesome girl who wants the best for her sister and her soon-to-be-husband’s best friend. But she’s also lost her mind if she really believes Lucy and I are together.
She hunches up her shoulders and places a finger over her mouth. “I’ll do my best to keep your secret.” She turns and heads back to the group of friends all waiting for Gate Five to open.
I still haven’t moved and neither has Lucy. Her hand is still around my waist.
“Eeek,” Lucy says through a gritted smile. “I’m sorry. I panicked when she saw we were fighting.”
“So you told her we’re ...involved? Is that the most obvious response? Couldn’t you just tell the truth and say I forgot the wigs?”
“I don’t want her to think we don’t get along. She wants us to be besties. You know that.”
“So tell her you were telling me a joke? Or regaling me with a story from your journey to the airport or something?”
She exhales and tips her head back. “I’m not good at thinking on my feet. Katherine is so obsessed with the two of us getting along, and she’s always telling me how amazing you are—how you’re this and that andsohandsome.”
“She tells you I’m handsome? That’s weird. She’s about to marry my best friend.”
Lucy drops her hand from my waist and groans. “Get over yourself. She’s not telling meshefinds you attractive—”
“But you just said—”
“Yes, she says it because she wantsmeto find you attractive.”
I’m way past confused.
“If Katherine had it her way, the four of us would be having a double wedding.”
I take a half step away from Lucy like she’s going to burn me if I get too close. “But that’s not happening, is it?”
“No,” she hisses. “Of course not. We hate each other. But now—for this weekend—we’re pretend-dating.”
“What?” I choke out.
Katherine glances up and beckons us over. Lucy smiles the fakest smile I’ve ever seen and holds her thumb up.
“Did you just give your sister a thumbs-up? Are you a sixty-year-old man?”
Lucy lets out a giggle like I’ve just told her the most hilarious joke. She’s obviously faking it so people think we’re being adorable. Then through gritted teeth, she says, “There’s no way I can tell Katherine Iwas lying about us. It will break her heart. I want her to have the best weekend of her life. We’ll just have to pretend to like each other for the weekend. How hard could that be? It’s not like we have to share a room or give lavish public displays of affection. I’ve told her we want to keep it a secret. If it’s meant to be a secret, we can’t act like we’re actually dating.”
“So we’re pretending we’re not dating whileactuallynot dating, but pretending we’re dating, to keep your sister happy?”
“Yeah,” Lucy says brightly, as if this is no big deal. “Come on.” She lifts her chin toward the group. As we get closer, I can see Katherine talking excitedly to everyone.
Ed breaks from the group to give me a hug. “I hear the best man and the maid of honor are already hooking up. Good call,” he says.
My heart sinks into the floor. Is it too late to fake a serious food-poisoning incident? Perhaps I could break my own leg? I’m sure Lucy would help with that if I asked her.
“Ed can read me like a book,” Katherine says in explanation. “I’m so sorry, but when he asked me, it all just spilled out. I’m just so excited.”
How did I go from being screamed at to pretend-dating the woman beside me, who I low-key hate? We’ve got to come clean.
Ed and Katherine’s engagement has been a curse on me since it was announced.
Before I can pull Lucy to one side, the gate opens and everyone forms a line to board.
