He shrugs, easy, infuriatingly calm. “Phase One needed momentum.”
“Phase One does not need Haddie humming‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’while the whole town watches.”
He grins, unapologetic. “I thought it was cute.”
I stop so abruptly he nearly collides into me. “Cute? The entire town now thinks we’re dating! My mom’s probably getting tagged as we speak. Kinsey’s definitely calling me by noon.”
“It worked, though,” he says with maddening calm.
“This isn’t funny, Cam.”
“I didn’t say it was.” His voice softens just enough to make my pulse trip. “I just said it worked.”
I glare at him, arms crossed tight over my chest. “I should kick your shins.”
“You’re cute when you’re mad.” He grins. “But if we do go through with the plan, we needed to start laying the groundwork.”
I sigh. “But did you have to build it through Haddie?”
He chuckles. “Do you really think anyone in this town believes anything without Haddie’s stamp of approval?”
“That’s not the point.”
“Then what is?”
I open my mouth, ready to snap, but the words falter. Because underneath the embarrassment and chaos, there’s truth. He’s doing this for me—for Evie. And I know it.
Still, I shake my head. “I never even agreed to this whole fake dating thing or the marriage. You can’t just decide for me.”
That finally wipes the grin from his face. “You’re right,” he says quietly. “You didn’t. I’m sorry I got ahead of myself.”
The sincerity in his tone pulls at me. His shoulders square, and for once, the teasing is gone—just Cam, standing in front of me with that patient kind of strength that feels safer than I want to admit.
“I’m sorry,” he says. “I should’ve asked. I just…I want to help. And this is the perfect solution.”
I look up at him. “You really think us going through with this will make a difference?”
“I think it’s a start. People trust what they read on that Facebook page before they see it in this town. If we double down and everyone sees us together, Daniel’s picture-perfect act looks hollow by comparison. It’s stability that counts—and you already give Evie that. I’m just…standing next to it.”
I stare at him, my mind spinning, my heart trying to catch up. The logical part of me screams that it’s reckless. But the part that’s been alone for too long, the one that wakes up tired and still pushes through every day—that part wants to believe him.
Finally, I exhale. “If we do this…it’s temporary. Just until after everything calms down.”
“Whatever you need,” he says softly.
“And we have to tell Evie,” I add quickly. “She’s not blind or deaf. She’ll know something’s up.”
His expression is gentle. “Of course. She should hear it from us.”
I nod, my stomach flipping as the weight of what I’m about to agree to settles in. “Okay,” I whisper. “I’ll go along with this dating thing.”
Cam’s smile is small this time—genuine, not smug. “Really? You won’t regret it.”
“Oh, I already do.”
He chuckles, shaking his head. “This will work, I know it, Katie.”
“Don’t call me that when I’m making bad life choices.”
