“I guess drinks are on me.” Mason walks over, extending his hand to Simon.
“Good match.”
Mason drops his hand and wraps me in a quick hug. “I like him, sis. You found a good one. Even if he beat me.”
“Thanks.” I try to swallow around the sudden lump in my throat.
I don’t want to let Simon go, but I don’t know how to keep him. He leaves in three days. Three days and he’ll be gone from my life.
I knew I shouldn’t have done this. It was stupid to think that I could escape this unscathed.
Because I’ve gone and done the one thing I didn’t think I would do.
Fall in love with my fake fiancé.
By the time this ends, everything should work out for the best. I’ll still have my store, maybe even be able to grow my business, and this will have all been worth it.
If I keep telling myself that, maybe I’ll start to believe it. All I want now is Simon. The man who stepped up to help me without question. Who cares for me in a way I’ve never felt from a man before.
Everything he does, he does for me.
If only our lives weren’t on two different continents. There’s no way this will work with almost five thousand miles separating us.
“I’ll pick you up tonight before the rehearsal?” Simon asks quietly.
I nod, biting on my lip to keep myself in check. “I’ll see you then.”
My heart and mind are spinning out of control, trying to cling to anything that is real. Because if I keep focusing on Simon leaving, I’ll spiral.
Now, if only I can keep my emotions in check until Monday.
Three days.
I can fall apart after he leaves and takes my heart with him.
ChapterTwenty-Six
LAYLA
Big smile, Layla, big smile.
Swiping a final coat of lip gloss over my mouth, I give myself one last once-over in the mirror. I smooth my hands down the black chiffon fabric of my dress. The deep V of the top highlights all my best features. It’s subtle, yet simple. Not taking away from my sister on the night of her rehearsal dinner.
And one of the last few nights I have with Simon.
Big smile, Layla.
Not matter how much I try to tell myself this, an ache has settled inside my chest. Deep under my heart, it feels like it will never go away.
Simon will be leaving on Monday. I don’t even know if it hurt this much when I left Brad. I was a shell of who I was when I left him. With Simon? I’ve never felt more like myself.
I don’t know what’s going to happen when Simon leaves.
A knock on my door draws my attention away from my morose thoughts.
Crossing the empty living room, I open the door. The man consuming my every thought eats up every bit of space in the entry way.
In a black suit with a white shirt that’s left unbuttoned, scruff lining his jaw, Simon looks delicious.
