As I try to envision myself in the figure-hugging dress that flares just a little from my hips, I hear the door open and close.
Lavender dress forgotten, I hurry through the rest of my makeup, then open the bathroom door. Slouched in one of the chairs, Maverick doesn’t even lift his head when I walk out. “Bathroom’s yours,” I say quietly, and get the barest of nods in response.
I guess I really don’t have any right to be disappointed in his behaviour. There’s no reason he has to engage with me when we’re not in front of people, and knowing that he’s an introvert, I should understand if he needs some time to himself right now. But it’s never fun feeling ignored, and as I move into the main living space, his eyes remain on his phone. Stifling my sigh, I spy a bottle of wine and glasses sitting on the table with a card from Max and Heidi indicating they’re a gift. Perfect.
Pouring myself a glass, I turn back and catch Maverick staring at me. He looks away immediately, standing and moving to his bag. “I’ll be ready soon.”
He disappears into the bathroom, leaving me wondering if I imagined the fact that his gaze seemed pointed at my ass.
I try sitting on one of the chairs with my drink, but the shower is on, and now all I can picture is Maverick under the water, naked. So I get up, go outside, and sip my wine while watching the water lap at the shore. After several minutes, my ability to focus on the water is nonexistent, and I keep thinking about the gorgeous man in the shower.
I need my phone. A few rounds of sudoku or scrolling social media will help distract me. But as I open the door of the cabin, the door to the bathroom also opens and out steps Maverick, wearing dress pants and…nothing else.
I’d blame my clumsiness on what happens next, but the truth is, the sight of him half naked with his hair still wet made me forget how to work my own feet. I stumble forward, and the small amount of wine left in my glass sloshes up and somehow lands on the front of my dress.
“Crap!”
I hurry to the table and set down my glass, plucking at the front of my dress. At least the mess diverts my attention from Maverick and on to myself. But my stomach churns. I can’t wear a stained dress.
When I look back up, Maverick is buttoning a light blue shirt that already has the sleeves rolled up to show off his ink-covered forearms.
“You got anything else to wear?”
His question seems genuine. Although, is it because he’s concerned about me having something to wear or concerned about having to show up with his fake girlfriend wearing a stained dress? I’d like to believe it’s the former, but with my nerves shot to hell, I can’t push away the kernel of self-doubt that wonders the latter.
“Yes.” My clipped reply gets no response from him except to move out of my way as I go to my suitcase. My gaze falls upon the two options. The dress I planned to wear tomorrow, a romantic blush-coloured one with a sweetheart neckline, or the sexy lavender dress.
If ever there was a time to be brave, it’s now. Grabbing the lavender dress, I stand up and hurry to the bathroom. “Just give me a couple minutes.”
Once the door closes behind me, I take a better look at myself in the mirror and wince. The wine splatter is going to be a bitch to get out, and even if it’s not the most stylish, I did really like this dress. But that’s a problem for later. I quickly pull it off and step into the lavender one. But once I pull the straps up over my shoulders, I realize my next problem. The zipper is in the back, and it dips down low to the point I can’t reach it myself.
“Be brave,” I whisper to the reflection staring back at me. My cheeks are flushed, but hopefully, he assumes that’s from the stress of my last-minute change and not any other reason.
This time, I open the door slowly, steeling myself for whatever I might see. But there’s no surprises waiting for me, just Maverick leaning against the wall by the window, looking out at the water. He turns as I walk out of the bathroom, and this time, there’s no mistaking the way his eyes widen as he looks at me.
We stand there, watching each other for what feels like an eternity but is probably less than five seconds before I remember what I need from him. Walking over, I gather my hair over one shoulder and turn my back to him.
“Could you help me with the zipper?” I ask, breaking the charged silence. For another long minute, he doesn’t move. Then I feel his hand on my back, barely touching me as he slowly slides the zipper up.
I feel him step away. “Thanks.”
When I turn around, he’s staring at me. He breaks first, walking over to the door. I quickly slip on my low-heeled sandals and make my way to him. But as I go to walk past, his hand lands on my lower back, and I freeze. His head lowers just a bit and suddenly, I can’t breathe.
“This is the dress you should’ve been wearing all along. You look beautiful.”
I’m speechless. My head turns toward him ever so slightly, but he guides me out of the cabin, sliding his hand off my back and down to take my hand, lacing our fingers together.
The walk to the large pier that juts off from the main resort building is short, not long enough for me to get control of my racing pulse. And then someone’s calling my name, and I’m turning to see my friend hurrying toward me with the smile of someone happy and in love etched across her face.
“Oh my God, you’re here!” Heidi folds me into a hug, forcing me to drop Maverick’s hand. I sink into her embrace, letting it ground me back in reality.
“Of course, I am. I wouldn’t miss it.”
We pull apart just in time to see Max, Heidi’s handsome fiancé, shaking hands with Maverick.
“Glad you could make it. How’s the arm?”
This is it. The moment where I find out if Maverick can step up and fake it well enough when there’s no camera on us, and it’s not his team watching or his career on the line. It’s only my friends and my pride we have to worry about if he can’t be convincing enough to pretend to be attracted to me.
