Rodriguez must sense my tension because he reaches over and squeezes my hand again. “Hey. Whatever happens this week, I’ve got your back. Okay?”
“Okay.”
“And if it gets too weird or too hard or you just need a break, we can fake a headache or a phone call or whatever. Just say the word.”
“What’s the word?”
“I don’t know. Pick one.”
I think about it. “Poodle.”
He laughs. “Because of the RoRo and JuJu thing?”
“Because it’s ridiculous enough that you’ll know I mean it.”
“Poodle it is. Safe word established.” He’s still holding my hand. “Ready for this?”
No. Absolutely not. I’m about to walk off this plane into my worst nightmare with a fake boyfriend I barely know and somehow convince my entire family that we’re in love.
But Rodriguez is looking at me with suchgenuine confidence, such complete certainty that this will work, that I find myself nodding.
“Ready.”
The plane touches down and I realize there’s no turning back now.
This is happening.
For better or worse, Rodriguez and I are about to spend six days pretending to be in love.
I just hope I can remember it’s pretend.
10
RODRIGUEZ
Her parents are waitingfor us after we’ve been cleared through customs.
I spot them before Juliette does, a woman who looks like an older version of her, with the same sharp features and dark hair standing next to a tall man with graying temples who’s scanning the crowd.
“There,” Juliette says, following my gaze. She takes a deep breath that I can hear over all the other noise around us. “Ready?”
“Always.”
She looks totally unconvinced, but she’s already moving toward them, pulling her bag behind her. I follow, mentally running through everything she told me on the plane. Her mom is warm and talkative, her dad is protective and skeptical. Be charming but not too charming. Be respectful. Don’t screw this up.
No pressure or anything.
“Jules!” Her mom sees her first and rushes over, pulling Juliette into a hug that looks like it might crack a rib. “Oh honey, we missed you so much. How was the flight?”
“Fine, Mom. It was fine.” Juliette extricatesherself, smoothing down her sweater, and gestures to me. “This is Rodriguez. Rodriguez, these are my parents, Catherine and Richard.”
Catherine turns to me with a wide smile. “Rodriguez! Juliette’s told us so much about you.”
I seriously doubt that, but I smile back and extend my hand. “It’s great to meet you, Mrs. Chastain. Thanks for having me.”
“Oh please, call me Catherine, and this is Richard.” She gestures to her husband, who’s studying me with the kind of look that says he’s already planning where to bury my body if I make any wrong moves.
“Sir. Nice to meet you.”
