Page 38 of Strictly Pretend

“That’s my favorite,” Granddad says. “Remember, we went there with your grandma, Emma? For her sixtieth birthday?”

“I remember.” My voice is husky.

Brooks runs his thumb over the base of my spine and I almost jump out of my high heels. “Too many bad memories?” he asks. “We could go somewhere else.”

I shoot him a look. I hate him being nice to me. And truth be told, I want to get out of here and get this over with. “It’s fine,” I say. I just won’t eat for a week. That should cover the cost.

“Salinger,” Granddad murmurs. “I swear I’ve heard that name before.”

Oh God, he’s going to work it out. I know he is.

“Are you a hockey fan?” Brooks asks.

“Who isn’t?” Granddad asks.

“My brother used to play in the NHL. He’s a coach now. Eli Salinger.”

Granddad’s eyes widen in recognition. “Oh, that’s where I know the name from. You look a little like him.”

“He’s older than me,” Brooks says. “But yeah, I guess there’s some resemblance.” He checks his watch. “We should go,” he tells me. “We don’t want to miss our reservation.”

“Have a wonderful time,” Granddad says. “And Emma?”

“Yes?” I squeak.

“I’ll open up the shop tomorrow. You don’t need to hurry to get up.” He winks at me and I roll my eyes back at him.

“I’ll see you at nine,” I say, just as Brooks shakes his hand again.

This date hasn’t even started, yet I already feel like I’ve failed the test. Things can only get better from here.

BROOKS

“Why did you bring these?” Emma says as soon as the car doors are closed and I start the engine. She’s looking at the flowers, her brows knitted.

“Because it’s what boyfriends do,” I say. “And by the way, you need to work on your acting skills if you want people to believe we’re a couple in Montana.”

She turns to look at me. “What?” Two tiny lines form above the bridge of her nose.

“If we’re doing this,” I tell her, “you need to step up. I had to work double time because you didn’t even put in any effort.” I’m annoyed and also amused. It’s a strange combination but I’m getting used to it where she’s concerned. “If we’re going to pull this off, there’s no taking breaks. People will watch usconstantly. The minute you give me an angry face, they’ll work it out.”

“I don’t have an angry face,” she says.

I lift a brow. Because yeah, she looks stupidly pretty in the natural makeup she’s applied. But she also looks like she could strangle me with her bare hands.

“This isn’t my angry face. It’s my normal face,” she tells me. “Now, can we just go to the restaurant and get this over with, please?”

I sigh. “Listen, the wedding is less than two weeks away. So unless you’re going to put your all into this, there’s no point.”

“You’re right,” she says. “We should call it off. It’s never going to work.”

“Oh no.” I shake my head. “We made an agreement.”

Her eyes meet mine. They’re a pale shade of blue. Like the sky on a winter’s day. “You’d keep me to it?”

“Yes.” I need her to look at the unit. Ineedher to move out of this damn building. My dad’s still asking questions and at some point I have to answer them. “And anyway, you can do it, I know you can. Do you want your ex and his girlfriend to think they’ve won?”

“No.” She shakes her head. “But I’m not good at this. Not like you are.” She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth and stares out of the windshield. “I can’t pretend I feel something that I don’t.”

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