Page 59 of Strictly Pretend

“Have you seen what I have to wear in Cassie’s wedding?” she asks. I’m not in the bridal party for this one. She asked and I demurred mostly because it was right after Will and I imploded. Plus Cassie has about a thousand cousins and all the girls she went to college with.

“No, but I’m looking forward to it.”

“Make sure you check out our feet. We’re wearing white cowboy boots. Custom made.” Mia rolls her eyes. “The stupid things cost thousands.”

She’s so lovely. I try to ignore the twist in my stomach at having to lie to the woman who accepted me back into her world without a second thought. She’s going to be the first person I come clean to when this is all over. And I just have to hope she’ll see the funny side of it.

Maybe I will, too.

But I can’t tell her now. Even if I’m fairly sure that Cassie’s dad hasn’t bugged the trees, it feels wrong to make her keep the secret from her friends. No, better for me to be in the wrong than her.

The sound of voices and splashes are getting closer. A shaft of sunlight blazes between two trees at the edge of the wooded glade, catching my eyes and making me blink. As we approach them my eyes acclimatize to the sudden light, and I can see the cerulean blue of the lake in front of us, the surface looking like it’s dappled with diamonds in the sun's light.

“Oh damn,” Mia says. I follow her gaze and my already-tight stomach does a twist so hard I think I’m going to throw up.

Because Will is there, standing with a couple of friends. The three of them are wet, their hair slicked back, their torsos tan from vacations abroad.

One of them elbows Will and he slowly turns to look at me.

Mia slides her hand into mine and squeezes hard. Truth was, I thought I’d be with Brooks the first time I had to see Will. And though it would be awkward, I wouldn’t feel exposed the way I do now.

There’s no sign of Jemima. Which is probably a good thing because if she was a bitch to me over the phone then god onlyknows what she’ll be like to me face to face. Plus, I definitely need Brooks with me then.

Will runs his hands through his hair and walks up to us. “Emma.”

I force a smile on my face. “Hi Will. How’s the water?”

He blinks. “Um, yeah. Good.”

“Excellent. I guess I’ll see you later.” I glance at Mia. “Where should we leave our clothes?”

But as I go to leave Will catches my free hand. “Do you have a minute?” he asks.

A shiver snakes down my spine. I don’t want to talk to him. Not only because he’s a cheating bastard, but because he knows me more intimately than anybody else here. Lying to him will take a whole other level of deceit.

“Can’t it wait?” I ask him.

“Not really. I just want to clear the air between us.” His brown eyes catch mine. “I’m sorry about Jemima calling you. We had a big argument after she did.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I tell him. “It’s all history now.”

He runs his thumb over my wrist. “I very much regret the way things ended between us. I know I hurt you.”

I pull my hand away from him. “It’s fine.” All I want to do is get into the water. “But thanks anyway.”

He takes a deep breath, and glances over my shoulder. “You and Brooks Salinger? Seriously?”

“What about us?” I ask him.

“He’s an asshole. Never even cracks a fucking smile.”

“He does for me. We’re happy, that’s all you need to know.”

Will leans close enough that I can feel his breath on my face. “I get it, you want to make me jealous. Or whatever.” He waves his hand around. “But with him? No way. We may have split up, but I still care for you. And I know for a fact that man doesn’thave an empathetic bone in his body. He’s an asshole. He’s using you, he’s going to hurt you.”

“What could he possibly be using me for?” I ask him. It’s a genuine question. Because Will doesn’t know about the arrangement Brooks and I have. “I’m not being funny but look at me. I don’t have money. I don’t have status. Why would he be using me?”

Will lifts a brow. “Why do you think? You were always a good lay.”

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