Page 64 of Strictly Pretend

“It’s good,” Brooks says when he’s swallowed it down. There’s a tiny piece of food clinging to his lip. I reach out to wipe it away with my finger without thinking it through.

And then I lift it to my mouth. His gaze follows my movement, and I blush.

“Nice,” he murmurs.

I let out a breath.

“Okay, you two, when were you going to spill the beans?” Cassie says, walking toward us. She looks absolutely fabulous in a pale silver dress, her hair up in an intricate style and her makeup perfectly applied.

“Spill the beans?” I frown. “I’m not even eating any beans.”

“I’m not talking about actual beans,” she huffs. “I’m talking about the fact that you’re engaged.”

Everybody around us goes quiet. I swallow hard. “I…”

Brooks takes the fork and plate from me, leaning across me to put them on the ground. Then he curls his arm around me, squeezing my waist.

“You can blame me,” he says. Because we all know it’s not the proper thing to get engaged at somebody else’s wedding. “It’s completely my fault.”

“I’m sorry,” I say, because she looks so angry. “We weren’t going to tell anybody.”

“You’re engaged?” Mia says, walking back to join us. “How? When? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Tex told me all about it. Apparently it happened when he was taking them to their yurt. There are photos and everything,” Cassie says. She shows Mia her screen, then turns it to us. And there we are, Brooks and I, standing on the cliff. Or rather, I’m standing. He’s kneeling with a stunning view of Cassie’s dad’s Ranchlands stretching beyond us, as far as the eye can see.

I look at Cassie and she glares at me for a moment, before her eyes soften and she laughs. “Oh my God, you should see your faces.”

I frown. “Aren’t you mad at us?”

“Why would I be mad at you?” She leans forward to kiss my cheek, then Brooks’. “I’m delighted for you. You two…” she shakes her head. “You just look perfect together, like it’s meant to be. And now you have to let me be your maid of honor.”

“Hey, I should be their maid of honor,” Mia says. “They met at my wedding.”

I shift awkwardly. None of them are going to be my maid of honor. There won’t be a wedding. After next week, I’ll probably never see Brooks again.

“Oh, I forgot,” Cassie says, putting her hand to her mouth. “Word got around at dinner. That’s why I came down to warn you.”

“Everybody knows?” I say, exchanging a glance with Brooks.

“Yes. My mom was put out, but she’s over it now. I told her I didn’t mind at all. In fact I think it’s fabulous.”

I swallow hard.

“And Will was there, too,” she tells me. “I’m sorry.”

“Will knows?”

We should have just explained ourselves to the driver. I look at Brooks and he gives me a soft smile. I don’t know if he’s trying to make me feel better or trying to look like he’s happy we’re engaged, because we’re still pretending after all.

And now I know why they say lies are like a spider’s web. Every time you try to get out of one, they just wrap around you tightly until you’re they’re prisoner. The only way to get out of this now is to come completely clean.

If we do that it will be the end of friendships. And it will affect Cassie’s wedding. She doesn’t deserve that.

“Thank you for being so gracious,” I tell Cassie, my voice thick. Because I truly am grateful to her.

“You don’t need to thank me, silly.” She gives me a hug. “I’m just so happy for you both.” She gives me a pointed look and then smiles at Brooks.

He curls his arm around me and does that little brow kiss again. It feels so natural it makes my heart ache.

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