Page 88 of Strictly Pretend

By nine I’m heading up to the main house with Mia for our hair and makeup appointment. Even though I’m not in the bridal party, Cassie was sweet enough to invite me to join them as they get ready, and for me to have my own appointment with her stylists.

So even though leaving Brooks felt weirdly painful, here I am, sitting in a leather chair, staring at myself in the mirror as the hairdresser attempts to tame my mangled waves.

Cassie’s family doesn’t do things halfway. They’ve created a whole salon in one of the upstairs rooms, complete with a wall of mirrors, those leather chairs that go up and down with one pump of the stylist’s feet, and a cocktail bar in the corner.

There has to be at least twenty women in here at different stages of styling. The woman next to me is having her hair put up into an elegant chignon. Mine is being tonged like it’s 1999. Next to me, Mia is drinking black coffee and groaning. Her hair is almost done, which is good because she was the last of the bridesmaids to arrive and was apparently supposed to be here an hour ago.

“I hate wine,” she tells me. “Seriously, why did it seem such a good idea to stay up so late?” She narrows her eyes at me. “I should have done what you did and snuck off early.”

“Yeah, but she only snuck off so she could have sex with her hot fiancé,” Cassie says, walking in to kiss our cheeks. She’s wearing a white silk robe and her hair and makeup are perfect. My heart clenches because she already looks gorgeous.

“Look at you,” I say, my throat thick. “You don’t look like you have any nerves at all.”

She gives me a smile. “I’m hiding them. And also, Derek came and found me this morning.”

“You’re not supposed to see the groom before the ceremony,” Mia says, her eyes wide. “Isn’t that bad luck?”

“We just needed some time together,” she says. “The two of us, alone. He woke me up and took me out on our horses to watch the sunrise. And he told me that he was so happy that it was his last sunrise as a single man, because from now on all his sunrises are mine.”

I blink, because that might be the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard. “No wonder you don’t have any nerves,” I say, smiling, because I’m so damn happy for her. “Especially, when he says things like that.”

“When you know you know,” Mia agrees, giving me a pointed look.

“Anyway, are you almost ready?” Cassie asks Mia. “The photographer wants to take some candids of us getting dressed.”

Mia wrinkles her nose. “What kind of candids?”

Cassie shrugs. “Just stuff like you fastening the buttons on my dress. Putting my tiara on. That kind of thing.” She rolls her eyes and looks at me. “You have all this to look forward to. I swear that woman and her assistant are everywhere. I won’t even be surprised if Derek and I are in the middle of consummating our marriage and her head pops up with a camera to her eye just to commemorate the moment.”

“You’re making it sound delightful,” I say. “Maybe we’ll just elope.” But there’s no energy in my words. I absolutely hate that I’ve lied to them. I feel like the worst imposter. Mia and Cassie are my friends. They’ve done nothing but be kind to me.

“No way,” Mia says. “There’s a line of people desperate to watch Brooks Salinger finally be made an honest man.”

“I gotta say, he looks amazing in a tux,” Cassie agrees. “And I know the whole grumpy thing doesn’t do it for everybody, but seriously, every time he scowls I think I might be in heaven.”

She’s only joking, I know that. She and Derek are so obviously made for each other. And once again, I start to think about how I’m going to tell them it was all a lie.

I’m not sure I can do it.

Maybe we’ll just agree to never tell.

I shake my head clear of the thoughts, because this is Cassie’s day and I’m determined she’s going to have the best one.

“There, you’re done,” the stylist tells me, holding a huge can of hairspray as she walks around me on each side, setting the curls. I get up and hug Cassie.

“Good luck,” I tell her. “Next time we talk you’ll be Mrs. Sinclair.”

She beams at me. “It sounds good, doesn’t it?”

BROOKS

As soon as she walks onto the veranda where all the guests are waiting it’s like somebody’s sucker punched the breath out of me. I blink, dumbstruck as she stands on the wooden boards, looking around for something, her brows pinched.

And that’s when I realize that she’s looking for me.

She’s wearing a deep blue strapless dress that clings to her body the way I did last night. It’s so tight I can see her inhale softly as she searches for me.

Her red hair is curled into tumbling waves that contrast perfectly with the milky skin on her shoulders. Her makeup is barely there, but I still imagine myself kissing the nude lip gloss off all the same.

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