Page 124 of Protecting You

She knew that. But this was different. This was her family.

“We have no choice, Alyssa.” His words were softer now, gentle as the breeze. “I know it’s awful. I get that it could do damage to your relationships. I get it.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Do you think I want to do this? To let my daughter think I abandoned her so I could be off dating and falling in love?”

They both knew that part wasn’t true.

“We told Ghazi we were going to announce our engagement at the party,” Callan said. “We can’t give him any reason to believe we lied.”

“You shouldn’t have told him we were engaged.” All her emotions escaped in her voice and sounded like anger. “There had to be a better way.”

The thought of facing her sisters, her mother, her father… The thought of telling them she was engaged when they hadn’t even known she was dating somebody. They’d be furious.

No. They’d be hurt.

And her grandparents and cousins would be there, so her betrayal—and what else could she call it?—would be witnessed by everyone in her entire family.

She couldn’t do it.

“You’re probably right.” Callan sounded defeated. “I just… It was instinct.”

“To kiss me? That was instinct?”

He winced. “To pretend we were together. It seemed like the easiest way.”

Right. Because her feelings were irrelevant. Her family was irrelevant.

“This is mylifeyou’re messing with.”

His expression, kind and maybe even apologetic before, hardened. “I know that, Alyssa. That’s what all of this has been about.Yourlife. Keepingyoualive.I didn’t have to get involved at all.”

Now it was her turn to wince.

He’d insinuated himself into her dinner forhersake, not his. He was trying to protect her.

Didn’t change anything. Didn’t change that he’d made her believe he had feelings for her and then rejected her. Didn’t change that he was asking her to lie to her family. And then, what? Come back in a week and say, “Just kidding. Sorry I ruined Gram and Pop’s anniversary party. It was all just an elaborate ruse”?

How could she do that? How could she do any of this?

“Can’t we just pretend to be dating?”

“Sorry.” He started walking again, so she did too.

They rounded the corner of the house, and the lake came into view.

The clear water was calm, the trees that ringed it reflecting off the surface like a mirror.

The grassy backyard led to a sandy beach bordered on both sides by trees that rimmed the lake like sentinels. A giant boulder marked one end of the beach. On the other end, a dock extended over the water, a fishing boat bobbing alongside.

The property was small and secluded and charming. It was perfect. It was so contrary to how she felt that she struggled to understand how this peace could exist in the same place and time as her own turmoil.

“I know it’s not ideal.”

Pretending to be engaged.

Lying to her family.

As if she hadn’t already alienated herself from them enough.

“They’ll understand,” Callan continued. “When you explain, they’ll forgive you.”

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