Page 54 of Falling for your Fake Boyfriend

I reached the open doors and stood there frozen, asking myself why I was there. Then a few faces turned my direction and a few more, and in the middle of all the unfamiliar faces, I found the one I was looking for. Luke looked positively dashing in his suit and tie. He smiled and the tension in my body relaxed. It seemed I was making that entrance even without the long, flowing staircase. I took a breath and my first step.

“Excuse me.” A cold hand pushed me slightly aside. Alexandria slid past me and stood directly in front of me. She was wearing a skin-tight long dress that looked as if it had been painted onto her body. Gold pearls ran all the way down the back seam, and there was a sharp, very revealing split in the back to show off her incredible legs.

I shrank down with disappointment and couldn’t hold back the embarrassed blush. I’d actually thought that the room had turned to look at me, but it was only because of the spectacular woman behind me. Luke’s smile wasn’t for me. That revelation hurt most of all. Suddenly, the dazzling jewels around my neck felt heavy and wasted. What was I doing? This wasn’t me—the dress, the jewels, the layers of makeup. I’d sold a piece of my soul this weekend, and I only hoped I could get it back once I left this place.

I found myself in the middle of a room where I knew no one, and I had no interest in getting to know any of them. “You look lovely.” Hazel’s soft tone came from behind. She admired the necklace as I turned around. She held out her arm. “Would you mind helping me across to that settee over by the refreshment table?”

I gladly offered my arm, and she wrapped her slightly crooked white fingers around it. We found the least congested path around the floor to the settee. “What can I get you from the table?” I asked. “It all looks wonderful.”

“I’m fine. You’re not here dressed like a beautiful princess so you can tend to an old woman like me. Mingle. Have a good time.”

I sat down next to her. “To be honest, I much prefer to sit right here with you.”

Hazel’s face lit up. “I think your dance partner is making his way over.”

I glanced up through the forest of faces. Luke was heading our direction. My chest was wrapped so tightly in the snug bodice I could actually feel my heart pitter-patter at the sight of him.

“He looks so handsome in that suit,” Hazel said.

“That he does.”

Luke reached us and leaned down to give Hazel a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll be heartbroken if I can’t get at least one of you two beautiful women to dance with me.”

Hazel winked at me. “Go on. I’m not quite in the mood to be twirled about the room yet.”

I put my hand in his, and he led me to the dance floor. A live orchestra was trying its hardest not to sound stodgy as it played modern tunes. We’d managed to reach the floor for a slow dance.

I turned to Luke, and he put his arms lightly around my back. I placed my arms around his neck, and we shuffled our feet to the music, like two shy teens, awkwardly trying not to get too intimate all while trying to look as if we knew what we were doing.

“I see Hazel loaned you her jewels.”

“These old things? Just something I had in my dresser drawer at home.” I sighed. “I feel like I should be walking around with a bodyguard.”

“I’ve never seen her lend them to anyone. My mom has begged her to the point where Hazel was garnering far too much glee from it. She always said no. You look sensational, by the way. You stole my breath when you walked into the room.”

I peered up at him to see if he was telling the truth.

“You don’t believe me,” he said.

“I figured that smile was for—” I shook my head. “Never mind.”

“The smile was for you, Isla,” he said quietly. He tightened his arms more, and our bodies pressed together.

I rested my head against his shoulder. “This is nice. Can we just stay like this?”

He tightened his arms more. “I like that plan.”

I closed my eyes for a second, letting myself imagine that this was real, the thing between us. I let myself dream that the incredible man holding me loved and adored me the way his grandfather had loved and adored his grandmother. As I opened my eyes, I found that I was being skewered by a very harsh scowl. I gasped and lifted my head. Margaret was marching across the room looking as if she was ready to spit fire.

“Lucas,” she said sharply.

He turned us so that he could face his mom. My back was to her, and I could still feel those daggers she was shooting at me from across the room.

“Mom, we’re dancing. What do you want?” He released his hold on me.

I turned to her. Her gaze went straight to the necklace. “How on earth did you get hold of those jewels? Did you steal them?” I glanced around at all the curious faces. Alexandria and her mom tipped their heads together, whispering to each other behind their five-hundred-dollar manicures.

Margaret had been such a fake, smiling hostess all weekend, but she couldn’t help showing her true colors in front of all of her guests when it came to the jewelry she so badly coveted.

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