Page 108 of Fake Married to the Grumps

If I thought the impending heartbreak was bad, this is worse. A big wedding?

Anxiety rises within me at his words. "Bryce, we can't keep deceiving them like this," I say urgently, my voice trembling. "I mean, it's not fair to them or to us."

Bryce's jaw clenches, his gaze flickering away from mine for a moment before he meets my eyes again. I catch a glimpse of what looks like a pain in his eyes, his brows furrowing slightly as if he's struggling to make sense of something.

"I know," he says softly, his voice strained. "But I don't know how to tell them the truth without hurting them."

I take a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart as I search for the right words. The air between us feels heavy, weighted with unspoken emotions and the lingering memory of that kiss. "Maybe we don't have to tell them everything," I say finally, my voice barely above a whisper. "But we can't keep pretending to be something we're not."

Bryce's eyes widen, a flicker of pain crossing his features before he quickly masks it. He nods slowly as his gaze drops to the floor.

"I know, and I promise we'll figure this out together."

***

I meet up with Cindy at our favorite coffee shop, hoping to distract myself from everything. But as soon as I sit down across from her, I know that there's no escaping the inevitable conversation.

"So, spill," Cindy says, her eyes sparkling with curiosity as she leans forward eagerly. "What's going on with you and Bryce? You two have been acting all weird lately."

I let out a nervous laugh, trying to play it cool despite the turmoil churning inside me. "Oh, you know," I say casually, waving a hand dismissively. "Just the usual drama."

Cindy raises an eyebrow skeptically, her expression clearly unconvinced. "Come on, Marissa," she says, her tone tinged with impatience. "You can't expect me to believe that everything's fine when you've been avoiding him like the plague."

I sigh, knowing that there's no point in trying to hide the truth from Cindy. She's always been able to see right through me, no matter how hard I try to put on a brave face. "Fine," I admit reluctantly, my voice tinged with resignation. "Things have been ... complicated."

Cindy nods in understanding, her expression softening as she reaches out to place a comforting hand on mine. "I get it," she says softly. "But you know Bryce is different when he's around you. I've never seen him like this before."

A surge of warmth washes over me at her words, a flicker of hope sparking inside me despite my best efforts to squash it. "What do you mean?" I ask, unable to keep the curiosity from my voice.

Cindy shrugs, a knowing smile playing at the corners of her lips. "I don't know," she says cryptically. "He's just ... softer, I guess. More vulnerable. It's like you bring out a side of him that he keeps hidden from the rest of the world."

"I can't believe your perception of your brother has changed so drastically."

"Well, I only say it the way I see it, andit'spretty obvious to anyone with eyes that you're the reason he's this different person."

The thought of being able to touch Bryce's heart in a way that no one else can sounds pleasing to me. But as quickly as the feeling comes, it's replaced by a wave of doubt and uncertainty.

"Come on," I say, forcing a laugh as I try to brush off her words. "Bryce and I are just friends. There's no possibility of anything more between us."

Cindy rolls her eyes, clearly unconvinced by my feeble attempt to deny the truth. "Sure," she says sarcastically.

My best friend studies me intently, her gaze piercing as she contemplates her response. "Marissa, I've known you both for years, and I've never seen Bryce act the way he does around you. It's like he's a completely different person. And it's not just the way he looks at you. It's the way he listens to you, the way he hangs on to your every word. It's like you have this power over him, this ability to bring out the good in him."

I furrow my brow, trying to make sense of Cindy's observations. "There's nothing romantic between us. We've always been just friends."

"I'm not saying that there's anything romantic between you two right now," she clarifies gently. "But there's definitely something there, Marissa. Something deeper than just friendship. I can see it in the way you look at each other, the way you interact. That kind of chemistry is rare."

I swallow hard, feeling a knot form in the pit of my stomach at Cindy's words. Could she be right? Does Bryce really look at me that way? Does he feel the same? It's a terrifying thought, one that I've tried to push to the back of my mind for fear of what it might mean.

"Sometimes, you have to follow your heart, regardless of what other people might think or say. And if your heart is telling you that there's something worth exploring with Bryce, then maybe it's worth taking a chance on."

I let out a frustrated sigh, knowing that there's no point in arguing with Cindy when she's made up her mind about something. "Fine, you win," I say, throwing my hands up in defeat. "But enough about me. How's everything going with you?"

Cindy's expression softens at the change of subject, and we spend the next hour catching up on each other's lives. But even as we laugh and chat, I can't shake the feeling of unease that lingers in the back of my mind.

After we finish our coffee, Cindy gives me a tight hug before heading out the door.

"Cindy," I say slowly, my voice trembling with uncertainty, "there's something I need to tell you."

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