Page 67 of Faking the Pass
“Well I’m eating pretty much every hour on the hour these days.”
Jessica looked down at her small bump and rubbed it. “I think it’s going to be another boy. I was starving all the time when I was pregnant with Theo. You’ll find out what it’s like one of these days.”
She wiggled her eyebrows in a suggestive way. “Maybe soon.”
I just wagged my head at her. “We won’t be taking our ‘marriage’ that far. I’m sleeping in the guest room.”
“Fornow,” she said. “Hey, I’m headed over to Mr. and Mrs. Lowe’s house. You should come with me. She’s making lasagne tonight, and Dylan will be there with his daughter Lily. Merc is flying in tonight, too. He should be there for dinner unless there are flight delays.”
There was a lurch in my stomach like the one you feel when you descend a large number of floors in a fast elevator.
“I couldn’t. I don’t want to intrude on a family dinner.”
“You’re about tobefamily, Rosie.” She rolled her eyes and used aduhtone. “Don’t you want to get to know them a little before the wedding?”
“No. I don’t.”
My chin pivoted in adamant denial. “I’d feel too weird. The guys all know it’s fake, and Presley’s parentsdon’t.I don’t want to lie to them.”
From what I remembered, they were really nice people. I felt bad enough costing their son all this time and money. I didn’t want to have to trick them into believing that he and I were in love.
I wasn’t sure why Presley was even including his family in our pretend wedding.
“I mean, I guess when you get right down to it, the wedding itself is a lie,” I said, “but I just can’t face them. Not yet. I’ll have to see them at the ceremony on Friday, but I need a few more days to prepare myself. You sure you can’t give me even a hint about where it’s going to be?”
Jessica pulled her fingers across her lips in a zipping motion. “Presley made me promise not to tell. You’re going to like it, though.”
“It doesn’t matter if I like it. I was prepared to marry him in a sundress and flipflops in front of a judge. Probably the same one who’ll be dissolving our ‘marriage’ a few months from now.”
“We’ll see about that,” she said. “I know you don’t know Presley very well yet, but once you get to know him better, you’ll see he’s a great guy. He’s one of the most loyal people I’ve ever known, and he’s so sweet with Theo and Lily. He’s hilarious and so generous. A few weeks of living with him, and you’re never going to want to let him go.”
That was what worried me.
Presley had done so much for me already, and the more time I spent around him, the more I liked him.
The issue wasn’t whether I’d wanthim.
The problem was that he’d never wantedmein the first place.
Chapter 17
At Long Last
Rosie
The morning of our wedding, Presley surprised me by announcing a car would arrive at noon to take me to the Cliffhouse Inn where Danielle was staying.
My best friend had flown in from California last night. We’d talked until late, catching up on all the craziness that had transpired since I’d last seen her.
“A makeup artist and hair stylist will meet you there and help you both get ready,” he said. “Chelle dropped your dress off there this morning.”
I stared at him in wonder. “You really didn’t need to do all this. I can do my own hair and makeup.”
“I know you can,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean you should have to—not on your wedding day. Besides, I hired a photographer and videographer, remember?”
“Right.” For the performance.
Once again I’d be primped and primed to put on a show for the world, though at least this time there would be far fewer attendees in person.
