Page 21 of No Rings Attached
Glamma stood. “I’ll create a cheat sheet on how your love began tonight and distribute it to our immediate family only. Everyone can study up on it before herrelatives,” Glamma’s mouth twisted in disgust, “get here.”
Drew cleared his throat. “I’m sure we can figure out how to come up with our own backstory. You feed the town the information that we’re together and you loved getting to meet Ellie.”
“Ididlove meeting Ellie.” Glamma leaned over and kissed my cheek. “And I love her! This is going to work out better than anything I could’ve planned myself.” With an odd twinkle in her eyes that I didn’t want to unpack, she blew us all kisses and left in a blur of fuchsia. How was I just noticing she had on a taffeta ball gown?
After Glamma left, Robert took her seat on the other side of me. Was he going to judge me? Or tell Drew he was being ridiculous to go along with Glamma’s crazy ideas?
I squirmed as I thought about how I was practically sitting in Drew’s lap. And how his dad might think that wasn’t appropriate, since we were fake dating. But the second I tried to create space between us, Drew laid his hand on my knee. “We need to practice.”
I gaped at him.
Robert glanced between us, his lips twitching. “Sorry to interrupt this brainstorming session,” he said, as if trying to figure out a pretend relationship during work hours was normal. He chuckled, endearing him to me more. It seemed his mother’s scheming was a regular thing around here. “But you might want to fill me in on what’s going on sooner rather than later.”
My throat tightened as tears gathered at the corners of my eyes. I took a deep breath and looked up to get them to go away. He wasn’t angry. He was supportive without even knowing the full story. Without even really knowing me. He trusted that whatever his son and mother were up to, it was his job to help.
This right here was what I’d always wanted. Family that supported me; no questions asked. And a group of people that I’d known less than twenty-four hours were filling in that gap in ways I didn’t know I needed.
Drew, as if sensing I didn’t want to relive the situation, rescued me from explaining. “I’ll let Ellie tell you whatever she’s comfortable sharing about her family dynamics, you just need to know that she needs us. And while Glamma is the one who started it, I’ve agreed to be Ellie’s fake boyfriend leading up to her sister’s wedding. We have to really sell it to them so they believe without a doubt that we’re together. That’s where you all come in. We need you to corroborate our story, especially since Ellie works for me. We want them to believe this is a love match. Not one of convenience or worst case, not true.”
His dad gave a thoughtful nod and stared at me.
Under his perusal, sweat gathered at the base of my neck and in my palms. I let go of Drew’s hand and rubbed mine against my skirt. I couldn’t just sit here anymore with all the reasons we shouldn’t do this blaring in my head. I jumped up from the couch and began to pace, waving my arms frantically because I had the unfortunate habit of talking with my hands. “Drew. This is a terrible idea. I can’t expect you to do this for me. You have a business to run. How will it look to the employees here to know we’re dating? You’re myboss! I’ve put you in such an awful spot. Let’s just forget about all of this.” I sped up and muttered, “Yes, let’s forget. It’ll be better for everyone.”
I stopped rambling when I realized how quiet they both were, sitting there, listening with kind interest and polite silence. Had they even been able to absorb anything I said?
“Are you done?” Drew asked, a hint of a smirk playing at the corners of his lips.
Was he taking this seriously at all? “Well yes, but I don’t think you’re considering the ramifications of this … this fake relationship.”
Drew stood, reached out to me, slowly, like he was working with a skittish animal. He placed his hands on my shoulders, and the pressure of his palms sent tiny waves of calm through me. And when his thumbs rubbed back and forth soothing me further, I finally drew in a deep breath. It was like I’d been drowning and finally reached the surface. “Better?”
I nodded. “But?—”
“By not following through with this, it won’t be better for you. We’ve been chatting for three months. Do I give you the impression that I make decisions lightly?”
I stared at him, looking for any sign within the depths of his eyes, the lines of his face, the curve of his lips, any part of his gorgeous face to indicate that he was being guilted into this.
“No,” I responded hesitantly.
“Glamma was right. We take care of our own here. And I’ve been brought up to protect those that can’t protect themselves. You need our help whether you realize it or not. And while I can’t do much, I can at least be your buffer during the time your family is here and at your sister’s wedding.”
I glanced at his dad to gauge his reaction. His thoughtful expression hadn’t changed. And it was so unlike the judgy stare of my own father that my breath caught.
“Look at me. Not him.We’remaking this decision.”
My eyes snapped up to lock onto Drew’s.Holy moly.When he spoke like that tingles ran all through me and my nether parts took notice.
Which was not appropriate.
Not at all.
“The rest of my family is just as incredible as my dad. If Glamma and I are determined to help you, they will too. The real question is, do you want our help?”
To have an entire family that had my back during a time in my life when I really needed it was more than I could hope for. I didn’t have any close girlfriends of my own. The ones I hung out with started as my sister’s friends or were girlfriends of Kyle’s friends.
I didn’t haveanyonein my corner anymore … until now.
“Yes, I would.” The worry I was pushing Drew into something he didn’t want to do, the guilt that I was asking an incredibly nice family I’d never met before to step up and support me in this insane plan eased just enough for me to recognize that a kernel of hope had taken root. “Thank you.”
