Page 58 of No Rings Attached
I thought I had a few hours before the inquisition. “Not exactly. He told me he liked me first, but it took me another week or two to admit the truth.”
“Youleft him hanging fora week or two?”It wasn’t just the thread of doubt in her voice. It was so much more than that. Disbelief coated every word she uttered.
“I guess so. I hadn’t really given it much thought.” I tried shrugging it off and wished Drew were here to help.
Celia’s gaze narrowed. “Really?”
I widened my eyes theatrically and let my mouth drop open. “What? You don’t believe me?”
“Honestly, I don’t. Usually you’re a terrible liar, but I can’t tell for sure if what you’re saying is true or not. You’re giving me mixed signals.”
Damnit.
My heart thundered. This was it. I couldn’t even make it an hour before it all went to shit. And now I was sweating! It was only a matter of time before it dripped down my face and confirmed my sister’s suspicion.
“Drew,” Celia pouted her lips as he climbed up the steps. “I need you to settle something for me.”
He set the luggage down and crossed over to my seat. His brow creased in concern.
Drew was great at reading myhelp, the ship is going down cuesor at the very least, he knew what my panicked expression looked like. “Sure. What’s up?”
“Who asked who out first in your relationship?” Celia sounded smug. Like she knew she had me.
I closed my eyes and leaned into the hand Drew set on my shoulder. At least we’d had fun together. We should’ve discussed this part of our fake relationship. With one question, my sister had unraveled our lies. And after her wedding, I might need to take a week off from work so I could suffer my humiliation of her discovery in silence. Drew was so nice, he’d let me do it even if I didn’t have enough vacation days saved.
He laughed. “That’s easy. Me. I finally got up the courage to share my feelings for her, and your sister made me wait two solid weeks before she agreed to date me.” Drew lowered his voice. “Don’t tell her I said so, but I would’ve waited months if that’s what it took to get her to say yes.”
Now Celia’s jaw was hanging open. I wanted to say,be careful or you might catch some flies, but I didn’t.
Emotions rolled through me so fast I was almost dizzy. Gratitude, desire … and a deep, warm, fuzzy feeling I was too afraid to name.
There was no topping this man. He was the pinnacle of everything I’d ever wished for.
I stood up and slid into his waiting arms. “Thank you,” I whispered in his ear.
He held me tight, pressing his nose into the crook of my neck before saying loudly, “And I’d have waited even longer than that if I had to.”
Celia sniffed. “Well, that’s nice.” It wasn’t often that Celia didn’t have some kind of cutting remark, and all I could assume was that we’d shocked her enough that she needed time to regain her snarkiness. “I’m going upstairs to get changed for dinner. Oh, and in case I forgot to tell you, that super popular show, Wedding Bells is the one who’s recording al of the planning for my big day. It’s vital I look runway-ready at all times for the cameras.”
I gave her a weak smile. Last year, Celia had a video go viral that started her influencer fame.
It’s content? A ‘surprise bridesmaid proposal’—with me.
She rambled on and on about how I was there for her while she was sick and how she couldn’t imagine her special day without me by her side.
Except—it was completely staged. She never planned to include me, and once the camera was off, she told me I wasn’t needed and she didn’t want me to be involved at all.
I was fine with that because she was marrying my ex.
Neither of us could have predicted the video getting as many views as it did. That was when she told me she’d been joking about me not being part of the happiest day of her life.
Celia stood. “Will you two be eating with us?”
I ground my teeth together.
Shit.
As terrified as I was, I’d been looking forward to having dinner with the Kingsleys. And now I’d have to smile through a dinner I’d be miserable at.
