Page 17 of One Pucking Surprise
Lainey hesitates, glancing at the notebook before meeting my gaze. “Fine,” she says finally, her voice steady. “But on one condition—you better not fall in love with me.”
I raise my hands in mock surrender, my eyes sparkling with amusement. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
This arrangement might be business, but something tells me Lainey Carrey is going to make it anything but simple.
Chapter 6
Lainey
“Youmadeacontract?”Zach’s incredulous tone matches the raised eyebrow he gives me as he picks up the neatly stapled stack of papers I’ve just slid across the table.
The cafe is quiet, our corner table tucked away from the bustle of late-morning coffee drinkers. It’s the perfect spot for hashing out this arrangement—if only Zach would take it as seriously as I do.
“Yes, I made a contract,” I say calmly, taking a sip of my coffee.
Zach flips through the pages, his lips twitching with amusement. “You really typed this up?”
“Of course I did,” I reply, folding my hands on the table. “This way, we both know exactly what we’re getting into.”
He shakes his head, letting out a low chuckle. “Lainey, don’t you think this is a little… excessive? It’s a fake relationship, not a business deal.”
“Which is exactly why we need to establish boundaries and expectations upfront,” I counter, unfazed. “If we’re going to be convincing, there can’t be any confusion.”
“Boundaries, huh?” He leans back in his chair, skimming the document with exaggerated interest. “Like what? No falling in love?”
I roll my eyes. “That’s implied.”
He grins, clearly enjoying himself. “You know, if you wanted a date with me, you could’ve just asked—not put it in writing.”
“Trust me, Zach,” I say, my tone dry, “if you were the last man on earth, I’d still make you sign a contract.”
Zach studies the document, his smirk firmly in place as he flips to the next page. “Let’s see… ‘no dating other people.’ Are we exclusive now, Lainey?”
“For the purposes of this arrangement, yes,” I say evenly. “We can’t have people questioning the legitimacy of our relationship.”
“And this one—‘only touching when necessary.’” He looks up, arching an eyebrow. “Care to explain what qualifies as ‘necessary’?”
I keep my expression neutral. “Public displays of affection in front of your family,events where we need to look convincing. Nothing beyond that.”
He feigns offense, pressing a hand to his chest. “You wound me.”
I fight the urge to roll my eyes again. “Zach, this isn’t about you. It’s about making sure we don’t end up in awkward situations.”
He chuckles, leaning forward to rest his forearms on the table. “You know, you’re taking all the fun out of this.”
“This isn’t supposed to be fun,” I retort, though the corners of my mouth twitch with the effort to suppress a smile.
After a few more minutes of playful banter—most of it one-sided on Zach’s part—I steer the conversation back on track. “So, tell me about the reunion. What exactly am I walking into?”
Zach leans back in his chair, his smirk fading slightly as he considers his answer. “It’s at my dad’s estate. Big house, plenty of land. Everyone will be there—cousins, uncles, aunts, family friends.”
“And activities?” I prompt.
“Yeah, there’ll be stuff going on. Golf, swimming, maybe a bonfire. The usual.”
I nod, mentally taking notes. “And your family? Anyone I need to be careful around?”
Zach’s smirksoftens, his tone becoming more genuine. “My dad. He’s serious, all business. Likes to give me a hard time about hockey and thinks I should be focusing on settling down and joining the family business.”
