Page 18 of One Pucking Surprise
I wrinkle my nose. “Sounds… stressful.”
“It is,” Zach says with a shrug, though his tone stays light. “But that’s just him. He means well in his own way.”
I nod again, mulling over his words. For a second, I think about asking what kind of family business, but the weight behind his casual shrug and the slight drop in his smirk hold me back. It doesn’t feel like something he’d want to get into right now. Instead, I shift the conversation forward. “Anyone else?”
“Noah, my brother. He’s the eldest,” Zach says. “He’s strict, but he means well. Single dad now, raising my niece. He’s always been the steady one—the one holding things together after my mom passed.”
The casual way he says it makes me pause. “I’m sorry. That must’ve been hard.”
Zach shrugs again, his smirk returning, but it doesn’t reach his eyes this time. “It was a long time ago. You get used to it.”
Something about the way he brushes it off makes my chest tighten, but I don’t push. “Is it just you two?”
He brightens a little. “No, I have sisters. Three of them—Cora, Whitney, and Blair. Cora’s the no-nonsense one, Whitney’s quick with sarcasm, and Blair’s the sweet one who keeps everyone grounded. They’re the heart of the family.”
I smile, but Zach’s earlier comment lingers in my mind. I can’t shake the feeling that there’s more to the story about his mom—and to Zach himself—than he’s letting on.
Zach clears his throat, breaking the moment. “So, what’s the story about Chloe’s cousin? Wyatt said something about a long-time crush.”
“Ugh, Wyatt and his big mouth,” I mutter, rolling my eyes.
Zach chuckles softly, his amusement both irritating and endearing.
I hesitate, fiddling with the hem of my sleeve. There’s no avoiding it. If Zach’s going to play his part convincingly, he needs to know some context.
“Drew and I… Well, I had a crush on him,” I admit, keeping my tone casual, almost dismissive. “Smart, good-looking… The whole package.”
“And?” Zach prompts, his blue eyes locked on mine.
“And nothing,” I say, trying to sound breezy. “I thought we hit it off once, but he ended up dating someone else.”
Zach whistles low. “Ouch.”
“It was years ago,” I add quickly. “I’m over it. I just want him to see that I’ve moved on.”
“Got it,” Zach says.
“So,” I say, pulling the conversation back to my plan. “If we’re going to convince your family, we need to be believable. That means more than just showing up and smiling for photos.”
Zach raises an eyebrow. “What are you getting at?”
“We need to practice,” I say simply.
“Practice?” he echoes, leaning forward with a grin. “Lainey, are you asking me out?”
I sigh, refusing to take the bait. “Practice dates. We need to figure out how to act around each other—what stories we’ll tell, how we’ll interact. Your family isn’t going to believe this if we can’t sell it.”
Zach’s grin widens. “You know, for someone who claims to hate surprises, you’ve got a lot of tricks up your sleeve.”
“Is that a yes or a no?” I ask, ignoring his teasing.
“It’s a yes,” he replies, still grinning. “But I’m picking the first date.”
“Fine,” I say, though I instantly regret it when I see the mischievous glint in his eyes.
We spend the next thirty minutes going over the finer points of the contract. Zach listens, surprisingly attentive, though he can’t resist throwing in the occasional sarcastic comment.
“So, let me get this straight,” he says, tapping the paper. “We’re exclusive, but we’re not actually dating. We can touch, but only when it’s absolutely necessary. And no PDA unless we’re in front of my family.”
