Fake Fiancé for Christmas

by Emily Bow

  Madison rolled her eyes. “Well, it’s a very specific kind of taste. Isn’t it?”

  “Thanks.” I took the card and went up to my room. Inside, the text read, “Chance.” Not with love, or Merry Christmas. Just Chance.

  Later that evening, Chance texted me. “Did something arrive for you?”

  “Nope.”

  “No?”

  “Something arrived to one-up Madison. Nothing arrived for me.”

  ***

  A week went by with Chance sending cute texts, and me avoiding him, and then Tuesday, when I left organic chem, he was there. Chance Kentwell. Sitting on a bench, a textbook beside his leg, a phone in his hand, a single rose dangling from his fingertips.

  I climbed down the steps with my other classmates and peered over his shoulder, catching the words dragon and sword on the screen. The fact that he was a book lover shouldn’t have made me like him more, but it did. Not that I liked him. I meant as friends. Though we weren’t even that exactly. I moved to the front of the bench where he could see me. “How’s the unrest in the realm going?”

  Chance gave me an armor-melting smile. He raised the red and white hybrid rose between us. “For you.”

  I took the flower and tilted my head.

  “See. It’s a candy cane. Like how we first met.”

  A smile curved my lips and pleasure made my insides tingle. This flower was for me. “I love it. Thank you.” I breathed in the fresh scent and stroked a soft petal. “Where are you headed?”

  “Meeting up with Easton at the stadium. And you’re headed to the neurology building, which is also south.” Chance picked up his textbook. “I thought we could walk in the same direction, together.”

  “We may.” I strolled along beside him. “And how do you know my schedule?”

  “I have my ways.”

  We turned the corner at the academic building and reached the part of campus where we should part ways. “Same time next week?” he asked.

  I grinned and nodded.

  ***

  Wednesday, Chance walked me to lab. He paused and bought candied, roasted walnuts at the kiosk, and we crunched on them as we strode along the sidewalk. Chance wore jeans and our university sweatshirt made us match.

  “My sorority sisters call you a charmer, but you don’t have the wandering eye guys like that have. When we’re together, you seem able to focus on me.”

  Chance looked slightly hunted. “Is there a question?”

  “No. Relax. Oh. Well, yeah, you never told me why you transferred here.” I looked at him sideways. “The rumor mill spits up theories daily. Three of my sorority sisters sent me new ones this morning. I can’t decide if they’re being messy or looking out for me.”

  Chance gave a slight roll of his eyes to indicate what he thought of their help. “The truth is. My grandmother lives here.”

  No one changed schools because of where their grandmother lived. There had to be more. “And?”

  “She had a health scare. She’s okay, but last fall, when it was all going on, I realized we hadn’t even seen her since Easter. I’m not saying we’re over there nightly for dinner. But each week one of us checks on her.”

  That was simple and sweet and nothing like the bad boy guesses the rumor mill had spread about. “Why didn’t you say something? You know there’s been a ton of speculation about that.”

  “My family has wealth and quirks. People are intrigued, and they speculate. They always will. I only care that the people who matter to me know the truth.”

  My heart warmed. He meant me even if he didn’t straight up say it. He was telling me his truth.

  We paused on the steps of the central lab building. Here’s where we parted.

  Chance adjusted his backpack. “I’ll go make sure Logan hasn’t blown anything up. Check on us when you’re done?”

  “Sure.”

  ***

  Chance walked with me between classes three days a week. I didn’t know how he’d re-jigged his route, but I enjoyed his company. He always left me with a line from his book, or a fun statistic about absolutely nothing important.

  Today when I bounded out of calculus, wearing an extra cute cherry-colored swing dress under my open wool coat, he wasn’t there. My heart stopped and started again when I saw him on a bench by the brass statue. “You’re not in your usual spot.”

  Chance drummed his fingers on his jean-clad knee as if something important was on his mind. “I know you’re busy and finals are coming up, but I have a proposal for you. How do you feel about Europe?”

  “Umm. I don’t know how to answer that. I admire their architecture, but I think their baseball teams suck?”

  He laughed. “I’m picking up a wedding gift for Tyler in Ireland this weekend. Want to go with me?”

  Chapter 18.

  We flew to Dublin Friday night, and with the time change arrived mid-afternoon Saturday. We got fish and chips and walked around the city center. “Mmm, this is so good, but I can’t tell if we’re having breakfast or dinner. My clock is crazy messed up.”

  “Don’t think about it too much.” We sat on a bench near a cathedral and ate, and then we walked down by the River Liffey.

  Everything felt foreign, and grey and amazing. The locals dressed differently, spoke with a lilting accent, and there were a million things to explore. “Being here for a day and flying back is going to be torture, isn’t it? There’s so much to do.” I took out my phone and snapped a few pictures then leaned toward Chance for a selfie. “For the first time ever, I envy Madison.”

  Chance took my hand in his and squeezed my fingers. “Don’t say that.”

  “What are we picking up? Waterford crystal? A wool blanket? A teapot?” This was fun. We had gotten on a Kentwell jet, studied until we fell asleep, and landed in another country. Now, hand in hand, we toured the area. We entered a square courtyard with shrubs and walkways, and I lifted our joined hands and did a spin. “This is amazing. We should do this every weekend.”

  “We should.” Chance sounded serious.

  His expression was even more intense. He twirled me back toward him and sidestepped so that we stood face to face. His hands fell to my hips; he pulled me closer. He was so hot, so handsome, and so kissable. Would he kiss me in this beautiful, foreign garden? I looked up at him. He pinned my gaze with his hot one and bent his forehead to rest against mine.

  One heartbeat later, his lips were on mine. Wonderful. Neither too hard nor too soft. Chance Kentwell was just right. He was home, and he was adventure. The pressure, the motions, the parted lips sent waves of sensation through me. He rocked me off my American feet. Every motion was together and more. We’d be so in sync between the sheets.

  Barking followed by a dog walker yelling to corral her dogs rushed through our hidden garden. Chance and I pulled apart. Following them, was a group of uniformed little kids skipping behind their teachers along the wide path. They were everywhere.

  Chance rolled his eyes and we shared a laugh as the intimacy of our private courtyard turned into a lively city park. What a magical place, transported and gone one moment, and then returned to reality. He brushed his thumb over my lips, sending a jolt through me. “You’re distracting me from our Dublin mission,” he said, his voice deeper than normal.

  “Had to, I’ve never been kissed in Ireland before.”

  He gave me a quick kiss, just enough to make my heart dance. “Me either.” He took my hand, kissed me on the cheek, and led me from the square garden. I glanced back, wanting to remember the exact spot where we had shared our first kiss.

  Chance lifted our joined hands and pointed eastward. “There are two places to check out, and I was hoping you could help me decide. Would Madison rather live in a modern docklands apartment or one of the Georgian houses?”

  “You’re getting them a freaking house for a wedding gift?”

  Chance nodded.

  How did one write a thank you card for
something like that? The concept of picking Madison’s home mystified me. “Uh. No. That is a huge decision. You get them a picture of a house and let them choose.”

  Chance turned me toward him, took my other hand, and started laughing.

  “Oh, you were kidding about the house?”

  “No. I decided on that for a graduation gift when Tyler told me he took the internship and knew what to get him. But once I knew the home was for the two of them, I was stumped. Freaking indecisive. I’m never indecisive. And you solved the problem in two seconds.” He laughed again. “We could actually fly back now instead of tomorrow.”

  “As nice as your jet is, there is zero chance of me getting on another plane before we have to leave.”

  “Pub for drinks? Hear a band?”

  “Yeah.”

  And we did. We drank, and shared kisses over dark ales with thick creamy heads, sang along with the crowd, and the convivial atmosphere was like nothing I’d ever experienced.

  We left the pub in the soft glow of the streetlamps; even the lighting felt different. “Where are we staying? I feel like I should have asked this question when the driver took our bags, but my brain isn’t working at full capacity in this time zone.”

  “My family has an apartment on the Liffey, down the curvy street and a block up.”

  We arrived after a short walk—everything in the city seemed to be only a short walk—and we took the elevator up to the penthouse. Chance clicked on the lights. The inside had character, wood paneling, arches, but it also had large modern glass windows overlooking the river, and someone had decked the halls for Christmas.

  I wobbled and kicked off my shoes. “Ugh, I can’t decide if it’s the ale going to my head or the jetlag.”

  “Both.” Chance shoved the pillows around on the couch so there’d be room for him and me to stretch out. “I’m sleeping here. I can’t even make it to the bedrooms.”

  “You’re brilliant.” I flopped down alongside him. “I’m so tired.”

  He pulled me closer, snuggling me into his hold. He buried his face in my hair, and I leaned comfortably against him. He grabbed the remote, turned off the overhead lights, and turned on a Christmas movie.

  I looked at him, and he was gazing at me with that intimate look he got right before he kissed me. If I kissed him again, I wouldn’t be able to stop, wouldn’t want to. Character voices from the TV shrieking about a sleigh interrupted the moment. “You know we won’t stay awake until the end.”

  “I know.”

  I looked from the TV to the tree. “Your ornaments are very silver and exact.”

  Chance yawned. “Mom’s interior designer does it.”

  “What about the family traditions, and the ones you made as a child?”

  “Having a designer decorate our trees is our family tradition.”

  I stretched, and he pulled me even closer. I shivered at the touch of him, and he tugged down the throw blanket over my legs, mistakenly thinking I was cold. I was simply into him. “Sounds sad.”

  “Yeah, people really pity my family during the holidays.”

  I snickered. “Guess it’s all relative.”

  We watched the film, and my body went from exhausted to wide awake and back in an odd rotation.

  The room was dark, lit only by hints of Irish life beyond the window and the holiday movie. Chance switched the channel to one that pictured a yule log and flickering fire and played Christmas music. He lowered the volume. “Thanks for coming with me, Holly.” Chance’s voice was deep with fatigue and sincerity.

  I rolled to face him and touched his arm, letting my hand lie against him. “You’re welcome.”

  He looked away from the TV at me. “You made today easy. Fun. Special.”

  “And you reminded me there’s more to life than my push to get into medical school.” I reached up and pressed my lips to his in a thank you kiss.

  A tingle sparkled through me and my body softened. The magic of all we’d seen today infused into our kiss along with a very primitive chemistry. Enchanting. Delicious. The urge to push against him and ask for more made me shift closer.

  Chance cupped the back of my head with one palm while the other slid beneath me. I was underneath him. His weight on top of me was heavy, momentarily satisfying, and a total turn on. I was no longer tired or tipsy but into this and wanting all of Chance Kentwell.

  He traced the line of my cheekbone with his other thumb.

  My lips parted. Yes.

  His lips met mine. He tasted of a hint of ale, a hint of peppermint, and of a charmed Irish courtyard. The slow, wet kiss deepened. This kiss was all directed by him.

  Lovely. I slipped my leg over his and pulled my mouth free to gasp at the sensations. “Mmm.”

  Chance shifted between my legs.

  “Ohh.”

  Zings and tingles took over, turning my body into needy atoms with a pulsing ache. “More.”

  Chance slid his hand down and laced our fingers together and ran his lips over my neck. “You’re the best girlfriend.”

  I shivered. “Am I your girlfriend?” I held my breath for his answer. Was this as real for him as it was turning for me?

  Chapter 19.

  “For December.” His tone was evasive.

  He’d essentially dumped a bucket of commitment-phobe snow on me. I blinked and sat up, pulling away. “Right.”

  He briefly tightened his hands on me and then let me go. He plowed his fingers through his hair. Clearly, he was he as frustrated as I was.

  Good.

  I gave a small laugh to lighten the intense mood. “Sorry, I don’t know what it is about a pint of ale and a beautiful guy that has to result in a kiss. Dangerous combo. I’d better find my room, and tomorrow we can go back to normal.”

  ***

  We flew back, and Monday, I was headed to calculus as if I knew what I was doing, as if I were the same old Holly and not this new one who was falling for Chance.

  “Hello, Holly,” a tall dark-haired guy with light green eyes said. I recognized him from the charity gig. This was Nathan Kentwell. The only billionaire brother I had yet to meet. He was the best dressed of the five brothers but had the most standoffish demeanor. He resembled Chance the strongest.

  My heart did a little flip and calmed. “Hello,” I said cautiously. “You must be Nathan.”

  Nathan didn’t smile. “And you’re Holly Reese Chadwick. Headed to calculus.”

  He knew my whole name and my schedule? Creepy. I kept walking. My mind flitted to a thousand different reasons for him to be here. Had Chance asked him to call us off when he too realized we’d stepped onto the bridge from fake to real and had barely managed to get back off?

  “Born in Houston. On October 24. Family in Houston. No brothers. Only sisters. Member of GUM sorority. Not the most involved member. But well liked.”

  Nathan was the kind of guy who made you feel guilty when you hadn’t done anything wrong. I wished he were simply a trivia nerd with a quirky habit of spewing facts, but I got the distinct impression he was reciting a background check.

  “I see you want to skip the social niceties. I’ll be upfront with you.” I looked him straight in his light green eyes. “Keep digging. There’s nothing to find.” I turned away from him to head up the steps.

  Nathan, blessed with the Kentwell long stride, easily caught up to me. “So initial impressions implied.”

  That made me pause by the round stone planter of blooming white winter petunias. I leaned against the side and breathed in their sweet fragrance, and something about this hit me as funny.

  Nathan frowned. “You’re smiling.”

  “I don’t know why. You’re not charming. It’s that you’re going to such trouble. To what end? To protect Chance? Against me?” My voice hit a higher note. “Your threat detecting radar is way off.” A. Chance wasn’t serious about me. B. Chance could take care of himself. I’d never met a guy more capable. Chance was
by far more of a threat to my heart than I was to his. Far more. I touched a white petal with my glove-tipped finger. “I’m as much a threat to Chance as this flower.”

  “Chance flew you to Ireland.”

  “I accompanied Chance on his trip to Ireland so he could pick up something for Tyler. Ask him about it.”

  “Chance dropped a fair chunk of change on you at a boutique.”

  Not my best performance. I shook my head. “I told him not to.”

  “Most clever girls would.”

  I adjusted the heavy weight of my backpack and wished I were already in my cozy classroom rereading my notes from last week rather than defending myself to a guy who had no business being in my business. “Chance bought those dresses to antagonize Madison. They had nothing to do with me, not really. I was simply a tool in his test. And I let him. I probably shouldn’t have. You have my permission to ask him all about that too.”

  “And how did Madison do with this test?”

  There was a sticky topic, but I really wanted these guys to understand who Madison was. “I’m sure you’re capable of finding out all about Madison on your own.”

  “Your sorority is surprisingly tight-lipped.” Nathan held out his palm. “Holly helped me with my science paper.” He used a higher voice, as if imitating one of my sorority sisters. “Holly goes to all our fundraisers. Holly has been the best Big to her Little, Valentina.” He switched back to his own voice. “Then I ask about Madison and I get, Madison is our chapter president. Very driven. No personal little anecdotes.”

  “We don’t trash each other. It’s not our worst quality. You keep poking, wanting us to reveal something about Madison. Madison is Tyler’s choice. It’s not our place to decide who is good enough for fair Tyler.”

  “Exactly. It’s mine.”

  I shook my head. “You can’t control other adults. You should support your brother and be there if he falls.”

  “That’s ridiculous.”

  I moved up a step. “Okay. As you said. I have class.”

  “One more question.”

  “I am an open book.”

  “I hear you’re all about Baylor medical school. A hometown girl returning home to go to school near her family. Just the thing that would appeal to Chance.”