by Taylor Hart
Boston cocked a skeptical eyebrow at him. “Okay.”
Ty stood, putting his hands on the table. “But we’re really snorkeling?”
Ocean saw the excitement on his face, and he nodded. “Dude, I got the best place. You won’t be disappointed. We just have to find a tiny wet suit that fits you.”
Ty shook a fist at him, then turned to Luna. “Hahaha, funny! Babe, we’re snorkeling.”
Luna forced a smile at this announcement. Ocean didn’t know Luna that well, but he knew no one wanted to talk about them being whatever they were together because, as Ty reminded them all too often, he was dying. “Great,” she said.
“Okay, so we’re snorkeling. What day?” Ty looked at Ocean for confirmation.
“Thursday,” he said, trying to sound confident. He needed to figure out where the crap they would snorkel at Christmas.
Ty didn’t seem worried. “Great. Then tomorrow we do Disney, if everyone is up for it?”
Ocean caught half-frozen, polite expressions on his family’s faces as they smiled and nodded.
“Yeah,” Dax said, putting a fist into the air. To the guy’s credit, he actually sounded like he meant it.
Everyone agreed, and Ocean was impressed that Augusta was so chill about this fairy tale. She was his fake fiancée, and it wasn’t real. It shouldn’t be this easy, right?
Ty touched his fingers together. “Wednesday, hike to the Hollywood sign. Then snorkeling on Thursday.”
Ziggy tapped Ty’s side. “Don’t forget disco ball dancing.”
Ty’s grin went huge. “Yeah, boy!”
Ocean grimaced. He wasn’t a huge fan of disco ball dancing, but Ty loved it. “Just like we all texted about, we’ll do the homeless shelter. My contact agreed we could do a disco party dance, too.” He laughed. “Even though I think he thought I was out of my mind.”
“Boom!” Ty picked up a spoon and hummed a note.
Ocean knew what was coming. “No, we don’t need to sing it. Don’t.”
But Ty had already started, holding the spoon like a fake microphone. “Hey, brothers, we haven’t sung the song properly to Augusta here.”
Boston laughed. “True. She hasn’t been initiated.”
Ocean covered his face. “I apologize right now,” he told her.
Ty backed up from the table. “Take your places, everyone.”
Ocean laughed and saw the same resigned looks on his brothers’ faces.
Their mother grinned and put her hands together, laughing with the women still seated around the table.
Sophia shook her head and stared at Augusta. “Prepare yourself. It’s a lot to take in.”
Ty started the Michael Jackson song: “‘When I think about you, babe …’”
And with that, the rest of them joined in the familiar song.
Chapter 9
Augusta lay in bed, staring up at her ceiling as she relived her first night with the Brady family. A smile crossed her face. She’d had a good time. More than a good time, if she was being honest. When the boys had burst out in song, she’d laughed and laughed with the other women. Ty was the clearly most talented singer, but the rest of them could harmonize well.
When she’d seen a single tear dripping down Ocean’s mother’s face, she’d understood more than ever why Ocean had been so torn about putting the focus on himself and his problems right now. Ty was a big personality, and it scared her to think of him succumbing to this terrible disease. She’d been researching it for the last half hour. Apparently, it caused all the muscles in a person’s body to disintegrate, including their tongue. Eventually, its victims were left in wheelchairs, still mentally there but unable to do anything for themselves.
She’d seen tonight how much his brothers loved Ty and put up with him, and she loved how they joked around with each other like there was no tomorrow. Augusta giggled and reached for her phone on the bedside table. Then she stared at the screen, confused by her sudden urge to text Ocean and laugh with him.
When he’d taken her home, he’d waited at the door, his hand touching hers in such a casual way. She’d known that he wanted to kiss her, and dang if she wasn’t attracted to the man. But he’d simply brought her hand to his lips and wished her a good night.
An idea struck her, and she texted him. Just so you know, another half kiss was used up with the back-of-the-hand kiss on the porch.
He texted back. You still up?
She looked at the time. One in the morning. She had no idea it was so late. After he’d dropped her off, she’d gone for a bike ride, and then she’d been accosted by her sister, who wanted all the details. Even though Larissa had kinda been there during dinner, she and Dave had mostly been in the kitchen, making sure everything went off without a hitch. Still, they added just enough real-world collaborative testimony for the story to fly. Larissa was pretty amazing, and she was buzzing with the excitement of having Ocean Brady as a reference for her catering company.
Augusta texted, Can’t settle down.
The screen lit up. He was calling.
She wasn’t sure if she really wanted to talk to him. Was it weird to admit she was a bit nervous? This was just a job, and she could handle it.
“Hello?” She tried to keep her voice light and whimsical.
“Hey,” he said, his voice soft.
She wondered if he was lying in bed, not sleeping. Well, strike that. Obviously, he was.
“So why can’t you settle?”
She let out a light laugh. He sounded like he was her real fiancé, like he cared. “Why did you call me?” she asked, a bit annoyed at herself because she knew she was blushing.
“Because I can’t settle either.”
They were both quiet for a couple of beats.
“You were great tonight.”
“Well, it was pretty easy.” Which, oddly enough, was true.
He let out a light, skittering laugh. “I wouldn’t classify any of my brothers as easy. Entertaining, maybe, but not easy.”
She didn’t know what to say, how to express what she’d been feeling when she was in the midst of all of them, but she took a chance. “I get it now.”
“You get what?”
“I get why you didn’t want to tell them.” She thought of his sweet mom and the tear that had leaked down her face.
“You do?”
“Your brothers are really great, and your mom …” She thought back to when they’d left, when his mom had looked into her eyes and told her she was glad she was joining the family. “She’s amazing. They’re amazing, and part of me does feel guilty we’re lying to them.”
Ocean sighed. “I know. I do, too, but Mom wants this Christmas to be so perfect for Ty. I just—”
She cut him off. “I do get it, but it’s not fair to you.”
“Thank you,” he said softly. “Why isn’t it fair to me?”
She turned on her side, thinking. “Because you’re important too.”
He hesitated.
She rushed on before he could get the wrong idea. “We are both middle children, and I know I’m harping on this, but in my psychology class last year, we talked about how lots of times kids in big families end up stuffing down their feelings for the ‘greater good’ of the family.”
“Hmm.” He didn’t seem to be buying it. “I think I’m fine.”
“Right, tough guy.” She thought about all the studies she’d read about this phenomenon, trying to help him to understand. “It’s not a good or bad thing, but it just happens. Parents don’t even realize that by emphasizing one child’s problems, it can have the effect of making other children in the family not be able to express their feelings. It even happens in groups of friends.”
“It sounds like you’re blaming my mom and dad, but they were good parents.”
“I am not judging your parents. All I’m saying is that you’re important, Ocean.”
He grunted. “Now you’re my shrink?”
“No,” she said, staying calm. “Look,
I told you about Jason. I think part of the reason I allowed someone like him to become part of my life is because my mom always told me I was nice and a peacemaker and I helped people. It just got out of control.”
Silence was the only response.
Augusta wondered if she’d said too much. “Okay, sorry. I should probably go. I really didn’t mean for this conversation to get like this.” He was paying her. None of this was real. She couldn’t get this invested, and he didn’t appreciate it anyway.
“No. Don’t go,” he said quickly. “I just haven’t ever had someone say that to me before, and it feels kind of patronizing or something, but I know that wasn’t your intent.”
“Right.” She felt like an idiot. “I do have to go.”
“You really saved me. I mean it. This whole thing. Having you as a fiancée. Having you there tonight. It was so … nice. You handled everything so well and … I don’t know, I guess it just felt natural to hold your hand and laugh with my family. Does that sound weird?”
It made her smile that the big, famous pro football player was nervous talking to her. “It does sound weird coming from an egomaniac.”
He let out a soft laugh. “Right. I guess it would.”
Some of her irritation about being called his shrink subsided. “It did feel normal. So what have you been doing? Chatting with your family?”
“Nah, Boston and I just got back from a ten-miler.”
She guffawed, then clamped her hand over her mouth to muffle the sound. She did not want her sister coming in here and busting her for talking to a guy on the phone like a teenager. “Are you kidding me?” She could picture them running on the beach, trying to beat each other.
He grunted. “We sat in the hot tub for a bit after followed by a shower to cool down, so I kinda just came to bed.”
The man was a machine. “I thought running two miles on the beach was a lot.”
“It is a lot for a mere mortal,” he teased.
Augusta laughed. She could picture how his face would look right now, see the crinkles around his eyes. “You’re a funny man.”
“Sorry, I think the ego stuff comes with the job.” He hesitated. “And it’s hard to hear you tell me that I’m important. I don’t know, it feels like I’m a kid or something.”
Ah, now she understood. She had hurt his ego. “You’re pretty amazing, for real. And I won’t patronize you.”
“Oh, stop.”
“I mean it. From what I can tell, you’ve put all of this effort into making sure your family can enjoy Christmas. You even worried about hurting them with your own news. It’s kinda selfless, too.” Was it terrible that singing his praises and embarrassing him made her happy?
“Really. Stop, please. I—”
“Plus, you gave me a phone.”
“Nope, it was part of our deal.”
She rolled her eyes. “You gave me the phone before the deal was in place. Admit it: you’re pretty amazing. And I’m not talking about in any ego kind of way.”
He blatantly changed the subject. “So, let’s talk about how many of these church kisses I’ve used.”
Butterflies filled her gut. “What?”
“I think I’ve used up three.”
“And a half.” What was the matter with her? She was acting like a girl with her first crush.
“Uh, no, kissing the back of the hand is just chivalrous. It doesn’t count.”
He was fighting to keep all of his church kisses intact. The knowledge almost made her squeal with glee. “Fine, you caught me on a night I’m feeling generous.”
He laughed. “Well, okay, then. I still have my full seven left.”
“I guess.” She shouldn’t be so happy they were talking about the kisses.
“So the ankle will be okay for Disney tomorrow, right?”
She’d thought about that. “It’s a bit sore, but I think so.”
“We can get a wheelchair.”
“Ha.” She had a sudden vision of him and his brothers fighting to push her and then running really fast and using her as a sled. “I think you and the boys would have too much fun with that.”
He grunted. “You’re already catching the vision of the Brady boys.”
The truth was that she couldn’t envision anything else, not since that first night when he’d picked her up and carried her back to her sister’s house. Just thinking about being so close to him was overwhelming. “I’d better go get some sleep.”
“Okay, good night.”
“Night.”
She turned off her phone and stared out at the moon through her window. She was Ocean Brady’s fake fiancée. Why did that thought suddenly make her nervous?
It was like the realness of the fake engagement was finally hitting her.
Chapter 10
Ocean pulled up to Augusta’s house, driving the fifteen-passenger van that he’d rented for the next couple of days.
Ty was sitting shotgun next to him. He lifted his fist into the air. “Party!”
There was no response. Ocean winced. Before the Bradys had left Ocean’s house, they’d been informed that anytime Ty lifted his fist into the air and shouted “party!” they were supposed to repeat it back to him.
In the rearview mirror, Ocean could see many of the wives putting their heads onto his brothers’ shoulders, and Luna shot Ty an irritated look from the second row.
“Party,” his mother said half-heartedly. The bracelets on her wrist jingled as she put her fist out.
Ocean gave Ty a tight smile. Four more days, he reminded himself. It had been his mantra all through breakfast as Ty was his usual, slightly annoying and frantic self. He loved his bro, but Ty needed to take it down a notch.
“I’ll be right back,” Ocean said, stepping out of the van.
“Right on.” Ty threw the front door open and jumped out too. He had offered to give up shotgun earlier, acting like it was a huge, huge sacrifice. Sure it was.
He walked toward the door, but Augusta opened it before he got there. “Hey, you don’t have to do that,” he told her. “I like being a gentleman.”
She waved a hand into the air and glanced at the big van. “Whoa.”
He stopped, wanting to talk to her privately for a sec. “Hold up.”
He realized that all eyes would be on them, so he put his arm around her and pulled her in. She smelled like fresh tangerine. She hugged him back, and even though he knew it was an act, it felt good to hold a woman in his arms.
She giggled. “Laying it on so thick already?”
Their eyes met, and he smiled at her. She smiled back as if they were sharing an awesome secret. He couldn’t help it: he leaned in and gently pressed his lips to hers.
The crazy thing about this little church kiss agreement was that these kisses packed a magical spark. It was like the less he could get them, the more he wanted them. And right now, he stayed pressed to her lips, holding her close for a bit longer.
She giggled and pushed his chest back. “Ocean.”
“Wahoo!” came a catcall he knew was from Ty.
She was blushing and putting her hand to her mouth. “Maybe that’s two church kisses,” she whispered.
He grinned at her. This girl’s innocence was sexy. “No way.”
“Yep, you have five left,” she whispered as she took his hand and laced her fingers through his.
Bam! Another wave of attraction. She made him feel like a teenager. Being with her was a pure and simple experience, so unlike the past women in his life. Together, they walked toward the van. “I think if you enjoy them, then they don’t count,” he teased.
She glared at him. “I don’t enjoy them. This is just a job.”
“Ha.” They got to the passenger side of the van, and he flung the door open for her. “Yeah, right.”
“Thank you.” She smiled up at him.
He walked around to his side, remembering how Susan wouldn’t even let him open doors for her. She’d told him it was chauvinistic, which he�
�d thought was crap. Even though she was a brainiac who was into saving the world, he didn’t remember being so attracted to her. Not like this.
He got in and buckled up, trying to get the comparisons out of his mind.
“Party!” Ty yelled as they pulled out.
“Party,” the rest of them said in a less enthused way.
Augusta grinned in amusement. That was nice too. She liked his family. Unable to stop himself, he leaned in again and swiped a cheek kiss.
“No playing kissy-face all day!” Ty said. “We’re focusing on Disneyland.”
Ocean met her eyes.
She grinned wider at him, mouthing, “Four.”
He laughed and turned onto the freeway. No way was he limiting himself to four more church kisses. She should have agreed to a contract.
Chapter 11
When they arrived at Disneyland, they went right in because Ocean had set up VIP services for his family. In a strange reversal of roles, the Disney characters wanted their autographs, and the Bradys took a few minutes to give them those and talk with them.
It was cool to learn that the Brady brothers were genuinely kind people. Augusta could clearly see where they got it from: their mother. While the boys were busy with their fans, Ellen had made an effort to talk with Augusta and ask questions—about her degree and what she liked about college, and about her interests and what she wanted for the future. Ellen Brady was a lady through and through, and she made Augusta wish she’d grown up with a mother.
For the first couple of hours, they all stuck together, going from ride to ride in a pack. Ocean was fun, and every time she heard his boisterous laugh, it made her laugh right along with him. He included her in all of the jokes with his brothers. Even though there wasn’t any one-on-one time with the girls, the women all tried to ask her questions and bond with her too.
Which was easier for Augusta. After all, you can’t have four sisters and not know how to relate to other women.
Luna was a tougher nut to crack. Even though she was always polite, she kept her emotions in check with everyone except Ty. When he was with her, she was loud and feisty and laughed a lot.