I waved back. The door closed behind him, and my heart thumped painfully as his words echoed in my mind. We might end up getting married for real, and we don’t want that, do we?
As horrible as I felt earlier when I thought we’d gotten married, the cogs and wheels of my mind had turned upon my discovery of the truth about Nate. I’d gone from one extreme to the other, and now some small part of me actually felt slightly disappointed that he and I weren’t legally bound together by something.
Oh, god…
I rubbed the back of my neck as a stark realization sank in. Last night, the cookies weren’t messing with my brain and making me say crazy things that I didn’t really mean. They were revealing a truth which had lain dormant inside me all this time; a truth I’d been too humiliated and afraid to say out loud until now.
I was falling for Nate.
Falling for my pretend boyfriend.
And now I had to pretend I was totally okay with the fact that he wasn’t mine. Okay with the fact that last night was just as fake as the rest. Okay with the fact that I still hadn’t touched him, kissed him, felt him inside me… and probably never would. I had to pretend to everyone, including him, that I was just fine.
Goddammit.
I was getting way too good at faking it…
18
Georgie
“I’m never drinking tequila again.”
Libby groaned as she stretched her arms out, reclining in her white sun lounge. Instead of going out to one of Saint Clare’s many restaurants or cafés for lunch, we’d opted to hang out on her penthouse suite balcony and order room service. That way we could nurse our respective hangovers in the restorative island sunlight without everyone staring at us and wondering why we looked like zombies.
“How many shots did you have after I left last night?” I asked, arching an eyebrow.
Libby let out another groan. “I don’t even remember.”
I grinned. “Welcome to my life. I don’t remember anything from last night at all.”
She snickered. “I’m not surprised.”
“Yeah, yeah. But we all had fun, right?” I quirked a brow.
She made a thumbs-up gesture. “Hell, yeah.”
I pushed my sunglasses up my nose. “How’s Bobby holding up?”
“He’s fine. He went out fishing with his groomsmen at eight. I don’t know how they all managed to get out of bed so early.”
We paused as a room service attendant delivered us coffee, sliced fruits, and freshly-squeezed green juices. Libby held her juice up. “Now this will make us feel better. Apparently kale is super good for your brain. You might even get your memories back.”
I groaned. “I’m not sure I want to.”
She gave me a cheeky smile. “You were pretty out of it,” she said. “But Nate was so great. He took really good care of you.” Her cheeks turned slightly pink. “I messed up, though. He asked me to watch you at one point so he could use the bathroom, but I lost you and you almost got arrested.”
“What?” I threw her a scandalized look.
“Oh, he didn’t tell you? It wasn’t like, the police or anything. Just the casino guards. But still...” She snickered. “Boy, do I have blackmail material on you now.”
I poked my tongue out. “I’ll get something on you eventually. One day you’ll mess up, Little Miss Perfect.”
”Maybe, maybe not.” She giggled and took a sip of her juice. After swallowing her mouthful, she fixed me with a serious expression. “You really should hang on to Nate. He was so amazing, the way he looked after you all night with no complaints. And he isn’t even getting laid!” She grinned, then lifted one brow. “Or have you relaxed your ‘no sex’ policy now?”
I chewed my lower lip and looked at my lap. “No,” I said. But I sure as hell wouldn’t mind doing so now, I silently added.
“Well, hopefully the wait is worth it,” she said. Then she let out a sigh. “I just really hope he and Bobby can sort out their issues one day. It’s been so awkward.”
That was the understatement of the century.
I finished my juice, then put the glass down and replaced it with the coffee mug. “That would be nice,” I replied, choosing my words carefully. I didn’t want to say too much in case I offended her somehow. “What do you think about the whole thing? Do you think they’ll ever resolve it?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Nate is a really smart guy, from what I’ve heard from Bobby. So it’s not surprising he thinks Bobby took all that money, because logically, that’s what it looked like at the time. But I know he didn’t do it. I just wish Nate could have as much faith in him as I do.”
I nodded slowly.
Libby went on, obviously rather fired up about the issue now. “I mean, for god’s sake, Bobby even used to warn him all the time about leaving his personal laptop in the office in case something like that ever happened,” she said. “He’s always tried to help Nate. Nothing else.”
I sipped my coffee as she spoke, not quite knowing what to say. I didn’t want to say I agreed with her, because I still wasn’t sure about Bobby after Nate’s revelation the other day. On the other hand, I didn’t want to say anything that could be construed as me having doubts about him, seeing as she was set to marry him in a week. “Maybe they’ll sort it out one day,” I offered cautiously.
“Hmph. Maybe.” Libby sniffed as she removed her sunglasses and looked at me. “I just don’t get why Nate doesn’t believe Bobby. He’s done everything he can to prove it wasn’t him. Like, sure, he has a lot of money. But it’s all money he earned at the company and through his own private investments.” She sat up and pushed her hair behind her ears, determination to convince me flashing in her eyes. “Even just the wedding stuff—obviously he’s spent a lot on it. All of this.” She waved her hand around us. “But I’ve seen the transactions myself. He’s always been totally open with his finances, and every cent he’s ever spent was from his own money. And I’m not stupid. I think I’d know if my life partner was a criminal hoarding a ton of cash in some offshore account.”
“I know you aren’t stupid. Far from it.” I cocked my head to the side. “But what about Bobby’s new company? I know Nate took it as an affront when he started that. You have to admit it looks a bit—”
“A bit weird.” Libby nodded as she cut in. “I know. But Bobby didn’t start it to be a dick. He was thinking about creating his own brokerage for a while. It was getting awkward working with Nate, seeing as they didn’t really get along.” She paused and inspected a fingernail. “And what about the NDA stuff?”
“What do you mean?”
“Remember how they wanted to keep the whole theft from Nate’s account quiet? They were worried the CryptX investors would pull out if they heard about it, even though it was just Nate’s personal accounts that were targeted.”
I nodded. “Oh, right. Bobby signed an NDA and never said anything.”
“Exactly! If he had some sort of agenda to destroy Nate, he could’ve easily said something to someone and totally tanked CryptX.”
I nodded slowly. I’d had the exact same thought last week. “I guess Nate sees it as a manipulation technique,” I said. “Because if Bobby did tell everyone, it would make it obvious he had a serious problem with his brother and was directly trying to ruin his life. But if he kept quiet, he would look more innocent.” I paused, then held up a hand. “Not saying I think that myself. Just saying how Nate would view it.”
Libby sighed. “Don’t worry, I get it. It’s so awkward trying to stay neutral with those two, right? Always tiptoeing around everything when they’re both in the same room.”
I nodded. “Yeah. I don’t even know what to think half the time.”
She gave me a pleading look. “I know you feel like you have to be on Nate’s side, seeing as he’s your boyfriend and all. I get that. But I know Bobby would never steal a cent from anyone.” She pressed a hand to her heart. “Deep down, I know it. I wouldn’t marry him if I thought
he was even remotely capable. I know he and his brother have had their fights in the past, but that’s it. They were just stupid fights.”
I wondered just how much she knew. Was she aware of the comments Bobby had once made to Nate in regards to their mother’s passing? Did she know he was capable of such cruelty?
I didn’t know if I should bring it up, or how. If I did, Libby might feel as if I were trying to trash her fiancé and turn her against him. Also, Nate told me that story in private, so it wasn’t really mine to share.
I decided to settle for diplomacy and wait until I’d had a little more time to think it over. Right now, my mind was still too cloudy from last night’s cookie encounter to think straight. Whoever said pot didn’t cause hangovers was damn well lying, because I felt like a hot mess.
“I’m sure Bobby feels bad about whatever fights they’ve had in the past,” I said delicately.
Libby nodded. “He does. He told me he’s said and done some awful things to Nate, and he regrets it all the time. I even came home to see him crying about it once.”
Hmm. From that, it sounded like Libby was aware of Bobby’s past actions toward his brother. So that meant she was well aware of what he could be like, but they’d talked it through and she trusted him anyway. I guess it could be the case that he deeply regretted what he said and did to Nate all those years ago, and he truly had nothing to do with the missing money.
Feeling a little lighter, I excused myself to the bathroom to splash my face with water and search for sunscreen. The hot sun had been beating down on us for half an hour now, and I was starting to turn pink. After rummaging through a cupboard, I found a bottle of SPF50+ and decided to take it outside for us both. The last thing my sister needed was a sunburn right before her wedding.
The French doors leading to the balcony were open and Libby was engrossed with her cell phone. She didn’t hear me coming when I padded up behind her with the sunscreen bottle. “I brought this out for you,” I said.
“Jesus!” She jumped in fright and her phone clattered to the tiled floor. “You scared the hell out of me. I thought you’d be in there for longer.” She began to scramble around for her phone.
I laughed and leaned down to grab it for her, seeing as it landed closer to me. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare… hey, what the hell?”
Her phone screen was still on, and I could see a text she’d been in the middle of writing: No, he doesn’t.
From the name at the top of message, I could see she’d been about to send it to Justin Byford, her ex-boyfriend.
I raised an eyebrow and held the phone out to Libby. Her cheeks flushed a deep pink as she hastily snatched it back, and she averted her eyes. “I wish I could say this isn’t what it looks like, but I guess it’s exactly what it looks like,” she mumbled.
“Yeah. It looks like you’re texting your ex,” I said sharply, narrowing my eyes.
What the hell was my little sister playing at?
19
Georgie
Libby groaned and looked at her feet. I put my hands on my hips. “Why, Libby? Why the hell are you speaking to Justin when you’re about to marry Bobby?”
My sister and Justin Byford had dated on and off for three years after meeting at Yale. More off than on. He’d always been a pretentious poser, as far as I was concerned. He clearly fancied himself as a smart, witty guy with his forensic accounting job and bimonthly gig doing standup at some comedy club downtown, but in reality, he was about as intelligent and funny as unseasoned chicken. He was a total asshole to boot. In the years they dated, Libby cried over him more times than I could count.
“Just let me explain before you judge,” Libby said, sitting up straight. Her eyes were wide.
“I’m listening.”
She sighed. “He started texting me last week. I think he heard from a mutual friend of ours that I was getting married soon.”
“So he was offering his congratulations?” I said sarcastically. I knew Justin would never do such a thing.
“No.” She shook her head. “It’s actually kind of… sad. He said he was happy for me at first, but then he started going on about how bad his life is now. His last girlfriend dumped him over a year ago, and he lost his job at that accounting firm as well.”
“How is that your problem?”
She shrugged. “It’s not, but I feel really bad for the guy. My life is going so well, and it seems like everything totally fell apart for him. I guess I feel a bit responsible.”
“Why? Because you’re happy and he’s not?” I said, crinkling my forehead.
“Sort of, yeah.” She pressed her lips into a thin line.
I rolled my eyes. “Let me remind you, the last time you spoke to him, he called you a loser and dumped you because he didn’t think you would ever be successful as a writer, and he wanted a woman who was more equal to him.” I put the word ‘equal’ in air quotes. “In other words, he wanted some sort of pretentious trust fund baby girlfriend with an old family name, so he could have someone to introduce to all those people he was always trying to impress.”
“Yeah, I know. And look how well that turned out for him.” She raised a brow. “He lost that cushy job of his, so who’s the loser now?”
I scoffed. “Exactly. So why do you feel so bad for him?”
“It’s like you said. I’m so happy now. I have everything I ever wanted and needed, and he’s just miserable and alone. So desperate he’s hitting up ex-girlfriends for conversation. I feel kinda guilty for being so happy while he’s basically in a pit of despair.”
“So you’ve been texting him back to try and make him feel better?”
“Yes. And before you say anything else, I already know it’s stupid.” She held her hands up. “I’ve only been saying super-vague stuff because I didn’t really want to let him back in, for obvious reasons. I figured the conversation would eventually die out, but he just messaged me again, asking if Bobby knows I’ve been talking to him.”
“Oh. So that’s what the message I just saw was about.”
Libby nodded, and her cheeks turned a deeper shade of pink. “Yes.”
I cocked my head to the side. “So why doesn’t Bobby know? Wouldn’t you be mad if he was texting an ex behind your back?”
“Yes. I’d be furious! I know I should’ve told him that Justin contacted me.” She sighed and looked out over the sparkling azure ocean as a gentle breeze blew up a strand of her strawberry blonde hair. “I just worried he wouldn’t get it, and he’d think there was something going on, even though I’d never cheat.”
“But hiding it makes it look like there is something going on,” I said gently, sitting down again. “You see that, right?”
She nodded glumly. “Yes. I know. But how would I explain it to him?”
“The same way you just explained it to me. Justin’s a loser, and he tried hitting you up because his life is in shambles and he heard you were finally happy. You felt guilty because you’re in a way better place, so you were just being friendly.”
She bit her lower lip. “It’s so much easier to say than actually do it.”
“Libby….”
She held up a hand. “Fine, you’re right. I’ll tell Bobby.” A defeated sigh escaped her lips. “Why do I feel so responsible for Justin? I should’ve just told him to buzz off. Or never responded at all.”
I grinned. “It’s because you’re too smart for your own good. It makes you obsessed with fixing things.”
“You think?”
I nodded. “Even when you were a kid you were like that. You used to fix my computer all the time, remember? And that purple bike I had.”
She laughed. “Yes. The front wheel always fell off it.”
“You also want to fix this thing between Bobby and Nate, but let’s face it—it probably won’t happen. That ship sailed a long time ago.” I sighed. “Now Justin is trying to guilt-trip you, and you feel like you have to fix all his problems too.’” I raised an eyebrow. “Sound about right?�
�
Libby nodded sheepishly. “I guess.”
I patted her arm again. “Fix the things you can. Be a good partner to Bobby. Forget about the past and how Justin’s life turned out. It’s not your business to worry about. He made his own bed. He can damn well lie in it.”
She smiled and rolled her eyes in a good-natured way. “Okay, I get it. You’re right, as usual.”
I laughed. “I’m not usually right, believe me.” Otherwise I might’ve actually been nicer to Nate in recent weeks…
Libby hesitated and looked back out at the sea, then glanced at me with a side-eyed gaze. “Can I ask you something super personal? There’s a long story attached.”
I patted her hand. “Sure. As long as you start putting this on while you tell me.” I held up the sunscreen bottle.
Libby smiled and started lathering the cool white cream over her arms, face and neck. “It’s about Bobby,” she began. Then she twisted her lips. “Well, no, it’s more about me. But it involves him.”
“Go on.”
“Do you remember when I was about sixteen or seventeen, and I was obsessed with following in Mom’s footsteps and becoming a programmer like she was back in the day? But then I hit eighteen, and bam, I wanted to be a writer instead. Actual words, not code.”
I furrowed my brows. I remembered it well, but I wasn’t sure what it had to do with her relationship. “Uh… yeah.”
She trained her gaze directly on me, blue eyes wide. “I love Bobby more than anything. I adore him. But what if that same thing happens? What if I wake up one day and suddenly feel different?”
“You’re asking this one week before your wedding?” I said. She sighed and nodded dejectedly. I squeezed her arm. “Lib, come on! It’s perfectly normal for people to change career paths and hobbies, especially when they’re young. I mean, I used to want to be a gymnast when I was a kid. Remember that?”
Mr. Man Candy: A Fake Boyfriend Romance Page 17