Her Guy Next Door Fake Fiancé

by Rachelle J. Christensen

  Liza looked askance at the junk food and rolled her eyes. “At this point, I know better than to argue with you.”

  “What were you saying earlier? That you didn’t know enough about me?”

  Liza rolled her eyes again, and Jaime barely held back a laugh.

  A few minutes later, they were situated in her hotel room with an ice-cold glass of Diet Coke and a pile of chocolate raisins. Liza had kicked off her heels and sprawled across the bed as soon as the door had closed.

  Jaime lounged on the little sofa, looking out the window. “You know what else might do you good?”

  “No, but I’m sure you’ll tell me.”

  “A little more sunshine. We should walk around the hotel grounds, soak up some vitamin D, and then get back to work.”

  “Right after I take a fifteen-minute power nap,” Liza replied.

  “That sounds like an excellent idea.” Jaime hopped up from the sofa and headed through the adjoining doors. Liza could see him fiddling with his phone, probably to set a timer on his way out.

  She smiled and rolled over, closing her eyes. She cleared her mind with two deep breaths in and pushed thoughts of Mark away with two breaths out.

  True to his word, Jaime returned fifteen minutes later, and they spent five minutes walking in the sunshine before returning to the convention center. They were both so busy for the rest of the day that Liza hardly had time to think about Mark and his slime factor. Just before six, Liza had met all of her goals for the two-day conference and felt relieved that she would be able to exceed Rick’s expectations. All except where Mark was concerned.

  Jaime was talking to another prospective client when Liza’s phone buzzed with an incoming text.

  Rick: I got an interesting message from Mark today. Said the meeting didn’t go as well as he had hoped and wondered if there was a chance you could meet with him again Saturday? Did he talk to you about this?

  Liza looked up and saw Jaime handing a business card to a man and woman in another booth. He was calm, cool, and collected. He didn’t let anything ruffle his feathers. How would he respond? Liza pursed her lips and decided to take charge of her life.

  Liza: Yes. Actually, we covered everything in the meeting, and I left him with extra information. From this point on, he wants to work with you directly. If he says differently, it’s probably just because he’s trying not to hurt my feelings. Thanks for the opportunities. This convention is going well!

  Liza held her breath as she waited for Rick to respond. When she received a thumbs-up, she wanted to cheer. She couldn’t wait to tell Jaime. She had carefully disentangled herself from Mark without making waves at work. At least, that’s what she hoped.

  15

  The convention center was emptying quickly as the clock ticked past six. Liza wondered if she looked as tired as her feet felt. She and Jaime had walked around booths for the last hour, meeting people and collecting business cards. A woman approached them, and Liza remembered meeting her earlier. Her name was Margo, and she worked with a company that designed banners for elementary schools.

  “A bunch of us are headed to the bar down by the pool. Want to come along?” Margo asked.

  “I just need to change out of these heels and take a breather first,” Liza responded.

  She looked at Jaime, and he nodded, although he didn’t look enthusiastic about the idea.

  “We’ll see you two lovebirds later,” Margo said.

  As soon as she was out of earshot, Jaime said, “I’d rather not go to the bar. It’s just not my scene.”

  “Me neither, but it is a good way to network.” As soon as Liza had finished her sentence, she remembered the rumor about Jaime and his drinking. She still hadn’t asked him about the DUI. They stepped inside the elevator, and she leaned against the wall. “Jaime, do you have a drinking problem?”

  Jaime’s shoulders fell, and a sigh escaped in the quiet of the elevator. “I used to. It was a short phase. I’m not proud of it, but it’s how I coped for a while after my divorce.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. We definitely don’t need to go to the bar.”

  Jaime rubbed his hand over his forehead, closing his eyes. “There’s more you should probably know. I’m surprised you haven’t heard already.”

  Liza waited. She didn’t want to attempt to fill in the blank with what she’d heard.

  “When I first moved to Echo Ridge, I was arrested for driving while intoxicated.”

  “Oh.” Liza waited two beats before asking, “So you decided to stop drinking after that?”

  Jaime lifted one shoulder and let it drop. “That’s what I told myself, but occasionally I still had a drink.” The elevator opened, and they walked down the hall in silence. Liza opened the door to her room and motioned for Jaime to come inside. He followed somewhat tentatively. “I’ll understand if you’re angry about this. I probably should’ve told you sooner.”

  Liza folded her arms and looked at him. “If you still have a problem with it, then yes, you should have told me, but if it’s under control, it’s in the past.”

  Jaime sighed again and sat down in the chair. He kicked his shoes off. “I wanted it to be much further in the past. But that morning I pulled out in front of you, I’d had a lot of trouble sleeping and ended up taking a drink. I haven’t had a drink since.”

  “Were you drunk that morning?” Liza couldn’t keep the judgment from her voice.

  “No. No. It just scared me ’cause I realized how much trouble I could be in if I’d been in an accident and drank enough for another DUI.”

  “Still, that’s beyond irresponsible.”

  “I know. You’re right. That’s why I decided right then to stop.” Jaime looked up at her. “That’s why I won’t go to the bar tonight even if it means missing out on networking.”

  Liza felt hurt, even as she told herself that it was illogical. She didn’t know Jaime—couldn’t expect to know everything about him in a week. But then the realization hit her like a bucket of cold water. “That’s why you didn’t want to call the cops. That’s why you agreed to everything—because you were afraid of getting another DUI.”

  The look on Jaime’s face could be placed next to the definition of chagrined in the dictionary. “I’m not proud of it,” he murmured. “I made a lot of mistakes.”

  “I wish you would’ve told me.”

  “There really hasn’t been many openings to say, ‘Hey, I have a DUI on my record.’”

  The hurt multiplied, and Liza’s lungs felt tight. The room was too quiet. “I feel really stupid. I thought you were doing me a huge favor, when all along I was playing right into your hands.”

  “That’s not fair. We made an agreement, and I’m keeping my end of the bargain.”

  “Is that all this is, then? An agreement?” Liza’s voice rose, and it wobbled a bit on the ending.

  Jaime pressed his lips together. “I don’t know, Liza. We’re pretending. This is all fake. I don’t know what the rules are.”

  His words felt like a slap in the face. She looked at him and then down at the floor, nodding slowly. “You’re right. We are pretending. This was my idea. I thought we were friends, though, and I’m generally honest with my friends.” She thought about Nita and the truth she’d kept back about Jaime. That was different, wasn’t it?

  “I wasn’t lying to you. I’m honest with my friends too.”

  “Just because you didn’t tell me a lie doesn’t mean you’re not lying to me. If you misled me, let me believe things that aren’t true, that is the same as lying to me.” Liza meant every word that she said. She wasn’t angry. She was disappointed.

  “You’re right. You deserve better than that. Look, I want to be honest—”

  “Me too. And if I’m being honest, then right now I need a break. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  Jaime stood with a confused look on his face. “But I thought we were going out.”

  “No. I’m tired and my feet hurt. Thanks for your help to
day.” Liza stood and followed Jaime over to the adjoining door. She waited for him to go through, and then she shut hers and locked it. Part of her wanted to be dramatic and slam it, but life wasn’t a drama.

  Do not cry, Liza told herself. She got herself into this mess, and she could be a big girl and see it through. If only she could understand why she felt so hurt that Jaime was keeping secrets. Why did she feel like she had a right to his secrets? And why did it hurt so much when Jaime had reminded her that they were just pretending?

  Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. She hadn’t been just pretending today. When Jaime nuzzled her neck and kissed her cheek, it had sent a thrill through her like nothing she’d ever experienced before. Liza put her face in her hands and groaned. She’d made a mess of things and overreacted when she should’ve been understanding of Jaime’s situation. But she didn’t know how to fix it now.

  She took a hot shower and then wrapped up in a towel and lay down on the bed. The headache had lurked in the background for most of the day, just waiting for its chance to return. Maybe she could nap for a few minutes and things would make sense when she awoke. She fell asleep faster than she would’ve guessed.

  The next thing to enter her consciousness was a loud noise. Liza squinted at the digital clock on the nightstand. It was eight thirty; she’d been asleep for an hour. She rolled onto her back, trying to pinpoint what the sound was. Had it been a knock on her door? She held still and listened, but there were no other noises.

  Stretching her arms overhead, she got up and slipped on her pajamas. Hunger was gnawing at her stomach. That noise still bothered her, so she tiptoed over to the main door and looked through the peephole. No one stood outside her door, but she could see the edge of what looked like a tray. She opened her door a crack, and she was rewarded with the sight of a room service tray and a delicious aroma that set her stomach to roaring.

  A card on the tray had her room number written on it. She picked it up and flipped it over, gasping when she saw a smiley face next to Jaime’s name. Lifting the tray carefully, she went back inside her room, setting it on the bed. When she took off the silver cover, her mouth watered. “Chicken alfredo. He remembered.”

  Suddenly she felt like crying again, but Liza wrote it off as hunger and fatigue mixed with too many emotions. She scooped up a bite of the noodles dripping with white sauce and devoured it. It was absolutely delicious.

  Jaime had only left a smiley face on the card, but the noodles might as well have spelled out his apology. And for how good they tasted, Liza accepted it. Now it was time for her to bridge the gap. She felt awkward, almost like she’d been sucked back to her teenage years. Jaime was kind and thoughtful. He’d stood up for her and went well beyond the role of the fake fiancé.

  Once she’d eaten, Liza walked to the balcony, opened the sliding glass door and stepped outside. Maybe some fresh air would give her an idea of how to remedy her current situation.

  “Nice out here, isn’t it?”

  Liza jumped and covered her mouth to stifle a scream.

  Jaime was leaning over his balcony. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” He looked somber. No smiles.

  “I’m just a little jumpy.” Liza leaned forward. “Thank you for dinner. It was delicious and such a nice thing to do.”

  Jaime shrugged. “Figured if you were half as hungry as I was, it wouldn’t go to waste.”

  “But you remembered. It’s my favorite.” Liza rested her cheek in her palm and looked at Jaime. “I’m really sorry that I overreacted. You have a right to your secrets. You have your own life, and I have mine. I’m sorry I crossed the line. Can we still be friends?”

  “Of course.” Jaime stood up straighter. “They are my secrets, but I want to share them with you. I guess it was hard to know how much I could trust you, but once I did know, then I was sort of a coward.”

  Liza gripped the railing and leaned forward. “I’m a coward. I haven’t been standing up for myself and my life. I’ve been letting people cross every boundary and break every rule. You taught me in just a few days what I need to do to make a change. I won’t forget that.”

  “Well, I don’t want to be a coward anymore. I want to tell you —”

  Liza’s phone started ringing. She hesitated and looked down. “It’s my mom. Do you mind if I take this?”

  Jaime nodded, his smile faltering. “Go ahead. I should probably call my mom too.”

  Her mom was calling to tell Liza that Sharla had passed away earlier that afternoon.

  “Oh, Mom, I’m so sorry. I’m glad you’re there to help Marianne. Does she have other family coming?”

  “Yes, but I’ve been with her most of the day. We were hoping she could last until Christmas, but Sharla insisted that she was going to celebrate Christmas in heaven.”

  Liza smiled. “It sounds like she was at peace.”

  “Yes, she was,” Mom replied. “And I know the pain was intense the past week. She’s finally at rest.”

  “I’ll add Marianne and her family to my prayers. I would have loved to have you with me here in Florida, but I’m glad you stayed home.”

  “Me too. You take care of yourself, and don’t work too hard.”

  “Okay. Love you, Mom.”

  By the time Liza got off the phone with her mom it was getting late, and with the early start in the morning, she figured it was best to leave things as they were with Jaime. It seemed like he’d been about to tell her something, but she didn’t want to press him. Instead, she sent a text thanking him for dinner again and wishing him a good night.

  Jaime texted back a minute later: Sweet dreams. I’ll see you in the morning.

  Liza smiled and hugged her phone. They hadn’t exactly sorted everything out, but she felt better about her fake fiancé. Good enough to face another day.

  16

  He’d been so close to telling her about Alex. But once the moment had passed, Jaime didn’t know how to recapture it. They didn’t see much of each other during Saturday either; they worked nonstop, separately circling in the large conference area as they spoke with different business owners and took down potential client details.

  Maybe he’d find an opening that night. They were planning to walk down to get a hamburger and fries for dinner. He’d found a diner that had been featured on one of the many foodie shows he’d watched, and he’d convinced Liza to go for standard American fare. He hoped that the diner would live up to its hype. He also hoped that something in the food would induce his honesty. If he couldn’t find a way to tell Liza tonight, then he’d take her out on a date when they got back and tell her then. The pressure of the fake engagement would be off, and they could start over. Jaime looked in the mirror and straightened the collar of his dress shirt. Confident with his new plan, he walked over and knocked on the adjoining door.

  Liza answered, and his breath caught in his throat when he met her eyes. Her face was bright and just a tiny bit sun-kissed from their walks in the Florida heat. When she smiled, her brown eyes danced, and it took all of his concentration not to stare at her full pink lips. Maybe they’d be in luck later and run into Mark so he could kiss her again. He only felt a little guilty for that thought.

  “You look beautiful, Liza, and happy too.”

  “I am happy. We made it through this conference, and we get to go home tomorrow. No more pretending.”

  “Yeah, and all kinds of great business potential in the works.” Jaime’s spirits fell a notch. He didn’t want to stop being with her, but he didn’t want to pretend either. He had developed feelings for her, and he didn’t know how to convey the truth of those feelings in their current fake engagement.

  “I’m starving. You said the diner is close by?” Liza grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder.

  “We’ll be there in five minutes if we walk fast and hit the lights right.” Jaime held out his hand, and Liza took it as they exited the room.

  They rounded the hallway to the right and saw Mark a split second b
efore he saw them. “I need to talk to Liza,” he said.

  “No, you don’t,” Jaime replied tersely. “The conference is over.”

  “Liza, please,” Mark implored, and somehow, he made his eyes appear shiny with unshed tears. “I still love you. Why won’t you give me a chance to show you how much I care about you?”

  Liza straightened. “I want you to leave me alone, and if you care about me, you will stop harassing me.”

  Mark stepped forward, but Jaime moved in front of Liza. “She didn’t stutter.”

  “You think you can just take her away?” Mark spat.

  “I’m not taking her away, because she wasn’t yours. Just because you realize now that you made the worst mistake of your life doesn’t mean that you can change things.” Jaime stepped forward, looking down at Mark. “Don’t talk to Liza again. You’re not a part of her life, and you never will be.”

  Mark glared at Jaime. “This isn’t over.” He gasped and dodged to the side when Jaime lifted his fist. “I’ll call security!”

  “Go right ahead.” Jaime continued to lift his fist upward until he rested his chin on it and looked at Liza. Her lips twitched with a barely concealed smile.

  Mark huffed and stomped off. To her credit, Liza was stoic and she held her ground, not even flinching as Mark stalked past her.

  Jaime pushed the elevator button and ushered Liza in through the doors as they slid open. He turned and pulled her into a hug. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, thank you.”

  Jaime held her and didn’t say anything until they’d exited the elevator. He took her hand again. “I don’t want him to ruin our night.”

  “I’m worried that Mark will say something to my boss about me being engaged.”

  “He shouldn’t say something about that. It’s totally unrelated to business,” Jaime replied.