Page 72 of My Fake Fiancé

I step out onto the sidewalk and head into the city looking for a place to drink my coffee and eat my donut. Today is going to be a great day, I smile at everyone passing by.

Chapter 62

Juliana

After walking a few blocks I realize how tired I am. I didn't get much sleep last night and I was woken up early this morning. I yawn and take a sip from my coffee hoping it'll help to wake me up. I finished the donut on the way down to the lobby and although it had only been fifteen or so minutes, my stomach was starting to growl.

Luckily for me, there are more than a few breakfast shops in our area, and all of them open at 6 a.m. or 6:30 a.m.

I find one I've been to before and liked so I stop in and wait in the surprisingly long line to order my food while I sip my coffee. The line moves along fairly quickly and I order a spinach quiche. I pay for my food then wait patiently while the cashier warms the quiche then hands it over and I head off to find a seat.

I sit down to eat, tucking my legs under me and pulling a book out of my purse. If everything works out, I'll have to give Tatyana and Mike a few hours alone. Which I'm assuming it will. The quiche is good and I eat every bite while I also devour my book.

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With the exciting week celebrating Tatyana and Mike's engagement, Thursday rolls around quickly. I almost forget about it but Tatyana reminds me.

"No, T. This whole week is about you!" I gesture around to all the decorations and bags covering our apartment. " Your engagement party is three weeks this Saturday! We have so much to do."

"Juli! Goooo! You deserve the night off. Plus I know you want to see Kurt again." She wiggles her eyebrows at me and I immediately fling a piece of candy at her that I had been about to stuff into a little gift bag. Tatyana gives me a look and tosses a few candies back at me then laughs.

"I'm not saying it wouldn't be nice to see him," I say as I get back to work, finishing the bag in hand and moving on to another one. "I just think this is more important."

Tatyana groans then pushes herself off the floor and she disappears down the hallway to our bedrooms. I've filled four more gift bags by the time she gets back. I look up and my hand stops midair.

"Why do you have my clothes?" Eyeing her suspiciously, I resume filling the bag.

"This is your outfit for tonight." She holds up an older pair of my jeans, that hug all the right curves and have a few tasteful rips in them, and my favorite dark green sweater. She tosses them next to me. "Oh, I almost forgot something!" She shouts and turns back down the hallway calling over her shoulder, "Put those on while I grab this!"

Reluctantly, I strip down and wiggle myself into the jeans and pull the sweater over my head. Tatyana comes back into the living room with my dark green booties.

"You don't think that's too much?" I put them on then take the small gold clutch she shoves in my direction.

"No, it's perfect. Damn, you always have the best shoes." Tatyana sits down, admiring my shoes. "Too bad not all your shoes fit me. I would steal a different pair every day."

"Hmm, I guess I know what to get you for each part of your wedding that requires gifts."

"Yes, please! But don't spend too much money. I know weddings include so many opportunities to give gifts but honestly, you don't have to give me any. Especially because you've been such a big help planning everything and making everything basically."

"I've actually already ordered some items," I say mysteriously, and now it's my turn to wiggle my eyebrows at her. Although, I'm not very good at it so we both end up laughing. Tatyana pulls me into a hug. "I'm so happy for you, T"

"I know it's so weird, especially with all that's been happening to you lately." I start to interrupt her but she plows through. "But it's something that I've been thinking about a lot and going through it with you and seeing you and Kurt planning and getting ready, well it just made me realize that I want that."

"Want what? A wedding?"

"No, well yes that too." Tatyana chuckles. "I know you don't see it but everyone else does. You two were great together. And Juliana, he really liked you. He probably still does. The way he looked at you. And you looked at him. I debated breaking up with Mike because I didn't think he looked at me that way. But I took the time to really stop and I just noticed, well, he does. I know it's hard for us to see when someone truly loves us. But I know now he does. And I love him. And Juli dear, Kurt loves you."

Tatyana renders me speechless so I just pull her in for another hug. She's right. Mike does look at her a certain way. I can't believe she had doubts. But I guess that makes what she said even more accurate.

"Why do you have to bring this up now?" I groan and pull away from her, Tatyana looks surprised by my reaction. "Now, I'm going to have to spend a whole evening with a couple I hardly know, pretending I am in love with the man sitting beside me but also pretending that I'm not."

"Wow, that was a confusing sentence. But what I gathered is that you are in love with him. So you won't be pretending. Just be you. Let yourself be happy. Even if for now it's only for one night. You never know what might happen." Tatyana grabs one of my candies, unwrapping it and popping it into her mouth.

"I'm taking a bag with me because lord knows I need to stress eat some candy." I hurry off to the bathroom to freshen up and before I know it I hear Tatyana talking to a familiar voice.

"She'll be just a minute. Can I get you anything to drink while you wait?"

I tune out the pleasantries and make sure I've reapplied deodorant and put on a splash of perfume. Fluffing my hair, I step into the hallway and see Kurt with his back to me drinking a glass of water. Even from the back, my heart flutters when I see him. He looks handsome and elegant. When I reach them Kurt turns around and smiles at me. His eyes flick up and down my body quickly before returning to my eyes, his cheeks turning a shade of pink because it was clear that he was checking me out. I try to hide my smile.

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