Page 11 of (Not Really) Faking It With My Best Friend's Brother

"Alright," I said, taking a deep breath as we continued walking along the riverside path. "It isn't the end of the world, but now that the story is online and people know, we need to come up with a plan for how we fell in love." I paused, glancing at Nate. "What did you tell Tiffany?"

Nate looked flustered as he admitted to telling her we had been secretly seeing each other for a few months to maintain our privacy.

"Secretly?" I raised an eyebrow, unable to suppress a grin. "That sounds very cloak-and-dagger. So, what's our story?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know we can say it started when I came to the library to do some research. We got to talking, and one thing led to another."

"Very smooth." I laughed, feeling my spirits lift in response to Nate's easygoing demeanor. Then, a thought struck me. "Wait, did you actually tell Tiffany that we fell in love in the library?"

"No," he replied, rolling his eyes playfully. "But it sounds like the most logical plan, don't you think?"

As we continued brainstorming, Nate brought up a memory that I had almost forgotten about. "Remember that time you stayed the night with Emily, and the three of us went to the lake? I think it was my junior year. I had gotten my license, and Emily begged me to drive y’all there. I was not happy about it, but it ended up being a lot of fun."

A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth as the memory resurfaced. I had forgotten to put on sunscreen and looked like a lobster the next morning. "That was a great day."

I watched as Nate's eyes sparkled with mischief, a grin spreading across his face. “I recall us having a water fight at the lake and you calling a truce before I could get you back. Maybe it’s time for payback.” Suddenly, his hand skimmed the water's surface, sending a spray of droplets onto my unsuspecting face.

"Hey! I have to go back to work." I sputtered, wiping droplets from my glasses.

“Oops," Nate pretended to be innocent, but I could see the playful glint in his eyes. "My bad."

The laughter bubbled up before I could even register it, and I found myself reaching down to scoop water in retaliation. "Two can play that game," I declared, flinging the water toward him. He yelped in surprise and dodged, but not before some of the water hit its target.

The next few minutes were a flurry of splashing, dodging, and laughter as we engaged in our impromptu water fight. For that brief moment in time, all thoughts of fake relationships, confusing emotions, and town gossip melted away. The world around us seemed to blur, leaving only the simple joy of connection and shared laughter that felt like a balm to my soul. “Okay, truce. I really do have to get back to work. Thankfully, I have an extra shirt in my secret stash at the library.” I hosted arts and crafts with the kids sometimes and never knew when I might get paint or something on my shirt.

"Okay, I will text you tomorrow," Nate murmured, leaning in for an awkward hug that made me blush despite myself.

"See you later," I whispered as I hugged him back and then turned to head back to the library.

I took a deep breath as I entered the Rivermint Cove Library, mentally preparing myself for the onslaught of questions I knew was coming.

As soon as the library doors closed behind me, a whirlwind of red curls practically tackled me. “Susan! Is it true?” Frances exclaimed, her freckles dancing with excitement. "You and Dr. Reynolds are engaged? When is the wedding? Can I help with planning it?"

Her rapid-fire questions hit me like a barrage of snowballs in a winter war. I opened and closed my mouth like a fish out of water. "Well…uh…Frances! One question at a time. We only just made it official."

“That’s okay. Early days, but don’t you worry. I am going to make sure you have the most amazing wedding ever!” She paused and then totally disregarded my one-question-at-a-time statement. “What are your favorite colors? Do you think it will be indoor or outdoor?”

Before Frances could voice another question, my phone chimed from my pocket. "Hold that thought," I told Frances, pulling the device out.

"Call me ASAP!" it read. My stomach dropped. I’m sure Emily had heard the news. “Excuse me, Frances. We will talk later.”

Hands shaking, I slipped into the back room and called Emily. She picked up immediately.

"Susan Marie Phillips, how could you not tell me you and my brother are engaged?! What is going on?" Emily cried.

I cringed. "Listen, Emily, it's not what you think..."

I took a deep breath and explained the whole fake engagement situation, ending with a pleading, "Please don't tell anyone it's not real!"

Emily was quiet for a moment. "Wow," she said finally. "I can't believe Nate came up with a scheme like that."

I could hear the skepticism in her voice. "I know it seems crazy."

"Oh, it's definitely crazy," Emily agreed. "But I trust you, so I'll keep your secret."

I sighed in relief. "Thank you. This means the world to me."

"Just be careful, okay?" Emily said gently. "I don't want to see you or Nate get hurt. And you know how important our friendship is. I don’t want to get in the middle if something goes wrong."

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