Page 100 of Pretend Girlfriend

“I’m so glad to hear it. Oh, and I have something that will make you feel better.” She started swiping on her phone. “The photographer sent me some preliminary photos. Most won’t be ready until next week, but when I saw this one, I knew I had to show you right away!”

She showed us her screen. It was a close-up photo of me and Landon on the beach, staring into each other’s eyes.

“What a beautiful moment!” Danicka exclaimed, as if the photo had been candid rather than forced. “If that isn’t true love, then I don’t know what is! I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but maybe we’ll be having another Jamaica honeymoon before long.”

She went off to meet Clark at his table. I gave Landon a forced smile, and he focused on his eggs while shaking his head.

But despite the forced nature, it was a good photo of the two of us. Ironic considering we were the fakest couple in Jamaica.

We went to the beach after breakfast, snagging the same chairs we’d been using all week. Landon peeled off his shirt and closed his eyes while I began reading my book.

I kept glancing over at him, though. He was in my peripheral view, tan and muscular. Once again, I thought about how well we meshed together. We were quiet and comfortable in each other’s presence, without the need to talk. That was a rare thing, in my experience—not just in relationships, but friendships in general.

“Hey,” I said after a little while.

He rolled his head over to face me.

“I just wanted to say I’m having a great time on this trip, in spite of the drama that has happened. I needed a vacation. Even if I’m spending half my time pretending to be someone I’m not.”

“Glad this arrangement has worked out for everyone involved,” he replied. “Even though Mom has been annoying, she would be a million times worse if she thought I was single. I’m actually enjoying myself, too. There’s just one problem.”

“What’s that?”

“I am not looking forward to our breakup. Mom likes you so much, she might take your side instead of mine.”

I laughed and shook my head. “I’ve finally won over a boyfriend’s mom, and it’s not even real. Ain’t that a bitch?”

“Life is unfair,” he agreed.

I looked beyond him and winced. “Speak of the devil…”

“There you are!” Danicka exclaimed. “Since your ankle is better, I decided to book you on another activity.”

“You really didn’t need to—” I tried to say, but Danicka bulled through my protests.

“I booked a parasailing outing for you two. It’ll be so much fun!”

Landon groaned. “I get motion sickness, Mom. You know this.”

Danicka gave her son a hard scowl. “I knew you had it when you were a boy, but I assumed you grew out of it as an adult. Can’t you just, I don’t know, power through it?”

“That’s not how it works, Mom.”

She rolled her eyes. “Very well. Joanna will have a great time without you. Be at the activity hut at two.”

“Actually,” Landon said, “Joanna probably wants to relax on the beach today.”

“Nonsense! Joanna wants to parasail, even if her boyfriend refuses to go. Right, Joanna?”

Without waiting for a response, she strode away.

“Maybe I spoke too soon about mom being easier to deal with,” Landon muttered.

“Thanks for trying to get me off the hook. Maybe I should have pretended my ankle is still too swollen to walk.”

“If you want, I can break it for you,” Landon offered.

“Don’t tempt me!”

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