Page 128 of Pretend Girlfriend

Everyone from the honeymoon party was now gathered around except Austin and Wyatt. “Wow, that’s going to leave a mark!” Uncle Robert said.

“Not the time!” Joanna hissed at him.

Uncle Robert rolled his eyes and gave everyone a “what’s her problem?” look.

It wasn’t over, yet. This was a disaster, but nobody knew Joanna was my fake girlfriend. I could still hold my story together.

“How could you!” I demanded of Joanna. “After we brought you on the honeymoon trip? After you were in all the wedding photos? After you gave a speech at the wedding?”

“Leave her alone!” Theo tossed down his drinks and moved between us. “You’ve always been a shitty boyfriend to her. This is as much your fault as it is hers.”

“Excuse me?” I replied.

Theo grabbed a handful of my shirt, and leaned in close enough to whisper without anyone noticing. “Hit me. Make it real. I’ll be the bad guy. It’ll protect your story.” Then he shoved me so hard I nearly stumbled in the sand.

I stared at him in confusion. Theo knew Joanna was faking being my girlfriend? I wondered when that had come up. But at least he was on my side, theoretically.

“Come on, big man!” he practically spat at me. “Or are you too afraid to shout at someone your own size?”

It was all too much for me. Everyone in my family, everyone gathered around us, now thought my girlfriend was cheating on me with this man. There was also the very real anger and jealousy I felt at Theo as he puffed up his chest. I took two steps forward, pulled back my fist, and slugged him in the jaw.

Pain flared in my knuckles, enough to make me double over and cradle my wrist. Holy shit, punching someone hurt. Why didn’t they show that in the movies?

Theo staggered backward, then touched his jaw with his fingers. “I’ve taken better punches playing flag football.”

I struck out with my other arm, a vicious backhand that knocked Theo sideways and caused everyone to flinch.

“Stop it!” Joanna shrieked while grabbing my arm. “Don’t do this!”

She made a convincing picture: I couldn’t tell if she was faking it, or being serious. I loomed over Theo, balling my hands into fists at my side.

“How could you do this?” I yelled at him.

Theo let out a roar and tackled me in the gut, sending us both to the sand. I tried to punch him again, but he was on top of me and was pinning one arm to the side.

“This is going great!” he whispered with a quick flash of a grin. “I think they’re buying it!”

“You slept with her?” I roared at him, my own anger slipping out more than before.

That caught him off guard enough to loosen his grip on my arm, and I punched him in the jaw again. He groaned and shifted his weight, allowing me to roll him sideways and get on top.

“You’re supposed to be a friend of our family!” I screamed at him. “What kind of a friend does this?!”

“I care about her!” Theo shouted back.

That gave me a moment of hesitation. Was he still acting?

“Stop it!” Joanna yelled, grabbing my arm and trying to pull me away. “Don’t do this!”

“What the fuck!” Austin suddenly said. He and Wyatt were coming down the walkway to the beach.

“We know about you two!” Wanda said, pointing at him. “I saw what you and Joanna did!”

Theo reached for my face to get me off of him, and I shoved his hand aside. The two of us resumed scrambling for position, throwing half-hearted punches that never quite connected.

And then Austin was diving on us, shoving me off Theo. I saw red, and without thinking I threw a punch at the newcomer, connecting solidly with his stomach and doubling him over. I kicked out with my sandal, catching him on the shoulder and knocking him onto his back on the sand.

“What’d I do?” Austin groaned.

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