It’s hard to believe my nemesis, Brock Atwood, would be the one to cheer me up before Vegas.

We chug two more tequila drinks before Brock bumps his broad shoulder into mine.

“I have an idea,” he half-whispers, half-screams.

I giggle. “What?”

“We should pretend to date.”

I sober up immediately. “Um, what?”

His brown eyes fixate on mine. “You heard me. We should pretend to be dating. That way my mother won’t feel the need to hook me up with every single woman at the wedding, and Lake won’t bother you.”

His idea takes root, sprouting, blossoming into a full-fledged great idea.

“This might work.” Am I really this drunk? Am I really agreeing to fake date Brock Atwood?

I must be drunk, because I agree a little too quickly.

Chapter 2

Brock

I smile at Willow as she agrees to my crazy idea. Maybe it will blow up in my face, but maybe, just maybe it will help both of us get through this week unscathed.

The last few weeks with my mother have been over the top. Now that Paxton is getting married, Shepherd, my brother, has a baby, and Anya, my sister, is living with Griffin, it’s apparently my turn. I come from a big family. Mom keeps asking when I’m going to settle down and it’s driving me crazy. I’m not ready to settle down, get married, and have kids. Millie and I broke up because there was no excitement, no real attraction, no feelings at all.

We never even had sex. Yeah, can you believe it?

If I couldn’t make it work with someone as sweet as Millie, I’m not sure I have a chance of making it work with anyone. But it hasn’t stopped my mother. The closer the wedding gets, the more excited she gets and not for Paxton, but for me.

“There are plenty of single women at weddings.”

“Love is always in the air when two people get married.”

“You might just find your happily ever after.”

“The love of your life might just be on the dance floor.”

It’s been endless and I’ve been dreading this when I should be excited. I’m thrilled for Paxton and Hartford. I couldn’t be happier for them, but I’ve had this constant voice in my head screaming I need to find someone. And by voice in my head, I mean my mother.

I didn’t know how I was going to handle an entire week of her trying to play matchmaker, but when I listened to Willow say she was dreading this, the idea of fake dating just popped into my head.

If Lake, the cheating bastard, and my mother believe Willow and I are together it’s a win-win. Lake will realize what an asshole he was for letting her go and my mother will be happy and leave me alone.

What can go wrong?

“How are we going to make this work?” Willow asks, breaking my thoughts.

I grin and bump her shoulder again. “Come on Willow, you can’t pretend to think I’m irresistible?”

She rolls her eyes and sighs. “I’m not sure I’m that good of an actress.”

“Ouch,” I breathe out, holding my hands over my heart. “You wound me.”

She laughs, shaking her head. “Can you pretend to think I’m irresistible?”

I turn in my seat and place my hands on either side of her face. My eyes search hers as I tuck a piece of hair behind her ear and grin. “I don’t need to pretend you’re irresistible, Willow. You’re gorgeous, sexy as sin. There’s no man who wouldn’t want to be in my shoes, having the most beautiful woman at the wedding on his arm. It’ll be impossible to keep my hands off of you. Impossible to keep my want hidden. I’m one lucky bastard having you, Willow.”