Page 9 of Finally Moore

“Mom, this is Scott Moore.” I take a deep breath, because once I say it, there’s no turning back. “My fiancé.”

“Fiancé!” Her expression quickly morphs from a woman on the prowl to that of a relieved mother, who’s grateful that her daughter isn’t going to die a spinster, in a small town, in the middle of nowhere—her words, not mine. “I didn’t even know you were seeing anyone.”

“It’s newish.” The lie falls easily from my lips. “When you told me you were coming for the holidays, I thought it would be the perfect surprise.” Then I turn to Scott, nudging him in the ribs while silently begging him to say something. I can’t help but pray I’m not wrong, and that he’ll go along with my increasingly stupid idea.

“I found your cat…”

Chapter three

Scott

Ifoundyourcat?

Seriously, Scott? You walk into a room full of people where some girl you’ve never dated, let alone kissed, suddenly announces that you two are engaged and you say… I found your cat. That is not the appropriate response. Then again, what was I supposed to say?

Yup, that’s me, the fiancé!Orwhat the hell are you talking about?

Now that I think about it, maybe my awkward reply was the safest. At the very least, it gives me a second to assess the situation.

Scarlett finally notices the feline in my arms and snatches him from my grip. “Brucey!” Then she turns to me. “Scott, you found him. You’re myhero.”

While her reaction seems genuine, something tells me she’s talking about a lot more than her cat. It’s weird to think about how this woman has attended the majority of our family events over the past year, and yet I know almost nothing about her. Only that she’s from California and loves my food—not that she’s told me. It’s just one of those things I’ve been able to pick up on. But I definitely don’t know enough to pass as the man she’s supposed to be marrying.

“Yeah, he scared the crap out of me. He was hanging out in the dumpsters behind the café. I brought him—”Shit…I can’t exactly say I took him to the vet and found out he was yours. I’d like to assume I’d know what my fiancée’s cat looks like. “…back to you as soon as I could.”

“Oh, did you miss Daddy?” Scarlett baby-talks to the content furball in her arms while puckering her lips. I give her a look that tells her she’s laying it on a bit strong. At least I hope it tells her that. Once again, it’s not like we’ve had time to learn each other’s social cues.

Okay, now, I’ve watched enough rom-coms to recognize a setup when I’m in the middle of one. Clearly there is some sort of issue with her family and she needs me to play along.

God,can this day get any stranger?

I look past Scarlett’s mom and study the other couple in the room. The guy looks familiar, very familiar. “Wait, are you—”

“Kasey Dawson,” he verifies.

“Like the same Kasey Dawson who starred inArtificial LoverandBoyfriend for the Weekend?”

“The one and only.” Kasey extends a hand to shake mine.

“Holy shit! Jax is going to lose it when I tell him that I mettheKasey Dawson.”

Scarlett bumps me with her hip.Holy shit. I bite my tongue. I’ve always thought there was something different about my sister’s friend, almost as if I recognized her from somewhere. Then again, when you’re looking at a bombshell like Scarlett Valentine, it’s hard not to picture her as the girl who stars in your dreams. But as soon as I see them in the same room, I realize where I know her from. In the tabloids, early on in Kasey’s career.

I glance in Scarlett’s direction, my eyes widened in shock while hers plead with me to not let her down.Crap, that’s right.She’s in trouble, and I highly suspect this show is more for my idol and not her mother.I swallow back my excitement over meeting one of my and Jax’s favorite movie stars, and the fact that I’ve learned the dirty little secret she’s been hiding in that vault of hers, and rest my hand on Scar’s hip, pulling her tight next to me.

“I’m Brittany,” a small voice pops out of nowhere.

“Hello.” I squat down and shake the girl’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Auntie Rea-Rea never told me about you.” Auntie, okay, so the other woman must be Scarlett’s sister. The little girl eyes me skeptically. “She tells me everything.”

Shit… I swallow hard and tug at the collar of my shirt. It’s as though the kid can read my mind as her large chocolate eyes see through me.

“Brittany,” the woman I assume is the girl’s mother scolds. “That’s not very polite.”

“Yeah, pip-squeak. Adults don’t tell kids everything. Sometimes we have super-special adult secrets.” Kasey ruffles the girl’s hair. I’ve gathered that he’s supposed to be the enemy, butfuck, I’m having a hard time hating him. I mean, he’s so cool. Even the kid has mellowed out.

“Speaking of,” Scarlett says. “Scott, don’t you need to get back to work?”

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