Page 30 of Fake Engagement with my Brother's Best Friend

I wander past the outdoor pool, searching for a distraction, when something catches my eye—Samantha. She’s standing just beyond the pool, by the patio, talking to my parents. The sight of her sends a chill through me. What could she possibly have to say to them? My chest tightens with a mix of dread and suspicion.

I slow my steps, watching from a distance. Samantha is poised and animated, her hands gesturing as she speaks, her expression just a little too sweet. My parents listen intently, nodding, their faces a mix of curiosity and concern. It’s too far away for me to hear what’s being said, but I know it can’t be good. Nothing involving Samantha ever is.

After a few minutes, Samantha walks away, her head held high as if she’s won something. I feel the knot in my stomach twist tighter as my parents look around and finally spot me. They exchange a look before making their way over, and the moment I see the concern in their eyes, my heart sinks.

“Mom, Dad,” I ask, trying to sound casual, though my nerves are frayed. “What was that about? Why was Samantha talking to you?”

My mom sighs, exchanging a glance with my dad before she speaks. “We were just… catching up with her, Grace. She came over and introduced herself again, said she wanted to clear up a few things.”

The alarm bells in my head are deafening. “Clear up what?”

My dad steps in, his voice calm but firm. “Grace, we’ve been meaning to talk to you about Logan. We like him well enough, and we know you care about him, but… we have some concerns.”

My heart races, the ground seeming to shift beneath me. “What do you mean, concerns?”

My mom’s expression softens, as if she’s trying to deliver bad news gently. “Honey, it’s just… now that your brother is getting married, we’ve been thinking more about you. We want you to settle down, start a family. We’re happy that you’ve found someone, but Samantha told us some things about Logan that we didn’t know.”

I feel my chest tighten further, the dread building. “Like what?”

My dad clears his throat, his tone serious. “Did you know that Logan cheated on Samantha?”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I blink, staring at them, struggling to process what they’ve just said. “No,” I whisper, my voice shaky. “I didn’t know that.”

My mom reaches out to touch my arm, her face full of concern. “We didn’t either, but Samantha told us everything. She said Logan had a wandering eye, that she caught him more than once with other women.”

I feel like I can’t breathe. The ground beneath me seems to tilt as my mind races, trying to piece together what this means. Logan cheated? He never told me that. He’s always been so protective, so focused on us, and now I’m hearing this?

“I don’t… I don’t understand,” I stammer, taking a step back. “Why would Samantha tell you that now? Why would she—”

“She said she thought you deserved to know,” my dad interrupts, his tone gentle but firm. “Grace, if it’s true… well, we just don’t want you to get hurt. We’re happy that you’ve found someone, but are you sure Logan is the right person for you?”

My mind is reeling, a mix of emotions crashing over me—confusion, betrayal, and a growing sense of panic. This isn’t how things were supposed to go. Logan and I have had our problems, but I thought we were working through them. Now, suddenly, there’s this shadow hanging over everything, something he never told me. Something I should’ve known.

“I don’t know,” I say, my voice shaky, my hands trembling. “I… I didn’t know about any of this.”

My mom frowns, worry etched into her features. “Grace, we just want what’s best for you. We know you care about Logan, but if he’s capable of something like that, you need to be careful. You’ve always been so independent, so smart, but we’re worried. We don’t want you to settle for someone who could hurt you.”

I swallow hard, trying to keep the tears at bay. “I need to talk to him,” I finally say, my voice barely above a whisper. “I need to hear it from him.”

“Of course,” my dad says, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Just… be careful, Grace. Don’t let your feelings cloud your judgment. You deserve someone who will treat you right, someone who’ll be honest with you.”

I nod, though my mind is still spinning. “Yeah,” I say, feeling like I’m in a daze. “I’ll talk to him.”

As my parents leave, I stand there in the fading sunlight, the world around me feeling distant, unreal. How could Logan have kept something like this from me? Why would Samantha tell my parents? Is she trying to sabotage us, or is she telling the truth?

I don’t know what to believe anymore. I only know that I need to find Logan, and I need answers.

Chapter Eighteen

Logan

The hike with Joseph is meant to be a break from the chaos—a chance to clear my head, to focus on something other than the mess I’ve made of things with Grace. But as we trek through the wooded trail, the air crisp and the sun filtering through the trees, I can’t stop thinking about her. Every step feels heavier, the weight of what I need to say pressing harder on my chest.

“So,” I begin, glancing over at Joseph, who’s a few paces ahead of me. “I’ve been thinking… I want to do something special for Grace. Something romantic.”

Joseph glances back at me, a curious grin on his face. “Oh yeah? What kind of special?”

I shrug, trying to play it cool. “I don’t know. Something more meaningful than just dinner or flowers. Something that shows her how much she means to me.” I hesitate for a second, then add, “Got any ideas?”

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