Page 5 of Fake Engagement with my Brother's Best Friend

“I know, I know. It’ll just be easier this way. They’ll think I’ve finally got someone serious, and I won’t have to deal with all the questions and not-so-subtle hints about my love life.” She rolls her eyes, but there’s a touch of sadness there too. “Besides, we’re not lying. We’re just… not correcting anybody.”

I’m not convinced this is a good idea, but I’m also drunk enough not to care too much at the moment. And the way she looks in that summer dress, all soft curves and loose waves, makes it hard to argue. So I say nothing, just finish mixing the drinks and hand her a glass.

“To our fake engagement,” I say, raising my glass.

Grace clinks her glass against mine, her smile returning. “To keeping the family off my back.”

We take a sip, and the cool, tangy cocktail goes down easy, the mint and lime a perfect antidote to the heat still lingering in the room. Grace sighs contentedly, sinking into one of the armchairs, and I join her, leaning back and letting the comfortable silence settle between us.

As we sip our drinks, I can’t help but think about how this little charade of ours is bound to complicate things. For now, with Grace looking so relaxed and content, I push those thoughts aside. Tonight, it’s just us, a couple of drinks, and a plan that seems far more harmless than it probably is.

“So,” she says after a while, her voice soft. “W hat’s the first rule of our fake engagement?”

I smirk, leaning forward to meet her gaze. “First rule? We make it look damn convincing.”

Grace laughs, a sound that makes something inside me stir. “I think we can manage that.”

As we finish our drinks and the room starts to spin just a little, I can’t help but wonder if this game we’re playing will be as easy as we’re making it out to be—or if we’re both in for something far more complicated than either of us bargained for.

Chapter Three

Grace

I wake up slowly, the sunlight filtering through the curtains, warm and soft against my face. For a moment, I lie there, tangled in the sheets, feeling oddly comfortable. Then the memories of last night start to creep in, and my eyes snap open.

I’m alone in bed, thank God, but that doesn’t do much to ease the wave of embarrassment that washes over me. The hazy details of suggesting this ridiculous fake engagement with Logan come rushing back, and I groan, burying my face in the pillow. What was I thinking? How much did I drink?

The answer is too much. Definitely, too much.

I sit up, the room spinning slightly as I do, and glance around. The empty minibar and our glasses from last night are still on the table, and I cringe. It seemed like such a good idea in the moment—anything to keep my parents off my back for a couple of weeks. Now, with the clarity of daylight and a dull headache to match, it just seems stupid.

What was I thinking, roping Logan into this? He must think I’m completely out of my mind. I can barely remember what we even talked about after that last drink. Did something happen between us? The thought makes my stomach flip with both fear and a tiny, annoying flicker of curiosity.

No, we couldn’t have. Could we?

I quickly throw on some clothes—a simple sundress, not unlike the one from last night, but less revealing—and splash some cold water on my face. I need to find Logan and tell him to forget thewhole thing, to just pretend it never happened. There’s no way we can keep up this charade without it blowing up in our faces.

Brunch is already in full swing by the time I make it downstairs, and I spot Logan sitting with Emily, Joseph, Jess, and my parents at a table on the terrace. They’re all laughing about something, completely at ease, like nothing’s amiss.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself as I approach. Logan glances up and catches my eye, and for a split second, I can’t read his expression. He quickly smiles, and I take that as a good sign.

“Morning,” I say, sliding into the seat next to him, trying to act casual despite the nerves bubbling up inside me.

“Morning, sis!” Joseph greets me with a grin. “We were just talking about how Dad was the last man standing last night. Guess we all crashed pretty hard.”

I look at Logan, heart racing and murmur. “So… what happened last night?”

Logan shrugs, taking a sip of his coffee. “Nothing, really. We just slept. No wild party, no scandal.”

Relief floods through me, and I feel myself relax a little. Maybe this won’t be as bad as I thought. I open my mouth to suggest we call off the whole fake engagement before it gets out of hand, but Jess interrupts, leaning across the table with a wide grin.

“You two are so cute together,” she gushes, clearly still under the impression that we’re engaged. “I mean, I knew something was up, but seeing you both this morning? It’s obvious.”

I shoot Logan a look, willing him to help me out here, but instead, he gives Jess a sheepish smile. “Yeah, about that… Iknow we wanted to keep it a secret until the wedding, but I was just so excited to tell everyone.”

My mouth drops open slightly as I stare at him. Is he serious? What the hell is he doing? My cheeks flush with a mix of embarrassment and anger, but before I can say anything, my mom claps her hands together.

“Well, it’s wonderful news! We couldn’t be happier for you both.” Mom is positively beaming. “I keep saying, it’s about time you settle down with someone and start a family.”

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