Page 39 of Pretend You're Mine

I pretended to ponder. “Easy. Super strength, of course. I’d be like The Hulk, but way cooler. You?”

He laughed, shaking his head. “I’d want to control time. Just imagine—I could just pause everything and jump straight to the good parts.”

“Nice! You could also use that to help me with my superhero training.” I chuckled. “Maybe you could pause time when I’m about to trip over my own feet.”

“Hey, that’s a vital skill!” he shot back, raising an eyebrow. “So, if I could control time, do you think that means I could go back and get my childhood crush’s autograph?”

“Childhood crush? Now we’re talking!” I leaned back, intrigued. “Who was it? Don’t hold back.”

Avery feigned embarrassment, but the flush on his cheeks told me everything. “Okay, fine. It was Chris Evans. I thought he was the coolest guy ever. I even practiced how I’d approach him if I ever got the chance.”

I laughed, picturing a young Avery, starry-eyed and ready to tackle the world. “You? Approaching Captain America? I can’t imagine that.”

“Hey! I had a whole plan! I’d be smooth, you know? Walk up, say something clever like, ‘So, do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk by again?’” He mimicked his younger self with a mock-serious expression, and I nearly doubled over in laughter.

“Wow, that’s a real power move!” I teased. “I bet it worked every time for your younger self.”

Avery rolled his eyes dramatically. “Not even once. I was always too busy swooning to actually say anything.”

“Well, I had my fair share of embarrassing crushes too.” I smirked, shaking my head. “Yeah, I thought I was supposed to have a crush on someone like Hilary Duff back then—because, you know, that’s what all the other boys did. But looking back, I think I might’ve really had a thing for Zac Efron. Turns out, I was more into his smile and confidence than I wanted to admit.”

I turned my gaze back out the window, watching the open stretches of snow-covered land. For a moment, I let myself believe in this illusion—that we could bridge the gap between us, that maybe this holiday wouldn’t be so bad.

“Thanks for this.” My voice was barely louder than the hum of the car engine, but I meant it. Even if it was just a temporary thing, it was more than I’d had in a long time.

Avery glanced over, catching my eye for a second before turning his attention back to the road. “You don’t have to thank me, Creed. I’m glad you’re spending the holiday with me.”

CHAPTER 23

AVERY

The house loomed ahead, the brick exterior wrapped in the soft glow of holiday lights, the kind that would have looked picturesque on a Christmas card. As we pulled into the driveway, I cut the engine.

I caught my reflection in the window, then let my gaze drift back to Creed. He looked good—really good. Better than he had at Thanksgiving, even. His cheeks had a healthier flush, his frame filling out beneath the layers of winter clothes. At Thanksgiving, Creed had that rugged, soldierly strength, but now there was a solidness to him, like he’d found some stability, even if it was fragile. A part of me itched to reach out, touch his hand, feel the warmth of his skin beneath my fingers. I couldn’t help hugging him when I picked him up at his place hours ago. It was spontaneous because… dammit… I’d missed the man. Hadn’t seen him in about a month. But now I kept my hands firmly on the steering wheel, knowing better than to cross that line without knowing where we stood.

And that was the problem, wasn’t it? We hadn’t figured out anything yet—not what this was between us, not why the sight of him sent my pulse racing, or why I felt like a giddy teenager with a crush when he looked at me for more than a second. The rideto my mother’s place had been light-hearted and fun and I hoped that was a sign that our short stay here would be just the same.

We got out of the car and stepped inside the family home, greeted by Edmund. The scent of cinnamon and pine, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas” wafting from the living room a reflection of the holiday spirit. Mother was waiting with a smile that was almost warm, her arms extended for a quick embrace. “Avery. Creed. So glad you made it safely.”

Creed stood a little stiffly beside me, but I could see him soften under the attention. I tried to keep close, hoping that my presence would make this easier for him. And then we met Carl.

Carl, my sister’s husband, with his perfectly pressed shirt and the confident ease of a man who’d always been on the right side of power. He extended a firm handshake toward Creed, and I watched Creed visibly shift. He squared his shoulders, his back straightening into that rigid military stance I’d seen from him before.

“Creed, right? Becca told me a little about you. I did some time in the Air Force myself.” Carl’s smile was easy, but there was a smugness in the way he spoke, a casual superiority that made my teeth clench.

Creed took Carl’s hand, meeting his gaze with a tightness around his mouth. “Yes, sir. Heard a lot about your work.”

Nice save, Creed.We’d barely spoken about my brother-in-law. I’d even forgotten he was going to be here.

The ‘sir’ grated against me, but Creed’s tone was perfectly respectful, his expression controlled. It was almost like watching him put on a uniform—masking everything underneath with a veneer of deference. He’d been so open and easy to talk to on the ride up, but he seemed to be folding in on himself with every second spent in Carl’s presence.

I couldn’t stand it. “Catch up with you later, Carl?”

Carl barely spared me a glance before turning back to his drink. “Sure, sure. See you around.”

As we walked away, I glanced at Creed, his jaw set tight, hands flexing at his sides like he was trying to release some invisible tension. I reached out to nudge his shoulder lightly, just enough that he had to meet my eyes. “You good?”

He blinked, his expression shifting from that stony focus back to something more human, more real. He glanced at me, then away, exhaling like he’d been holding that breath for far too long. “Yeah. Just... old habits die hard, I guess.”

---