Page 11 of The Guy Who Fake Dated Me

I plastered a wide smile on my face. “That’s great! Congratulations.”

Natalie drew a box from her purse, opened it, and slid a silver band covered with diamonds on her ring finger.

Kyle beamed. “I asked her last week, and she said yes.”

They hadn’t been dating for very long. How could they know that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together?

“We’re getting married the weekend before Thanksgiving, and we want you to be part of the wedding party.”

I blinked and unpacked that sentence. The date was only a couple of weeks away. How were they going to get an entire event planned in that time? Then there was the bit where they wanted me to be part of the wedding party? Me?

Natalie reached out and took my hand. “Please? Kyle has told me so much about you that I feel like I know you, and I’d be honored if you’d spend the weekend with us.”

How many days were they talking? I looked between the two, not sure where to start.

“Natalie’s family has this tradition that they have a four-day celebration for a marriage.”

Fourdays? I’d barely survived my sister’s nuptials and that had been with Kyle at my side.

Natalie spoke. “There will be fun activities, food, and a masquerade ball. I’ll be in charge of something that everyone does together, and Kyle will have a day to do the same.”

Kyle was practically bouncing in his chair. “It’s going to be awesome. You’re going to love it.”

A masquerade ball? That meant dancing, which meant I needed a date.

Normally, that date would be Kyle. We’d been each other’s emotional support people during family gatherings for the past decade.

Both lovebirds had stopped talking. I’d let my eyes go wide and my jaw hinge open.

Kyle spoke. “Don’t worry, you don’t need a date for this.”

“Totally not.” Natalie waved both hands in front of her. “I have a few people coming around our age that won’t have a plus one either. It won’t be weird.”

Warning bells sounded my head. Would I spend four days having everyone try to set me up? My mother would start filling out a dance card, and my sister would profile all of the bachelors.

“Vici?” Kyle said.

I blinked and forced myself to think. Kyle and I had been one another’s rocks for a long time. Of course we had other friends, but we lived close by, had gotten through our teens together, and had graduated from college at the same time. He was the brother I’d never had.

We got together at least once a month for dinner or an activity. He was my sanity here in Oakland.

And now he was getting married.

The only other guy I’d even consider spending a wedding with would be Logan.

“Vici?” Kyle said again.

I managed another smile. “Sorry, you surprised me.”

“I know.” He gave me a look of apology. “We’ve been keeping this to ourselves.”

“My family can be a bit much,” Natalie said.

I nodded. “I get it. I’m happy for you.”

“Really?” Kyle’s voice held hope.

I couldn’t be the person to ruin this for them. I shoved my tumultuous feelings behind a wall. “Of course.”

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