Page 58 of How To Fake A Fiancé

The only person who could convince me otherwise is maybe the very person I’m making myself vulnerable to. The person who, at every turn, has been steadily bringing down my walls. But even then, that’s unlikely.

“Who says that’s the end all, be all?” Kiera questions.

“How can things change when everything between Ian and me is fake?”

“Your ‘relationship’ may be fake, but your feelings for each other aren’t. You know how Jonathan and I started out. But look at us now. Relationships can work if you just open yourself up.”

“If I could try something real with Ian, I’d have to live in a perfect world. I’d have to know first if he can take care of me. I’d have to know if he could potentially leave me high and dry when the going gets tough. I’d need more time to really know if he’s right for me.”

“But if itfeelsright with Ian, don’t shut him down just because you don’t see it logistically happening.”

“Love isn’t enough to keep a relationship going. My mom is a serial monogamist. Since her divorce from my dad, all she’s ever done is be in and out of love. My mother loves the idea of love too much to think of logistics.”

“Just because your mom struggles with her love life, doesn’t mean it has to ruin yours,” Kiera tells me.

The damage has already been done. “I refuse to end up like that, a constant revolving door.”

Kiera’s face morphs into concern. “So you’re not going to pursue a relationship with Ian, who has been nothing but genuine to you, because you’re too afraid of ending up like your mom?”

“I tried finding love once, and in the end, it bit me in the ass. I’m happy the way I am. Why fuck that up?”

A long silence grows among all three of us.

Kiera shakes her head. “Because you’ll end up alone.”

Chapter Seventeen

Monday, November 21

Ian’s apartment

Dallas, TX

Ian

Today is the day I’ve been waiting for. In just a few hours, I’ll be meeting Kami’s family and trying to convince her to be with me for real. I’m nervous, excited, and terrified all at once. Will everything go according to plan? What if our relationship becomes different in the end? What if it doesn’t? Am I kidding myself into thinking I could change Kami’s beautiful, yet stubborn, mind? Whatever the case, this is the week that I get some answers.

I search through my dresser drawer and pull out a blue velvet box from the first drawer on the right and check the contents inside. Just as I had left it after picking up the piece of jewelry from Mom’s house. The thin, gold band is decorated with a single diamond. Mom’s engagement ring is safe and sound. As I stare at it, I can’t resist picturing this ring on Kami’s finger.

Too bad when she does wear it, it’ll only be pretend.

Shoving that disappointment down, I grab my fully charged phone from the nightstand and dial Matt’s number. I’m going to sound like a broken record after going over all the emergency contacts with him. The phone rings twice before I hear his voice.

“Hey, man,” he greets. “You on the road yet?”

“I’m heading to Kami’s place in a few. Mom still good?”

“Yep. All is quiet here.”

“Good. Tell Mom I’ll be calling her every morning and night. If anything happens, call me. I’ll be there as fast as I can.”

“From three hours away? The hell you aren’t. You stay put and let me handle it. You’ve earned the time off. I just got Mom’s new prescription for her blood pressure, so she won’t be fainting again any time soon.”

“I’ll still—”

“If you drive the three hours back on your own, I swear to god, Ian, I will tear you a fucking new one and make you turn back. So when I say I have it under control, fucking believe it,” he snaps.

There’s a long moment of silence between us as guilt grabs and tightens around me. I’ve been so focused on taking care of Mom, I’ve inadvertently made my little brother think I thought him and our family incapable of doing the very same tasks I’ve done by myself for so long.

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