Page 2 of Fake Spring Fling

I shrug. “And I should be. Who wouldn’t want to go to a fancypants lakeside resort in Sandersville? I mean, I’m not into partying these days, but there’s one important connection I’ve been dying to make there. And apparently the place is super pretty.”

The bell over the door rings again. Claudia gives my shoulder another pat, then grabs menus and escorts a group of teenagers to a booth at the side. I take a sip of coffee, wondering if I’m going to have to switch to energy drinks to make it through the weekend.

I take a deep breath and straighten my shoulders.Discomfort is where we grow. I read that somewhere recently. I’ve always thought I’d do anything to get ahead. Now’s my chance.

“Hey.”

The broad-shouldered man has turned around. My eyelids flutter open and shut so sharply I’m surprised they don’t click. The man isgorgeous.

“Yes?”

“You say you’re going to the Aadland Sandersville Lodge this weekend?”

“Yes.”

“May I join you for a moment?”

My breath hitches. “Sure.”

He picks up his coffee, slides into the booth across from me, then sticks out his hand. “Wyatt.”

“Madison.” I like his handshake. Some men are way too gentle with women. Wyatt shakes my hand firmly. Like he means it.

“Such a coincidence.” A smile lights up his vivid green eyes. “My sister is dragging me to that resort this weekend for her engagement party.”

“Engagement party? That place is fancy enough for a wedding.”

He rolls his eyes. “I know. My sister is…ridiculous. To be honest, all three of my sisters are, but Tanya is the worst. Everything has to be athingwith her – to impress her “followers” on social media. Apparently the engagement party is going to be”…he makes sarcastic air quotes…“over the moon, and super romantic yet family-focused.”

I can’t suppress a giggle. “Thatdoessound ridiculous. I’m so sorry.”

“I noticed the way your jaw tightened when your friends mentioned all the guys who are going to be there.”

“Yeah.” My head shakes. “Drunk party guys are not my thing.”

“What if you already had a guy on your arm?” His smile draws my attention to his full bottom lip, and the way his defined jaw becomes even more so when he smiles. “What if we went there as acouple,” he says with some more air quotes. “It would keep the guys away from you at your thing, and it would give me an excuse to do the bare minimum of family stuff at mine.”

I grip my coffee mug, as if that’s somehow going to ground me. My head’s spinning. The most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen wants me to go away with him for the weekend and pretend we’re a couple? “What… What would I have to do?”

“Just sit through a fancy family dinner. Okay, maybe a cocktail hour too, and a brunch. My family are over the top, but they’re pleasant enough.”

My heart has suddenly abandoned its usual steady rhythm and is speeding up to rival the choppy beat of a punk band. “Hmm. My friends will wonder why I haven’t mentioned you before…”

Wyatt casually shrugs his massive shoulders. “Tell them you’re keeping it quiet because you think I’m just a fling.”

My eyes grow huge. “Excuse me? I don’tfling.”

“Even better – they’ll want to believe it if it’s out of character. That way, they’ve got some dirt on you. They’re clearly party girls. Party girls like dirt.”

My head shakes again. “They weren’t always like that. In school they were pretty focused…well, for the first few months.”

His hand lands on the table and I have a strange, inexplicable urge to reach for it. A shiver runs through me. If we did go together…pretending we were a couple…this guy would be sitting beside me, putting an arm around me, holding my hand all weekend. All that stuff I’ve been dying to explore but haven’t had a chance.

I can tell he’s a nice man. He’s probably in his mid-thirties, but there’s a boyish charm that I find engaging. There’s also justso muchof him. He’s a big guy and looks very strong. I’m discovering this very second that is apparently something I crave. Who knew?

Claudia swings by with the coffee pot and pauses at our table, picking up my salad bowl. “I don’t know what this little chat is about, and I don’t need to, but Madison, you should know that Wyatt is a sweetheart. He’s been coming here for ages. I trust him. Carry on.”

He chuckles. “Official Claudia stamp of approval.”

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