Page 52 of Faking It With the Single Dad

Bella glances up at me, catching my gaze. “What?” she asks, a small smile tugging at her lips.

“Nothing,” I reply, grinning. “I’m just thinking how surreal it feels to plan a wedding with you. It’s truly a wonderful feeling, though.”

She rolls her eyes but still blushes. “Don’t get all mushy on me, Blackwood. We’ve got decisions to make.”

“Okay, boss. Hit me with the list,” I tease, leaning back in my chair.

She flips a page in her notebook. “Venue. Do we go with the vineyard or the inn by the lake?”

“The inn by the lake,” I say immediately. “The view is incredible, and it feels more like us.”

Bella nods, chewing on her pen cap. “Agreed. The inn by the lake it is. Now, the guest list. Are we keeping it small?”

“Definitely,” I say. “Close friends and family only. No one who will cause drama.”

She snorts. “Good luck with that in Cedar Ridge.”

Alice looks up from her drawing. “Can I wear a sparkly dress at the wedding?”

“Of course you can, princess,” I say, ruffling her curls. “The sparkliest dress we can find.”

Luke joins us, wiping the remnants of the cookies he was eating onto his jeans. “Do I have to wear a suit?”

Bella raises an eyebrow. “Yes, Luke. You’re the ring bearer. You’ll look handsome.”

He groans dramatically but doesn’t argue further, and Bella and I exchange amused looks.

“Alright,” Bella says, turning her attention back to the list. “Flowers. Do you have any preferences, or is this where I get to show my creativity?”

“I trust your judgment,” I say, reaching for her hand across the table. “I just want you to be happy.”

Her eyes soften as she squeezes my hand. “You’re really making this too easy, you know.”

“Hey,” I say, leaning in with a smirk. “It’s my job to make you feel like the luckiest bride-to-be in Cedar Ridge.”

Luke pretends to gag, and Alice giggles. Bella shakes her head, laughing, but the tension in her shoulder's eases.

We’re deep in discussion about cake flavors when the café door jingles and I look up to see a man standing there—it’s Caleb, my brother and Luke’s father. How bold of him to show up after he walked out on Bella and Luke all those years ago.

The moment Caleb steps into the café, the atmosphere changes. His eyes scan the room, landing on Bella first. His gaze lingers on her for a fraction too long before flicking over to Luke and finally landing on me. There’s a flicker of recognition there, but it’s not warm. It’s guarded—exactly the kind of look I’d expect from my estranged brother.

Bella freezes and her pen slips from her fingers. I glance at her, noting the way her face drains of color. Luke’s expression darkens, and Alice, sensing the tension, leans closer to me.

“Bella,” Caleb says, stepping into the café like he belongs here. His voice is smooth and calculated, and it sets my teeth on edge. “Can we talk?”

“No,” I say firmly before Bella can respond. I stand, my chair scraping against the floor as I position myself between them. “You’ve got a lot of nerve showing up here.”

“This isn’t your business, brother,” Caleb snaps, his eyes narrowing at me.

“It is my business,” I counter, my voice low but steady, “because Bella is my fiancée. And Luke? He’s, my family. You made your choice when you walked out on them.”

Bella rises slowly, her hands trembling as she places them on the table. “What are you doing here, Caleb?”

“I heard about the wedding,” he says, his tone taking on a feigned sincerity that makes my stomach churn. “I just wanted to talk. To see if there’s a place for me in Luke’s life.”

“You don’t get to talk like that now,” I say, stepping closer to him. “You left, Caleb. You don’t get to swoop in and play the hero because you feel guilty.”

Caleb’s jaw tightens, and he looks past me to Bella. “You know I made mistakes, Bella. But I’m still Luke’s father.”

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