Page 141 of Away We Go

Nathan shifts in his in his seat, looking uncomfortable for the first time…ever. “So, you know how we were talking about my brother and my ex?”

“Yes. Both dirty rats.”

His face brightens. “Indeed. Well, it turns out not everyone sees it quite like you do. There’s a lot of chatter out there in the world—and within my mother’s head—that I should move on. Just get over it. In fact, by not doing this, I’ve been painted as a terrible brother. Or at a minimum, the loser brother.”

Blood rushes to my ears as my temper boils. Who in their right mind would find Nathan’s reaction to this ultimate betrayal anything other than warranted? And why is his mother a person doing the wondering?

“That is so out of order. I’m so sorry this is happening to you.”

He reaches over for my hand, squeezing my fingers in his much bigger ones. “Thank you, Katie. But it actually gets worse.”

“How is this possible?”

He pulls his lower lip in between his teeth, tilting his head back to stare at the ceiling. “It gets worse, because what the public doesn’t know—yet—is that my brother and Victoria are engaged.”

“Shut. Up.”

His responding smile is small but bright. “And they’re getting married on New Year's Eve.”

Tears prick at my eyelids. I’m an angry crier and right now, I’m ready to shed a bucket load of tears on his behalf.

“Gosh, they are the literal worse.”

He nods. “So, you see, I’m in a predicament. Once the press release the engagement story, the world will be back to viewing me as the bitter, scorned brother/ex-boyfriend, and I’m not sure I want to deal with that.”

That makes sense. The whole sordid affair is awful.

“And you shouldn’t have to. How your brother thinks this is okay is beyond me. And don’t get me started on that ex of yours. She’s worse than a rat. She’s the bacteria that feasts on the fleas who live on rats.”

Restless now, I stand up and shake my fists out, wishing I had something to punch. I’m not normally a violent person, or even a person with big emotions, but seeing Nathan as he is now, vulnerable and in pain, makes me want to go to war for him.

“So, how can I help? You said something about a favour?”

He’s back to squirming in his chair. “Well, you see, now, my sister Rosie. You remember Rosie?”

“Yes, we’re Instagram friends now.”

He grins. “Yes, well this morning we were talking about all this stuff and she mentioned that if I had a girlfriend, then people would know I’ve moved on, and all the pity and scorn and everything else being launched my way, would go away. And after I thought about it, I agreed. A girlfriend would help sell my narrative, and I can be left alone.”

“Do you have a girlfriend…” I trail off, comprehension dawning on me.

I need you to be my girlfriend.

It wasn’t part of my dream.

His smile is pleading now. “I know. That’s the problem. I’ve been too busy getting over my last relationship to even think about it. So Rosie suggested I ask a friend. Or even ask someone to pose as my girlfriend—a fake girlfriend—until this all blows over.”

“Me?” I squeak. He’s asking me to be his—fake—girlfriend?

“Yes, you. You’d be perfect.”

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