Page 18 of Knot Really Engaged
“And what exactly is the plan, Liam?” Max asks, his voice dripping with skepticism. “How are you going to keep this up without anything getting out of hand or . . . getting caught?”
I run a hand through my hair, tugging at the strands in frustration. “I don’t know, Max. But we’ll figure it out. We have to. Maybe we’ll need your nonsense to get this right.”
But something tells me it won’t be that easy and he might just play with us while pretending to help. Love the guy, but he can be such a fucking asshole.
Chapter Nine
Audrey
The persistent buzzingon the nightstand wakes me up. I groan, fumbling blindly for my phone with one hand while the other attempts to shield my eyes from the light.
“Can’t a girl get some peace and quiet around here?” I grumble, myvoice thick with sleep. “Would it kill them to let me nap for a little longer?”
I let out another groan, burying my face in the pillow. Whoever decided that a phone should buzz like an angry bee at the crack of dawn must’ve hated humanity.
“Alright, alright, I’m up,” I mumble to the stupid device as if it can hear my protest. “Who is calling?”
My fingers finally grasp the torture device, and I bring it close to my face, squinting against the brightness. The screen is a flurry of notifications, little text bubbles clustered like balloons at some kind of celebration. Except this doesn’t look like a party, but a family interrogation, and apparently, I’m the guest of honor.
I start reading them, my brow furrowing deeper with each message. What the everloving fuck? Did someone seriously tell my mother that I’m engaged?
“Liam Cohen, you’re a dead man,” I mutter under my breath after every message I read.
Why didn’t she mention it when she arrived?
Are you sure it’s Liam Cohen?
Yes, Susie just told me.
Where is Audrey?
I saw her leaving with Liam.
I swipe through the messages, each one filled with more exclamation points and question marks than the last. Aunt Linda’s text screams in all caps, while cousin Jamie’s string of emojis is barely understandable . . . Why did he add a pregnant woman emoji?
“I’m not pregnant.” I screech, bolting upright in bed. My heart is pounding, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps. This can’t be happening. This wasn’t part of the plan.
Then there’s another text. “Grandma Cohen is doing what?” I mutter, thumb flicking over the screen as if speed-reading could somehow make sense of this big mess. My eyes widen with each new revelation, my jaw dropping in disbelief.
Text after text, emoji parade after gif fiesta—it’s like my family’s group chat has turned into Times Square on New Year’s Eve. And smack in the middle of it all, there’s me, well, and Liam too.
Didn’t I tell Liam this was a bad idea? Or to fucking wait until I knew how to handle it?
But now it seems like the family even wants an engagement party. I scoff, tossing the word around my mouth like a piece of gum gone stale.
“Has everyone gone insane?” I throw my hands up in exasperation, my voice echoing in the empty room.
That’s when the door bursts open with thesubtlety of a wrecking ball. Maximilian stands there, all six-foot-two of brotherly disregard for privacy, his eyes wide and his chest heaving as if he’s just run a marathon.
“Ever heard of knocking, Max?” I grumble, narrowing my eyes at him. I cross my arms over my chest, a defensive posture that does little to hide my annoyance.
“Not the time. I’m here to save you.” He strides into the room, his movements urgent and purposeful.
“I’m pretty sure I don’t need saving. Leave me alone.”
“Are you even listening to me? Audrey Elizabeth McCallister, I’m here to save you from our meddling family.” He claps his hands like a coach rallying the troops, the sound sharp and jarring in the quiet of the room. “No time for chitchat. We’ve got a Code Red situation.”
“Code Red? Is that above or below your ‘end of the world’ smoothie disaster?” I grumble.
