Page 60 of Faking I Do
Lacey brushed past me, her arms full of foil-wrapped containers. “Samantha was in town this weekend but has to head back tomorrow. Since Adeline backed out I didn’t have any choice but to tell her our news.”
“Our news…” I trailed behind the two women to the kitchen, Shotgun at my heels.
“Lacey told me how the two of you didn’t want to steal Adeline’s thunder. I think that’s so sweet. Readers are going to love it.”
I nodded, a smile pasted on my face. What was she talking about? I tried to catch Lacey’s eye. She looked comfortable in my kitchen as she opened up cabinets, pulled out plates, and set out the dinner she’d brought on the counter.
“So are you ready to talk about the big event?” Samantha asked. She opened up a notebook and clicked her pen. “Tell me, Deputy Phillips, what does it feel like to be engaged to the mayor?”
CHAPTER 31
LACEY
I waitedfor Bodie to respond. Knowing him as well as I did, he’d go one of two ways. He’d either play it off, leaving me to fill in the details or he’d go along in an attempt to save face. Either way I had the lying deputy exactly where I needed him. At least for now.
“It feels, um, well, Lacey, you’ve kind of caught me by surprise here. You sure you want to do this?” His face had paled under the seemingly constant layer of scruff.
“What with Adeline canceling, it didn’t really give me a chance to find another bride and groom willing to share their big day with the media. I know we talked about having a fall wedding, but really, it should be us that gets married there first, don’t you think, love bug?” I stepped next to him, put my arm behind his back and rested my head against his chest.
His heart thudded, a much faster beat than it had the other night when I’d lain in his arms. When I thought he meant what he’d said. When I thought we were for real.
“Sure. Can I just grab a quick word with you? You don’t mind giving us a minute or two, do you?” he asked Samantha.
“Not at all.” She set down her pen and waved us away. “Take all the time you need. I’ll just be out here drooling over whatever Lacey has hiding here in this pan.”
“It’s brisket. Cooked all day. Feel free to help yourself, we’ll just be a minute or two.” I smiled, then tugged on Bodie’s arm, dragging him down the hall to where I presumed his bedroom was. How could I pretend he was my fiancé when I’d never even seen where he slept?
“What the hell’s going on?” He closed the door behind us then turned on me. “Fiancé?”
“That’s right. Congratulations to us. It happened so fast it just left my head spinning.” I practically spit the words at him. Being in his room, alone with the man who’d left my heart full of buckshot almost made me regret what I’d told Samantha. Almost.
“Where do you get off telling people we’re engaged? Who else have you told about this?” He towered over me, the glint in his eye proving he was beyond finding this an amusing little prank.
“You didn’t leave me much of a choice.” Arms clamped around my middle, I held my ground. This was his fault, after all.
His arms spread wide. “What are you talking about?”
“You tell me, Sheriff Phillips.” I emphasized the word sheriff.
He stopped gesturing and put his hands to his hips. “So you were on the phone earlier today.”
“That’s right.” I tried to squelch the raw emotion that threatened to bubble up inside. “I heard everything. How you and your dad are working with Buck Little.” My eyes watered. I couldn’t have that. Reaching up, I ran a finger under my lashes, wiping away any trace of emotion.
“Lacey, I can explain. My dad made me an offer but I went there to turn him down.”
“Sure you did. Does Sheriff Suarez know you’ve got your eye on his job?”
“It’s not like that.” He reached for me.
I sidestepped him, whirling around to stand in front of his bed. A bed I’d hoped to spend some time in up until a few hours ago. “I don’t care what it’s like. All I know is that your dad and grandfather are trying to pull a fast one and you’ve taken their side. Just like you always do.”
“I do not.” His jaw set. A muscle ticked along the edge.
“You do, too. And I’m not going to let you get away with it. Not this time.”
He scoffed, shook his head, and rolled his eyes. “Unbelievable. After everything that happened the other night? You think I’m working against you?”
My heart seized. Could he be telling the truth? I wanted to believe him. Wanted to think that everything we’d done had been because of feelings we’d been hiding over the years. Not because of some plan he was trying to pull together to keep his family out of trouble.
