Page 45 of Boss's Baby: A Fake Fiance Romance

“It’s fine—I’ve got the money, and if it’ll help sell this plan, it’s an investment I’m willing to make. You have to see where I’m coming from. People in Pine Shades and New York high society are going to be paying attention to this engagement, and if you’re not wearing a ring that’s suitable for the bride of the heir of Taylor Logging, there’s going to be talk, and it won’t be good.”

I wasn’t sold. Something about what he’d said rubbed me the wrong way, like he was carelessly insulting me. But then again, he had a point. It wasn’t the fanciest ring in the world, and I knew it.

He went on. “Look, one day you’re going to meet a great guy and get married normal-style. And when that happens, you can use whatever ring you want. But for this thing we’re doing? We have to do it right.”

I opened my mouth to speak but stopped when I spotted Mr. Gambel approaching.

“Don’t mean to interrupt, but I wanted to see if the adorable couple had any questions I could help answer.”

Josh spoke up. “Yes, there’s definitely something you can help with, Mr. Gambel.” He pointed to the display case where the ring was located. “That one, right there. You mind if she tries it on?”

Mr. Gambel’s eyes lit up like he’d won the damn lottery. He quickly composed himself, apparently realizing that he was on the verge of making the sale of a lifetime.

“She most certainly can.” He went to it, and moments later he held my left hand, ready to slip it onto my finger.

I took a deep breath, almost as if this whole thing was for real. In a sense, it was. Mr. Gambel slipped the ring on my finger, that massive, gaudy ring.

“Looks beautiful,” he said. “Fitting for a beautiful bride like her.”

Josh glanced over at me, an expectant smile on his face. “Well, what do you think?”

I wanted to say no. But as much as I hated to admit it, there was truth to what he said. But before I could even offer my opinion, Josh, dick that he was, beat me to it.

“You know what? I’m sold. We’ll take it.”

Chapter 20

CASSIDY

The vibe was tense in the car as my family and I took the winding path to Pine Shades Country Club. Mom and Dad were in their Sunday best, and Katie wore a cocktail dress that managed to look both classy and sexy at the same time—she’d always been a snappy dresser and had ended up on more than a few Instagram Brooklyn style accounts.

None of that mattered, of course, because the one thing on my mind was that, unknown to my family, we were going to the country club so I could get proposed to. And my family was convinced something was up. I’d given them the story about Josh, how we’d hit it off and all that. Katie was the most perplexed of all.

“I don’t get it,” she said, breaking the silence in the car. “You’ve been seeing this guy for the last month? How? When?”

“Is it really that hard to imagine I could get a boyfriend?” God, the word was so bizarre to say. And fiancé was going to be even weirder.

“It’s not that, of course. It’s that you’ve been talking about this guy like, well, he was anything but that. I thought you two had only seen each other once, right? Why didn’t you tell me there was something going on between you two more serious than that?”

“Because as weird as it’s been for you to hear about it, it’s been even stranger to actually be doing it. I don’t know, I guess when I talked to you about him, I figured if I actually let you know what was going on, it’d be harder for you to give an unbiased take.”

“Oh, you know me—I’m not going to hold back. I’m just surprised you kept this from me for so long.”

“Like I said, it sort of snuck up on me.”

“You’ve kept it from all of us.” Dad’s low voice filled the car. “I thought kids were supposed to tell their parents everything.”

“Oh, come on,” said Mom. “You know that’s not how it works.” She followed this up with a chiming laugh. “Kids telling their parents everything—yeah, I’m sure.”

“I didn’t want to be secretive about it, but I only wanted to let you all know when it seemed like it was actually going to, you know, be a thing.”

“And that means it’s serious?” Dad sounded concerned. “I don’t know anything about this Josh guy. I mean, other than his family rep.”

“He’s funny and charming and insanely handsome,” offered Katie. “Seriously, you’re going to lose your minds when you meet this guy.”

That is, if I didn’t already lose my mind from the stress of it all.

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