Success demanded sacrifices of them both, so she’d told herself not to worry.
But if there was any truth at all to how he’d claimed to feel about her… then he wouldn’t already be engaged to someone else.
“Whatever,” she muttered. “I dodged a bullet.”
That’s how she would have to console herself. Because if she had married Brock at some stage and he pulled this crap afterward, then that would be so much worse.
“Want to tell me how you really feel?” Sean didn’t look over, because he was concentrating on the road. She felt like he cared about her answer, however. “Pretend for a minute that you’re not the person who has to be polite to jerks for the sake of your career. What would you say then?”
“I’d say that I hope his pants split while they’re doing the bridal waltz,” she said, wrinkling her nose. Sean’s hearty laughter boomed in the car and it pulled her out of her funk just a little.
“You can do better than that,” he teased.
A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “I hope they release doves into the air during their wedding ceremony and everyone gets crapped on.”
“Good one. What else have you got?”
“Uh…” She thought about it. “I hope wedding crashers come and eat all of their cake.”
“Oh, that’s low.”
“I hope he forgets to pull up his fly after going to the bathroom and then he walks down the aisle with it open.”
She was being silly, but it felt good to let it out.
“I hope he gets left at the altar.” Okay, so maybe that one wasn’t so silly. It would serve Brock right. Let him see how it felt to be humiliated in front of an audience. “He deserves as much.”
“He deserves more than that,” Sean replied, with darkness adding an edge to his voice. “Much more.”
“Why couldn’t he have waited until after Evie’s wedding to do this?” She let out a long sigh. “My parents are going to be fussing over me all weekend now. And if one more person asks me what it’s like to date an actor, I’m going to stab myself in the eye with a toothpick.”
“You really have a way with words.”
“Thanks,” she grumbled.
“My offer still stands. I’m happy to be your diversion tactic.”
Why did it sound so tempting? Because she knew her mum and dad wouldn’t ask about an ex if she was currently with someone. Not to mention that people wouldn’t look at her with pity if she had a hot guy on her arm, and it would make her feel like less of a loser if she appeared to have moved on.
If she pretended to date Sean, she could act like the whole thing with Brock meant nothing to her.
“What on earth would you get out of it?” she asked.
“Uh, do you have any idea what it’s like being a single, almost-thirty-year-old man at a wedding? Literally any person over the age of fifty is trying to set you up with their daughter or granddaughter or niece or something.” He made a sound of disgust. “That goes double if you’re the best man.”
Lily snorted. “And here I was thinking only women had to deal with that.”
“No way. Some women think weddings are the perfect place to find a husband. No thank you.”
She got the impression he was exaggerating a little for her amusement. But only a little. It wasn’t hard to imagine anyone hitting on Sean… especially if he was wearing a suit. Imagining the charming, roguish surfer guy suiting up in a tuxedo made her stomach flip.
“Besides, ever since Zoey hooked up with Mack, she’s been on a mission to get me partnered up.” He made a sound of disgust. “It’s like she thinks I can’t cope being on my own.”
“Ah, so the truth comes out,” Lily said, nodding.
“I love that girl to death, but man… she does not know how to take no for an answer.” He rolled his eyes. “Once she gets an idea in her head, she won’t let it go.”
“I’d be keeping you safe from unwanted matchmaking attempts, then?”