Page 69 of The Wedding Hoax

Oh.

The anger inside of me quickly melted as I smiled back at him. “That’s really nice of you, Harry. Thanks.”

“Yeah, I figured it’s the least I could do.” He nodded with a small smile. “I’m also kind of hoping it counts as an apology?”

He took a step closer to me before he went on. “I’m really sorry about everything I said about you and Jace. I’m sorry for looking at your phone. I’m sorry for just generally being an asshole recently. I wish I could blame work but…” He shrugged. “I don’t think it had anything to do with work. I think it was just about me feeling insecure.”

“Insecure?”

“It’s just a stupid guy thing. I know we’re not really married, but we still are, you know? We are to everybody else. And I think it was just driving me crazy, the idea of you being with someone else.”

“Because you didn’t want other people to think I’d cheat on you?”

“Because I didn’t want other people to think you’d ever be with him,” he corrected. “That you’d ever choose someone like him over me. Especially since he already hurt you. Imagine what kind of guy I must be, right? If you were willing to go back to Jace.”

“Yeah. Imagine.” I playfully rolled my eyes. “Because it’s never going to happen. Ever. I’m done with Jace, Harry. I mean it.”

“I know.” Harry bent to gently press a kiss against my lips. “I’m sorry for making such a huge deal out of nothing.”

“Apology accepted.” I smiled against the kiss as warmth bloomed inside my chest.

“You’re dressed perfectly, by the way.” He looked at my outfit, scanning it up and down. “Almost like you already knew about the picnic somehow.”

“Nope. Not a mind reader. Just a girl who wanted to be comfortable.” I beamed. “All right. Let me go get my mom before we head out—”

“I can get her.” Harry held up a hand. “Why don’t you just wait right here?”

“Uh, all right?” I was so shocked all I could do was stand still.

Harry was going to help my mom get over here from the guesthouse?

Huh.

I suddenly had a feeling that today was going to be filled with surprises.

* * *

“It’s such a nice day for a picnic,” my mom said as we headed toward the middle of the park.

She was right. It was a bright, sunny day in LA, and it seemed like everyone got the memo. The park was full of kids skateboarding on the sidewalk, couples sharing ice cream cones as they walked their dogs, and older people out for a leisurely stroll. It was nice seeing everyone out like this, though, almost like getting a snapshot of the perfect day in LA.

Harry was busy setting up a spot for us to sit. He’d also brought an oversized umbrella, which I watched him set up to give my mom some cover from the sun. It was so thoughtful and so sweet that I barely knew how to respond to it.

He was acting like he was actually my husband.

Like we were actually part of a family. I mean, in a way, I guess we would be family soon enough. I was carrying his baby, after all, even though I still hadn’t broken the news to him about it.

Crap.

I really needed to find the right time to tell him.

“Is that good, Eileen? Do you have enough cover?” Harry asked. “I can always move the umbrella over if you think—”

“No, no. It’s good, Harry. Thank you.” My mom smiled at him. “For everything.”

“How about you, Simone?” He turned toward me after we’d both settled down on the blanket. “You good?”

“I’m great.” I offered him a quick wink. “Thanks for putting this together, Harry—”

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