Page 69 of The Pucking Fake Boyfriend

I’m terrified.

Because right in front of me is my very own spa, ready for the opening day. Raising a baby while sorting out funding and paperwork was hell, but I’m rewarded with my own shop on Rodeo Drive, Los Angeles.

“Yeah, right.” Blake shrugs his broad shoulders and smiles. I grin at him, realizing once more how much I like that he’s not afraid to call me out on my bullshit.

Turning back to the building, I take in and savor every detail—the black, polished walls, the glass that gives me aglimpse of the cream-colored sofas in reception, the headboard with the name of my spa proudly displayed.

Blake seems to be reading my thoughts. “Brit’s,” he reads, also staring at the headboard. “Surprised you didn’t go for one of the more flowery names, like Generous Touch or Happy Endings.”

“Yeah, me too.” I snicker, grateful for the humor. While Blake was right about my spa’s name being a little odd, I am convinced it is perfect. I’ve waited all my life for this, and most of that waiting was done while I was pretending to be someone else. I want to be unapologetically myself for the rest of my life.

“Thanks for being here.” I turn back to my brother, gratitude welling in me. “But where’s—”

Before I can finish that thought, a loud pop goes off behind us. I turn around, my heart in my throat. About half a dozen people are striding toward Blake and me, two of them holding big bouquets. A smile spreads across my face as I spot my newest LA friend and spa manager, Sophie, holding a champagne bottle and a couple of flutes. She’s accompanied by my dad, who’s holding more flowers, my other two employees, and a couple of Blake’s friends who flew down to inaugurate my business.

“Congrats, champ,” my dad says, giving me the lilies after a brief hug. I grin at him, tears welling in my eyes. Our relationship is a long way from perfect, but him caring enough to take a flight to Los Angeles is not lost on me, especially since I am living far from the life he’d dreamed. I turn to hug Sophie, my elation growing.

I’d moved to LA a year ago. Starting out in a new city with a newborn was terrifying but meeting her at a massage salon I was researching was a stroke of luck. We quickly became friends, and she went all in helping me with my business plan.

“Can’t believe you showed up to your own opening earlier than all of us,” she says, handing me a flute.

“Couldn’t help it,” I admit, taking a sip. The alcohol introduces a new rush of giddiness. I automatically glance at my father for his reaction, and even after two years, I’m still a little surprised by his poker face.

“Finally, you show up,” Blake says to Sophie, rolling his eyes as he passes me a pair of scissors.

There’s a pair of footsteps heading in our direction. I don’t need to turn around to know who it is, but I do anyway.

Alex is heading toward me, his hands wrapped around Angel, our one-year-old daughter. He has his ear bent to her as she pulls on his beard. Watching them, my heart fills with joy. I’d dreamed of opening my spa ever since I was a teen, but not once in my wildest dreams did I assume that I’d be opening it with my husband and my daughter in tow.

“Hey,” he mutters, eyes peering into mine. And even though we’re on a busy Los Angeles street and surrounded by our closest friends and family, I swear everything else melts away until it’s just our family remaining. “Guess what she was saying?”

I glance at our daughter, smiling when I spot the cute ponytail Alex did with her hair. “What?”

“She wants us to leave early, so we can go get ice cream.” Alex’s eyes are twinkling. “And she might have mentioned she is glad you are going to start working, so she’ll get to be with her favorite parent all day.”

I roll my eyes. “Sure, she said all that.” I’m already thinking of how to get back at him later that evening. Alex and I like to play the “Who does Angel prefer?” game, and he’s going to be winning a lot more now since, true to his word, he didn’t renew his contract with the Philly Flyers last month. I’d been worried about him giving up his career atfirst, but just watching him be a father to Angel made me certain that he’d found his purpose. Right now, he is thinking of going into real estate, but hasn’t made concrete plans, mostly because he is too distracted by Angel’s adorableness to think of anything else.

He pulls me into a hug, and I let him. Inhaling his cologne takes the edge off my nerves, and for a second, I forget where we are, brushing my lips against his.

“You ready?”

I nod, telling myself we’ll have more time later that night. Turning around, I hold the pair of scissors steady and head toward the ribbon. My heart starts thumping again, and my fingers are slightly wobbly, but Alex reaches out and places his hand on mine. We snip together as everyone cheers.

Together, I think, as I hug my family for the first time as a brand-new business owner. Exactly how it should be. I watch as my father pulls Angel from Alex’s arms and hear her squealing for her grandpa. Alex goes over to Blake and envelopes him in a brotherly hug, and Sophie pushes open the door and ushers me into the spa.

As I step into the building of my dreams, I realize that this existence is ultimately better than the one I’d dreamed of over the past ten years, the solo one where I cut away family ties to start a new life. In this one, where I untangled and strengthened ties—even added a few new ropes—I am much better off.

Alex puts his arm around my shoulders. “Who would have thought?” he mutters in my ear, sending chills unrelated to his words down my spine. “You took a break from hating my guts and we ended up with all this.”

I grin at him. But before I can say a word, the front door swings open, and a harried-looking brunette steps in.

“Hey,” she says. “You guys open?”

“Yes,” Sophia squeals.

I smile at her before turning to the customer. “Come on in.”

Being open to everything has led to the greatest blessings in my life over the past few years.

And it will only continue.

THE END

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