21
The More Weddings the Merrier
Collin
Iwake to the sound of my phone buzzing. Noli is breathing rhythmically next to me. Sometime in the night, she drifted out of my arms. But I can still feel her presence—like the heat of the sun on my skin. I tip my head to the side and take a quick look at her. I refuse to stare, because I’m not trying to be creepy. She asked me to sleep in this bed with her because she had a rotten night. Seeing Nelson sent her spiraling.
I lie still, not wanting to disturb her. She looks stunning and…peaceful. My phone goes quiet, and I let out a breath. Good. I don’t want to deal with the outside world right now. In fact, I’d happily stay in this room with Noli until it’s time for us to fly back to Wisconsin. Then I’d find some sort of over-the-counter drugs that would knock her out so she wouldn’t have to deal with her anxiety about flying. This woman brings out my protective streak.
My phone starts vibrating again. I must’ve left it in my pile of pillows and blankets. I roll off my half of the bed and hurry around to my floor fort and start searching for it. I want to turn the thing off so Noli doesn’t hear it. I get my hands on it a second before it stops ringing. I glance at the screen to find it lit up with notifications, messages, and missed calls. Several of them are from my dad.
“What is it?”
I ping my gaze to the bed where Noli is propping herself up on her elbows.
“What?”
She motions to my face. “You look stressed.”
“Oh. Yeah. My phone is blowing up.” I swipe it open, and my stomach drops out. “Uhh, looks like news of our engagement got out.”
Noli sits straight up in bed. “What?”
I hold my phone out for her to see. It’s pretty simple. Someone—I’m guessing Nelson—tagged my public ‘Collin Rattler for County Sheriff’ social media account in a ‘Congrats on your engagement’ message. The local media picked it up and ran a news article on it, saying they’re waiting for confirmation.
“We have got to stop finding out about our relationship on the internet,” Noli deadpans. I laugh, but she shakes her head. “Collin. I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.” She brings the heels of her hands up and presses them into her eyes. “Now what are we going to do?”
I sit down on the bed next to her and reach for one of her wrists, pulling it down so I can look in her eyes. “It’s no big deal. We’ll say it’s not true.”
She glances down and nibbles on her lip. “Right. Yeah, of course.”
I study her. “Unless you have another plan?”
She slowly lifts her gaze. “I don’t want to deal with Nelson when he finds out I was bluffing, you know? But that’s dumb. It’ll be fine, I’m sure.”
Her voice wobbles, and somehow, I know it won’t be fine.
“We could go through with it.” The words are out of my mouth before I can think them through. I’m Collin Rattler, certified bachelor who has sworn off marriage for life. But suddenly, I’m offering myself up as husband material. Look at me go.
Noli cuts me with an incredulous look. “Rattler, you’re not going to marry me to save me from my ex. That’s ridiculous.”
I shake my head, a plan already forming, because dang it, if there’s one thing I can do, it’s think under pressure. “No more ridiculous than fake dating me to help with my campaign. And you’d actually be doing me a favor.”
Her mouth drops open on a huff that all but saysyeah right.
“I’m serious. Remember when I told you my team said a marriage this year would actually be good for my image? That was true. If our relationship took that natural course”—she stiffens—“fictionally, of course,” I backtrack, and she nods once, “then so be it,” I finish.
Noli’s facial expression can only be described as pained. “I—”
Three knocks on the door interrupt whatever she starts to say.
“Magnolia Kasper, open up. I’m coming in in three, two—”
I bolt up from the bed as the door flies open to reveal Poppy, followed closely by Rose. Mack is behind the duo of sisters, and when I catch his eye, he offers me an apologetic shrug.
“You’re ENGAGED?” Poppy shrieks as she pounces on the bed.
“And we had to find out about it on social media? Come on!” Rose plops down next to Poppy and crosses her arms.
