Noa studies me, his eyes growing more worried every time I fidget with my dress. “Are you ready?”
“What? Yeah. Of course.” I pull at my dress again. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
His left brow arches. “Because we’ve been standing outside for fifteen minutes.”
Right. That. “Has it really been that long?”
“It’s really been that long,” he says gently. “Do you want to run through the plan again?”
“Yes. Let’s do that.” I join him by one of the pillars in front of my parent’s house he’s apparently been leaning against for the last fourteen minutes. “So…the plan.” What’s the plan? I forgot the plan!
Noa grabs my hands. “Relax.” He rubs small circles on the back of my hand and I remind myself to breathe. “We’re just going to go in there, have dinner, show your brothers you’ve won, and then announce that we’re engaged. Then we will have a stupid fight about nothing and I’ll leave you heartbroken.”
Right. Yes. So easy. Just a little, “Hey guys, I’m engaged, but not really.”
“What if they see right through it?”
Noa smiles and points to his face. “With these puppy dog eyes aimed at you all night? How can they not believe it?”
He has a point. Those are some pretty convincing puppy dog eyes. I’ve never seen anything like that on Grant, which means…nothing. Because I don’t want him to be jealous. I want him to want me of course, but not because I’m with someone else. But my brothers, what if they’re ticked?
“I don’t know if I can do this. I’ve never been a good liar,” I admit.
“Just think of it as a play. We are putting on a show for a few hours, then it’s done. And you can come clean whenever you want.”
I nod. But it must seem like I need more convincing because he goes on.
“I’m not your fiancé. Think of me as a playmate.” His face goes red, and my laughter dispels all the stress mounting in my body. “That didn’t come out right.” He’s got a sheepish smile on his face and it’s my new favorite expression.
“It was effective though.” I laugh. “I think I’m ready to go in now.”
“Oh, wait.” He pauses and starts digging in his pocket. He pulls something out and holds it in his hands. “I just wanted to say thank you. For coming with me to the reunion, and for showing me what a true friend is.”
He places a small object in my hand: a ring with a dainty little star on top. “And I don’t want you to forget how important you are. Even if the people around you forget to remind you, know that you’re amazing.”
My vision goes blurry, and I pull him in for a hug. “Noa. This is so sweet. Thank you.” In two weeks, this man beside me went from a stranger to a fake fiancé, to a friend, and, well, back to a fake fiancé. I couldn’t be more grateful for him. “Promise you won’t ditch me after whatever happens tonight?” I half laugh, half cry.
“No way. I already signed you up for karaoke next week.”
I pull back with a laugh. “Of course you did.” I look at the ring in my hand again. I suppose it will work as a pretend engagement ring. Except it’s huge.
“Noa, what size did you get?” I laugh. The only finger it fits on is my thumb, and it’s still too big.
He scratches the back of his head. “There are sizes?”
“Oh dear, please come to me before you propose to some beautiful girl with a bracelet.”
He shrugs. “What if she likes bracelets?”
“Noa.”
“Kidding.” But he’s wearing a mischievous grin and I’m pretty sure he’s still contemplating this idea.
Don’t worry, future wife of Noa Reid, I’ve got you.
I take a deep breath and face the door again. “Alright. Let’s do this.”
Noa opens the door, and we step inside.
