We both fell back in our chairs in a fit of laughter.
“Then I’d have to hear how Charlotte cured the brutal disease,” I said with a groan. “I’ll drop the bomb soon that he’s got a nasty virus. That way I’ll prepare them for him not being able to attend the party.”
Henley suggested, “You could just find a boyfriend and make things a lot easier.”
“I need a break from toxic men at the moment.” I shrugged.
“You need to get back out there, Lu.”
“Well, that’s going to be very tricky, seeing as I supposedly have a fake boyfriend now. I can’t risk being photographed by the media on a random date. So I’m going to just read lots of dirty romance while I’m in Rosewood River and focus on the new designs for Luxe.”
“I’m so proud of you, Lu. Luxe is the most exclusive department store in France, and they chose to partner with you. Your designs are going to be a known brand worldwide. You created MSL and look how many people love it.”
“I just wish my father would finally recognize the business that I’ve built. He still sees me as the screw-up who dated the toxic rock star. Like what does it take to realize I’m not that girl anymore? Anyway, the fact that I have this amazing man in Rosewood River finally has him asking about my business, my designs, and my plans.”
“Beckett sucks ass,” Henley said, as she arched a brow. “You could barely stand him the last year you were dating him, not to mention how happy you’ve been in the year since you broke up with him. So, I’m thrilled that you’ve found a wonderful man to settle down with in Rosewood River, even if he is fictional.”
I chuckled. My bestie was the one person who totally got me. She always had my back, and I always had hers. She was the sister that I always wanted. We met in boarding school in ninth grade, and we’d been inseparable since.
“Yeah. It’s going to suck when I have to break up with Love Her Boy when I move to Paris for the launch in three months.”
“Maybe you’ll fall in love with small-town living and tell Paris to suck it.” She winked playfully. “I’m proud of you. And I’lltake the three months that you’re here and enjoy every minute. I wonder how you’ll break up with your soulmate.”
I thought it over, because I’d eventually have to sell the breakup as hard as I sold the relationship. “It can’t be messy. I think I’ll make him a workaholic. I’ll tell my parents he’s too dedicated to his profession, and I just can’t be with someone who’s married to his job. Or I could blame the distance. Geographically undesirable. That’s believable.”
“The poor guy suffered from Lakacocky first, and then he’s a miserable workaholic who lives on the other side of the world in the end. I do hope you and Love Her Boy are at least having lots of good fictional sex right now.”
“Girl, of course, he’s a fabulous lover. The man has the stamina of a high-end porn star. He’s fictional, after all. We can make him anything we want.”
“Sounds like you’ve really built this guy up. It’s a good thing he’s not going to meet your family,” she chuckled.
“No man can fill the shoes of Love Her Boy at this point,” I said, glancing out the window to see the snow coming down harder. “So what does one do with all that snow when you’re living here? I haven’t used a shovel in a very long time.”
“Don’t worry. Easton has someone who comes and shovels the driveway for you. He should be by later today. Or you could always have your hot lover boyfriend shovel for you.”
“Yes. He’s very manly that way. Big arms, big shovel… big dick.”
Henley spewed coffee across the table as we both fell forward in laughter.
Three months in this charming, snow-covered small town, with my best friend and my fictional boyfriend, was exactly what I needed to get my life back on track.
three
. . .
Rafe
“I’mglad you made it back to Rosewood River. You probably shouldn’t have ventured into the city this morning with the storm rolling in,” my boss said through the Bluetooth speaker in my car. Joseph Chapman was a ball buster. He was claiming it wasn’t safe for me to have come to the city today, yet he called me last night and demanded I be present for our meeting with our wealthiest client this morning.
“Four-wheel drive is coming in handy today.” I turned down the final street toward my brother’s house.
“Work from home tomorrow,” he said.
Will do. Tomorrow is Saturday, so no one went to the office on Saturday. Including Joseph.
“I’ll definitely work from home. And you’ve only got two more weeks as a single man, huh?” I teased, because he was getting married soon.
“Yep. But I’m too old for bachelor parties, so I’ll just be drinking whiskey with my brother at the club.” He laughed, and a husky, deep sound rumbled through the speaker, probably due to years of smoking cigars.
