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He’d called me that a lot today. I’d laughed at ridiculous nicknames in books before, and yet, when Nolan said it, I rather liked it. The term made everything more intimate.
Which we needed, if everyone was to believe our lie.
I replied, “Yes. Before you came, I was frozen in place, my head stuck in the past. So, thanks for your help and backing me up.”
The corner of his mouth kicked up. “Don’t make it seem like a hardship. Any man who gets to kiss you is a lucky man indeed.”
“We’re alone, so you don’t need to keep up the pretense, Nolan.”
He traced my cheek with his forefinger, and I resisted a shiver. “I’m telling the truth.” I opened my mouth to tell him to cut it out, but Nolan spoke before me. “Let’s put that aside for now. From what I could tell of the conversation, they bullied you as a child?”
“Yes. I got boobs early and resisted a bra—I was still a kid—and that made me a target. And since I gain weight on my lower body, they always made snide remarks about the size of my thighs and ass.” I shrugged. “It hurt more as a kid than when I was a teenager. But by the time I was in high school, with Emmy, Abby, and Amber at my back, the Mean Girls went and found someone else to terrorize.”
My best friends had been furious when they’d learned about the bullying. I’d kept it a secret from them for years, not wanting to burden them. Plus, I’d always thought that one day, I’d be able to stop it myself.
Which, in retrospect, had been fucking stupid given how I’d needed help even as an adult.
I noticed Nolan was preternaturally still, his jaw clenched, and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“I wish I would’ve known sooner. Maybe I could’ve stopped it earlier.”
“While sweet, you left Starry Hills at eighteen, and I was twelve. By that point, we rarely saw each other because you were busy starring in movies and TV shows.”
“What about your sisters? Didn’t they want to help you?”
I bit my bottom lip for a few seconds. “Later, Cassie and Sam promised to have my back if I needed it. But no, I didn’t tell them until after high school. So they had no way of knowing.”
He searched my gaze. “What else are you hiding?”
That I want to kiss you again, strip you, and moan as you come inside me.
“Nothing, really. However, after the display in the market, you’re going to have another fire to put out. I’m sure our make-out session will be all over the internet by now.”
He studied me. “You’re changing the subject.”
“Because I don’t want to talk about the past any more today, okay? Let’s just focus on the future and, more importantly, our plan. Is today still the day? Or do we need to rethink it?”
Nolan and I had agreed to be vague when it came to our fake relationship details. That way, fewer people could guess what we were up to.
However, he knew exactly what I was talking about. “No, we’ll go ahead, as planned.” He took my hand. “Provided you’re up for it, of course.”
“Yep. The sooner, the better. Maybe this next step will make your problem go away for good.”
He shook his head. “You’re far more optimistic about that than me, baby. We’ll see how it goes.” He pulled me forward until he could put his free hand on my hip. “But let’s have a little fun at the market before we take the next step, okay?”
I tilted my head. “Why? I’m sure it’s nothing compared to the bigger ones in SoCal.”
“Southern California has many advantages—warmer weather, beautiful beaches, and some of the best restaurants in the world. However, Starry Hills has one thing that it doesn’t.”
“Which is?”
“Home. This is home, no matter how often I’m away. There’s something about the rolling hills of the vineyards, everyone knowing my name—my real name, not my stage name—and how much fun I have spending time with you.”
I searched his gaze at that last line. He had to be acting. Right?
Zach popped his head around the corner. “Are you two okay? I finally had a break from visitors and wanted to see what was up.”
I stepped back, and Nolan released my hand before answering, “I think we have everything under control. Right, Katie?”
