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I do have experience faking my feelings as I’ve done in front of my parents for years. I should be able to pretend to care deeply about Jackson for a few hours.
My makeup and hair are done, so I grab the dress, slip it on, and find the matching shoes. I haven’t spent much time in heels over the years. I hope I don’t make a fool of myself by falling.
A gentle knock on the door makes my heart skip a beat. I glance at the clock; it's time. Clutching my purse, I take a moment to compose myself before going to the door.
As I swing it open, there he is—Jackson, impeccably dressed in a blue two-piece suit. His brown hair looks perfect. His cleanly shaved skin puts his dimples on full display when he smiles at me. Our eyes lock for a brief moment. There’s something unreadable in his gaze. Is he worried about tonight too?
"Hey."
"Hey," I reply, trying to match his casual tone. I step out of the apartment, closing the door behind me. We’re caught in a moment suspended in time, neither of us moving forward.
His gaze runs over my dress. I notice his lips part before he quickly closes them. My cheeks tingle.
"What do you think?" I ask and swirl around.
He clears his throat. "I think you will be the most beautiful woman in the room."
We walk to the stairs. He offers his arm even though I know it’s difficult for him with the cane. His kind gesture warms my heart. But I can’t get caught up in this act or him. I have to keep reminding myself he’s only doing it for show.
We make it to the lobby, his cane clacking along the way. A few heads turn when they see us head for the exit. We look out of place in our attire for this building. Jackson is used to the attention, but I’m not.
The night is early. The stars are just beginning to pepper the dark blanket of the sky. Something about the way they glitter makes me hopeful. I only have to pretend to be Jackson’s fiancée for one night. How hard can that be?
There's a very large man dressed in a black suit and tie standing in front of a limousine. He opens the door when he sees us coming.
"Where's Kennedy?" I ask.
"He's already at the event making sure everything is set up."
I move to get into the car and feel Jackson’s hand on my lower back. I pause but remember this is what he has to do. We need to look like a loving couple who want to be together forever. This is going to be harder than I imagined.
Jackson reclines in his seat and exhales, instinctively rubbing his knee.
“Are you in pain?”
“Not much, actually. It’s just a habit.”
“I’m glad it’s getting better. You must have anamazingtherapist.”
A smile plays across his lips.
“So where are we headed?”
“To an exclusive event center in LA. My grandfather rented the entire place for tonight. He doesn’t do anything halfway.”
“Wow. That sounds amazing.”
Turning around, I ask, “Is there an extra car behind the limo?”
“Yep. Security.”
“Is that normal?”
“No, but this is a huge event in the city, so I wanted to be extra careful with you along. Sometimes there are crashers who try to get into exclusive parties like this one.”
His thoughtfulness catches me off guard. It doesn’t feel like an act.
“I promised your brother I would take good care of you tonight, so that’s what I’m going to do. You’re safe with me.”
