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“Not much to tell. He walked out on our session.”
“I heard.”
“He actually told you that?”
“Yes, he feels badly.”
“I doubt that."
“He does. That’s why I’m here. He invited me over to talk this morning.”
This can’t be good.
“He needs your help. He’s in line to take over his family security firm, but there’s a condition. He must be married.”
I burst out laughing. “That’s ridiculous! I’m not marrying him.”
“No, not for real. When Jackson’s parents told him about the marriage requirement, he panicked. He blurted out that he was already engaged."
“Sorry, but that’s his problem. I don’t owe him anything.”
“You’re right. But he’s really in a tough spot. He practically begged me for help. His parents want him to bring his fiancée to his grandfather’s retirement party. It will only be for one night. Jackson says he has a plan to make sure it ends there.”
“Why me?”
“It needs to be someone he has history with to make it more believable.”
“No way. We have no history. He ignored me for years.”
“I mentioned that to him, but he’s desperate. He’s struggling with what happened in the army. He needs this.”
My brother is using his puppy dog eyes. He’s done it since I was six years old because it always works on me.
Folding his hands together, Greyson tilts his head and bats his eyelashes at me.
“Brinn, he’s my best friend. Don’t do it for him. Do it for me.”
I sigh. How did my day get here? This is not what I need right now.
I know Greyson can see he’s getting to me. “Just think about it, okay?"
“Fine. I’ll think about it, but that’s it. I haven’t said yes.”
Greyson gives me a sly smile. “Perfect. That’s all I ask. You really are the best, Brinn.”
Chapter four
Brinn
I drum my fingers on the steering wheel, mimicking the rhythmic beat of the radio as I travel down Main Street. My mind is drifting. It's been five days since Jackson’s first therapy session. He’s missed two appointments and hasn’t rescheduled.
Part of me is relieved by the break. After my conversation with my brother, seeing Jackson again is going to be awkward. I still haven’t given an answer on being his fake fiancée. But the looming reality is my graduation hinges on completing my internship. Jackson is my final client, and if he doesn’t finish his rehab, my grades will suffer.
I have no other choice. Reluctantly, I make a U-turn, heading back out of town. As the last storefronts vanish, I maneuver through a tight corner, revealing the vastness of the ocean before me. I never tire of the view. Rolling waves crash into the beach as kids jump and play, their parents looking on.
Memories of weekends with my brother on this beach come flashing back. We spent every second we could here, enjoyingthe California coast. I wish things could be as simple as they were back then.
I make a right, and the road slopes upward toward the most expensive area in Seaside Bay. Opulent mansions on sprawling estates dominate the neighborhood. This section of town is reserved for the affluent, and Jackson’s family is no exception. Following a turn, I navigate through a narrow path leading to his imposing family grounds behind the wrought iron gates.
