AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“She’s the same size as you, right?”
Nia and I are exactly the same size, which has always been handy for the purposes of borrowing clothes. “Right,” I say. “Can I ask what you’re up to?”
“Nope,” he says. “Just text me her number.”
“Does Sonya know we’re fake?”
He grimaces. “Uh. It’s complicated.”
I laugh. “Everything about this situation is complicated.”
“My brother Rhys wants me to do this plausible-deniability thing where we talk about it like it’s real. And it makes sense. We talk about it like it’s real, we text about it like it’s real, and then we’re a lot less likely to fuck up when it matters.”
“Makes sense,” I say slowly.
“So technically I haven’t said it’s fake. But my whole family knows it’s fake, because it’s obvious that it’s fake, because they know I’m not the kind of guy who gets married. I’m just not a guy who sticks.”
That’s probably true, at least if you believe the way he’s portrayed in the press. Every time he appears, it’s with a different woman, and the media loves to make a big deal about the revolving door.
Not a guy who sticks.
It’s a good reminder to the part of me that finds him increasingly appealing as we spend more time together.
Shane Hott is not an eligible bachelor. He’s not husband material. He’s a guy who doesn’t stick.
“Okay, well, make sure you tell Nia about the plausible-deniability thing, too,” I say, pointing at his phone.
“Will do. And I think Sonya’s bringing a couple friends, so we’ll have to stay in character anyway. The story we’re going with is that I already proposed to you in private, and now we’re filming an internet-worthy proposal for our fans.”
“So much for keeping things simple,” I goad him. “None of this is gonna come back to bite us in the ass or anything.”
He smiles wryly. “We’ve got this. Have faith.”
“Famous last words.”
It doesn’t take long before there’s a knock at my door. Shane opens it and hugs a dark-haired woman toting shopping bags, then introduces us. “Sonya, this is my fiancée, Ivy.”
“I know Ivy!” Sonya says, beaming. “She’s a beloved customer at Hott Spot.”
Even though I know what she said is just good customer service, her praise makes me blush. Sometimes you feel like just a name in an appointment book, but the way Sonya’s smiling at me suggests she means what she says.
“So,” she says, taking my hands in hers. “You’re Shane’s fiancée! Welcome to the family.”
Did she just wink at me? I blinked and missed it. Her gaze is curious but not judgmental, and I remind myself that she and Quinn probably got together because of a clause in the Hott will. I need to ask Shane what happened between them.
Regardless, it looks like she has my back—and I’m grateful for that.
“Thank you,” I say, and we smile at each other.
She sets down her shopping bags in the kitchen and turns to me.
“Let’s start with eyebrows.” She examines them, smoothing them with slim, cool fingers. I eye her own hair and makeup, which are flawless—subtle natural color on her olive skin, hair that she ironed into perfect ringlets. Plus I love her outfit, a pair of flowy pants and a wrap blouse that emphasize her narrow waist and hourglass curves.
“I’ll be back,” Shane says.
“Where are you going?” I ask him.
“I have some things I need to get.”
