“Oh. Right.” I pivoted back to the older man, juggling Whiskey and sticking out my hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t get your name, Captain. I’m Ellie Darling.”
The older man got to his feet as well, and he took my hand with a warm smile. “Tobias Westbrook.”
I blinked.
Then blinked again as the name sank in.
And, finally, I blinked one more time, letting my hand slip out of his like a limp noodle while dread clogged my lungs.
“…Westbrook?” I squeaked out, my life flashing before my eyes.
“My grandfather,” Cade murmured dryly behind me.
Oh god.
“It wasn’t my intention to deceive you,” the older man said gently, eyes apologetic. “But it’s not often I get a chance to meet people who don’t recognize me. I couldn’t resist playing along, and I’m glad I did. It led to a delightful conversation.”
Said conversation replayed in my mind like a horror movie, and I paled. I glanced at Cade, his face unnervingly calm as his dark eyes met mine.
I gulped. “I… I…”
The man moved his attention to Cade, stepping closer and clapping a hand on his grandson’s shoulder. “I like her. Don’t screw this up.”
The tension lining Cade’s shoulders faltered, but he turned to me instead of answering. “We should get back to our cabin. Ellie?”
“Yes. Definitely. We should,” I agreed in an unnaturally high voice, then turned to his grandfather. “It was lovely to meet you, Cap—I mean, Mr. Westbrook.”
That playful glint entered his eyes again. “The pleasure was all mine, Ellie.”
Cade settled his hand against my lower back, steering me toward the stairs.
It was a quiet walk back to the room.
not your type
. . .
Ellie
Ellie’s Guide toProfessional CuddlingBeing a Fake FiancéeNOT Falling for Your Fake FiancéHiding Any Trace that You’ve Fallen for Your Fake FiancéKeeping It Together, Tip #21: Communication is key.
The air in our cabin felt different tonight.
Thinner. Colder. Like there wasn’t enough to get a proper breath.
And I hadn’t stopped cringing at just how much I’d shared with Cade’sgrandfather.
The one man we needed to fool the most, and I’d mistaken him for a trustworthy sea captain.
Today couldn’t get any worse.
My stomach twisted as I took off Whiskey’s life jacket and set him on his velvet pillow. I couldn’t stay quiet once Cade shut the door behind us. “In my defense?—”
“Let’s not do this now,” he said shortly. He pulled off his blazer without looking at me. “The plan hasn’t imploded yet, andmy grandfather even seemed to find our engagement amusing. It could be worse.”
“Maybe,” I hedged, chewing on my lip. “But I still screwed up, and I’m really sorry.”
Cade started unbuttoning his shirt. “It’ll be fine. We just got lucky he likes you.”
