Page 24 of The Other Plan

“Whoa!” He chuckled as he closed his arms around my waist. “It’s good to see you too, but I just saw you yesterday, goofball.”

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered in his ear. “I’m so so sorry.”

“For what?” he asked. He started to pull out of our embrace, but I tightened my grip.

“I don’t have time to explain, but I may or may not have used you as my fake boyfriend to avoid single girl embarrassment. I didn’t expect to run into you, but here we are, and everyone here thinks we’re together. Please, please, please, please play along and just pretend we’re a happy couple.”

His body stiffened in my arms before I felt the slight shaking of laughter. “You didn’t.”

“I totally did.” I stifled my own horrified laugh. “You can make fun of me all you want later, but right now, pretty please, just play along.”

“I think I should feel honored I got chosen as your fake boyfriend. I mean of all the guys in Door County you could have chosen, I got—”

“Evan!” I whispered under my laugh, “Quit screwing with me and please agree to do this! I’m already dying of embarrassment here!”

“Okay, okay,” he whispered back. “I’ll be your fake boyfriend.”

“Oh, thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

I released my death grip on his neck and leaned back. His amber eyes lit up with mirth as he stared down at me.

“Hey, girlfriend,” he teased. “So, should I like kiss you or something? I have no idea what the hell I’m supposed to do here.”

“Eww! No!” I puckered. “We’re like brother and sister. That would be—”

“Incestuous. I know. That’s what I’ve always said when people ask me why we haven’t dated.”

“Exactly. No kissing.”

“I’m never going to let you live this down, you know.” His smile widened as he stared down at me.

“Oh, I know.” I rolled my eyes and slid my arm inside his. “Just please don’t bust me out, and you can tease me until we’re too old to remember this.”

“I’ll never be too old to remember this,” he whispered in my ear before walking me toward the group of Bronson’s, watching us with huge smiles.

And one person watching us with a frown.

Carter.

“It’s so lovely to meet the man who has stolen our beloved Jenna’s heart!” Lydia said as she met us. “I can’t wait to hear all about you, but first, we need you to take a look at Aunt Tilly. She took a spill and may have injured her neck or have a concussion. Or worse. A brain bleed. Make sure you rule that out.”

“I’m happy to take a look,” Evan answered.

“So, this is him,” Aunt Tilly smiled as Evan squatted down in front of her. “My oh my, he is handsome, Jenna. You weren’t exaggerating.”

Evan glanced up at me, and his crooked, mocking smile made me groan outwardly.

“Well, you must be Aunt Tilly,” Evan said as he started performing his exam. “Jenna speaks very highly of you.”

“Is this happening?” Cameron whispered into my ear. “Is this seriously freaking happening? I’m dying. Dy-ing.”

“This is happening,” I mumbled as I watched Evan charm the pants off Aunt Tilly.

I held my breath through the entire exam, praying for the moment it ended and I could get Evan safely out of here before he blew my cover. But when he gave her a clean bill of health and helped her to her feet, Aunt Tilly pulled him in for one of her famous hugs.

“We are so happy for you and Jenna. You caught yourself one hell of a woman, you know that?”

“Oh, I know that. Jenna is something else.” He taunted me with a smile over her shoulder.