Page 24 of Fake It For Him

“Smug doesn’t look good on you, Ella.” He groaned, but then he checked his watch and immediately got up. “Let’s go. They’ll be having drinks already and I’m sure they’re wondering where we are.”

When he extended his hand toward me all gallant-like, I was once again surprised. Then again, now that I knew where he came from, I supposed it shouldn’t have been surprising that he knew all the right things to do. I was sure Davina would’ve taught him. It wasn’t her fault he only seemed to use those skills when he wanted to.

I put my hand in his and allowed him to pull me up. Then I took his arm when he offered it to help me across the lawn. Our sides pressed together, that expensive leather, whiskey, and citrus scent of his wafting over to me with every breath I took.

Between that and the hard heat of his body everywhere it connected with mine, that old attraction I’d felt drawing me to him that first night came creeping back in. I’d promised myself I’d fight it if it happened, and I was going to keep that promise, but it was definitely going to be more difficult than I’d thought.

Not just because he was hot, but mostly because he wasn’t the uncaring dick I’d been painting him as in my head for all these years. Calan Reid was very much human, even nice when he wanted to be. Thankfully, before I had time to overthink any of that, we reached the back door into the house and he lifted his hand to knock.

My heart was doing cartwheels in my chest as the nervousness I’d been managing to keep at bay broke out of the cage I’d been keeping it in. The whole arrangement of ours was a much bigger deal to him than I’d realized, and I was the one who’d gotten us into this dinner, but I couldn’t allow the nerves to get the better of me now.

I took a breath, tightened my grip on his arm, and pasted a smile on my face just as the door swung open. We were shown inside once more by a member of the staff, and Scottish music flowed from the parlor as we made our way to the bar.

When we walked in, there were five other people already in the room. Davina and Ross, who were gorgeous in their own right, but also three people I hadn’t met before. A young man who looked a lot like Calan, only more youthful and softer around the edges. A beautiful girl with long brown hair, and a handsome blond man with his arm around the woman’s waist.

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out who they were. Calan’s brother, his sister, and her fiancé. Also known as the people I was being paid a crap ton of money to help him fool.

13

CALAN

I cleared my throat when Ella and I entered the room. My sister’s stunned gaze locked on mine, and I smiled. “Everyone, this is Ella. My girlfriend. Ella, everyone.”

Freya blinked slowly, but then she seemed to realize that this was really happening and she released her fiancé’s hand to rush over to us. “Ella! It’s so nice to meet you. I can’t believe you’re here. I’m Freya.”

My sister threw her arms around Ella.

“You can’t believe she’s here?” Jim asked as he came up beside her, wearing an easy smile. “We didn’t even know he had a girlfriend until five minutes ago.”

“That’s my point,” Freya squealed as she held Ella tight. “She’s real and she’s here, and she’s his girlfriend! Oh, I’m so happy.”

Ella giggled, thankfully not as offended by my sister’s statement as a real girlfriend might’ve been. She let go of me to hug my sister back, and the embrace seemed strangely warm for a girl who was faking it.

Makes me wonder what else she faked. But no. That was real, right?

“It’s nice to finally meet you too,” Ella squealed, matching my sister’s octave and level of excitement. “This guy can’t shut up about you. I’ve heard so much about you that it feels like I already know you.”

Funny, considering how you only found out I had a sister this morning. Obviously, though, I didn’t say anything. I just couldn’t help but be impressed all over again by how easy Ella was making all this.

Freya giggled and stepped away from Ella, motioning to her fiancé before she took his hand. “I wish I could say the same about you, but as he pointed out, I didn’t even know you existed until a few minutes ago. This is Jim.”

Ella stuck her hand out and shook with the walking Ken doll, who I’d met before and hadn’t been nearly as impressed by as I was with my fake girlfriend. Jim smiled at her before extending his hand to me. I shook it, but he and I were going to have a serious talk sometime.

Just not right now.

Finn stood with one of his elbows on the bar, watching the scene unfold with distaste in his eyes and his lips all twisted. When Ella finally approached him next with a friendly smile on her face, he managed to stop sneering for long enough to greet her.

“Hi, Ella. I’m Finlay.”

Miraculously, he left it at that and didn’t add any snide remarks, and she kept smiling at him warmly. “I know who you are, Finn. It’s lovely to finally have a face to put with the name.”

His brow tightened in what appeared to be disbelief, but he didn’t argue and I was left seriously surprised about the fact that he seemed to believe I’d talked about him. Fondly, considering the way Ella was smiling at him so damn warmly.

He muttered something about needing another shot of whiskey for this and turned away from her. Ella was still smiling though, and I closed the distance between us, bringing my hand to the small of her back when I joined her at the bar.

“It appears you’ve got some magical powers, woman. You could’ve told me you were a member of the supernatural.”

Surprised laughter bubbled out of her and she leaned into me, keeping her voice as low as mine had been but peering up at me almost lovingly through her eyelashes. “Will smug look good on me yet?”