Page 60 of Pretend To Be Mine

Elizabeth was quiet, giving me the space to talk. “He’d be so proud of you,” she said finally. “I never met your father, but everything I’ve heard about him and from what I’ve seen in those photos you showed me, he loved you. He’d be proud of how hard you’re working to honor his memory.”

“I want to be for my family what he was for us. That steady presence with the guidance and confidence that everything would work out.” I laughed without humor. “But I don’t feel steady. I feel like I’m barely holding it together.”

“You don’t have to be your father, Adrian. You just have to be you. And from what I’ve seen, that’s more than enough.” She bumped her shoulder against mine. “Besides, you’re not alone in this. You have your brothers, your team, and⁠—”

“You,” I finished. “I have you.”

“You have me.” She said it simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Fake relationship or not, I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

Fake relationship. Right. Because that’s what this was supposed to be. A temporary arrangement to solve a PR problem.

Except sitting here with Elizabeth, eating cheap Chinese food on a rooftop while she told me everything would be okay, it didn’t feel fake at all. It felt like the truest friend I had in a long time.

“I’m really glad you’re here,” I said. “That might be the understatement of the century, but it’s true. Having you here and your support, it makes all of this more bearable.”

“I’m glad I’m here too.” She finished her fried rice and set the container aside. “This whole experience has been insane and overwhelming and completely beyond anything I imagined, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I have been dreaming about this for most of my life. I still can’t believe I’m here.”

“You’re going to be incredible,” I said. “After Love Week, when you start working for us officially, you’re going to blow everyone away.”

“You really think so?”

“I know so. I’ve watched you work, Elizabeth. You have the eye, the instincts, the technical skill. You just needed the opportunity.” I turned to face her more fully. “Speaking of which, did you bring your portfolio? You keep promising to show me your new designs.”

She bit her lip, a gesture I was learning meant she was nervous about something.

“After tomorrow night,” she said. “Let me show you after the opening. When you’re not stressed about a million other things and can actually focus on it.”

I wanted to argue, to insist I could focus now, but she was probably right. My brain was already juggling too many variables. I wouldn’t be able to give them the attention they deserved right then.

“Deal,” I agreed. “After tomorrow night. But I’m holding you to that.”

“I’m counting on it.”

We finished the food and just sat quietly for a few minutes. I could feel my nerves settling. From up here, all the stress and pressure and details seemed smaller, more manageable.

I felt like I could actually breathe.

“We should probably head back down,” I said reluctantly, checking my watch. We’d been gone almost forty minutes. “I told them ten minutes and it’s been… not ten minutes.”

“Let them wait. Let them solve some problems on their own for once.” But she was already standing, gathering the empty containers. “But you’re right. If we stay up here much longer, someone’s going to send a search party.”

I stood too, helping her clean up. “Thank you for this. For pulling me away when I needed it. And for the food and for listening to me spiral about my father.”

“That’s what fake fiancées are for.” She said it lightly, but something in her eyes made me think she didn’t find it as funny as she pretended.

“Right. Fake fiancée duties. Of course.” I caught her hand before she could move away. “Elizabeth⁠—”

“We should go,” she said quickly, pulling her hand free. “You have a million people waiting for answers, and I need to help Annika with the final accessory check.”

She was running. I could see it in the way she wouldn’t quite meet my eyes. The sudden urgency to leave me was yet another sign. But I didn’t know why, and I didn’t know how to ask without making things awkward.

I followed her back down the stairs and into the chaos. I stepped back into the role of Adrian Blackwell, CEO and show director.

Thanks to Elizabeth’s intervention, I actually felt capable of pulling it off.

20

ELIZABETH