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Chapter 6
Sunlight filtered through the blinds as I stirred from slumber, my heart doing the jitterbug with nerves and anticipation. That day was the big one - the community beach picnic where Dylan and I would announce our engagement. But before all that, I had to confide in Zoe and spill the beans.
I swiftly got ready and headed over to Pebble’s Brew to catch Zoe before her morning rush of customers. As I entered the cozy cafe, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee enveloped me like a warm hug. Zoe looked up from wiping down the counter and smiled cheerfully.
“Good morning, Avery! Your usual?” she asked.
“Yes, please, but first, I was hoping we could chat for a minute,” I said, my nerves bubbling up.
Zoe sensed the seriousness in my tone and led us over to a quiet table in the corner. I took a deep breath and told her the entire story - how I had asked Dylan to pretend to be my fiance to convince my parents to let me stay in Pebble Point, and howwe planned to announce our “engagement” at the community picnic that day.
Zoe’s eyes widened in surprise, but she didn’t judge me for the ruse I’d concocted. Instead, she placed her hand over mine reassuringly. “Oh, Avery, the lengths we go for our dreams,” she said. “I know how much your art means to you. Just promise me you’ll be careful with this charade.”
I nodded gratefully. “Don’t worry, Dylan and I have it all planned out. I just needed to tell someone I trust. But you have to promise not to tell a soul!”
“My lips are sealed!” Zoe mimed, zipping her mouth shut. Then she grinned and added, “This could be fun! We’ll turn those lemons into lemonade. I’ll help you sell this thing.”
Her optimism was contagious. As we chatted over coffee, she dispensed a ripe blend of encouragement, offering me a recipe for poise and tactics for the social tightrope Dylan and I were about to walk. With Zoe as my confidant, I felt ready to face the day and our grand fake announcement. This charade may have been complicated, but I felt like I could handle anything with her in my corner.
***
I took a deep breath as I stood outside Dylan’s front door, preparing myself for the performance we were about to put on at the community beach picnic. My stomach was fluttering with nerves. I knew this was a risky plan, pretending to be engaged to Dylan. Still, it was my only hope of convincing my parents to let me stay in Pebble Point and keep pursuing my art.
I knocked on Dylan’s door, smoothing down my floral sundress. He opened it a moment later, looking unfairly handsome in a navy t-shirt and khaki shorts.
“Hey,” he said with an easy smile. “You ready for this?”
I nodded, though my knees felt a little weak. “As ready as I’ll ever be. I just wanted to review our story again before the picnic.”
“No problem. Come on in.”
I followed Dylan inside to his cozy living room. He had a picnic basket packed and waiting by the door.
“I made some snacks to bring,” he explained. “Figured it would help sell our story.”
I peered into the basket - fresh fruit salad, mini sandwiches, and chocolate chip cookies were neatly packed inside.
“Wow, did you make all this yourself?” I asked in surprise.
Dylan rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, I like to cook and bake sometimes.”
I smiled, charmed by this domestic side of him I hadn’t expected. We reviewed our fake engagement story, ensuring we had all the details aligned. Dylan had devised this elaborate tale of proposing at sunset on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. According to our story, we’d been secretly dating for months until he finally popped the question.
“And you’re sure your friend Zoe won’t spill the truth?” Dylan asked.
“Definitely. I swore her to secrecy this morning at Pebble’s Brew. She promised to play along.”
Dylan nodded. “Well, I guess there’s nothing left to do but go break the fake news.”
He offered me his arm with an exaggerated formal flair and a wink. I laughed and looped my arm through his. The warmth of his skin against mine sent a little tingle up my spine.
We strolled arm in arm down the sidewalk towards the beach. I could hear the sounds of the picnic floating on the breeze - laughter, music, the crash of the waves. My heart beat faster as we approached.
The beach was dotted with sun umbrellas and picnic blankets. The smell of grilled burgers wafted through the air. Neighbors and friends were gathered in small groups, chatting and eating. This was it. Showtime.
Dylan gave my arm a reassuring squeeze. “Just follow my lead,” he murmured.
We made our way into the crowd, greeting familiar faces. Maggie waved at us from her picnic blanket and patted the space beside her.
