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Secrets didn’t solve anything. They only created a larger distance between people. Maybe he should’ve never suggested this crazy plan to Jezebelle. Yet, he couldn’t forget the relief in her eyes. The happiness of not having to deal with her mother alone.
There was no choice but to lie to her mother.
But their friends…
“Okay, fine. Jezebelle doesn’t want to leave the city. Her mother is coming to visit and we’re…pretending,” he said on a strained breath, hating to voice the word, “that we’re engaged while she’s here. I don’t know what the dynamics in their relationship are. But I care about Jezebelle and I don’t want to see her unhappy. Or for her to move. Her moving in is simply to help a friend out. It’s not cheap to live in New York. There’s the truth.”
Jaxson nodded, grabbing another book. “Now that sounds like the truth.” A wily grin appeared. “Although, we know you’ve had googly eyes about her for a while. Don’t waste this opportunity.”
“Googly eyes?” Brick rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms, his muscles bulging. “I don’t make googly eyes at anyone.”
“Puppy dog eyes? Is that better?” Dane added with a chuckle. “It’s not hard to see you’ve been mooning over her.”
“You two are worse than a bunch of girls.” He pursed his lips as if he were getting angry. But he truly wasn’t. He felt better knowing his friends knew the truth.
Secrets never brought any good.
“So, you got a ring?” Jaxson asked. “Because even if this is all pretend, you need to make it look real. I mean, to go to this extreme to get her mother off her back, her mom has to be super controlling or something. She’ll notice every tiny detail.”
Brick rubbed his chin again. “I got it covered.”
Jezebelle might protest, but he had the perfect ring for her to wear.
“You two shy away from each other as well. You have to get closer. Hold hands. A kiss here and there.” Dane wiggled his eyebrows up and down. “Make it look real.”
Oh, Brick would have no problem with that. Although, in general, he wasn’t a huge public display of affection kind of guy. But Dane was right. He’d have to paint a certain picture when her mother arrived. Kissing Jezebelle would not be a hardship.
“When does her mother get here?” Jaxson asked, his eyes narrowing in contemplation.
“Tomorrow. Why?”
Jaxson’s brows shot up. “Are you that clueless? You’re going to be up all night.”
“I am?”
Shit. Brick wanted Jezebelle in his arms. Having her in bed, staying up all night learning every curve and dip on her body would be like visiting heaven. But this was all supposed to be fake. He couldn’t jump the gun right away. He had to ease into it. He didn’t want to scare Jezebelle off. What was Jaxson thinking to suggest such a thing?
“Dude. Get it together. Do you know where Jezebelle is from? Does she have any siblings? Where did she go to school? What’s her favorite color? Her favorite food? Her favorite book?” Jaxson tossed a hand at the bookshelf full of different kinds of books. Some thrillers. Some romance. Some non-fiction. She had a very eclectic taste in reading. “Her mother could test you on a number of things. You two need to get to know everything about each other in one night.”
“It’ll be like studying for the toughest exam you’ve ever had. I hated exams,” Dane muttered.
Shit. He didn’t think about all that. But they were right—again.
“Got it. Easy enough.” And it would be. He enjoyed talking with Jezebelle. Hearing her smooth, sweet voice. Watching her lips curl in delight, her melodious laughter filling the room. Her eyes lighting up with joy as she shared something she found delightful. Of course, most of the time it wasn’t her talking to him, more him eavesdropping, but still. He enjoyed listening to her.
“Do you have any wedding plans prepared?”
Brick was starting to get annoyed with Jaxson and his preparedness for this. Not to mention, it made him look like an idiot. He hadn’t thought of any of this.
“It’s not real. Why would we?”
“Her mother will ask,” Jaxson said.
“Fine. I’ll steal some of your guys’ wedding plans. I’ve heard enough from you two to know what hell I’m talking about if she throws some questions at me.”
“Oh, and how did you propose?” Dane said, asking another question Brick had no answer to.
“I think singing to her would be romantic.” Jaxson pretended to get a dreamy look on his face. “Yeah, go with a romantic proposal story.”
