The Art of Falling in Love with Your Fake Fiancé: A small town closed door romantic comedy (Sweetkis

9. Levi

NINE

Well, that escalated quickly.

It sounded good in my head, but in retrospect, I should have taken a moment to think about what I was actually saying with my mouth and how it was coming across before I opened that big hole in my face.

As soon as the words painfully tumbled out, I watched in super slow motion as Georgie lost her grip on the iPhone in her hands. It does a somersault in the air, sticking its landing with a crack, the pointy corner of the phone and its case managing to connect with her foot.

There’s a pause of stunned realization before she lets out a yelp that rivals a howler monkey, hopping around on one foot while clutching the other. It’s like watching a slapstick comedy unfold before my eyes, complete with exaggerated expressions of pain and a dramatic reenactment of the entire event.

“OW!” Georgie shrieks, folding on top of herself as she hits the ground, falling to her butt and staring at her foot. “What did I just do?”

I kneel beside her swiftly, sliding her Converse off and checking the top of her foot out. There’s a spot that’s red and a small welt rising to the surface. Who would have thought an iPhone of all things could do such damage and so quickly?

“You’ve smacked it really good right around your metatarsals,” I say pointing to the place on her foot just below her toes where all of the tiniest bones in our body hang out. The poor girl writhes in pain, opening her mouth to do a silent scream. “There’s nerve endings there, too. Probably why the pain is reverberating so much.”

“Ohhh,” she groans, sitting back and using her hands to brace herself as she shakes her head and laughs. “So ridiculous.”

“Can you stand?”

“Of course.” She gives me a sheepish look. “It was only a phone.”

Still, I hold out my hand, overjoyed when her hand slides into mine. I know she’s in pain, but I still have to work hard to keep my eyes from staring at her lips. I never realized how pink they were until today, and I know she caught me staring at them.

I get up first and brace myself, letting her put her full weight on me. She stands and holds onto me tightly for a few minutes—not that I’m going to ask her to go away—before she puts her foot down and walks in a circle around me. It’s slow, but she is moving.

“It’s sore,” she says, surprised. “Like, it feels weird and it hurts.”

“Probably will be for a day or two, but you should be good after.”

She stops moving long enough to give me a little side-eye. “You know, I could have sworn you just kind of proposed to me.”

“Yeah,” I begin, “about that…”

I fill her in on my movements over the past few hours: from the papers being served to my visit with the lawyer. She nods her head as I speak, listening intently, her eyes growing wider and wider as I mention the part about how it would be good for me if I looked more settled.

“So, let me get this straight,” she says, tucking a strand of honey-blond hair behind one ear. “You want me to be your fake fiancée?”

“Yes,” I say with a groan, “but in exchange, you’ve got the apartment.”

“I’m sure I could have the apartment anyway,” she says, narrowing her eyes.

She scares me a little when she gets like this. I kinda like it. “I debated asking, but when you said to ask if you could do anything in return, well…I was hoping for some help here and I guess it seemed like it would be more believable if it was you I was engaged to.”

I’m making a mess of this. Worst proposal ever, not that it really is one. Even if I wanted it to be one, I’m making mental notes to myself as to what NOT to do in the future.

In my head, I’m on an amusement park ride. It’s not quite a roller coaster, more like being stuck on a loop inside “It’s a Small World” where I keep seeing the same thing and hearing the same song over and over. And she won’t stop laughing now.

“Wow, if this was really you asking me to marry you, I’d be so disappointed.” She looks around us, scanning the area. “Is there a secret camera nearby?”

“No,” I say, grabbing her hands and pulling her toward me. Anything I can do to touch her, it seems. “Just your good friend asking you for one really crazy favor.”

Georgie’s gaze finds mine, dark green flecks appearing in light brown eyes as they sparkle. They rock back and forth, searching, before she sighs. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

Be still my heart. “Really?”

“Yes.” She stands back from me and smiles. “I want to do it, and not just because you’re letting me use the apartment. I want to help you and Duncan. That boy deserves to be surrounded by a good family and the Porters are a good family.”

A warmth fills my heart. “Thanks. You know, we consider you part of that family, too.”

An odd expression flashes across her face, but it’s so fleeting I almost think I’m imagining things. In the next instant, Georgie is all smiles, sunshine, and cupcakes.

“That’s sweet of you to say.” She shoves her hands in her pockets and, using her chin, indicates toward the park exit. “Maybe we should get back to my place and fill a box or two? I wouldn’t want you to be too late getting home to the little guy.”

“Sure,” I say, a tiny feeling of my own guilt panging inside me. I’m just not sure if it’s for Duncan or what I’ve asked of my best friend. I watch as she takes a few steps in front of me, appearing to be solid for a stride or two before limping.

“Hey,” I say, standing in front of her with my back to her. “Jump up. I’ll give you a piggyback ride.”

“Seriously?” She laughs. “What about Toto?”

“I can hold his leash, too, but you’re limping. The more rest you can get right now, the better. Trust me.” I hold up my right hand, the reminder of an old injury I’ve dealt with for the last few years, the result of an on-field incident. “Been there.”

“It was a phone, Levi, it’s not like I was playing football. I’ll shake it off.”

“I’ve seen weirder injuries from smaller items, trust me.” I stay put and hold my hands out to the side. “Jump on, c’mon.”

I hear a huff right before I feel her hands as she places them on my shoulders.

“You just want to be engaged so you have an excuse to boss me around.”

Now there’s an idea. “Will it work?”

“Probably not.” She jumps up, and I catch her easily, my hands gripping around each leg and holding her close. Her scent hits me: coconut and lime. My favorite. I wonder if my mom can turn that scent into an ice cream flavor? I’ll have to ask.

Georgie’s heels dig into my sides. “Giddyup, now, I’ve got things to do. Let’s go.”

Grinning from ear to ear, I squeeze her legs, making her buck and giggle. Just the sound of her laugh sends a huge thrill through my system.

I could get used to this.

“You’re going to do what now?”

Everyone, and by everyone I mean my mom and Austin, stands stock still, frozen in place. I’d walked in the door a few minutes ago and found them sitting here. Mom’s newest habit is to sit down after dinner and work on a puzzle, while Austin likes to hover and help.

“I’m going to be engaged. I guess I’m engaged.” I stop and think about it for a moment. Am I officially faux engaged now? Or do I need to make an announcement so we can consider it a for-real fake engagement? “I’d better check with Georgie because I think we are.”

“You think you’re engaged?” Austin manages to say loudly between laughs.

“Hey, keep it down.” Aware that his voice carries and not sure where in the house Duncan is lurking, I put a finger to my lips. “Can we ixnay on the engaged-ay?”

“You said it,” he retorts defensively, as only a brother can.

“I whispered it.” I know I’m hissing, but the sound of something being dropped on the floor above us proves my point. I stare at the ceiling. “I don’t want everyone to know yet.”

My brother isn’t getting the memo. “But you’re getting fake married. I say we tell everyone!” He barks more laughter, holding his sides. “Does this mean I need to get you a fake wedding gift? If so, I’m springing for the fake honeymoon. My treat. You can pick Atlantis for all I care—it’s fake.”

I’m about to read my brother the Riot Act when Duncan appears in the doorway in his pajamas.

“Hey bud,” I say walking over to greet him. “Are we being too loud?”

He shakes his head, his eyes scanning the room, falling on each one of us individually as he looks around. He takes a big breath and then turns to face me and only me.

“Were you with Georgie?”

I nod. “Sure was. She needed help so I went to see what I could do.” I ruffle his hair, grateful for the exchange. “Why? Everything okay?”

“Do you think she’ll let me work at the store again?” His eyes dart around, checking out our audience, but thankfully both Mom and Austin are pretending like nothing is happening. Nothing just south of extraordinary, that is. He is talking to me. Conversing. Conversating. Chitchat, paddy whack.

“I’m sure she’d love it if you were to come back. How about if we call her tomorrow and you can ask her yourself?”

Duncan bites his lower lip, thinking about what I’ve said, and slowly begins to nod his head. “Okay. Let’s do that, but I don’t want to get paid. I want to work for books.”

I sneak a sideways glance at my mother, who’s grinning from ear to ear. As a book lover herself, I know this is music to her ears.

“Tell you what, as soon as we’re done with breakfast tomorrow morning, we’ll call her. Sound good?”

“Yes,” he says in a serious tone, but with a very teeny, tiny smile on his lips.

I honestly can’t believe we’re having this much of an exchange. I’ll take it. As much as he wants to give, I’ll take it. But I also need to know what the connection is.

“So, you like her, huh?” When Duncan tilts his head to the side, I expound. “Georgie. You two seem to get along.”

He nods, pushing his bangs off his forehead, and shrugs. “I guess. She’s different. She didn’t treat me weird when I stole from her. She’s like, giving me a chance. You know?”

“I do know,” I respond, “and I’m glad that the two of you can talk. She’s special, isn’t she?”

Duncan lets his gaze flit around the room once more as he nods in agreement. He opens his mouth like he’s going to say more but then snaps it closed. I’d have to be a dolt to not see the exhaustion that washes over him suddenly. “You know what, I’m tired.”

“I bet you are. There’s been a lot going on the last few weeks.” I wait for him to walk away, but it’s Duncan’s turn to surprise me once more as he leans forward and wraps his arms around my middle, squeezing me tight.

“Good night, Levi.”

He races down the hallway, leaving me listening as he trots upstairs. I wait for the slam of his bedroom door. When all of these bedtime steps of his new nightly routine have been completed, I let out a breath of air and turn to find my mother and brother watching me with smug satisfaction.

“What?”

“He’s settling in,” Austin says as he gets up from his spot on the couch. He shakes his empty glass in the air. “Anybody want anything from the kitchen?”

“Hot tea for me,” Mom replies, keeping her eyes trained on me. She waits for Austin to leave the room before she pounces.

“That boy,” she says, wagging a finger in the air, “is very impressionable right now.”

“It’s about him, but it also isn’t.” I pull a chair closer to where she sits on the couch. “I don’t want to hurt him because of my choices, but this is one time when a choice is made in order to help.”

“We can keep the secret and protect him from the adult drama of it all, we just have to all be on the same page.” She looks at the puzzle pieces laid out on the coffee table in front of her, snatching one up and clicking it into place like she knew it was there the whole time. “I’m also worried about Georgie.”

“She’s fine; we talked and she’s okay to do this.” I sit back, rubbing my hands on my knees.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“For Duncan? Yes, I do. I want to present the best possible case so I can keep him.” I feel tears springing to my eyes. Who knew I would feel this pent-up about this kid, but I am starting to really care about him. Plus, Tom wanted me to do this. Me and only me.

“I’m not talking about Duncan,” she murmurs, hazel eyes rising to meet mine. “I’m talking about Georgie.”

“What do you mean?”

“What I mean is, are you sure it’s a good idea for you to pretend to be engaged to the woman you’re secretly in love with?”