Chapter 5 Matt #2
Greyson bumps his chest against mine when Noelle shouts, “Stop. Stop! Just listen to me. It’s not Matt’s fault.”
Parker mumbles, “Sure seems like he’s taking advantage of you.”
“No. He’s saving me from the humiliation of Brooks Pendleton. Please, just everyone sit.” Noelle commands everyone’s attention.
Sitting around a table decorated for a princess, with pink crystals flickering against the lights and dark pink flowers as the centerpiece, everyone takes a breath and waits for Noelle to speak.
“I overheard my teammates say that Brooks was cheating on me. When I talked to him, he apologized and promised it would never happen again. But at our last college party… I found him in the bathroom getting… I’m sorry,” she whispers.
“I just… I needed Brooks to believe I’m over him.
I just wanted him out of my life for real. ”
Risking a glance at her older brothers, I see the emotion on their faces. The one that can’t believe Brooks hurt their little sister. It’s J.D. who blurts out, “I’ll ruin him and his career. Where does he live?”
Greyson scoots his chair back, and it scrapes across the floor, sounding nearly as angry as J.D. Noelle gets up, wraps her arms around his waist, and lays her head on his back. “Just let me deal with him. My way.”
Her voice thickens as she looks at me, tears blurring her eyes. “Will you—can you please just go along with it for a while? Just until it blows over? Give Brooks a taste of what it feels like to not be wanted anymore.”
I take a shaky breath. For a split second, hope flickers in my gut—hope that maybe this could be real, not for revenge, not out of desperation, but because she wants me. But the look in her eyes douses it.
“Yeah, if your family is okay with pretending,” I manage, my voice rough. “Whatever you need, Noelle.”
Even if it leaves me without my best guy friend.
Greyson’s not a fan of the idea, based on his jaw grinding.
She nods, relief and regret warring in her expression. “Thank you, Matt. Just… until Brooks gets the message.”
I force a smile. “Of course.” But inside, disappointment gnaws like an open wound, and I wonder if I’m really the one who just got played.
“Dad? J.D.? Greyson?” she urges them to say something. “I just want Brooks to understand how it feels to be tossed out like last night’s leftovers.”
Witt, the youngest, mostly silent brother, says, “Fake it ’til you make it, right?”
A smile slides across Noelle’s face. She stands and hugs him. “Exactly.”
“I’m sorry he treated you so badly. I hated hearing you cry when you would come home from school.”
“Thanks, Witt. I didn’t know you paid attention.” He shrugs like it’s no big deal, but it is. It is to me.
Greyson says, “Before I agree to anything, I want to know how we got here and why you chose Matt.”
“Because he’s hotter than a ghost pepper tamale, and Brooks knows Matt’s been there for her when he was ignoring her at the wedding last year.
Now leave the girl alone. This is her life.
” Their granny has a sparkle in her eyes like she’s proud of Noelle for thinking fast on her feet.
“If she needs to prove something to Brooks, then let her.”
Mr. O’Ryan says, “Who in the hell has ever heard of fake dating? Especially with a man more than a decade older. It doesn’t look good.”
Granny raises her arms and rolls her eyes. “Oh, hell, Robert. People have done it since the dawn of time. You want to make someone jealous? Find a guy willing to take you out and show the other one what he’s missing.”
Birdie pats her baby on the back. “Granny’s right. If Matt’s willing to put his dating life on hold for a bit for Noelle, then what’s the harm?”
My dating life is nonexistent. Greyson and Sutton know my reasons, but not J.D. and Birdie. I asked them to keep it between us, and they have.
Mr. O’Ryan lets out a heavy sigh. “Touch my daughter inappropriately just one time, and I’ll skin your ass.”
“I understand. I had no idea Noelle was going to pitch that we were dating to Brooks. Because we’re not. But I felt at that moment it was the right thing to do to protect her.”
Mr. O’Ryan gives me a short glance before looking at Noelle. “I appreciate that, but sweetheart, why didn’t you come to me and tell me what was going on?”
“I was embarrassed. My teammates were talking behind my back, and what girl wants to tell their dad that their boyfriend has his penis in other people?”
“Well, then tell me.” Greyson looks devastated that Noelle didn’t tell him.
“I came to tell you, but you were gone, and Matt was there instead.”
Sutton leans over, always the executive, and says, “Noelle has lots of people here to celebrate. We need to go out as a family, united behind her and Matt’s dating revelation. We can deal with the fallout later, but Brooks needs to think this is real. Deal?”
Everyone nods. Granny can’t wipe the smile off her face. She loves Sutton like her own daughter.
“All right. Let’s go.”
Standing up, I take Noelle’s hand in mine. “You ready?”
“Thanks, Matt. I owe you.”
Yes. Yes, you do.
And I’m thinking of all the ways I can call in that I owe you.