Chapter 13
Beth
I looked in the hotel mirror after putting my deep purple one-shoulder sequin dress on. My hair was pinned on one side with curls flowing to the other, and my makeup was completely flawless, accentuating my facial structure. I felt a bit like Cinderella.
I guess it was too good to be true for me too.
The moment I thought everything was being wrapped up in a pretty pink bow, I was like a deer caught in headlights.
Flashes continued to hit us, but all I could think was…
Was Matthew going to kiss me?
He probably saw the paparazzi coming, right? Play the part of boyfriend. Sell this relationship.
We’ve managed to keep up this charade without kissing so far—two whole months of not locking lips. But Travis did say we needed to take it up a notch. Maybe he saw an opportunity to do just that.
Of course, that’s all he was doing. It’s not even a question that deserves contemplation. We’re acting, remember, Beth? Putting on a show for the cameras and the gossip mongers. That’s all it was—just part of the act.
But I wish it wasn’t an act.
We left the gala shortly after, a quiet ride back to the hotel, and it’s been more travel since. We packed our bags the next morning and boarded a plane for the next tournament.
I keep playing that moment in my mind, his face getting closer to mine, the intensity in his eyes then…nothing.
It’s like the almost-kiss, well, what I’m ninety-nine percent sure was an almost-kiss, drew an invisible line in our relationship. Something has changed between us.
Matthew is acting differently, too, but trying not to show it. His responses are even shorter now, quicker interactions between us, strictly business.
His eyes dart away every time our gazes cross. He’s on guard, his shoulders a little stiff around me.
I find myself analyzing his every move, every word, looking for signs that he might feel something too.
Maybe it was nothing for him, and he’s just in tournament mode. Maybe it was something, and he’s holding back because of our contract. Maybe I’m just a distraction from what he really wants. But you’d think he’d at least be happy about going to his home state. He’s mentioned not being able to see his mom or sister while he’s traveling. I’d expect him to be excited to see them. Well, I guess not when you’re bringing your fake girlfriend home. Maybe that’s why he’s acting this way.
So it’s not the almost-kiss. It’s the “I’m-pretending-to-date-a-stranger-and-now-I-have-to-lie-to-my-family.” I understand completely now.
But it doesn’t stop me from asking the question one more time. And this time I mean it more than just what almost happened at the gala.
“Matthew, is everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything’s fine.” He smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.
I nod and put my headphone back in my ear to drown out the loud engine sounds with my eighties playlist blaring in my ears.
As I skip through, I notice just how many are tied to Matthew now. After our road trip and my growing feelings, each song is tied to him.
A montage of memories flashes through my mind as it plays.
When I slip on the coffee into his arms.
His face as he nervously asks me to work for him…and fake date him.
His hands drumming to the beat on the steering wheel.
His smile as he spins me around in the hotel room.
And how handsome he looks in a tux.
The intensity in his eyes while we dance at the gala.
A smile begins to form on my lips when I’m startled by Matthew nudging me.
“Welcome to North Carolina,” Matthew says with a more genuine expression this time.
Maybe he is perfectly fine.
As we walk through the airport and gather our luggage, I give myself a pep talk. A stern talking to. One to get my head on straight. I know…I’ve done this before. But I just need a little reminder. Maybe the more times I repeat it, the more my brain (and this feeling in my chest) will get the message.
Matthew Wilkes is my client.
And also kind of my boss.
He’s off-limits.
This is a F-A-K-E (saying it louder for the little feeling creatures in the back) relationship.
I need to focus on my job and do it right so I can attract new clients, ones who I’ll strictly be a brand manager for. No more of this fake dating stuff.
As we drive, we go from cityscapes to lush greenery. The buildings get further away from each other, and towering trees line either side of the road with wildflowers blooming. It makes my heart ache for home, but not the same ache as the one I had before, when I was in college. It’s a little different, and I’m not sure why.
The creator in me picks up my phone to record a short video of the scenery rolling by.
“It’s beautiful,” I say, my voice tinged with awe.
“Yeah, I’ve missed it,” he replies, sounding nostalgic.
“How long since you’ve been home?”
“Not that long ago, right before Meadowbrook. But it seems like so much has happened since then.”
“Like pretending to have a girlfriend?” The words tumble out before I can stop them. I wince at my own audacity.
He chuckles, a warm, deep sound that rumbles in his chest. “Yeah, something like that.”
“Are you nervous to see your family?”
He shrugs, staring out the window. “Not really.”
His fingers drum on the center console, and not to the beat this time.
Liar.
“Matthew, it’s okay to admit it this time, unlike at the gala.” I reach my hand over his drumming fingers and squeeze. “We’re a team, remember?”
His eyes dart to our hands, then to me, surprise evident in his green irises.
I slowly put my hand back in my lap but continue talking like that didn’t send a thousand volts of electricity through me.
I promised myself not to become a rom-com trope, and yet, here I am. Falling for the fake boyfriend.
“Teamwork makes the dream work,” I tease, using his words to me when I was having a nervous breakdown.
“Yeah,” he murmurs, his voice a bit husky, “we are.”
And then in a flash of courage, I add, “And your family is going to love me. Everyone does.” I wink jokingly at him.
“We’ll find out right now,” he says as we pull into a driveway lined with oak trees, their leaves rustling in the gentle breeze. “We’re here.”
I catch my first glimpse of Matthew’s childhood home. It’s a beautiful two-story house with a large porch, surrounded by a well-tended lawn and flowers. It’s more extravagant than the one I grew up in, but still manages to look inviting.
He drives around the U-shaped driveway and parks the car. A woman stands from the rocking chair on the porch and waves excitedly.
“There’s my mom.”
It’s unmistakably his mom. They have the same green eyes and brown hair.
Suddenly feeling nervous, I quickly turn to Matthew. “We didn’t talk about your family. I don’t know much.”
“Really? No cyberstalking on my family, just me, huh?” He smirks.
I swat at his arm. “Not the time to joke around.”
He grabs my hand. “We’ll be fine.” He looks at me with those emerald eyes of his, a mixture of nerves and excitement visible in them. I take a deep breath, fixing my expression into a confident smile.
“We’ll be fine.” I echo him.
We step out of the car together, his hand quickly finding mine as we walk toward the porch. He leans in and whispers, “She’ll love you, remember?”
It makes me smile to hear confidence in his voice. It’s like this balance we have. When he’s low, I’m high, and when I’m low, he’s high. We level each other out.
His mother descends the steps and hurries toward us. She’s shorter than Matthew by a head with warm, loving eyes that mirror his. The way she looks at her son is enough to tell me how much she missed him. She envelopes him in a tight embrace, which Matthew returns with just as much enthusiasm.
“I’ve missed you terribly.”
“I’ve missed you too, Mom,” he mumbles into her shoulder.
She steps back and looks at me, her eyes appraising. I stiffen a little under her gaze, but then she smiles widely. “You must be Beth! It’s so great to meet you.”
“Hi, Mrs. Wilkes,” I say, extending my hand for a shake.
“Oh please, call me Maggie,” she says enthusiastically, pulling me into a hug.
The door opens, and a girl about my age steps out onto the porch. She takes in the scene with a bright smile before bounding over, throwing herself into Matthew’s arms with a squeal of delight.
“Sis,” he grunts in response, wrapping his arms around her.
Before I can introduce myself, she turns to me and gives me the biggest smile. “I’m Alison,” she says, looping her arm through mine and leading me toward the porch. “Come on, we have so much to catch up on!”
As she briskly walks away with me in tow, I share a look with Matthew over my shoulder. He simply shrugs, an amused grin on his face.