Chapter Ten
Ian
K ami’s expression fills with something that looks like confusion and sadness. “What will you tell your family after this is over?”
Who says I’ll let you walk away?
Even though I see myself introducing Kami to my mother as her future daughter-in-law, telling Kami my plans won’t help anything. I fully intend on making her mine, but the last thing I want to do is freak her out before I’ve even had a chance to get her to truly talk to me.
“She’ll understand. There are tons of fish in the sea, I’m still young, and I’m just now beginning to live my life.”
She nods absentmindedly. “That makes sense.”
I’ll need to use my time carefully with her. The way through to her will more than likely be establishing trust. She doesn’t know me, so she’s cautious. But if I can get her to be comfortable enough around me to open up, things between us could potentially change for the better. Maybe then I’ll start to win her heart.
But before I do that, I want to understand her rationale for the things she believes in. What, or who, made her the way she is? It must all be connected to her family, somehow. And if that’s true, then why? She always seems to be frustrated with her mom’s overly enthusiastic outlook on relationships. Could her mother’s view of love be the reason for her cynicism? If so, then why?
I change the subject. “How long does your mom think we’ve been dating?”
“Since last summer.”
“And when are we supposed to head to Abilene? How long are we staying?”
“She’s expecting us from the twenty-first to the morning of the twenty-sixth.”
Five days. I can work with that.
We have five months’ worth of a relationship to create in less than three weeks that has to be convincing enough to lead to a proposal. On top of that, I have to convince Kami we should give it a shot at being in a relationship for real. No pressure or anything.
Bring it on.
It’ll be difficult but not impossible. “We’ll need to have a convincing story with photos then.”
She nods in agreement. “My mother is going to want every detail like some gossipy school girl.”
“And while we work together, I’ll be taking you out on dates. Nonnegotiable.”
She squares her shoulders. “You’re doing all of this so you can take me out?”
“Yes. Yes, I am.”
Her lips form a tight line as she stares at me, seemingly in thought. “Fine. How many dates are we talking?”
“Four a week—”
“Four? No. I have work.”
“Lunch dates can count.” Realistically, we’d only need a week at most to come up with a story, but I’d be doing myself a disservice if I didn’t take advantage of the time that I have.
She sighs, extending a hand to me. “Fine, it’s a deal.” She continues after we shake hands. “So what happens now?”
Pulling my phone out from my jacket pocket, I open the camera app. “We take a selfie.”
I grab her hand in a gentle but firm grip across the table, while extending the opposite arm out to take the photo. “Say ‘fake fiancé.’”
Kami pastes on a convincing smile.
She pulls from my grasp when I lower my phone. “You could have warned me.”
“I did.” I send the photo to Kami’s phone before shoving the device back into my jacket pocket. “That should take care of your mom for now, but we’ll have to start staging more photos within the week.”
“Stage them how? For what?”
“That’s what the four dates a week are for. It’d also help to have photos of each other on our phones.”
“Thanks, but no thanks. I don’t think my mom wants to see a dick pic on my phone.”
Cracking jokes. How lovely.
“Funny. But I’m talking about the ones where we’re laughing with each other, maybe a kiss or two. Photos that couples would take.”
“Taking photos of me without my knowledge? Nothing says ‘I’m a stalker’ like that,” she quips.
She doesn’t realize it yet, but her snarkiness and sass is turning me on. “Call it what you will, but we have to appear enamored with each other.”
She scoffs. “I can be in love with someone and not feel the need to take ridiculous photos with them.”
“And have you ever been in love?” I retort, though it’s a genuine question I’m curious to hear the answer to.
She hesitates. “No way in hell am I kissing you.”
She dodged the question. Interesting.
I let it slide for now. “If we don’t, she’ll get suspicious as to why we don’t engage in PDA.”
She groans. She knows I’m right. “Okay, one kiss photo and it has to be on the cheek.”
“One on the cheek and one on the lips,” I negotiate further.
“Are you trying to make this awkward?”
“Is it working?” I tease. Strangely, the more annoyed she looks, the cuter she becomes.
She gives an exasperated glare. “Fine.”
“So…Darling…”
She rolls her eyes at my nicknaming.
“How did we meet?”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “You must really be enjoying yourself.”
“Yes. Yes, I am.” I flash her a charming grin. “More wine?”