Chapter 22 Fake Boyfriend
Chapter 22
fake boyfriend
Summer didn’t think about his proposition as their Ferris wheel car slowly lowered to the ground. Not when Wes held her hand as they got off. Not as he placed the Cone of Shame back on her head. And definitely not when he kissed the tip of her nose in such an endearing way her heart sighed.
She didn’t even think about it as they walked hand in hand down the boardwalk, sharing a triple-scoop ice cream cone and watching the waves come in while the seagulls and harbor seals barked in the distance.
The gentle June breeze blew stray hairs against her lip gloss. The afternoon sun was at its highest, shining down on them and off the cresting waters of the Atlantic. But it was the smell of the cotton candy and wet wood from the pier that brought her back to when she’d been a kid.
“My dad and I used to come down here and fish when I was a kid,” she said, noting that their intertwined hands were swinging as they walked.
“I can’t imagine you fishing.”
“Why, cuz my nose is always stuck in a book?”
He chuckled. “No, because I can’t imagine you catching something and then killing it.”
“Oh, we didn’t kill them. Dad would catch them and then I’d run down to the beach and let them go. It was our thing. Then, when we were done, we’d get an ice cream. I’d get vanilla with sprinkles and he’d get nutty coconut.”
Wes stopped mid-lick and looked at her. “You didn’t mention sprinkles when we ordered.”
“I didn’t take you for a sprinkles kind of guy.”
“Come on.” He tugged her hand and practically dragged her down the pier back to the ice cream truck. He didn’t stop until they were in line and breathless.
“Really, it’s fine just the way it is.”
He looked at her in a way that made her belly flop. “Love, you deserve more than fine . You deserve the world. And your world includes sprinkles, so sprinkles you shall get.”
“What if you don’t like it?”
“Then I’ve tried something new and know it isn’t for me.”
Summer’s heart stopped painfully in her chest. Was that how he was with relationships? He’d give it a try, and see if the woman in question was for him? And how would she feel if he took a taste and didn’t like her?
Suddenly, she regretted all the food she’d scarfed down that day as it rolled around in her stomach.
“You okay?’ he asked quietly.
No, she was not. Her mind was beginning to spiral into What-If Land. This thing with Wes could go three ways. One, she went for it and things worked out. Two, she went for it and was left heartbroken. Or three, she passed on the opportunity and regretted it for the rest of her life.
This was a WWNED kind of moment. And What Nora Efron Would Do was have the heroine risk it all for love. Not that this was love, but it was something. Something worth treasuring and exploring. She had her answer.
“Wes?” she began tentatively, nerves stringing her limbs tightly.
“Yes, love.”
Oh, how she loved it when he called her that in that husky whisper of his. It jump-started all her spark plugs to life.
“About your offer—”
“Summer?” someone said from behind. A male blast from her embarrassing past. “Summer Russo?”
“Bryan?” she croaked, because who in the hell would want to run into their worst failed meet-cute ever, especially when wearing an orange parking cone, a smear of ice cream on her right boob, and smudged mascara from when she’d barfed on Wes’s shoes.
“It is you!” He yanked her out of Wes’s safe hands and into a giant hug. Her arms hung at her side as Bryan swung her back and forth. Unlike her, Wes was in his WINNING WITH HER shirt, pressed navy shorts, and not a smear of anything on his right boob. He was dressed like a Tommy Hilfiger ad, minus the tee.
Behind Bryan was another familiar face with flawless makeup, a sparkling diamond on her hand, and a little baby bump advertising that they had reached family-status. A status Summer desperately wanted to reach.
The second Bryan released her, his plus-one moved in for a hug. Summer shifted sideways so they ended up in one of those awkward side-embraces.
“Bryan, this is my uh...”
“Fiancé, Wes.” All eyes fell to Summer’s bare finger. “It’s being remade. The diamond wasn’t big enough. Only eight carats will do for my girl.”
Summer nearly burst out laughing at the look on the other woman’s face at the mention of the diamond’s size.
“Nice to meet you.” Bryan stuck out his hand to Wes, who shook it. “This is my wife, Candy. And this lady right here”—he playfully punched Summer in the shoulder like she was one of the guys—“is responsible for all of this.” He put his arm around his wife and smiled. “If it hadn’t been for Summer, Candy and I never would have met.”
Wes must have sensed her discomfort, because he threw his arm around her shoulders and slid his hand into her back pocket, effectively cupping her butt. She tried to move but he tightened his grip. “You introduced them, love?”
“Kind of,” Summer said, and suddenly she felt like that awkward teen all over again. She didn’t want to tell him the truth because she didn’t want him to know just how romantically cursed she was. And how pathetic her dating life up until this moment had been. Between humping dogs ripping her skirt, elbowing plumbers in the pipes, and a mime performance for a proposal, she’d had her fair share of meet-uglies. She was romantically challenged in the worst way.
Wes pulled her closer, against his chest. Whereas Bryan had a dad bod with a soft muffin top and a receding hairline, Wes was all muscle and sinew with a head of hair that was so thick and luscious that her fingers itched to tangle themselves in it.
“Define ‘kind of,’” he said to her, but she knew he was glaring down at Bryan.
“On Fridays they bring in a local band and there’s dancing. Bryan and I came here on a date and we walked onto the floor together and he left with someone else.”
“That would be me,” Candy said, wiggling her fingers.
“It was a date? I don’t remember that,” Bryan said, looking genuinely confused.
Summer’s cheeks burned with humiliation. Had he really not considered that a date? He’d picked her up, had his arm slung around her the entire night, paid for their dinner. He’d even called her “babe.” Plus, his best friend had been on the double date with Autumn.
She closed her eyes. Everything made sense.
Then she felt her hand enveloped by Wes’s. His arms coming around her. “That’s right, love. You told me about Bryan. Wasn’t he the worst meet-cute of your life?”
“Well, there was this one guy who tried to have my car towed, but this is a close second.”
Bryan’s voice rose. “I wouldn’t go as far as second-worst.”
Wes puffed out his chest, reminding Bryan of their size difference, then stared him down.
“You didn’t even know we were on a date,” said Summer.
Bryan took a step back. “I’m sorry if I misled you. Your sister and Kent were going out that night and Autumn didn’t want you stuck at home reading one of those romance books you loved. I mean, you were like one of the guys.”
And how embarrassing was that? She’d been friend-zoned even before he’d asked her out. Once again she was the gatekeeper to her more popular, aspiring influencer of a sister.
Wes picked up on her disappointment and frustration. “Things clearly work out how they’re supposed to.” He kissed her fingers and then added, “We’d better get going, love. We have a reservation at the Wharf House to make.”
They said their goodbyes, and as they walked off Wes still had his hand cupping her ass.
“You can stop with the show,” she said, moving away from him. He gave her ass a little squeeze then let go. “How did you know my favorite restaurant is the Wharf House?”
“You’re my fiancée, after all.” He winked her way.
“I’ve been your fiancée for a whole five minutes, there’s no way you could know that about me.”
“Being your fiancée means I talk on the regular with your parents, so of course if I were to meet you at the boardwalk I’d know.”
“You really asked my parents?”
“I did and our reservation is in twenty minutes. We’re meeting Randy and Autum there.”
She was having so much fun with Wes, she didn’t want to involve Bonnie and Clyde, but this was Twin Day.
“You know,” she said. “A good fiancé would hold my hand.”
“A good fiancée would take me behind the funnel cake stand and give me a blow job.”
“And a gentleman would say ladies first.”
Being around families and happy couples usually made Wes uncomfortable. He wouldn’t know how to act, what to say, or how to feel when he saw people on some of the happiest days of their lives. Babies normally made him queasy, soon-to-be brides made him nervous, and he was confused at his reaction when Summer cooed and awwed every time they saw a couple with a stroller.
This was what Frank had been talking about. The hopeless-romantic side of Summer that wanted this kind of life. Usually in situations like this he’d come up with an excuse, something at the office that was time-sensitive, and bail. But not today.
Wes couldn’t seem to stop touching her. Holding her hand, letting their hips brush as they walked, even tugging on one of her braids as they leisurely made their way toward the Wharf House. They passed families with tiny tots, kids holding balloons, and couples holding hands. And for the first time, Wes felt as if he belonged.
She was wearing a parking cone and had puked on his shoes and he couldn’t seem to get enough of her. In fact, the closer they got to the restaurant, where they were supposed to be meeting his brother and Autumn, the more he dragged his feet.
Randy was a lot on his own, the loudest guy in the room who was into bro hugs, chest bumps, and an all-around good time. Autumn seemed to be able to match his energy. Wes didn’t know if that was a good or a bad thing.
But he was here to support Randy, and that’s what he was going to do. His brother had promised to slow things down, really think things through, and Wes was counting on that.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but today has been one of the best Twin Days I’ve had in years.”
That warmed him in several places. “Why do you say that?”
“It wasn’t the Autumn show.” She clapped her hands over her mouth. “Did I just say that?”
He grinned at the look of horror on her pretty face. “Yes, you did.”
“I take it back. I just meant to say it was nice to have a low-key fun time with someone who enjoys dual-sided conversations over diatribes.”
“I had a good time too. When your dad told me that Randy had hijacked your day, I knew how important it was to you and I didn’t want you to be the third wheel.”
She stopped and her mouth fell open in pleasant surprise. “That’s exactly how I felt. How did you know?”
He tugged a pigtail that was sticking out from beneath the cone. “I think I’ve gotten to know you pretty well over the last few days.”
She gifted him with the sweetest smile, and he was certain she was made of everything sugar and sweet. “Me too.”
“Today was a pretty epic meet-cute. It had all the tropes. Hero to the rescue, fake dating, Ferris wheel kiss—”
“That’s not a trope.”
“It is now. Just like puking on my shoes and wearing a traffic cone as an accessory.” He lowered his head until his lips grazed her earlobe and his breath tickled her neck. “I especially liked the fake-boyfriend part.”
“Only because you got to touch my ass.”
He was about to tell her that it was more than that when he heard a frat boy. “Yo, bro! We had a bet if you’d make it. I guessed Summer would bail because of the cone and puking and all, but Autumn said she’d stick it out.” He turned to Autumn. “I owe you a downtown tonight.”
“Thanks for having my back, sis. But eww.”
“Always.” Autumn placed her left hand to her chest, and that’s when Wes saw it. The knuckle-sized rock on her ring finger, twinkling so bright in the sunlight Wes had to blink when he looked at it.
“What the fuck?” Wes said.
“What?” Summer looked confused.
“Guess what happened?” Autumn said, wiggling her finger more dramatically, and Wes knew the moment Summer caught sight of the diamond Rose threw overboard at the end of Titanic. Her breath caught, and her hand, which was still in his, went completely slack.
“Does Dad know?”
Autumn’s eyes narrowed. “Seriously? That’s your first question, is if he asked Dad?”
“I just thought you’d want the traditional route,” Summer said. “Then again, you said you never wanted to get married, so I guess I don’t really know what you want.”
“She wanted to be proposed to just like her grandma and grandpa. On the Ferris wheel.”
“You did?” Summer asked Autumn, wondering how some guy she’d known for the blink of an eye could know more about her sister than Summer. Especially after how many times she’d told Autumn about her dream wedding.
“I did.” Autumn’s expression was crushed. Summer had taken what should have been the best day of her life and turned it into an argument. Made it about her. Autumn had just had the perfect proposal and she’d shit all over it.
“I’m sorry, Autumn,” she said. “I was just caught off guard. Let me see the ring.” Autumn’s face lit up with glee as she held her hand out.
“It was my mom’s,” Randy said. “I got it reset to Autumn’s style, but the stones are family heirlooms.”
Autumn kissed Randy on the cheek. “Isn’t he the sweetest?”
And he had to be sincere, because what kind of serial proposer would give her his mom’s wedding ring? It was the act of a thoughtful man who was in love.
Plus, it was just an engagement—that still gave them months or, knowing her sister and her need to have an event , even years.
“I’m really happy for you, sis.”
Emotion rimmed Autumn’s lashes. “You are?”
“Of course I am. You’re clearly happy and that’s all I want for you.”
Autumn worried at her lower lip with her teeth. “Do you really think Dad will be disappointed?”
“No,” she said vehemently. “I was projecting my wants onto your moment. Everyone will be thrilled. They love Randy.” She looked at her soon-to-be brother-in-law and smiled. “That was sweet of you. And I’m sorry for my reaction. I was just caught off guard.”
“Well, you haven’t heard the best news,” Randy said, taking Autumn’s hand, both of them standing tall like a unit. “We’re eloping.”
Summer looked at her sister for confirmation and her belly churned, like right before she’d puked on Wes. “I’m trying really hard not to react again.”
“Did I do something wrong?” Randy asked, completely oblivious to the rising tension in the room.
Summer opened her mouth to say words she knew couldn’t ever be taken back she was so mad, but then she felt Wes lace his fingers through hers, standing beside her like they were a team, just like Randy had done with Autumn.
“The Russos aren’t like the Kingstons,” Wes began. “Each family member is connected to the next and they work as a unit. Like me, you don’t have a lot of experience with that, but I would imagine if Autumn’s family were cut out of the wedding it would break their hearts. It would also start off your new chapter alone. And haven’t you and I had enough alone in our lifetime?”
Something spilled over Summer’s chest at the vulnerable and open way Wes communicated, sharing his own demons to help Summer get what she wanted. And that was to be a part of whatever Autumn and Randy were planning. If she couldn’t talk her sister out of rushing into a wedding.