Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
My phone buzzed, and I blinked my eyes open. I rolled over and stretched, my hand landing on…a piece of paper? Thick, crisp, and with a subtle texture.
Frasier’s side of the bed was empty, and I picked up the note he’d left me on the hotel stationery. His scrawl was barely legible, but I’d always been able to decipher it.
Angel,
Hope you got some good rest. Went for a workout. Enjoy the spa. I’ll see you later.
F
And then he’d doodled a little picture of a cartoon bear lounging on the beach.
I rolled onto my back, laughing at the image of the bear.
I didn’t know how long he’d been gone, but the fact that my phone had alerted me of an incoming text message meant it was late.
Or at least, late enough for my “Do Not Disturb” feature to have switched off.
Was it any wonder I’d slept in? After a long day of travel, Frasier and I should’ve crashed.
Instead, we’d stayed up late into the night talking about his idea to “roll with it.” To pretend we were dating.
I still couldn’t believe he’d suggested it in the first place.
And even after sleeping on it, I wasn’t sure whether it was a great idea or a terrible one.
Angel.
I could remember the way the pet name had rolled off his tongue last night. And now, he’d used it on a note. I wasn’t sure what to think of it or anything.
My phone buzzed again, and I glanced at the screen.
There was an update from the dog sitter, and I smiled at the pictures she’d sent Frasier and me of Bacon and Biscuit.
They definitely seemed happy, and that was a relief.
It wasn’t often that both Frasier and I were unavailable.
Then I opened my sister’s wedding group thread.
(Bride Tribe Chat)
Allie: See you all at the spa at ten!
Elise: Can’t wait!
I scrolled past the rest and then exited the group chat. Frasier and I had decided to skip breakfast with the rest of the wedding party, but I wouldn’t be able to avoid my sister for much longer. Nor would I have Frasier as a buffer.
The bridal party was scheduled for a girls-only day of pampering and relaxation at the spa.
Dad was planning to golf with a few of my uncles.
Meanwhile, the groom and a bunch of the guys were spending the day at the pool.
Both groups had invited Frasier to join, but he’d opted to spend the morning working out instead, which was fine by me.
He barely knew most of them, and his training was important.
Besides, tonight, we’d all come together for a joint bachelor/bachelorette party at one of the island’s well-known beach bars.
And that would be when I really needed him by my side.
A new text from Georgia popped up on the screen.
Georgia: How’s Anguilla?
Me: We got in super late, and I’m exhausted. But it’s beautiful here!
I sat up and tried to snap a shot of the French doors with the view beyond.
Me: (picture attached)
Georgia: And how are things with your “date”?
Me: He’s actually my fake boyfriend now. Thanks for asking.
I hit send before I could talk myself out of it. My phone immediately started vibrating in my hand. I answered it and put it on speaker mode before placing it on the mattress.
“Um. What? What the heck happened? I thought you were going to tell your sister the truth.” Georgia asked.
“I was.” I cringed. “But then things sort of spiraled out of control.”
“That seems like an understatement,” she mused. “Did something happen between you and Frasier?”
“I—” I cleared my throat. There had been the wrestling, the nip slip, and the erection. But I wasn’t going to mention that. We’d stopped it before it could go any further. “No.”
“Do you want something to happen?”
“No.” Yes. Maybe?
“Okay, but then why are you fake-dating him?”
The silence that followed told me she was waiting for me to explain.
So I told her about my call with my sister before I’d left for the wedding. The surprise upgrade to the romantic beach bungalow and the fully booked hotel. Followed by my eventual confession to Frasier about our “relationship status.”
“And then he suggested that we roll with it,” I finished.
“That’s what he said? ‘Roll with it’?”
I nodded then remembered she couldn’t see me. “Basically, yeah.”
“Wow.” Her tone was one of disbelief.
“I know!” I still couldn’t believe it myself. It seemed so out of character for him.
“And you’re okay with lying to your family? Well, continuing to lie to your family.”
I could either tell my family the truth and admit why I’d lied. Or I could continue lying, and maybe I’d actually enjoy the wedding.
Besides, it really wasn’t anything new. I’d gotten very good at hiding my pain from my family and friends. Frasier was one of the few exceptions, along with my girlfriends, Georgia, Kylie, and Logan. I couldn’t have made it through all that I had without them.
“I don’t love the idea, but it’s only for the next few days. Then we’ll go back home, and everything will go back to normal. In a month or two, I can tell my family we decided to just be friends.”
“Mm.”
I didn’t like that mm.
“This is kind of a big deal,” she said. “He hasn’t dated in a while. And if anyone finds out, it’s going to be a huge deal.” She was quiet a moment, then said, “Maybe you should talk to Kylie. Give her a heads-up. Just…in case.”
Frasier and I had discussed the potential for someone finding out, but we were hoping that what happened on Anguilla stayed on Anguilla. Perhaps it was na?ve, but I wasn’t sure there was any way around it. If we were going to pretend to date, it was a risk we were going to have to take.
He didn’t seem bothered by the idea. And considering the fact that we were on a small island, during the off-season, I was trying not to be too concerned. There was really no need to involve Kylie and my PR team for now. But as my friend, I wanted to tell her.
“It’s just for the wedding. And we both know it’s fake.”
Georgia was quiet for a moment, and I could tell she wasn’t entirely convinced. But then she said, “You know…this could be the perfect chance to work on getting those needs met.”
My expression soured. “I’m not having sex with Frasier simply to have those needs met. I wouldn’t use him like that.”
“I wasn’t suggesting that, but it’s good to know that’s what your mind immediately jumped to.” I could hear the smugness in her tone.
I rolled my eyes, grateful she couldn’t see the current shade of my face—bright, red, tomato.
“You know you’re just friends,” she continued. “But everyone else thinks you’re a couple, right?”
They would soon enough, unless I told my sister the truth. “Yes.”
“And you feel comfortable with Frasier. You trust Frasier.”
I turned on my side, propping my head up with my hand. “You know I do.”
“I’m not suggesting that you have sex. But since you’re already pretending, maybe…lean into your role as his fake girlfriend. See what it feels like to date again in a safe, no-pressure way.”
I furrowed my brow. “Lean into it…how?”
“Be more affectionate. Flirt. Have fun. See what it’s like to imagine being in a relationship with someone again.”
“I don’t know,” I hedged. This situation was already messy, and that could only complicate matters even more. Plus, I wasn’t sure if I could keep my emotions out of it.
“Just think about it. Imagine the possibilities.”
We ended the call soon after that since I had to get ready to meet the Bride Tribe at the spa. Frasier still wasn’t back from his workout, and I was secretly relieved to have some time to myself to sift through my thoughts, as well as everything Georgia had said.
When I finally made my way over to the spa, I was still conflicted about the situation. I appreciated Frasier for suggesting what he had. But fake-dating your best friend seemed like asking for trouble.
Maybe I should just tell Allie the truth. I’d even said as much to Frasier last night.
I knew he’d offered to pretend we were a couple because he wanted to protect me.
As pissed as he was at Allie for the things she’d said, he knew how important my relationship with my sister was to me.
Even so, I wondered if pretending to be in a relationship with Frasier was really the best solution—at least where our friendship was concerned.
This trip was already pushing the boundaries of our relationship. Sharing a room, a bed. Not to mention the fight we’d had before that. He’d seen my nipple. I’d felt his hard-on. And I couldn’t stop thinking about the charged energy between us.
By the time I opened the door to the spa, my stomach was in knots. Yes, I was hurt by the things Allie had said, but I could also admit there was some truth in them. The light had gone out of me. But lately, I’d felt some of that spark again.
Still, Allie and I needed to have a conversation about boundaries.
She needed to stop trying to impose her timeline on me—either for my grief or how she thought I should handle my relationship with Frasier.
But her destination wedding was neither the time nor the place to cause extra stress.
I also worried that telling Allie I’d lied about my relationship with Frasier would cause drama.
The only way to avoid that—at least as I currently saw it—was to keep my mouth shut.
Both about my hurt feelings and my relationship with Frasier.
“Bryn!” Mom smiled, immediately coming over for a hug as I covered a yawn. “I’m so glad you made it. It sounds like you had a long day of travel.”
I nodded. “Sorry we missed breakfast.”
Mom leaned in, keeping her voice low. “Sweetheart, you don’t have to explain anything. And if you need a break from some of the events, we get it.”
“Thanks, Mom. But I’m good.” I didn’t want to make just my family believe it; I wanted to believe it too.