Chapter 12
Lainey
“It’s been years! How have you been?” Clarissa asks as she steps closer, her smile widening like she’s reuniting with a long-lost best friend.
I match her energy with a polite smile, though my tone stays cool. “Hi, Clarissa. I’m good. It’s been a while.”
She lets out a breezy laugh, flipping her hair over her shoulder in a move that feels far too practiced. “Oh, it really has. Lainey and I went to USC together,” she announces to the group, her voice carrying a touch of dramatic flair, “before I transferred to UCLA.”
Zach frowns, his gaze shifting between us. “I didn’t know you went to USC, Clarissa.”
Her smile sharpens as she turns toward him, bright but just a little too calculated. “Oh, I did—for two years. Then I transferred to UCLA to join you.” She says it casually, like it’s no big deal, but the implication hangs heavy between us.
Before the moment can stretch, Whitney snorts, arms crossed as she leans slightly forward. “More like you chased after him and followed him there,” she mutters, just loud enough for everyone to hear.
Clarissa’s smile falters for the briefest moment, tightening at the edges, but she doesn’t rise to the bait. Instead, she turns her attention back to me.
“How’s Chloe? Do you still talk to her?” Clarissa asks, her tone light and sweet, though the sharpness underneath isn’t lost on me. “I heard she got… knocked up. She has a child now, doesn’t she?”
Annoyance prickles at the edges of my calm exterior. “She’s doing great, actually,” I say smoothly, matching her faux cheer. “Chloe’s engaged to Wyatt Banks—the father of her son. They’re getting married soon.”
“Wyatt Banks?” Clarissa’s eyes widen in genuine surprise.
“Yep.” Zach steps in, his arm sliding around my waist, a subtle but unmistakable display of support. “And that’s how I fell in love with Lainey. Chloe’s marrying my best friend.”
Clarissa blinks, her mouth parting slightly. “Wait—Wyatt is the one who—”
“Oh my gosh!” Cora cuts in, her voice high with excitement as she claps her hands together. “Tell us all about how you two met!”
“Yes, please,” Whitney chimes in, practically bouncing on her toes. “We need all the details.”
I glance up at Zach, who’s looking at me with a soft, almost adoring expression. “You want to tell them, baby?” he asks, his voice warm and inviting.
The collective sigh that escapes his sisters is almost comical.
“Zach,” Blair teases, shaking her head. “I never thought I’d see the day when you got all lovey-dovey.”
I feel my cheeks heat up as Zach smirks at me, clearly enjoying this far more than he should. “Okay,” I say, rolling my eyes but smiling.
Before I can begin, Clarissa interjects, her voice dripping with forced sweetness. “Oh, he was like that with me when we were together.”
Whitney immediately rolls her eyes, crossing her arms. “Yeah, right. You wish.”
Ignoring her entirely, I clear my throat and dive in. “We met at a coffee shop.” I begin, trying to focus on the family members hanging on my every word rather than Zach’s teasing smirk. “I was in a rush, not paying attention, and I accidentally spilled my drink on him.”
The room erupts in laughter, Whitney clutching her sides. “Oh my gosh, you spilled something on Zach?” she gasps. “That’s perfect.”
“It wasn’t funny at the time,” Zach cuts in, his tone mock serious. “Do you know how much my dry cleaning costs?”
I roll my eyes, but a smile plays on my lips as I continue. “I offered to pay for it, but instead, he demanded my number… so he could send me the bill.”
“That sounds about right,” Blair says, grinning. “Classic Zach.”
“But here’s where it gets good,” Zach interjects, draping his arm casually around my shoulders. “We reconnected months later when Wyatt introduced us. Suddenly, Lainey and I are paired up as maid of honor and best man.”
“Fate,” Cora says with a dreamy sigh, her hands clasped together.
“Exactly,” Zach agrees, his tone almost too serious. “It was fate. Sparks flew. She couldn’t resist me.”
I snort. “Right. Or you couldn’t resist inserting yourself into my life at every turn.”
“That too,” he admits, grinning. “But let’s be honest—it was instant. You were hooked.”
“Obviously,” I deadpan, though there’s humor in my tone. I glance at his sisters, who are hanging on every word. “Truthfully, I thought he was obnoxious at first.”
The room bursts into laughter again, the sound loud and unanimous.
“Sounds like Zach,” Blair says, wiping a tear of laughter from her eye.
“I can’t believe you’d say that about me,” Zach retorts, feigning offense. “My own family siding against me?”
Whitney waves him off. “Zach, you should be grateful you met someone as beautiful, smart, and kind as Lainey.”
He nods, leaning down to press a quick kiss to my cheek. “Couldn’t agree more.”
The sudden warmth in my chest takes me by surprise, and I swat at his arm playfully. “Zach, not in front of everyone.”
As the laughter subsides, his father clears his throat, drawing the attention back to him. His sharp gaze lands on me, and his tone shifts to something more formal. “So, Lainey, tell us about your family.”
I pause, the weight of the question settling heavily in the air. My fingers twitch slightly, and for a moment, I consider staying silent. The buzz of conversation around us fades into the background, leaving only the expectant looks of Zach’s family.
From the corner of my eye, I see Zach shift beside me. His arm tightens slightly around my waist, and he leans in, his voice low and reassuring. “You don’t have to answer that,” he murmurs, his tone protective.
I glance up at him, meeting his eyes. It’s a brief exchange, but the softness in his gaze makes something in me settle. I give him a small, reassuring look. It’s okay.
Straightening, I take a deep breath and find my voice.
“Well,” I begin carefully, “I grew up in a small town. It was just my mom, my older sister Anna, and me. My mom passed away when I was in high school.”
“And your father?” he asks.
I hesitate, then offer a small smile. “I never knew him.”
It’s a simple statement, but it hangs heavy in the air. Whitney reaches over, giving my hand a squeeze, and I feel the tension ease just slightly.
“Does your sister live in town?” he asks.
“Anna recently moved away with her husband and my nephew, Joshua, because of a job promotion. So it’s just me right now.”
Zach’s arm tightens around my waist as he leans in, his voice soft but firm. “You have me now.”
His sisters immediately chime in, their voices overlapping.
“You have us now too!” Whitney declares.
“Absolutely,” Blair adds, stepping forward to hug me.
Cora joins in without hesitation, pulling me into a warm group hug. The moment is unexpected and overwhelming, but their kindness makes it hard to hold back a genuine smile.
When the hug breaks, I catch Zach’s father watching from a few steps away, his expression shifting to something unreadable. The brief flicker of disapproval is clear as his gaze meets Zach’s, a silent message passing between them.
Zach notices too and claps his hands together, interrupting the tension. “All right, that’s enough of the interrogation. I’m going to take Lainey on a tour of the house before the festivities begin.”
Mr. Darling nods, his gaze lingering on me for a moment longer. “It was nice meeting you, Lainey.”
“You too, Mr. Darling,” I say, keeping my tone polite as I offer him a small nod.
Zach places a guiding hand on my back, steering me away from the group.
As we walk, I catch the sound of Clarissa’s overly cheerful voice turning its charm back on Mr. Darling.
Their words blend into the hum of conversation, but I know exactly what she’s doing.
I keep my expression neutral, but inside, annoyance simmers.
Zach glances down at me as we head toward the house. “You okay?” he murmurs softly.
“Fine,” I say, my voice steady. But he doesn’t need to know just how much she grates on me.
We step into the cool, quiet interior of the house, and Zach leads me upstairs and down a long hallway.
He pauses in front of a door and pushes it open, revealing a room that looks frozen in time.
Posters of hockey players cover the walls, and the king-sized bed is perfectly made, as if waiting for him to return.
“This is your bedroom?” I ask, stepping inside and taking it all in. My eyes widen as I notice the ensuite bathroom and the walk-in closet. “It’s huge! You had your own bathroom and a walk-in closet?”
I cross to the bed and sit down, bouncing lightly to test the mattress. “Of course the bed is ridiculously comfortable too,” I mutter, shaking my head.
Zach smirks as he steps closer. “Jealous?”
“Maybe,” I admit, grinning as I run a hand across the plush comforter. “This is probably nicer than my entire apartment.”
I glance up at Zach, but before he can say anything, the thought that’s been lingering in the back of my mind spills out. “Your brother,” I say quietly, my voice low enough to stay between us. “I take it he’s not thrilled about me being here.”
“Don’t worry about Noah,” he says with a small shrug. “He’s like that with everyone these days. No fun to be around since the divorce. His wife left shortly after Alice was born. It’s… complicated. But ever since, he’s been stuck in grumpy mode.”
“That’s tough,” I say softly, thinking of how much Alice adores her father despite the strain I glimpsed earlier. “But Alice seems sweet. She’s at an age where not having her mom around must be hard.”
Something flickers in Zach’s eyes—surprise, maybe? Concern? “You’d know, wouldn’t you?” he says, his voice dropping slightly. “You mentioned earlier about your mom…”
I nod, my chest tightening for a moment. “I was older than Alice when my mom passed, but it still changed everything. I had to grow up faster than I wanted to.”
He watches me carefully, his usual teasing edge softening into something quieter, steadier. “That’s a lot to handle, especially without much family around.”
“It is,” I admit, brushing my fingers over the comforter absentmindedly. “But it’s not like I’m completely alone. I have Chloe.”
As he closes the distance between us, I look up, startled by the sudden shift in his energy. He places his hands on either side of me, leaning down until his face is just inches from mine. His voice drops lower, soft and probing. “Is Clarissa the girl Chloe’s cousin Drew rejected you for?”
My breath hitches, and for a moment, I’m caught off guard. “How did you know?” I ask, recovering quickly.
He shrugs, his tone easy, but his eyes sharp. “I could tell. The way you looked at her downstairs said it all.”
I press my lips into a thin line and let out a slow breath. “It was years ago,” I say, brushing it off, though the memory still stings faintly.
“So, are you going to be okay with her hanging around?” His voice is laced with concern.
I meet his gaze, letting my confidence return. “I’ll be fine. But I won’t lie—I’m a little worried she’ll see through our act. And it’s pretty obvious she’s still into you.”
Zach chuckles, leaning in closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Into me? That’s a bold assumption.”
“Oh, come on,” I say, rolling my eyes, though I can’t help but smile. “She practically ran over me and your dad to hug you. The entire lawn saw it.”
He laughs, shaking his head. “I don’t care about her. Trust me, we’ve got this under control.”
“Are you sure?” I ask, teasing, though the uncertainty lingers in my eyes.
Zach leans in so close I can feel his breath on my lips. “Absolutely.”
Before I can respond, the door swings open without warning, and Clarissa’s overly chipper voice fills the room. “Zach!” she chirps, stepping inside like she owns the place. “It’s almost time for the golf competition. You know we make the best team. Come on, let’s go.”
My body stiffens, my hands instinctively pressing against Zach’s chest as if to push him back, but he doesn’t move. He stays exactly where he is, his gaze locked on mine, his lips still just inches away.
“We’ll be down in a minute,” he says, his tone calm but firm. “And I’ll be partnering with my girlfriend.”
Clarissa’s smile falters, but she quickly recovers. “Oh. Okay,” she says, lingering a moment too long before backing out of the room and closing the door behind her.
The second she’s gone, I let out a sharp breath and look up at Zach. “Do you think she heard us?” I ask, my voice low and laced with concern.
Zach tilts his head, his smirk unbothered. “Nah, I don’t think so,” he says confidently. “We didn’t say much anyway.”
I narrow my eyes at him, unconvinced. “You didn’t think that was a little over the top?”
“What?” he says, feigning innocence, that infuriating smirk still playing on his lips. “We’re selling it, right? That’s the whole point.”
“You’re enjoying this way too much.”
His voice drops to that teasing tone that always throws me off. “Maybe,” he says, his eyes glinting mischievously. “But can you blame me?”
Before I can respond, he presses a quick, deliberate kiss on my lips. It’s soft, fleeting, and completely disarming.
“Zach!” I gasp, my cheeks burning as I shift back slightly. “Doing that in front of everyone was bad enough. Now we’re alone, and you’re still overdoing it.”
He chuckles, clearly pleased with himself. “Just staying in character, baby.”
I groan, though a reluctant smile tugs at my lips. “You’re impossible.”
He grabs my hand, twining his fingers with mine as he starts leading me toward the door. “You’re just mad because I’m really good at this.”
I roll my eyes, letting him pull me along. “No, I’m mad because you’re having way too much fun pretending to be my boyfriend.”
He glances over his shoulder at me, his grin annoyingly charming. “Who said I’m pretending?”
The warmth in my cheeks deepens, and I glare at him, though my heart betrays me with its unsteady rhythm. “You’re impossible,” I repeat, shaking my head as he laughs and tugs me out of the room.
“Come on,” he says, his tone playful as we head down the hall. “Let’s go win that golf tournament.”