Chapter 7
SEVEN
GIGI
The breath whooshes out of my lungs as the bar falls eerily silent for a moment.
Until Brad drops a string of expletives, and the crowd around us bursts into fresh murmurs.
“Say yes,” someone calls out.
“Don’t do it,” one of Brad’s minions adds.
I'm stunned. My mind reels as I look down at Justin, who’s still on one knee, a hopeful smile on his face. The words tumble out of my mouth before I can fully process them.
"Yes, Justin," I say, my voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside me. "Yes, I will."
The bar erupts in applause and cheers, with only a few cheers. Before I can even I’m swept up in a blur of congratulations. Brad’s fiancée seems to appear out of nowhere. She’s the first to reach us, her excitement palpable.
"Oh my gosh, you two! This is amazing!" Bianca gushes, hugging me so tightly, I can’t breathe. "I’m so happy for you!"
Brad, on the other hand, looks as if he’s just swallowed a bag of needles. His eyes are glazed from too many beers and anger, and he mutters something under his breath that I can’t quite catch. People around us start peppering us with questions.
"When’s the wedding?"
"Where will you live?"
"Have you picked out a venue?"
These are all insane questions for a couple that’s just gotten engaged. Well, not really engaged. Fake engaged. But, as far as they know, this is real.
And, oh God. How are they going to react when they find out this wasn’t real?
I glance at Justin, my heart pounding. This is getting out of hand. My mind races with doubts. Are we making this unnecessarily complicated? And what about these feelings that are starting to feel much more real?
Justin is surrounded by his buddies from the volunteer fire department, all of them clapping him on the back and offering congratulations. I seize the moment to pull him aside, my nerves fraying at the edges.
"What’s the end game here?" I hiss, trying to keep my voice low. "We’re making this more complicated than it needs to be."
Justin’s eyes narrow slightly, and he looks around to make sure no one is listening. "We need to sell this, Gigi. If we back down now, it’ll look suspicious."
"Sell it?" I echo, my voice rising. "This isn’t a business transaction, Justin! This is my life!"
He steps closer, his expression softening. "I know. Trust me, okay? Everything will be fine."
His words don’t soothe the storm inside me, and we’re about to argue more when he suddenly cups my face in his hands and kisses me passionately. The world fades away, and for a moment, it’s just us. When we finally break apart, I’m breathless.
"Trust me," he repeats, his voice gentle. "Everything will be okay."
Before I can respond, Brad stumbles over, clearly drunk and being dragged by Emily. His eyes are bleary, but he manages to focus on us.
"I’ll believe it when I see a ring," he slurs, a mocking smile on his face.
Justin’s jaw tightens, and he looks down at me, determination in his eyes. "Don’t worry," he says firmly. "I’m on it."
I start to protest, but he silences me with a look. As Brad and Bianca leave the bar, I’m left feeling more confused than ever. The line between our fake relationship and my real feelings is blurring dangerously, and I don’t know how to navigate this complicated mess we’ve created.
Justin takes my hand, squeezing it reassuringly.
As we walk out of the bar, I cling to him and his words. I hope he’s right. I hope everything will be okay.