Chapter 9 – Luke
LUKE
I've officially been in a fake relationship for three weeks now.
I try not to think about how that's the longest relationship I've had since high school.
Like we planned, Eden and I had our first fake dates where our friends couldn’t see them.
She was on my arm for two business dinners with distributors, and I came as her plus one for a mixer at the Whitmer.
All three events went smoother than I could've hoped for.
Granted, Eden and I were never alone together for longer than a minute or two, but it was surprisingly easy to act like I knew her intimately.
Eden’s good at being my date. Better than good, even. She’s charming and energetic, and she makes everyone at the table feel like the most interesting person in the room while resting her hand on my thigh.
Okay, so that part is turning into a bit of a problem. With my post-Peppermint induced celibacy, it’s been a long time since a woman touched me so intimately, especially one as pretty as her. My body just…reacts. Let’s just say it’s a good thing my lower half was largely hidden by furniture.
I shake my head. Our relationship is about to face its toughest test yet, and the last thing I need is to be distracted.
Today, we’re finally doing an in-person launch of our relationship in front of our friends.
We started with a soft launch on Instagram, both to ease everyone into it and to keep up Project Selfie.
Eden and I started with selfies at dinners to get people—mostly my followers—curious, and to drop to our friends that we’ve started hanging out.
Then we upped the romance. I posted a photo of Eden smiling cutely across the table while I held her hand, and she posted a selfie of me kissing her on the top of her head.
The last two set the guy group chat on fire.
Ryan
Dude WTF.
Beau
Which dude are you addressing?
Ryan
The one dating your girlfriend’s bestie.
Beau
WHAT?
Nate
Process of elimination suggests Luke owes us an explanation.
James
Hopefully the bestie in question is Eden and not one of our wives.
Luke
Everyone can relax. Yes, Eden and I are seeing each other, but it’s new. We’re seeing where it goes.
Beau
Does Brinley know???
Luke
Yes.
Beau
She didn’t tell me???????????? Dude WTF!
Ryan
Maybe she’s mad at you.
Beau
I hope not. She was pretty annoyed that I ate the last strawberry Pop Tarts.
Nate
I thought you called Pop Tarts “an insult to pastries everywhere.”
Beau
They grew on me.
Also, Luke, do me a favor and don’t break Eden’s heart, because I really don’t know where the sublaws of Guy Code and Girlfriend Code lie on that.
Ryan
Hold on, what if Eden breaks his heart?
Beau
Either way, I’d like to avoid Luke punching me again.
Luke
I solemnly swear that our punching days are over.
Eden’s brothers had mixed reactions to Project Selfie. Wade liked none of them, while Jasper liked all of them—I’m not sure whether that’s a sign of approval or just a power move. Reed just sent repeated Venmo requests for his $40.
At least they appreciated when my introduction to Flair Events got Eden some real work.
Earlier this week, she prepped for a company launch that she’ll be staffing this weekend.
I stopped by to give her a coffee while she was unpacking corporate merch, mostly to add fuel to Project Selfie.
It worked—it’s the only image that Wade replied to at all. One word: OK.
It’s the friendliest he’s been to me since we met.
It’s also why I picked up a coffee this morning. The entire friend group has descended on Brinley’s apartment to help her pack up to move in with Beau. Every move Eden and I make will be watched, and I might as well come off thoughtful and attentive.
The small apartment is in chaos when I walk through the half-open door.
Pippa’s taping boxes full of books shut while Ryan moves behind her, opening them up again while comically shushing anyone who notices him.
Cat sits on a stool, handing out water and sorting spare socks.
Judging by the way Nate keeps glancing over at her, he’s forbidden his pregnant wife from lifting anything heavy.
Maura sits on the couch with a tablet, cataloguing the items in each box. James answers work emails on his phone, glancing at Maura to ensure she stays sitting and relaxed.
Ryan notices me first. “For me? Thanks,” he says, grabbing for the coffee.
I hold it above my head. “Don’t think your name is on it.”
Pippa glances back and clocks the name scrawled on the cup. “Helen?”
“The barista misheard me saying Eden, I guess.”
“Right.” She looks back at Eden, who’s carefully slotting books into boxes, Tetris-style. “So, this is happening.”
“Yes. This is happening,” Eden says dryly.
“Cute.” Pippa echoes Eden’s tone.
“I think it’s awesome!” Cat says brightly as I hand Eden her caramel macchiato. “You two are a cute couple.”
Maura smiles serenely at us both, while Beau shoves a heavy box into my hands.
“Wanna run this down to the truck?” he says, giving me an unreadable look that I can barely start to decipher.
“Yeah, sure.” The box must be full of dumbbells. It’s the only explanation for how goddamn heavy it is. Maybe this is Beau’s punishment for not telling him about Eden? Maybe he’s gotten so jacked that an eighty-pound box feels like nothing to him? I’m probably just overthinking it.
Four ungodly heavy boxes later, I’m starting to think my punishment theory has legs.
I seem to be the only one Beau’s entrusted to box-carrying duty, while everyone else packs or messes around upstairs.
I’m sweaty and grumpy on my sixth trip up the stairs.
Lost in my mental list of complaints against Beau, I’m not looking where I’m going when I turn into the staircase.
Which is how I run right into Eden.
She jumps in surprise, immediately losing her footing. Pure instinct has me grabbing her around the waist, pulling her against me while I brace my other arm against the doorframe. Eden’s hands land on my chest and her fingers dig into my shirt, grasping for purchase.
“Sorry!” she squeaks once we’re stable.
“It’s fine. Are you okay?”
She blinks up at me. “Just surprised.”
My body chooses that moment to process that a very pretty woman is pressed up against me with her hands on my chest. She’s tall enough that I don’t have to break my neck to look down at her wide eyes, green and gold in the dim hallway lights.
My heartbeat picks up to rapid roar, and fuck, it’s been so long since I felt a woman so soft and sweet.
Maybe I never have.
Thank god Eden has more sense than me. She steps back and says, “Thanks,” before she has a chance to feel my cock hardening. “They sent me to ask what you want on your pizza.”
“Oh. Uh, I’ll eat whatever, but I’m down for pepperoni or sausage.”
“Cool. I’ll tell Brinley.”
As soon as Eden walks back into the apartment, Beau appears at the door with another box. “Good,” he says, grinning. “This is for you.”
“Great,” I answer through gritted teeth.
An hour later, my arms are sore, but at least I can skip the gym tomorrow with good conscience. When the pizza arrives, we all collapse around the living room to eat. Eden makes sure to get us a half-sausage, half-pepperoni pizza which we split.
“How does it feel to have the apartment to yourself?” Cat asks Eden.
“Honestly? Not that exciting. Brinley’s been basically living at Beau’s place for ages now. It’ll be nice to have a real bedroom, though.”
“What, you’re not going to miss sleeping in the closet?” Brinley laughs.
“Absolutely not,” she replies immediately, making Pippa and Maura laugh.
I should be excited that my girlfriend is getting her own space, I realize.
Eden and I haven’t really talked about it, but it’s kind of a big deal.
“Hey, I should take you out to dinner tonight to celebrate,” I offer.
“Maybe Italian?” I don’t know what Eden’s favorite food is, but Italian seems like a safe guess.
“No way!” Ryan exclaims. “Is nothing sacred? Have you really broken bro code already?”
“I’m guessing you forgot it’s poker night tonight,” Nate says.
“You’re three weeks into a relationship. No offense, Eden, but you haven’t earned enough cred to outrank poker night.” Ryan glares at her like she’s about to argue with him.
Eden holds up her hands. “Go play poker, hon. You’ve done enough setting me up with the Flair Events work. I couldn’t pay rent by myself without it.”
“Don’t forget, I’m covering half the rent for the first two months,” Brinley says. “Since I decided to up and move in with my boyfriend without any notice.”
“How about the girls come over to my place tonight?” Maura offers. “We can celebrate with brownies and chick flicks, and nobody will judge me if I fall asleep ten minutes into the movie.”
“Deal,” Brinley and Eden say together.
“Since we’re done with pizza, we should probably clear out so Luke and Eden can christen the place,” Pippa says.
Beau squeezes his eyes shut. “No. Don’t make me picture things.”
“As much as I’d love to break Beau’s brain, we won’t have time to do anything dirty.” Eden laughs. “We have to figure out our Halloween costumes for the Sequel party next week, and then I have to submit a couple invoices by six.”
“You’re not allowed to be Pinky and the Brain, though,” Ryan says. “Pippa and I already called it.”
“Who’s the Brain?” asks Beau.
“Take a flying guess,” Pippa replies.
Once things are cleaned up, the rest of the group files out for James and Nate to drive them back to the House of Cards. Eden plops down on the couch.
“You don’t have to stay too long,” she says. “I just thought it would look good for you to stay a while if anyone was suspicious.”
“No, it’s good. We have to take today’s selfie, too.”
I sit on the couch next to her and she puts her head in my lap. I hold up my phone and we make goofily exhausted faces.
“You can text that to me and I’ll send it to my brothers,” Eden says.
“I can send it to them myself, if you want.”
She sits up so fast, she practically slams her head into my nose. “How do you have their numbers?”
I shrug. “They texted me. I figured you gave them my contact.”
“Absolutely not. I wouldn’t do that to you. Oh, god, I hope Brinley gave it to them, because I don’t like to think about the alternatives. Hiring a PI would be insane, but I wouldn’t put it past them.”
“I don’t think you need to worry. The texts have been pretty normal. Friendly, even.”
“Elaborate,” she demands.
“No offense, Eden, but your energy is a little scary right now.” Her eyes are narrowed and flashing with fire, and if she suddenly started shooting lasers out of them, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised.
“I’m scary, but trust me, the Locke boys are scarier. What did they say?”
“Wade just texted me about making sure the Sundre liquor store gets stocked with Twisted Devil. He also asked if I’d be interested in a long-term feed-grain partnership for the distillery.”
“You don’t have to agree to anything. Seriously, no matter how much he threatens you. He can’t just insert himself into your business like that.”
“He’s not. It’s actually a good idea. We like partnering with small or bespoke businesses, especially Canadian ones. It’s part of our brand. Jasper actually sent me an article about brand loyalty and local partnerships that kind of sums it all up.”
“Jasper sends you articles,” she repeats, shocked. “And you read them.”
“Of course I do. They’re usually pretty interesting.”
“How many articles has he sent you?”
“Five or six?
She shakes her head. “I’m just surprised. They never reach out to anyone. I’m sorry. Don’t feel like you have to entertain them.”
“I don’t mind. Your brothers are interesting guys.”
“Well, you can send them the photo if you want, then.”
I start a group text, including the Lockes and Eden. I add the picture and caption it, “Exhausted from moving Eden’s roommate out.”
The responses come quickly.
Jasper
Make sure she installs a new deadbolt and changes the locks.
Reed
Yeah, because Brinley’s such a big threat. She’ll break in and steal all Eden’s smutty romance novels.
Eden
Shit, you’re right. I better get some new keys.