Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Liam
“Shall we?” I offer my arm, and Audrey takes it with a flourish, her own shield raised high. We march out to the backyard, where chairs are lined up next to bright flowers.
Audrey’s mom is there, resplendent in a dress that sparkles under the sun, and Steven McCallister is beaming like he’s won the lottery. This doesn’t look like an anniversary celebration or a vow renewal, but a wedding where he’s about to say I do to the love of his life.
As they stand there, about to exchange vows, I can’t help but feel a pang of envy. After forty years together, they still look at each other with such love and devotion.
“Isn’t it romantic?” Audrey whispers, her voice full of emotion.
I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. It is romantic, and as much as this whole fake engagement thing started as a scheme, right now, my feelings for Audrey are anything but simple.
Being beside her, feeling the warmth of her presence has become almost essential. She has woven herself into the very fabric of my existence, as vital as the air that fills my lungs. She ignites something within me, a sensation so profound and bewildering, it’s as though I’m shattering into countless fragments.
Audrey McCallister makes me feel like . . . Like I’m breaking into a million pieces and each one of them is more alive when she’s around. It’s something I can’t understand. An enigma, defying comprehension, yet it’s undeniably real and powerful.
The emotions she stirs in me refuse to be tamed, a constant surge of feeling that keeps me tethered to the moment, to her. It’s bewildering, this capacity she has to make me feel so utterly alive, to turn even the simplest touch or glance into a catalyst for something much greater.
I can’t escape it, this sense of being utterly consumed by her presence, nor do I wish to. Audrey has become my axis, the point around which all my emotions orbit, drawing me ever closer to her. It’s as if I’m standing on the edge of a precipice, teetering between the person I was and the one she’s helping me become. And in this dizzying space between, I find myself embracing the fall, eager for the transformation, for the chance to be reborn in her light.
This unyielding pull toward her, it’s reshaping my understanding of happiness, of connection. With Audrey, happiness isn’t just an emotion; it’s a state of being, a place I’ve found within her. Surrounded by the intensity of these feelings for Audrey, a shadow creeps into the corners of my heart, a persistent whisper of fear.
A fear of being loved and breaking the one I love.
How can I hold onto this happiness, this deep connection, when the very act of loving feels like a risk to the heart?
The possibility of causing Audrey pain, of being the source of her hurt, is a weight that presses down on me, a burden of potential consequences I’m terrified to bear. I should just keep my distance until Monday and let everything go. But am I capable of standing on my own without her?
“Are you okay?” Audrey asks.
“Of course,” I whisper just as we reach her parents and she stands next to her mother. Gently, I lift her hand and kiss the back of it. “My lady.”
She smiles. “I’ll see you in a few.”
I wink at her. “I’ll be waiting for you.”
“Who the fuck let this clown date my sister?” Jacob protests elbowing Max. “I thought we had rules against friends dating her, Maximilian.”
“Stop you two,” Mrs. McCallister warns them before Max opens his mouth. “This is your sister’s fiancé and he’s about to become part of the family.”
I bow and before leaving, I send a glare to Max. Something like, ‘control your brother before he fucks this up.”
Max, who stands between his father and Jake, elbows his brother. “I told you not to fuck this up.”
Before Max and Jake continue digressing and say or do something that either ruins this ceremony or unveils our fake engagement, I saunter away to take a seat between Mom and Grandma.
“Make it official, Liam,” Mom murmurs, her eyes filled with a knowing twinkle. “Do it before it’s too late.”
“Mom, there are things you can’t push and the wedding is one of them,” I say, my jaw clenching as I try to keep my emotions in check.
Mom is about to say something, but the music starts, a string quartet playing a classical piece that sounds like hope and new beginnings. I can’t help but shift my gaze to Audrey. She’s gliding next to her mom, beaming with happiness.
She’s stunning, without a doubt, wearing a shimmering silver dress that flows around her like liquid moonlight, the hem dancing just above her ankles.
The delicate fabric catches the light, creating an ethereal glow that seems to emanate from within her. There’s a grace about Audrey, the way she just is, as if she’s dancing through life. And just for a second, I wish I was the reason behind that smile, the cause of that effortless joy.
Her parents exchange vows, their voices filled with love and devotion. “My darling,” Audrey’s father begins, his eyes glistening with unshed tears, “after all these years, I still find myself falling in love with you every single day. I promise to cherish you, to support you, and to be your partner in all of life’s adventures.”
Audrey’s mother smiles, her face radiant with joy. “And I promise to love you, to be your rock in the storms, and to celebrate with you in the triumphs. Together, we’ll continue to build a life filled with laughter, love, and endless happiness.”
But my attention is glued to Audrey. I’m just basking in that glow—the Audrey effect. It’s like she’s got this light inside her that makes everything else pale in comparison.
I watch her laugh at something someone said, clearly not paying attention to anyone or anything else. And just that laugh feels like a bolt of lightning, a jolt of pure, unadulterated happiness that courses through my veins and ignites my soul. This whole charade was supposed to be simple; pretend to be engaged, make my grandmother happy, done and dusted.
But no one warned me that fake feelings could start feeling real, that my fake fiancée could become the realest thing in my life. Her eyes catch mine across the sea of family and friends, and she winks—the same playful spark that I’ve grown accustomed to—and it hits me. Hard. Maybe, just maybe, what started as nothing might become my everything.
As Mr. and Mrs. McCallister kiss, everyone cheers, their applause filling the air like a joyful symphony. I join in, just as the music begins to play, a classic love song played by the quartet. It’s something or another that’s been covered more times than I can count, I just can’t remember its name.
Audrey walks behind her parents, her silver dress shimmering in the sunlight, a radiant smile on her face. As she reaches me, I can’t help but pull her into my arms, the warmth of her body against mine feeling like home. She fits perfectly, as if she has always been meant to be there.
“Well, well, well,” she whispers, her breath tickling my ear, “looks like someone’s getting into the role of doting fiancé.”
I chuckle, my hand resting on the small of her back as I pull back just enough to look into her eyes. “What can I say? I’m a method actor.”
Audrey laughs, the sound like music to my ears, and I feel the tension in my chest ease, replaced by a fluttering sensation that I’m not quite ready to name. “Is that so?” she asks, quirking an eyebrow. “I guess I’ll have to step up my game, then.”
“Bring it on, McCallister,” I grin, my fingers intertwining with hers as we turn to face the congratulatory crowd. “I’m ready for anything.”
But as the words leave my lips, I realize that I’m not just talking about our little farce anymore. I just don’t know what the fuck I’m going to do with what’s happening.