Chapter 6
Lainey
“You made a contract?” Zach’s incredulous tone matches the raised eyebrow he gives me as he picks up the neatly stapled stack of papers I’ve just slid across the table.
The cafe is quiet, our corner table tucked away from the bustle of late-morning coffee drinkers. It’s the perfect spot for hashing out this arrangement—if only Zach would take it as seriously as I do.
“Yes, I made a contract,” I say calmly, taking a sip of my coffee.
Zach flips through the pages, his lips twitching with amusement. “You really typed this up?”
“Of course I did,” I reply, folding my hands on the table. “This way, we both know exactly what we’re getting into.”
He shakes his head, letting out a low chuckle. “Lainey, don’t you think this is a little… excessive? It’s a fake relationship, not a business deal.”
“Which is exactly why we need to establish boundaries and expectations upfront,” I counter, unfazed. “If we’re going to be convincing, there can’t be any confusion.”
“Boundaries, huh?” He leans back in his chair, skimming the document with exaggerated interest. “Like what? No falling in love?”
I roll my eyes. “That’s implied.”
He grins, clearly enjoying himself. “You know, if you wanted a date with me, you could’ve just asked—not put it in writing.”
“Trust me, Zach,” I say, my tone dry, “if you were the last man on earth, I’d still make you sign a contract.”
Zach studies the document, his smirk firmly in place as he flips to the next page. “Let’s see… ‘no dating other people.’ Are we exclusive now, Lainey?”
“For the purposes of this arrangement, yes,” I say evenly. “We can’t have people questioning the legitimacy of our relationship.”
“And this one—‘only touching when necessary.’” He looks up, arching an eyebrow. “Care to explain what qualifies as ‘necessary’?”
I keep my expression neutral. “Public displays of affection in front of your family, events where we need to look convincing. Nothing beyond that.”
He feigns offense, pressing a hand to his chest. “You wound me.”
I fight the urge to roll my eyes again. “Zach, this isn’t about you. It’s about making sure we don’t end up in awkward situations.”
He chuckles, leaning forward to rest his forearms on the table. “You know, you’re taking all the fun out of this.”
“This isn’t supposed to be fun,” I retort, though the corners of my mouth twitch with the effort to suppress a smile.
After a few more minutes of playful banter—most of it one-sided on Zach’s part—I steer the conversation back on track. “So, tell me about the reunion. What exactly am I walking into?”
Zach leans back in his chair, his smirk fading slightly as he considers his answer. “It’s at my dad’s estate. Big house, plenty of land. Everyone will be there—cousins, uncles, aunts, family friends.”
“And activities?” I prompt.
“Yeah, there’ll be stuff going on. Golf, swimming, maybe a bonfire. The usual.”
I nod, mentally taking notes. “And your family? Anyone I need to be careful around?”
Zach’s smirk softens, his tone becoming more genuine. “My dad. He’s serious, all business. Likes to give me a hard time about hockey and thinks I should be focusing on settling down and joining the family business.”
I wrinkle my nose. “Sounds… stressful.”
“It is,” Zach says with a shrug, though his tone stays light. “But that’s just him. He means well in his own way.”
I nod again, mulling over his words. For a second, I think about asking what kind of family business, but the weight behind his casual shrug and the slight drop in his smirk hold me back.
It doesn’t feel like something he’d want to get into right now.
Instead, I shift the conversation forward. “Anyone else?”
“Noah, my brother. He’s the eldest,” Zach says. “He’s strict, but he means well. Single dad now, raising my niece. He’s always been the steady one—the one holding things together after my mom passed.”
The casual way he says it makes me pause. “I’m sorry. That must’ve been hard.”
Zach shrugs again, his smirk returning, but it doesn’t reach his eyes this time. “It was a long time ago. You get used to it.”
Something about the way he brushes it off makes my chest tighten, but I don’t push. “Is it just you two?”
He brightens a little. “No, I have sisters. Three of them—Cora, Whitney, and Blair. Cora’s the no-nonsense one, Whitney’s quick with sarcasm, and Blair’s the sweet one who keeps everyone grounded. They’re the heart of the family.”
I smile, but Zach’s earlier comment lingers in my mind. I can’t shake the feeling that there’s more to the story about his mom—and to Zach himself—than he’s letting on.
Zach clears his throat, breaking the moment. “So, what’s the story about Chloe’s cousin? Wyatt said something about a long-time crush.”
“Ugh, Wyatt and his big mouth,” I mutter, rolling my eyes.
Zach chuckles softly, his amusement both irritating and endearing.
I hesitate, fiddling with the hem of my sleeve. There’s no avoiding it. If Zach’s going to play his part convincingly, he needs to know some context.
“Drew and I… Well, I had a crush on him,” I admit, keeping my tone casual, almost dismissive. “Smart, good-looking… The whole package.”
“And?” Zach prompts, his blue eyes locked on mine.
“And nothing,” I say, trying to sound breezy. “I thought we hit it off once, but he ended up dating someone else.”
Zach whistles low. “Ouch.”
“It was years ago,” I add quickly. “I’m over it. I just want him to see that I’ve moved on.”
“Got it,” Zach says.
“So,” I say, pulling the conversation back to my plan. “If we’re going to convince your family, we need to be believable. That means more than just showing up and smiling for photos.”
Zach raises an eyebrow. “What are you getting at?”
“We need to practice,” I say simply.
“Practice?” he echoes, leaning forward with a grin. “Lainey, are you asking me out?”
I sigh, refusing to take the bait. “Practice dates. We need to figure out how to act around each other—what stories we’ll tell, how we’ll interact. Your family isn’t going to believe this if we can’t sell it.”
Zach’s grin widens. “You know, for someone who claims to hate surprises, you’ve got a lot of tricks up your sleeve.”
“Is that a yes or a no?” I ask, ignoring his teasing.
“It’s a yes,” he replies, still grinning. “But I’m picking the first date.”
“Fine,” I say, though I instantly regret it when I see the mischievous glint in his eyes.
We spend the next thirty minutes going over the finer points of the contract. Zach listens, surprisingly attentive, though he can’t resist throwing in the occasional sarcastic comment.
“So, let me get this straight,” he says, tapping the paper. “We’re exclusive, but we’re not actually dating. We can touch, but only when it’s absolutely necessary. And no PDA unless we’re in front of my family.”
“Exactly,” I reply, keeping my tone even.
He smirks. “Sounds simple enough. But what about you? What do I need to know about your family?”
“My family isn’t part of this equation,” I say quickly. “We’re only focusing on your reunion and Chloe and Wyatt’s wedding.”
“Fair enough,” he says, though his curiosity is clear.
I flip the contract closed, satisfied. “Alright. Do we have a deal?”
Zach holds out his hand, his grin widening. “Deal.”
I shake his hand, feeling a strange mix of relief and nervous anticipation. This is just pretend, I remind myself. Nothing more.
But as Zach’s eyes linger on mine, I can’t help but wonder if I’ve just agreed to something far more complicated than I expected.