“Do you really think people at the wedding will hassle you about it?”
Lily looked at him like the answer to his question was obvious. “Of course they will. I love my family to bits, but Mum has already been trying to use this whole thing as a reason for me to come home. Dad’s no better. He even made a comment about how LA might be too cutthroat.”
“That’s because your dad is a marshmallow,” Sean replied.
“In all honesty, I want to tell everyone to mind their own bloody business.” Lily looked down at her hands. “This whole thing has been embarrassing enough without being forced to relive it every three seconds. I feel… like an idiot.”
“You’re not an idiot.”
“No?” She raised an eyebrow. “I would have said yes to marrying a man who clearly viewed me as nothing more than a lever to pull for his own gain.”
The thought of Lily marrying a guy like Brock was like being punched in the gut. She deserved better. So much better. He wasn’t exactly sure what she saw in a guy like him anyway, beyond the requisite cut physique and ready-for-movie-screen face. But… the butt chin!
You need to let the butt chin go.
“He manipulated me.” Her lower lip trembled for a moment and she wrenched her gaze away, looking out at the blue sky and fluffy clouds. “He used me, and the whole world knows it.”
Sean frowned. All the folks coming to the wedding were people he knew—that was small town living in a nutshell, right? They were good folks. Kind folks. But Lily’s comment about her parents using this as an excuse to convince her to come home didn’t exactly sound farfetched. The Dunns were a wonderful family—fiercely loyal, protective of their own.
Perhaps a little too protective.
“Too bad I didn’t move on as quickly as he did,” Lily said with a sigh as she slumped further down into her seat. “One month on and he’s already got a new girlfriend.”
“Ouch.”
“Right?” She shook her head. “I contemplated hiring an actor to pretend to be my boyfriend for the wedding. Perhaps then people wouldn’t be looking at me like I’m some kind of loser.”
“I’ll do it.” He volunteered before even thinking about the consequences.
“I wasn’t serious.” She blinked. “Okay, I totally was serious, but… we can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Well…” She opened her mouth and then snapped it shut again. Sean could practically hear the cogs turning in her head as she thought about his offer.
Why had he offered to pretend to be her boyfriend, exactly? No logical reason. This wasn’t a decision made by a man putting his mental faculties to their best use. This was a decision made by a man who was leading with things like ego, impulse and raw, unfiltered desire.
Pretending to be with Lily would be the closest he’d ever get to the real thing, and he wanted to see her with her guard down. He wanted to know why she’d written a movie about him and how she’d ended up with a guy like Brock Silvers when he was willing to leave his whole life behind for her.
It was for closure, he told himself. So he could finally let go of the questions that had plagued him. So he could finally get Lily out of his head for good.
“I can’t lie to everyone,” she replied, shaking her head. “That would be wrong.”
Only they both knew wrong could feel oh-so right.
Because it had been wrong to think about kissing Lily in high school while he’d been dating her friend. And it had been wrong for her to write stories about him.
But that hadn’t stopped either of them.
“Yeah,” he said, turning his gaze back to the headrest of the chair in front of him. “That would be wrong.”
4
Lily hadn’t made the comment about hiring an actor totally off the cuff. She’d seriously thought about it and had even drafted a text message to one of her friends who was early in his acting career. But in the end, she’d chickened out. Wouldn’t that make this whole situation even more pathetic?
If anyone found out…
But what she wouldn’t give to have a break from people’s pity and judgement right now. Not to mention their invasive questions! And the last thing she wanted was for people to fixate on her when they should focus on the bride and groom. This was Evie’s big day. And yeah, coming to a wedding to watch your cousin get hitched to the man of her dreams was a little like salt in the wound after a painful breakup, even if she wished Evie and Jasper all the happiness in the world.
It hurt. The questions hurt. The pity hurt. Having people think she was some stupid little lamb who wasn’t tough enough for Hollywood hurt.
Still… a fake relationship? It sounded like something she’d write into one of her screenplays. She shouldn’t even consider it.
Only, she was considering it. Oh boy, how she was considering it.
Stop it right now. Because you know there’s nothing “fake” when it comes to Sean Hutcherson.
That was the big difference between Sean and one of her actor friends—the genuine feelings underneath the surface. The memories. The risk. But she was sorely tempted, both by the offer and by the man himself.
The rest of the flight was delightfully uneventful, and Lily kept her nose in her book, although she didn’t read a single word. How would that be possible when she could feel him sitting next to her the whole time? The flight attendants all flirted with him, cooing over his accent as he turned on the charm. With some guys, seeing that switch could be creepy—almost like you were watching manipulation in action. But with Sean, the charm was so natural and so authentically part of him. He’d always been that guy, the one who put everyone at ease. The one who made others feel welcome and included. When his attention was on you, it felt like you were basking in the sun’s glow.
The last thing I want right now is attention from anyone.
She would do her best to get through this wedding, flying as low under the radar as possible and not letting any tempting ideas about her longest-standing crush get into her head. Which was why, when the plane landed in Boston, Lily did her best to exit as quickly as possible. She had a rental car lined up, and the hour-long drive to Forever Falls would be a good time to get her head back in the game.
What kind of name was Forever Falls, anyway? It sounded like one of those Hallmark-inspired towns where people went, hoping to find a prince in disguise.
Spoiler alert. He’s probably a frog… if you’re lucky. More likely, you’ll be locking lips with a big old toad.
She knew better than anyone not to trust a handsome face and a throatily-whispered promise. After all, Brock had been oh so good at that.
Come here, Lily Pad. I can’t go another second without touching you.
Squaring her shoulders, she dragged her suitcase behind her as she left the gate. Sean didn’t try to catch up with her after she’d said a polite but firm goodbye. Thankfully, her message had been received. No fake relationship. No reliving her teenage crush. No getting lost in his dreamy silver-blue eyes.
None. Of. That.
But when she arrived at the rental car kiosk, Lily hit another snag. As she provided her booking details, the man behind the counter cringed.