Pretend We're Over (Pretend 2)

Millie takes Oaklee’s hand and squeezes three times. She squeezes three times back.

“I know,” Oaklee says. And for a moment, she and Millie share a secret conversation without me.

I know Oaklee will be one of the few people who eventually learns the truth about Millie and I’s relationship, but for some reason, the thought of the two of us being together makes her happy, so I guess we will pretend around everyone, at least for today. Tomorrow we return to our own lives.

“Ooh!” Oaklee starts jumping up and down excitedly.

Millie grins, seeing her friend so happy, but I know better. I cock my head suspiciously in her direction as I cut my eyes around the room. Thankfully, no one is paying us much attention.

“You have to stop jumping up and down so you can tell us what you’re thinking,” Millie laughs at her obnoxious friend.

Oaklee stops jumping and grabs both of our hands. “You should go on our honeymoon.”

“Oh no, we couldn’t do that,” I say, terrified. I have a life to get back to. And if I know Boden’s dumb ass, their honeymoon was probably planned for Florida. No, thank you.

Millie shakes her head. “I think you should go, Oaklee. Maybe take a close friend to go with you. It could be healing.”

Oaklee shakes her head. “Nope, I don’t want to go and sulk. I want someone who is actually going to enjoy it to use it. It will be my thank you for taking the attention off of me.”

“Oaklee, I really don’t think—“ Millie starts.

“I’m not taking no for an answer. You are going. You deserve a honeymoon after that crappy Elvis impersonator wedding you had and getting married in lavender instead of white. I’m going to do this for you. I just need to get the names changed on the flight and reservations.”

Oaklee pulls out her phone and starts making calls.

“Shit, well, how are we going to get out of this?”

Millie bites her lip. “I think we should go.”

“What? We can’t go. I have a life to get back to!”

Millie takes my hand and strokes the back of it. I instantly feel calm. How did she do that?

I stare at her holding my hand so casually, like we’ve been doing it for months.

“I know, I have a life to get back to as well. But surely since you’re the boss, you can take a week off from work. I can get time off. And it will give us time away from everyone to figure out what to do about our situation.”

“I’m not spending a week in some crappy motel in Florida. If we are going on a ‘honeymoon,’ we are going somewhere nice at least.”

Millie laughs. “They weren’t going to Florida for their honeymoon. Oaklee booked the most expensive hotel in Maui.”

“Hawaii?”

She nods.

I frown. “I guess I could spend a week in Hawaii.”

She laughs harder. “So accommodating of you to spend a free week in Hawaii. It’s very noble of you, King.”

Apparently, that’s my new nickname. I’ve been called that plenty of times before, but somehow, hearing it fall from Millie’s lips gets my heart beating a little faster in my chest.

r /> Clinking of silverware against glass gets our attention.

“What are they doing?” I ask as everyone taps their forks, spoons, and knives against their champagne flutes.

Millie sighs. “They want us to kiss.”

The corner of my lip curls up. “Oh, do they? They aren’t the only ones.”