Fake Engagement, Real Temptation

“But Lane, she said no.” His mouth turned into a thin line, his eyes hollow, like he still couldn’t believe she’d turned him down.

She touched Blake’s shoulder, and he dropped the phone to his side, her brother’s voice still raging out of the speaker. “I had to say no,” she told him. “I couldn’t do it anymore.”

Blake nodded and said into the phone, “I’ll have to call you back.” And then, Lane’s voice still a violent scream, he hung up.

All eyes were on them. All around the room, everyone was focused on this embarrassing moment. It was Eve’s eyes she felt the most. Recalling how happy the mother had been asking her about her designs. About her future plans with Blake. Lies. All lies.

She couldn’t live a white lie that just turned black and sucked everyone into her cloud of desperation with her. How much more of her life would she waste chasing a fantasy? This relationship with Blake wasn’t real. And she wouldn’t waste another second pretending it could be.

The hundred pairs of eyes on her only added to her shame and humiliation. At least when she’d gotten stood up at the altar, she’d been alone in her suite. Now her pathetic fake relationship was on display for everyone to see.

“I knew you didn’t love him,” Kevin said. “Nothing so sappy could be real.” He laughed. “Don’t. Move. I have to get Wendy. She’s going to love this.” He left them and disappeared into the crowd.

Carrie wanted to vomit.

Blake just looked sickly. Like he didn’t know what to say.

Then her phone began buzzing. It was Lane. No doubt calling to make sure she was okay, that Blake hadn’t hurt her the same as Kevin had. She swiped left to send him to her voicemail.

It was then she realized how little her brother thought of her. How little Blake thought of her. Did no one think she could survive heartbreak? Humiliation?

Maybe they were right, because in that moment, she wanted to fade away. This was more humiliation than anything Kevin had ever done to her. And he’d left her in a frickin’ bridal gown.

Her eyes locked on Blake. “I’m sorry,” she said.

He stepped toward her. “I don’t understand—”

She held up her hand. “Stop,” she said quietly. “I’m sorry I asked you to lie and pretend to be in a relationship with me.” He looked like he would be sick, but she had to tell him the truth. Even if this was the last thing they ever said to each other, she owed it to herself to cut through the bullshit and accept reality for once.

“I love you. And that’s why I had to say no. I’m not doing this as a fantasy anymore. I feel like this is real. Or it could be. But only if you want that, too. You’re either going to be with me for real or we need to end this now, because I can’t live in a fantasy anymore, not for revenge and certainly not for love.”

Blake stared at her. “Carrie, you know I can’t.” The hint of emotion in his eyes betrayed him.

“Just answe

r this one question,” she said. “Honestly. Let’s stop pretending. Do you love me?”

He covered his mouth, then took a deep breath. “You know how I feel about you.”

“Do I?”

He nodded. And as much as she needed him to say the words, it didn’t matter. Even if he did love her, he wasn’t going to claim her.

“Good-bye, Blake.”

She ran out of the restaurant as fast as she could. The only saving grace was that at least this time she wasn’t in a wedding dress.

Chapter Fourteen

Carrie had a very creepy sense of déjà vu. She was in a hotel room, throwing things into her suitcase as fast as she could, and holding back tears. Just like last week when she’d done the same thing trying to escape her honeymoon suite and came on this ridiculous fantasy vacation. Only this time she had a feeling Blake wouldn’t track her down and follow.

How could she have been so stupid? Blake had said whatever happened on the island wouldn’t translate to the real world. Why would she think differently?

Because when I’m with him, I feel the most real, the happiest I’ve ever felt.

She shook her head and stuffed more clothes into her suitcase, knocking her knee on the side table and cursing. When she ran from the bathroom to the bedroom at record speed, her arms full of stuff, she ran into the doorway and cursed again.

She just wanted to get out of there as fast as she could. She was almost done packing when a voice sounded in the bedroom doorway.