My Super-Hot Fake Wedding Date

Claire and I were next to each other, our feet in tubs of bubbling warm water, as two nail technicians buffed our fingernails. “So what happened with you last night?” I asked her.

“Well…I was up to no good.”

“Oh boy. Tell me everything.”

Claire sighed. “I had all those martinis with you. And then the Prosecco—bubbles make me slutty, you know?”

I giggled. “No, I didn’t. What happened?”

“Mia Grayson was putting the moves on me, so you know.” She shrugged. “I had to hit that.”

“Mia as in my sister’s BFF, who never met a bikini top she didn’t like?”

“So she likes to wear bikinis—so what?” Claire asked. “What’s with the shaming?”

My shoulders slumped. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have said that. It’s just that she was hitting on Bob yesterday. I dunno. I think I was a little jealous. I didn’t know she was into women.”

“I don’t think she knew, either. We had quite a few surprises last night.” She giggled. “Bob said no to her?”

I nodded.

She shook her head. “He’s got more will-power than me.”

“Well, he’s here with me. It’s not like he’s solo like you are this weekend.”

Claire considered me. “I thought you two weren’t really a thing?” She made sure to keep her voice low enough so the other bridesmaids couldn’t hear us.

I groaned, wishing I’d never confided in Claire. I’d called her after Bob had agreed to be my fake date. She’d been supportive, but I knew that look in her eye. My cousin had a tendency to be brutally honest, a fact I only sometimes appreciated. “We’re getting along pretty well. In fact, it’s going much better than I ever expected.”

She raised her eyebrows. “So it’s a real date now?”

“Um.” I could feel my cheeks heating. Why was it so hard for me to admit my feelings? “Yes. I mean, I hope so.”

“Maddy, Bob seems like a nice guy. And he’s totally hot.” She paused for a beat. “But didn’t you say he had some issues?”

I bristled. “He has an ex-girlfriend. But who doesn’t?”

She gave me a knowing look. “Didn’t you say he was psyched to get out of town because his ex was getting marrie

d this weekend?”

I shrugged. “That doesn’t mean he’s still hung up on her.” I hope.

“Also…it’s not just the questionable ex.” Claire looked uncomfortable. “This is going to sound classist, but it’s not—it’s coming from a place of love. Love for you.”

I blinked at her, waiting.

“Doesn’t he drive a UPS truck for a living?”

“That does sound classist. Who cares what he does for work?”

“Um…you? You are seriously into your company,” Claire said. “It’s your whole world. And where does a guy like Bob fit into a one-hundred-hour workweek? It’s not like he’s going to be coming from his firm to meet you at City Bar for drinks after work. He’ll be home, feet up, watching the game.”

I wrinkled my nose. “So? That doesn’t exactly make him a bad person.”

“Of course it doesn’t. That’s not the point. The point is, what do you two really have in common?”

“He’s nice, and I like nice men,” I said. “Isn’t that enough?”