The Fake Engagement

“You’re telling me you’re happy to completely disappoint them?” she asked. “To go down there and tell them that we’re not getting married. That you and I already have a plan?”

“Yes.”

“You’re on your own.”

There was a knock at their door.

Eliza ran her fingers through her hair. The moment she had excused herself, she’d pulled on a pair of sweatpants and one of Preston’s large shirts. She wasn’t going to acknowledge how nice it smelled.

The only two people she truly took advice from were back in the city. Hours from where she was. They would help her see sense, but if they knew her parents were already here, they’d come down. They wouldn’t help her, but they would help prepare the parties.

“This is a nightmare.”

She got herself together, remembering Preston still needed her to play a part, and forced a smile to her lips as he opened the door.

Trudy held two pizza boxes.

“These are for you. I’m to tell you that they are deep in organizing the wedding. I think they’ve already sent out the invitations.”

“Now would be a good time to talk about Caroline,” Preston said.

“No way. I’m not spoiling this big day for you.”

“Caroline, you owe me.”

“Look, they’re excited to be organizing your wedding. Do you know how worried Mom and Dad have been about you?”

“I imagine it’s the same for the both of us. It always shocks me how you can get away with everything and I cannot.”

“Preston, don’t start.”

Eliza got to her feet. “Please, do not argue.”

Trudy sighed. “You two deserve your happiness.”

“And you don’t with Caroline?” Preston asked.

“I will tell them when it’s the right time.”

Preston snorted.

Eliza shook her head. “I don’t think I can handle this.” She took the pizzas from Trudy and placed them on the floor.

Sitting down, she opened one up and didn’t care there was pineapple on top. Juliet was the lover of pineapple on a pizza. After tearing off the slice, she cupped her hand and took a large bite.

She closed her eyes, enjoying all the flavors. “This is a good pizza.”

“Westcliffe Heights has the best of everything,” Trudy said.

“Totally.” She took another bite of pizza. There was nothing in this world that couldn’t be solved by pizza or pasta. That was her motto, or at least it was going to be.

Lifting her head, she looked at Trudy.

“Tell me, are they talking wedding dresses?” Eliza asked.

Trudy sighed and bit her lip.

“Just tell me.”

“Your mom brought her wedding dress. Apparently, it’s part of your wedding.”

Eliza groaned.

“And there is a list your mother wants you to remember,” Trudy said.

“List?” she and Preston asked together.

“Yeah, she said that it was something you, Mackenzie, and Juliet did as you were kids. She started to ask Mom a whole load of questions about Preston, but then decided she didn’t know all of the details and so she, er, called reinforcements.”

She looked toward Preston to find his stare a little strange. It was like he was trying to figure something out.

“Reinforcements?”

“Your friends are coming here.”

Eliza dropped the pizza and crawled across the floor, going to her cell phone. Unlocking the screen, she went to her apartment’s number.

No answer.

Juliet.

No answer.

Mackenzie.

No answer.

“She’s right. They’re coming here.” Eliza groaned. “We need alcohol.”

“Are you two really engaged?” Trudy asked.

“Yes,” Preston said, glaring at his sister. “We had our own plan for when we were going to get married. A Christmas wedding was what we talked about.” He took a seat, tearing off a slice of pizza.

“It was going to be beautiful,” Eliza said. She wanted to cry.

“Look, you know how our parents can be,” Trudy said. “They always think they know best. If it makes you feel any better, Roger, Andrew, and Kian didn’t get any of the plans they wanted either.” Trudy sighed. “I’m going to leave you two alone to enjoy your pizza fest.”

She made her escape pretty quickly.

Eliza crawled back toward the pizza, resting her back against the bed. “We’re doomed, aren’t we?”

“Not yet. I will not call us defeated yet.”

“You’re going to hold out a little longer?” Eliza asked.

“I was wondering if you could tell me about this list.” He’d already finished one slice and had moved into a second.

She sighed. “It was … stupid.”

“Do you know what was on that list?”

“Of course. It was … we’d had a bad experience with some guys, okay? I decided to make a list so I would never defer from that list.” She blew out a breath. “If I tell you this, you cannot, under any circumstance, repeat it, mock me, or use it against me.”

He held his hands up. “I won’t do any of those things.”

“Okay, well, the first one is kind of silly, but I like it. It’s quirky and that is he has to love different flavored pancakes. They have to be weird as well.”

“Like banana?” he asked.