“I’m first, so in a couple of minutes.” She peeked at him over the top of her paper. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Do you need a drink stronger than water before you get up there?” he asked, his voice tight. “A Xanax? Sex? Something to help you relax?”
A laugh bubbled out of her. “Uh, no thanks? I’m fine. I worked on this speech for months because I wanted it to be perfect. Susan deserves perfect.” She shifted closer and squeezed his knee. “You look like you’re about to panic, though. What’s up?”
He averted his eyes. “I just don’t like stages, is all.”
She studied him closely. He wasn’t kidding. He had sweat on his forehead and he looked ready to run for the door, and he wasn’t even going up there. “Sweetie, you’re not going up there. You’ll be okay.”
She had forgotten his fear of public speaking, or being on a stage. The fact that this big, strong man could be scared of something at all, let alone something so trivial, struck her as oddly cute. He seemed so invincible the rest of the time it made her want to hug him and kiss him now that he wasn’t.
If anything, it made him hotter.
He swiped his forearm over his sweaty forehead. “I know. It’s stupid, but I hate those things. And having the spotlight on you is just as bad. Everyone watches you.”
“It won’t come near you, don’t worry. You can stay here. It’ll give you a break from acting as if you love me. You’ve got to be sick of it already.”
“I’m not, though.” He met her eyes. “This isn’t all an act, you know. Well, the love part is, but that’s it. I do like you, and I like being with you. I’m having a lot of fun. If things were different and I wasn’t leaving…” He shrugged. “Well, it doesn’t matter. Because I am.”
Kayla swallowed hard, her heart stuttering and then speeding up. He had to stop saying things like that, or she would want to spend more time with him, too. And that just wasn’t possible. She didn’t want a real relationship any more than he did. He was leaving. And she wanted to live her own life free of meddling family members and husbands trying to tell her what to do.
But then again…
No. No buts.
This was not real.
She shook her head. “Cooper…”
“I know. But when—” He cut himself off and glanced at the stage. Kayla waited, wanting to see what he would finish that sentence off with. Instead he said, “I think they want you to go up now. They’re staring at us.”
“Oh. Right.” Kayla stood. It was probably better he didn’t finish that thought anyway. “Wish me luck.”
He tugged at his collar again. “Knock ‘em dead.”
Kayla made her way to the stage. Her mother stood next to the microphone, smiling at the crowd like some benevolent queen upon her subjects. The spotlight made her mother’s diamond necklace sparkle, blinding everyone who watched.
Kayla closed the distance between them, smoothing her purple skirt as she walked. Her mom gestured her closer. “First on the roster, we have the maid of honor who is none other than my other wonderful daughter, Kayla.”
Polite applause filled the room at the unnecessary introduction. Most of the people knew who she was, after all. Clearing her throat, Kayla stepped up to the microphone. “My little sister might be all grown up, and might be getting married in a few short days, but to me, she’s still the little girl who used to keep me awake every night. She used to make me watch her until she fell asleep, so the monsters wouldn’t come get her. She was sure if I stayed up and watched over her, nothing bad would happen.
“I don’t know what I did to deserve such a vote of confidence from her, but I dutifully stayed awake and did what she asked. Sometimes when she couldn’t fall asleep, we’d just talk. Usually it was a different topic, but at least once a week, before she drifted off to sleep, she would tell me about her wedding day. She would look like a princess, and everyone would cry as she walked down the aisle. Everyone would be watching her, unable to believe she could be so lucky as to catch the man of her dreams. And she was going to marry a man as wonderful as our daddy. ”
Kayla had wanted that, too, at the time. So badly. She broke off, swallowing past the lump in her throat. Pull it together. Don’t buy into this emotional crap.
She looked at Cooper. He nodded at her, smiling, and she felt better. “I think Susan made the right choice in Max because I can tell he loves her very much. Heck, he’s been following her around since second grade. All you have to do is look at him when he thinks no one is watching, and you’ll see it. I’m also quite sure when we all see her walking down the aisle Saturday, there will be tears in our eyes.” She turned to her little sis, who was practically sparkling from happiness. Even the normally reserved Max was grinning ear-to-ear.
Family pressure and fake boyfriend drama aside, she was thrilled for both of them. It’s why she’d concocted this lie in the first place—so the focus wouldn’t be on when Kayla would find someone. Which, unfortunately, was exactly what had happened at Susan’s bridal shower a while back. Now, people would be content that Kayla was happy, and all eyes would be where they belonged.
On her sister.
“I’m so thrilled for you, Susan, and I wish you nothing but happiness in life—but I’m positive you don’t need any help from me anymore. I know you two will be together forever, and he’ll be the one standing guard over you from now on.”
She lifted the glass of champagne her mother handed her, smiling past her unshed tears. “To your happily ever after.”
Susan stood and called out, “And to yours.”
Kayla looked at Cooper…again. He still sat at their table, watching her with a light in his eyes that literally took her breath away. For a second, and only a second, she let herself imagine a future with him.