Fake Engagement, Real Temptation

Carrie picked up the girl, and she instantly hugged her neck. Carrie closed her eyes for a moment and smiled, hugging the child back. Good, Blake thought. He’d seen how she responded to the family at the airport. She’d withdrawn, caved into herself, like the very sight reminded her what she couldn’t have. If she could hug this little girl now, though, and smile seeing another family, maybe this whole thing was working. Maybe she was beginning to believe again that she could have a family of her own one day.

Lucky.

For Blake, going further into a future filled with love and responsibility, every hour of every day dedicated to a family’s safety, terrified him. He’d done that before as a teenager. He’d tried to save his mom. He’d stood by her and given everything. And he’d still lost her.

He wouldn’t go through that again. He wouldn’t invite such a devastating loss to revisit him. The most he’d let himself taste was this fantasy with Carrie.

“What’s your name?” Carried asked the little girl. The girl giggled and played with the flower in her hair. Some word escaped her mouth, but Carrie was clearly fluent in toddler-speak.

“Lidia? That’s a pretty name,” she cooed to the girl.

More mumbo jumbo, then Carrie nodded and laughed. “She’s wonderful,” Carrie said to the mother. “So friendly.”

“You’re great with her,” the mother said. “You two going to have a little one?”

Blake choked on the Hawaiian oxygen surging through his skull.

“No. God no.”

Had he said that out loud? He must have, because Carrie looked horrified.

“We, ah… We’re not…”

“That was rude of me to ask that,” the mother backtracked. Carrie let the girl climb down just as a tall, ripped man, wearing a front pack with a drooling baby in it, came up. He looked like a guy Blake would take out hunting. And instead the man was geared up with some sort of baby holster.

“Hey, honey,” he said to his wife. “I see we found the runner.”

The man had a drooling bundle of smell strapped to the front of him like it was the manliest thing ever. And he looked…proud.

Weird.

Even weirder was that they all looked happy.

“Well, sorry again for the intrusion,” the mother said, peeling the girl from Carrie.

“It’s really no bother. Are you all staying here?” Carrie asked them.

The couple exchanged a smile and the woman nodded. “Yes, it’s our five-year anniversary.”

“Oh, congratulations!?

?? Carrie said with genuine happiness in her tone. She was kind like that. Truly cared about others and felt joy for their successes. Meanwhile Blake tried not to wince when the baby started fussing.

“Maybe we’ll see you around, then?” Carrie asked.

“Yes, that would be nice. My poor wife hasn’t gotten a chance to really get out and enjoy herself yet,” the man said as he rubbed his wife’s back.

“Well you haven’t, either,” she said, smiling back at him.

“We’re a team, honey,” he said, and Blake thought that was nice, but he also wanted to throw up in his mouth a little.

“That is so wonderful,” Carrie said, and Blake was preparing for her eyes to turn wide and glossy like a cartoon character at any moment.

“I’m Eve and this is Waylon,” the mom said. Blake stood and shook both their hands, and so did Carrie. “Are you two going to the all-day finale next week?”

Carrie frowned and looked at Blake, then back at Eve. “I don’t know what that is,” she said.

“Oh, it’s part of the package here. The last day of the honeymooners or the lovers package is that the resort is throwing this all-day event for all the couples. I guess you get to gush and talk about each other, and the band plays your song, and you can dance and drink, and it’s like a second wedding reception for all the couples. Starts early in the morning with mimosas. They even provide daycare!” Eve said with so much excitement.