The Fake Engagement

“What do you mean?”

“Have you ever thought that maybe Preston wants to marry you?”

She shook her head. “No. He doesn’t want to marry me. He can have any woman he wants.”

“Yeah, and you’re the woman he seeks out. You’re the woman I’ve seen him watching the few times I’ve met him.”

“It’s not like that. I work for him.”

“Babe, I work for men, okay? Believe me, they only stare at a woman like that if they want her.”

Eliza’s face heated when she thought about Preston. The way he touched her. The fire he built inside her.

Juliet finished her drink as Mackenzie arrived back at the table.

“I need to pee,” Juliet said.

“Me too. Do you?” Mackenzie asked.

“Nah, I’m good. You two go.”

Her friends left her alone, and she stared at her soda. She had no desire to drink.

Laughter pulled her attention, and she looked toward the dance floor. Her mother was having a great time. All of the women were. On the way over, Lydia had told her girls’ night happened every so often as Marsha liked to get away from it all from time to time.

“You shouldn’t be alone in this bar,” Preston said.

She’d been so busy looking at his mother and hers, she hadn’t seen him enter. “Preston, what are you doing here?”

“I heard my woman went out for ladies’ night, and coming to this bar, I knew way too many men would be wanting to score with her. I don’t like seeing you look lonely.”

“No one has asked me to dance, and my friends went to the bathroom. I’m not that big of a catch, Preston.”

He held out his hand.

She wanted to deny him, but she saw no reason to cause a scene. It was bad enough arguing with him and then having to act all loved up with Aguire looking on. She was exhausted.

Sliding her hand into his, she followed him onto the dance floor.

Regardless of the song being upbeat, Preston pulled her into his arms and danced as if it was a slow song.

“What’s going on, Preston?”

“Nothing. We’re going to dance.”

At first, she was tense in his arms. The song wasn’t designed to be danced with slowly. Her heart raced as his fingers traced across her back.

She loved his touch, craved it. Closing her eyes, she rested her head against his chest.

“Feel, Eliza.”

She did feel, and that was the problem. This wasn’t just an agreement anymore. They were not just bargaining for stupid stuff. She didn’t care about her job. No, this was a matter of the heart, and it meant far more to her than some job.

Slowly, she relaxed against him, and the moment she did, Preston took over. He grabbed her hands and began to dance with her.

He swung his hips, and she stared at him at first, wondering what he was doing.

“Come on, baby, dance.”

“What are you doing?” she asked, laughing.

“Showing you a side to me that no one gets to see unless they’re too far drunk to remember.”

He let go of one hand and started to shake it in beat to the music.

Preston Boone was a terrible dancer, but she also saw with the smile on his lips that he was having the time of his life. He wanted to dance, and his laughter was just infectious.

Joining in, Eliza showed him why she only danced in her apartment, rarely in front of everyone.

They spun away from each other, and backed to butts, rubbed up and down, twirling.

Preston pulled her in close and dropped her back. She let out a little squeal. “Please, don’t drop me. Please.”

“Never. Haven’t I shown you clear enough that I will always catch you, Eliza?”

The song changed, but he didn’t let her go. His grip was firm. Strong. There was no sign of weakness.

The way he looked at her, it was like he … no, she couldn’t believe it. He wasn’t in love with her, was he?

Everything she thought she knew, it was like it wasn’t real.

Preston lifted her up.

This time, the song had changed to a slow one, and she moved into his arms, closing her eyes. In his arms, she felt safe, comfortable, whole. She knew she was in love with him, but her feelings for him hadn’t started since coming to Westcliffe Heights. They started before that. She couldn’t even put a time stamp on how he made her feel.

Pulling away from him, she shook her head. “I can’t do this.”

There was no way she could pretend to be in love with him. Not anymore. She wasn’t hiding from her feelings.

He didn’t stop her as she turned on her heel.

Juliet and Mackenzie looked worried about her, but she told them not to. She was heading home.

Leaving the bar, she took a deep breath of air, tears filling her eyes.

“Eliza, don’t go,” Preston said.

She spun around to see Preston, her mother, his mother, and his sisters-in-law all leaving the bar. There was no way she could cause a scene and bear to let them know this was all lies.