Heath’s family hates me. It’s been several days since we met them for dinner and they haven’t made any effort to meet up with me or get to know me since. I guess I should be thankful for that because they are awful. Not his mom, and I guess not his dad, really, since he didn’t really say much throughout the dinner, but the twins are the worst. I knew Arora was going to be a handful after dress shopping with her, but when she and Theo get together, they are a freaking tornado. The way they deliver underhanded insults is a true talent because while they’re tearing you apart, it feels strangely like a compliment and I never really felt the digs until later when I laid in bed and thought about them.

Heath was mostly quiet through dinner with his family, only speaking up on occasion to tell the twins to back off. If he was wanting to sell the relationship between us, he was doing a poor job of it. He did nothing but brood the whole night, then, when we got home, he went straight to his room and didn’t come out the rest of the night. I’d wanted to knock on his door to see if he wanted company, but had the distinct feeling his broodiness had something to do with me.

It’s Friday evening and close to time to leave for the rehearsal. I go to Heath’s room and knock on the door. We haven’t really spoken since we had dinner with his parents—not in any real way. Not like we had been before that.

He opens the door, a towel wrapped around his waist, his hair wet from his shower. There’s still a few specks of shaving cream on his chin and the sides of his face. He wipes them off with a hand towel as he stands there waiting to hear why I’ve knocked.

I take several deep breaths to calm my racing heart. Why am I so nervous right now?

“Hi,” I say.

The corner of his mouth twitches into something like a smile. “Hi.”

“Can we talk?”

“Of course.”

He steps aside, letting me into his room. I walk in. The air is humid. There’s condensation on the mirrors. He must have taken a hot shower with the door open.

“What’s up?” he asks.

He sits on the bed and pats the empty spot next to him. I sit.

“I shouldn’t be nervous about today, right?” I ask.

This will be the first time since that awkward dinner that I will spend any real time with his family.

“Of course not. I’ll be right there with you.”

I shake my head. “But you won’t. You haven’t been here with me since we fooled around in my room. I did something wrong. Or maybe I said something, but ever since then, you’ve changed. I just … I want you back. The way you were with me. I don’t think I can pull this off without you.”

I hadn’t realized how tense he was in my presence until I see his shoulders relax. He reaches for me and puts his hand on my cheek, brushing his thumb across the line of my jaw. I feel myself melting into his touch.

“I promise, I’m here for you.”

“Then kiss me.”

He hesitates. It’s only for a second but it’s there. He leans over and gives me a soft peck on the lips. But I want more. I want to feel him all over me, inside of me. I want the comfort of his weight on top of me. I try to deepen the kiss, but he pulls away.

Standing up, he says, “I should finish getting ready. We’ll have to leave soon.”

I suppress a groan and leave the room.

* * *

We get to the venue where the wedding will take place. It’s a hotel, but not like any hotel I’ve ever seen. It looks more like a castle. The wedding will happen on the back lawn which is stunning. The grass is perfectly manicured with an incredible view of the ocean. Surrounding the area where the guests will sit is a botanical garden. Everyone will be bathed in the floral scents of tea roses, gardenias, and canna lily. In the middle of the garden is a long staircase that makes a slight decline from the reception hall down to a circular path that wraps around a large cherub fountain.

With all the twinkling lights sprinkled over every shrub and sugar maple tree, it’s like a fairytale. If this were real, if it were truly my wedding, it would be a dream come true. But it’s not. Someday, when Heath finds the woman he wants to marry, this will be her reality.

I glance at him and find that he’s watching me. Looking at him, I feel a profound sadness and I’m on the verge of tears.

“What’s wrong?” he asks.

I shake my head and swallow the thickness in my throat. “Nothing. It’s just all so beautiful it’s overwhelming.

“You look sad,” he says.

I hate lying to him, but what am I supposed to say? That I’m falling in love with him and I wish all of this were real? He’d probably fire me on the spot. No, I can’t tell him how I really feel. It would ruin everything.

So instead I tell him, “Not sad, just nervous.” Which, the last part is true.

He looks almost disappointed, like he wanted me to admit I was sad.

Everyone starts to show up. I don’t know who any of these people are. I wish Mandi were here so I would at least know one person. She’s been avoiding me. I know she is, but I can’t figure out why. I’ve even tried to ambush her in front of the apartment, but it’s as if she can sense me and ends up not showing up.

People seem to be suspicious that I don’t have any family in the wedding party or friends in the crowd. I don’t really have any friends outside of Mandi, and there’s no way I could tell my parents about my fake marriage. They wouldn’t play along. They’re always worried about me not having any money and they would see this job as me getting desperate. They would want me to come home. And while they would never come right out and call me a failure, I would feel like one. Before leaving home they begged me not to move away, but I insisted I could make it on my own. I want to prove that I can. Which is why I can’t tell them anything about this fake wedding. I start to wonder if there’s also a service that provides fake families along with fake brides. There should be. I’ll have to pitch the idea to Mandi if I ever see her again.

Once everyone is in place, the rehearsal begins. It’s strange walking down the aisle. Though I’ve been married before, the ceremony wasn’t anything like this. My ex and I had gone to Reno and stayed in a circus-themed motel for two nights, which was considered our honeymoon. The chapel we were married in was called the Church-O-Love, and had a line going out the door with other couples waiting to make the worst decisions of their lives in front of an Elvis impersonating officiant. We even ordered the deluxe package which included a limo ride from the chapel to our motel. The limo itself was a nineteen-seventy something Chrysler with cracked vinyl seats and some ominous mystery stains splattered across the velvet ceiling. Not sure who in their right mind would ever consider any of it romantic. My ex and I laughed the whole time. It was all a big, funny joke. Until it wasn’t.

When reality finally settled in and I realized I was stuck with the man I’d married, the joke quickly turned into a nightmare.

I feel sick to my stomach as I walk down the aisle and people are watching me. This is the first time in my life I’ve ever felt like a complete fraud. I’m ready to run. I just want to get out of here. That is until I lock eyes with Heath. He smiles at me. More than encouraging, it feels genuine. I smile back and as long as I look at him, I know I can do this.

When I finally make it to him, he holds out his hand and I take it. The warmth and firmness of his grip calms my frayed nerves. While we’re standing in front of each other, the officiant goes over the rest of the details with the wedding party and the planner, and Heath and I are left in our own little world under a flower-draped altar.

The way Heath looks at me, it’s like no one else is around and I feel perfectly at ease. Sometimes it’s almost as if he’s in love with me. My ex never looked at me the way Heath does. It’s easy to see why things are so confusing with him. I want to say something about it, but would he even know what I’m talking about? I’ve never seen him look at anyone else the way he looks at me, but then again, it’s not as if I’ve known him for years. Maybe he looks at other women that same way and I just haven’t noticed—though I doubt it. I’m fairly certain if I saw that look on his face directed at anyone other than me, I’d rip the girl’s throat out.

I smile a little at my jealous thoughts, glad that Heath isn’t in my head to hear them.

Standing here with him under this altar, I can see myself married to him. Before I met Heath, I was certain being remarried was quite possibly the worst thing that could ever happen to me. Now that I see what life can be like with someone who is kind and good, I want it. I want it more than anything. But not with just anyone. I want it with Heath. No one else will do.

“You’re the best man I’ve ever met,” I whisper to him.

He gives me a funny look. “You don’t have to say the vows until the actual ceremony. I’ve written some down if you don’t want to write your own.”

I huff out laughter. “Those aren’t my vows. I just want you to know how I feel about you. I know this is just a job but I’m happy I met you. You’re kind, and wonderful, and—”

Someone clears their throat beside me. Heath and I both turn to the source of the noise. Heath looks annoyed that we were interrupted. The officiant, and everyone else in the wedding party, is looking at us.

“I think everyone knows their places,” the man says.

I blush even though I know no one else heard what I was saying. I was lost in the moment with Heath and didn’t hear a word anyone said. Hopefully I won’t mess anything up on the actual wedding day.

“Great,” Heath says, his mood completely changed from his somewhat quiet, brooding self this morning. Now he seems almost bubbly. “Let’s go to dinner.”