“I’ll walk you out,” Luca mumbles as we exit the doors to the waiting room.

“That’s okay. I’m going to stop and get something to eat.”

“I’ll come. I just need to walk.”

I stop in front of our friends, my hand already raised to wave goodbye. Maddie and Vanessa both get up from their seats and hug me goodbye.

“I’m walking her back to work,” Luca tells everyone, his hand finding mine.

An electric current rushes up my arm and if I wasn’t in front of people who don’t know this whole affection is fake, I’d stare down at our hands looking for the reason. Unfortunately, I know the reason and I’d be lying if it didn’t scare me. Then again, it could be sympathy for what he has to go through today.

“We’ll see you later?” Maddie asks, Mauro’s arm around her nuzzling her into his side.

“Yeah. I’ll stop by after work.”

“We’ll let you…” Her eyes find Luca. “I’m sure Luca will get you the room number.”

Maddie is our group’s mother hen. She’s the one who informs us of what we need to do and where we need to be. I see now it’s a struggle for her to take a backseat since she thinks this is Luca’s territory now.

“Yeah,” I say and glance at Luca.

Anthony comes out of the room and all three of the boys make their way over to him, each one offering words of encouragement and arms for support. Anthony appears fine, shooing them all away from him, finding his way to a chair in the corner, isolating himself from everyone else.

“Let’s go.” Luca walks by me, his head down.

“Bye guys,” I say, catching up to Luca.

The pressure in my chest relieves the minute we’re not in direct vision of everyone’s curious eyes.

“Are you okay?” I ask while we wait for the elevator.

“I’m good. Just give me a minute.” He rubs at the scruff on his face and continues to study the floor.

The elevator doors ding open and I’m happy to be one step closer to escaping this situation. I don’t belong here. I like Mama Bianco, she’s a great woman, but I’m not supposed to be the one to comfort her youngest son.

We step in and I realize we’re alone in the elevator. Seriously, isn’t this a metropolitan hospital? Where are all the damn people?

Luca leans casually in the corner, each hand on the silver handrails. My eyes focus on the numbers as we descend floor by floor. Just as three moves to two, the elevator bounces to a stop.

The doors open and an attractive woman smiles and steps in. She takes me in first and then her attention shifts to Luca and they flash with surprise.

“Luca,” she says in a way too excited way. One that would make you think she’s been riding the elevator all day waiting for him to pop up.

He straightens, a smile gracing his lips. “Keri,” he says her name like he’s said it while he’s come before.

Please let this nightmare end. How many more days do we have of this charade?

“What are you doing here? You’re obviously not on shift.”

He shakes his head. “My mom is having surgery.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I hope it’s not serious.” Her hand reaches out and touches his forearm.

Perfectly manicured nails attached to long and thin feminine fingers grip the fabric of his hoodie. Everything about this woman is stunning. Her blue dress ends right before her knees, showcasing long, toned legs. And here I am in yoga pants and a sweatshirt.

“It’s an ablation. I’m sure she’ll be fine.” He smiles again and smacks on that arrogant outward appearance that is Luca Bianco.

“Oh good. I’ll try to visit her. Is she here overnight?”

“She is.”

His gaze hasn’t veered to me once.

Not that I care. I don’t.

“And being the good son, you’re sticking around, right?”

She winks. What kind of woman winks? The kind who wants to get in her fiancé’s pants.

“Of course.” His smirk appears. The flirtatious one that says, ‘I’m interested…in you naked under me.’

What a pig.

“I’ll stop by then,” she says.

“Great.”

This is the exact reason he’s referred to as Asshat in my phone.

The elevator doors open and I slide past the pretty sophisticated woman, beelining it out of the glass doors of the hospital, greeted by the sun on my face along with the chill of winter blistering my eyes.

Water gathers in them and I blink a million times to get rid of the tears—from the cold. Seeing the pedestrian sign lit up on the street sign, I jog across the street with the masses of people.

Luca can go to bed with that woman, what the hell do I care?

Pulling out my phone I check the time. I had Cindy reschedule my appointment for after lunch just in case I ran late, which is good because otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to stop for food.

Sliding into a café, I order a sandwich, but when I’m pulling out my money a familiar forearm comes into view handing the cashier a card.

Another fucking admirer stares at Luca awestricken as she takes his card from his hand.

“I got it,” I snip.

“You’re a hard woman to catch up to.”

The girl takes his card and once she’s run the charge through, I grab the receipt and pager, heading toward the pick-up line.

“Why did you run off?” He meets me because the man is about as clueless as I was when I agreed to this shitty idea.

“Why?” I ask, unable to hold it in anymore.

“Lauren?” He looks down at me, wrinkles in his forehead and confusion on his face.

“You will not disrespect me,” I bite out through my teeth.

My pager goes off in my hand.

Thank God, before I give him the riot act in a crowded restaurant right in the middle of lunchtime.

I snatch my bag off the counter, drop the pager and hightail it out of the restaurant.

“Disrespect you? When did I do that?”

I whip around, he stops, and a guy has to weave by him, the businessman murmuring something to himself.

Luca holds up his hands in front of himself. He must notice the fire in my eyes.

“You were flirting with that woman. Are you going to fuck her in the next hospital room over from your mom’s? I don’t care what you do Luca, but when I’m taking my lunch break to help you out, do me a favor and don’t treat me like some side piece.”

The minute my spew of words are finished leaving my mouth, I freeze. Those words give the impression that I care. And I don’t.

“Flirting? She’s a doctor. I know her because I spend a decent amount of time at that hospital. I wasn’t flirting nor am I going to sleep with her.”

“Now you’re going to lie?” I circle around and stomp off toward the corner, steam could literally be shooting out my ears and nostrils right now.

“I’m not lying,” he says from behind me.

We stop at a light, waiting for the crosswalk along with fifteen other people.

“Then you’re more clueless than I thought. Actually, pathetic because you don’t even realize when you’re flirting. Which in that case, I feel sorry for whoever you really marry.”

A gasp sounds and my eyes find all the people around us watching. I’ve made a spectacle which normally I wouldn’t care, but for some reason, I feel exposed in this moment.

“What was I supposed to do? Say ‘sorry, this is my fiancée?’”

He obviously doesn’t care about the spectators to our show.

“I wasn’t asking to be introduced…”

“I had to pressure you to do this. You said no one else was to know except the few who had to. I didn’t introduce you because I thought that was what you wanted, not because I want to fuck her.”

Another gasp sounds and I glance around the crowd to find a woman covering her son’s ears.

“Just go back,” I whisper. I tap my foot.

What the hell is taking the street light so long?

“Not until this is resolved.” His hand wraps around my upper arm and he leads me over into the shelter of a parking garage. “I didn’t mean to disrespect you Lauren, but this is fake between us. I wasn’t flirting with her to screw her. I was being friendly.”

“You were practically making a date to screw her.”

“Be careful, you’re sounding like a jealous girlfriend.” He crosses his arms over his chest.

I narrow my eyes. “I’m done with this.” I wave a finger between us and step back out onto the street.

My building is only one block away. I see the sign and once I’m there, he can go back and do whatever he wants.

“You’re not done. We have an agreement.” He touches my arm again.

I yank it back away from him and step closer so no passerby can overhear us. “You don't need me. Your mom will come out of the surgery fine and you can make some excuse of where I am and tell her we broke up in a week.”

I walk away, my eyes glued to my building. Sweet serenity.

“You’re the one who needs a date to your Christmas party. Don't forget that part of the agreement,” he calls out to me.

I raise my hand in the air. “I’ll hire an escort.”

A woman raises her eyebrows at me as she passes.

Whatever. I’m done caring what people think today.

I reach my work, swinging the door open, happy to escape the whole fake engagement. I’m done and now I don’t have to worry about lying to my friends. I’ll lay low for a week, tell them it was my worst mistake ever and after one pow wow they’ll let it go, giving me some space. One day when we’re in the nursing home, I’ll tell them the truth.

“Hey, Cindy.” I greet her and her focusing on whatever is behind me isn’t a red flag in my mind until I’m about to disappear through the doors and I hear another voice.

“Cindy? Pleasure to meet you. I’m Luca Bianco, Lauren’s fiancé.”

I whip around to find his hand extended over the receptionist desk, his sparkling smile on display.

Cindy doesn’t even turn to me in bewilderment, she’s solely focused on the hot man in front of her.

I’m going to jail for murder because I’m going to strangle Luca Bianco.