Angie zipped her suitcase and placed it with Raymond’s smaller luggage set in a corner of her room. She packed enough for three days, although she didn’t think they’d stay in New York City for longer than two.

Laughter and chatter bubbled up from downstairs. Several of Grandma’s cousins stopped by early to visit and ride together to the park for the reunion picnic. Angie wished she could spend more time with them while they were in Georgia. How much of this arrangement with Max was taking over every aspect of her life?

This would be over soon if all went well this weekend. On one hand, she’d be glad to stop lying to everyone. On the other hand, it occurred to her that Max would be gone from Harper. It’d be like they never saw each other after high school.

She shut the door to her room and started down the stairs. The old wood creaked beneath her feet. If she was honest with herself, she had to figure out the next step forward for her family. Harper had its nostalgic charm, but for her, the town was increasingly becoming a dead end financially. Her skills as a mechanic didn’t matter if auto shops kept closing. Plus, her grandmother needed more space since the accident. The downstairs was too cramped to be her living space long term.

If Angie found a good job in a larger city, maybe she could use some of the one hundred and ten grand from her contract with Max to put towards a new house. The hard part was finding a better job. With no college degree, her chances were much slimmer.

She shook off her heavy thoughts once she reached the bottom of the stairs. Her worries would still be waiting for her after the family reunion picnic. She could enjoy herself for the time being.

“Mom, Max is here,” Raymond shouted and bounded from the living room to answer the front door.

She bit her lip. Then again, her worries were just starting.

Max entered, wearing shorts and a perfectly fitted t-shirt that showed his biceps. He carried a cake from a famous Atlanta dessert shop in his hands. “Hope I’m not late.”

Angie took the cake from him. “They’re just getting started. I’ll introduce you to the family.”

She went into the living room. Grandma looked up and everyone else copied her motion. All eyes were on Angie and Max. She cleared her throat. “Family, I’d like you to meet Max Kelly, my fiancé. He’s here to see how we like to party.”

Her introduction brought smiles and a few chuckles from Grandma’s cousins. Max went around the room to shake their hands and listen to them tell him their names. He greeted her grandmother warmly. Angie noticed Grandma was polite yet distant.

She drove Raymond and Grandma to the picnic in the park. There, more family members gathered to grill burgers and enjoy the warm spring day. She and Max chatted with them. They enjoyed hearing her fiancé’s high school football stories.

“Let’s play a round,” a younger male cousin said. “The food won’t be ready for another half hour.”

Raymond tugged on her arm. “Mom, I want to play, too.”

“Sorry, honey, you’re too little.”

He made a sad face.

“Hey, Ray, do you want to play catch one on one first?” Max asked him.

Angie watched her son’s sad little face brighten. He nodded vigorously and ran out on the grass. She got a can of Coke from the cooler and went to sit with her grandmother. “Are you enjoying yourself?”

“My hip hurts a little, but it’s good to get out of the house and see family.”

“Do you want me to go to the store and get you an ice-hot pack?”

“I’ll be alright in a minute.” Grandma smiled, patted her hand, and went to talking to another family member who sat down beside them.

The sun was high today. The weather was humid. Angie got up after a while to take water to Raymond and Max. “Raymond, I think you need to take a breather for five minutes.”

Her son came over with the football. He took the water and gulped it down as he ran over to Grandma. Angie handed a bottle to Max. “Thanks. He was looking forward to playing catch with you again.”

“He loves football. You think you’ll let him try out for a team when he’s a teenager?”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to stop him, but why not? His uncle did. If we’re still in Harper, I’ll tell Raymond to go for it.”

Max stopped drinking water. He looked at her over the bottle. “What do you mean, if you’re still in Harper? Are you moving?”

“Maybe. I need to go where the jobs are. There aren’t many openings for car mechanics in a small town.”

“Where would you like to go?”

“I haven’t thought that far ahead, but I eventually want to go to college, too. I don’t see it happening anytime soon.”

“Why not?”

She tilted her head and looked at him. “Because it’s expensive and takes up a lot of time. I have Raymond to raise and I have to talk my grandmother into moving. We need a bigger house for her needs.”

Max appeared deep in thought. “I noticed she limped today.”

“Her hip is bothering her. I’m going to ask some of the family members to come out to the house so she can keep visiting with them and be comfortable on the sofa and out of the heat.”

“Hey, Max,” one of the guys called, “we’re about to play. You’re both standing in our field.”

“I think my second or third cousin is referring to me standing in the field. You boys have fun.” Angie turned on her heel to go. Max suddenly swooped her up and tossed her over his shoulder. “Hey, put me down. What are you doing?”

“Carrying you off the field.”

She heard her cousins laughing, even though she couldn’t see them with her head upside down. “I can walk.”

“I know, but they seem to be in a hurry.”

“You just want to embarrass me in front of my family.”

He set her down on a cushiony patch of grass in the shade. “What are fiancés for? Rest up. We have a flight to catch soon.” He flashed a smile before joining the other men for a quick game of football.

Three hours later, Angie fastened her seat belt while onboard Max’s private jet. The plane was due to take off for New York in fifteen minutes. She turned her head to the left to see Raymond and his caregiver Susan seated together. The caregiver attempted to keep him entertained with books to read. He kept bouncing his legs on the seat, excited about his first trip on a plane and visiting New York. “Mom, can we go to Times Square, ride the underground trains, and see the Umpire State Building?”

“Empire State Building. We can visit a few places, not all of them.”

“Why not?”

“We don't have a lot of time.”

Satisfied with her promise to visit a couple of the places he named, Raymond resumed bouncing his legs. Angie glanced over at Max seated across from her. His eyes were glued to his phone. He texted away.

“We’re meeting the new investors tonight for cocktails before the art show,” he uttered.

“Glad to see things are moving along for you.” She rested her head against the back of her seat while the jet prepared for takeoff. She hoped the investors were agreeable like Charley and Steve, just not as delayed in their decision making.

The sooner Max had his hospital, the sooner she could make a new start with her family, whatever it may be.

Max walked into the hotel lobby with Angie, her son, and Raymond’s nanny. The sooner he nabbed this contract, the sooner the engagement charade could be over. He didn’t mind the part about pretending to be Angie’s fiancé. Not that he hadn’t told her already, but there was something attractive about a woman who was smart, savvy, and knew her way under a car hood. It was simply the hoops he was tired of jumping through to make their relationship look authentic.

“I have two rooms reserved under Max Kelly,” he informed the clerk at the front desk.

The clerk typed his name into the computer. “Yes, two rooms. One grand suite with Jacuzzi, living area, and balcony. The other a standard suite with living area.”

“My fiancé and I have to have our Jacuzzi.” Max handed her his credit card.

Angie came up to him while the clerk checked him in. The normal sparkle in her dark eyes was replaced with a flash of anger. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Excuse us.” He left the counter and went with her to the side of the front desk. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m not sharing a hotel room with you.”

“Ouch. Do you have to put your foot down so hard to crush my feelings?”

Her eyes grew to twice their normal size and a faint blush put a plum color on her brown cheeks. “What did you say to me?”

She looked like she wanted to put her foot down extra hard on him. Time to stop with the jokes. “I shouldn’t kid you like that. I know we aren’t sharing a room.”

Her expression changed. “You reserved two rooms. Isn’t one for Susan?”

“The grand suite is for you and Raymond. I’m taking the standard suite. I already made a separate reservation under Susan’s name so she can check herself in later. Right now it looks like she’s staying in the suite next door to help with Raymond.”

She indicated she realized his plan to make everything appear like they were a couple. “I see. You’re working hard to make this look real.”

“Of course I am.” He put his hands on her shoulders. “Don’t worry. All you have to do is show up for cocktails and the art show tonight. I thought of everything else.”

“Max Kelly, is that you?”

He heard the voice and felt every nerve in his body cringe. He turned to look over his shoulder. “Bella? What are you doing here?”