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“Do I trust them more than Tyson Miller when it comes to you?” I zero my eyes on hers. “Yes Sav, I trust them more.”
She doesn’t say anything else. No comments, complaints, or long speeches about how she’s a grown woman who can take care of herself. Instead, we spend the rest of our time eating in silence. Which is unlike Savannah and only makes me worry more about whatever is going on with her.
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Savannah says as we pull up to Blake and Libby’s apartment. Well, Libby’s for now. I have full intentions of moving her in with me just as soon as I’m able to get my hands on a place for us.
“I can accept you not trusting me around your roommate—”
“It’s not you I don’t trust. It’s Tyson,” I interject.
“Fine, whatever. But do you really have to take me an hour away from New Orleans?” She leans her head back on the headrest. “There are things I wanted to do. Places I wanted to go.”
“You could always stay with mom,” I offer, knowing damn well that will never happen. They haven't spoken since right after she got diagnosed.
“I could have stayed in a hotel.” She’s pouting like a damn child. But a hotel in the city wouldn’t have been far enough away from Tyson. Hell, Thibodaux isn’t far enough away, especially with it being his sister’s house, but there is no way I would’ve been able to convince Savannah to stay in a hotel an hour away. And I sure as shit couldn't have stayed with her when Libby was this close. It would be too suspicious since we are technically married.
“I’d like you to get to know Blake and Libby. I think you’ll like them.” Her and Blake are cut from the same cloth and it’s impossible not to like Libby. She has to. Libby is my wife, even if just for show. But if I’m lucky enough, I’ll be able to win her over in the next two or three months. Because I have full intentions of spending the rest of my life with her.
“Whatever you say, big bro.” Savannah flings the door open and jumps out of the truck. “Can’t wait to meet your future wife.” Following suit, I huff a laugh at her statement and grab her bags, hauling them up the stairs to Blake’s apartment and praying to whoever will listen that this goes well.
27
There’s a knock at the door and Blake shoots up off the couch to answer it. “Aren’t you eager?” I tease.
“Why aren’t you eager? We’re about to meet your sister-in-law!” Maybe it's a product of being an only child, or growing up in a toxic household, but I’ve never gotten excited over meeting the family. Until now, but I'm trying to keep it under wraps. No need to get attached to someone else.
“Just answer the door.” I'm doing an awful job at staying reserved. Perhaps it’s because I know how fond Colt is of his sister. Or maybe it’s because there’s not a single thing about him I don’t want to know, but if Blake doesn’t open the door in the next five seconds, I may combust.
She finally pulls the door open and on the other side is a very tall, very tan blonde standing with her hand on her hip. She’s so captivatingly beautiful that for once, Colt isn’t the first thing that I notice. Which is saying a lot since he is standing right next to her.
“Everything makes perfect sense,” Blake says as she nods, taking in Colt’s sister. “You did the right thing, Gibson.” She steps aside to let them in.
Savannah comes inside and is immediately bombarded with questions from Blake. “Where are you from? How old are you? How tall are you? Are you single?”
The questions are relentless, but I’m pulled from their meeting as soon as Colt passes the threshold. Like always, his presence takes up the entire room. His eyes immediately find mine and I’m done for. My feet are stone and my stomach is a fluttering mess. A smile spreads across his face as he stalks towards me and my mind goes back to what his lips were doing just hours ago. The kiss earlier was much more tame than our first one, but the power behind it has had my body burning for hours.
He stops short of my personal bubble and I’m suddenly self conscious of everyone else in the room. Colt’s sister, who probably knows nothing. And my best friend, who is currently running at the mouth.
“Hi again,” Colt says lazily, with his eyes glued to my mouth.
“Hey,” I say back, keeping my voice low. This was an awful idea. There's no way I'm going to pull off lying to his sister. Deceiving someone I just met.
“Come meet my sister?” The innocent charm he oozes overrides all my thoughts. I manage a nod and he guides me over to the girls by the small of my back, searing the bit of exposed skin with his touch.
“Oh my god, Libby, this girl has been all over the world!” Leave it to Blake to know someone’s life after just meeting them. She has perfected the art of prying without being rude.
“I have not,” Savannah coos. She likes the attention… interesting. “I’ve just gone on some trips. But you have to go on the next one with me.”
“Absolutely yes,” Blake squeals, and jealousy stabs at my gut. Did I just lose my best friend status?
“Sav, this is Libby, Blake’s roommate,” Colt chimes in, and the knife twists deeper. Maybe I misread what was happening at lunch earlier. Or maybe he’s changed his mind. Or he doesn’t want his sister to know his personal business. Doesn’t want her to know about me. But he didn't introduce me as his wife. Which tells me exactly what I keep trying to remind myself. This is all fake. There's no real anything happening. He's just too damn good at pretending.
“Hi,” she chirps. “Is Libby short for anything?”
“Elizabeth,” Blake answers for me in typical Blake fashion. “Now tell me about this cruise you just went on.” They go back to their gossip session and I’m left standing in the middle of my — Blake’s — living room, feeling small.
“What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?” Colt interrupts my spiral, but I refuse to give him an inch. Marriage certificate or not, he's not my real husband, and I'm not his concern.
Avoiding eye contact at all costs, I drop my eyes to the floor. “Nothing.”
