Page 25 of The Wedding Pact

‘Hmm. Interesting way of putting it. But yeah, that works.’

She laughs too and I feel it like a warm balm in my chest.

‘Anyway,’ I say, ‘hopefully once they’ve met you and satisfied themselves we’re not of much interest they’ll move on and leave us alone and we can hang out by ourselves in the background.’

‘And let your broth— stepbrother have the limelight?’

‘Exactly. I’m really not interested in being the centre of attention.’

Something I can’t quite read flashes across her face, but whatever it was is quickly replaced with an expression of compassionate understanding.

‘Okay, dude, then chill. It’s going to be okay. I’ve got your back.’

To my surprise, she reaches out and takes my hand, gently squeezing my fingers in a show of solidarity.

There’s an intense lifting sensation in my chest as I gaze into her dark eyes.

She seems to instinctively know how to distract me, in the very best ways.

I have a strong urge to lean in and kiss her, but I know that would be a terrible idea. I need to keep my head on straight for this evening and the last thing I want to do is complicate things with Ida right now.

So instead, I squeeze her fingers back, smile, then lead her by the hand towards our first challenge of the week.

5

IDA

With Raffa’s hand warm in mine, we walk through the swanky lobby of the hotel and follow the sound of chatter and laughter to the poolside bar where everyone seems to have congregated for cocktails before dinner.

My heart is fluttering in my chest. Despite my confident statement to Raffa about having his back, I’m nervous about being his pretend date. I don’t want anyone seeing through our ruse and calling us out. It would not be good for my rep if it got on to social media that I was a fake of any kind.

My persona on my show relies on me being seen as a straight and genuine person who can be trusted to speak the truth.

So we’re going to need to make this look convincing.

I scan the area, catching the eyes of a few of the guests.

There are a lot of people looking our way. Staring, almost.

I guess they’re friends of the nearly weds who are intrigued to meet Darian’s tech-bro stepbrother and his partner. I’m interested to see what sort of reception we get. Hopefully a friendly one.

It doesn’t sound like Raffa’s on great terms with his family though, so it could prove more of a task to win them over.

But I’m primed for it. Charming people is one of my strengths. It’s had to be in order for me to be as successful in life, and in my career, as I am.

It seems everyone else is as apprehensive as us, because as soon as they see me looking, they avert their gazes and turn back to talk to the people next to them, as if embarrassed to be caught staring.

I’m suddenly aware that the noise in the room has quietened too and the tone of the voices sounds more hushed, almost like they’re whispering.

Okay, this is a little bit freaky.

I feel Raffa squeeze my fingers again in solidarity and this helps calm my nerves.

We’re in this together.

As we start to make our way over to where everyone else is standing, a tall, handsome guy with dark blond hair comes striding towards us from the other side of the bar area, towing a strikingly beautiful baby-blonde-haired woman by the hand and intercepting us before we can join the rest of the group.

They’re both grinning at us like we’re the actual stars of this wedding, which is weird considering how tense Raffa is about being here.