Page 56 of Fake It For Him

We’d gone shopping a few days ago because she’d insisted on not simply ordering everything online, and I was confident we’d hit the mark with what we’d found. It turned out being in the brick-and-mortar stores had helped after all and we’d put together a bespoke gift box full of items for a night in.

Ella had been instrumental in making it happen. I wouldn’t have come up with anything remotely as special, personal, and perfect for a newly engaged couple. She’d been phenomenal, though. Leading me through shop after shop, she’d picked up every candle and brought it to her nose until she found a few with the right scents.

When she’d first told me what she had in mind for a gift, I’d balked, but she’d laughed and told me this wouldn’t be that kind of night in. It wasn’t about sex, she’d said, but about romance. Since I didn’t know the first thing about that, I’d let her take the lead.

The candles she’d chosen had a pleasing, fresh, but sensual vanilla scent with hints of citrus. We’d also added a very expensive bottle of champagne along with two Swarovski champagne flutes for them to use on special occasions.

Over and above that, there were massage oils, bubble baths, and all sorts of bath bombs and other products. To top it all off, we’d included a couples’ boardgame that Ella had assured me was also not about sex.

For my money, all the stuff we’d bought was leading there anyway, but I was trying really hard not to think about it. As Ella had playfully pointed out, they didn’t need any of this for that. They were young and in love, and probably doing it all the time anyway.

Gag.

As I took her arm and led her up to the front door, she glanced nervously at the gift in my free hand. “Are you sure we got the right thing? It might be a little underwhelming. I mean, how is it going to compare to what they’re going to get from the other wealthy guests? Maybe we should’ve gone with that trip to the Maldives.”

I chuckled, shook my head, and held her arm just a little bit tighter. “Nah. This is great. It’s thoughtful and it will stand apart. Freya will appreciate it more than any trinket for their house and you were right when you said that she could buy her own plane tickets if she wants to go somewhere.”

Ella dragged in a deep breath and I slid my hand down the length of her arm until it reached hers, holding it tight as we walked up the stairs. Feeling her next to me, I was glad she was here. We’d had a good two weeks together and we’d spent time hanging out that wasn’t outlined in our contract. It’d all happened organically and both of us had let it.

I’d even asked her to go Christmas shopping with me and she’d agreed. As we stepped into the house, I thought about that shopping trip and how she’d said she only bought gifts for Kara and Mikey. I’d asked about her parents, of course, but she’d said that they still didn’t speak to her after what’d happened with Spencer, and that the first Christmas after, she’d sent them gifts that had been refused and returned to sender.

As far as I was concerned, it was pretty low of them to turn their backs on their daughter like that. Not even accepting a delivery she’d sent was extreme. When she’d first told me that her parents were still angry at her, I hadn’t realized just how angry.

Frankly, it surprised me how much Ella and I had in common. I never thought we’d have much in common at all, but the more I learned about her, the more I realized the complete opposite was true. I was also surprised by how nice she was to me after I’d been so shitty to her originally, but it looked like when she’d said she forgave me, she’d meant it.

She smiled up at me as we crossed the foyer. “You ready?”

I nodded. “Let’s do this.”

Tightening her grip on my hand, she kept smiling as we made our way inside. We’d barely left the foyer when Freya spotted us, squealing before she hurried over to greet us. She threw her arms around Ella first, giving her a bigger hug than she did me, but that was okay.

I was just loving seeing her so happy.

“Thank you for coming,” she said with a bright smile when she released me. “The party is in the solarium out back. Go get some drinks and mingle. We’ll be out as soon as we’ve said hi to everybody.”

Jim came over then too, shaking my hand and greeting Ella with a friendly smile. “It’s good to see you. Thank you for being here.”

“Of course,” Ella said happily, even though I wasn’t sure how to feel about being thanked for attending my own sister’s engagement party.

On the other hand, she’d thanked me too. Ella shot me a slightly constipated smile that said Just relax and behave.

I exhaled deeply and my gaze lingered on hers. Fine, but don’t tell me what to do.

Her eyes rolled as if she’d heard the thought. I nodded at Jim and Freya before they took off to greet the next guests who arrived. Pulling my fake girlfriend through the house and to the solarium, I chuckled when I saw her gaping beside me.

“Talk about glitz and glam,” she murmured as she looked around to take it all in. “Are those crystals hanging from the damn ceiling?”

I glanced up and realized she was right. There were Swarovski crystals everything, glistening beads hanging from the ceiling and dripping in thin strips down the tablecloths to look like icicles. The solarium had immaculately set tables dotted around the space and a massive, decorated Christmas tree in the corner.

A bar had been set up in the dining room that led out here, and the parlor had attracted its fair share of guests as well. There were people everywhere, and I introduced Ella to friends and family members as we moved through the crowd, proud to have her on my arm.

She was charming and her usual self, and everyone we left behind had a smile on their faces when we moved on. When we finally ran into my mother, she made a fuss of Ella too, hugging her before putting her hands on her shoulders and looking her up and down.

“You look stunning, darling. That outfit is divine.” Mom grinned at her before glancing at me. “You two make a beautiful couple. I’m not sure if I told you that before, but you look damn good together.”

“Thank you,” Ella said sweetly as she adjusted her grip on my hand and leaned into me a little. I couldn’t deny the frisson of pleasure that sped through me when she did. I really fucking am enjoying our time together.

I grinned down at her and draped my arm around her shoulders to bring her even closer. My gaze darted down to the outfit my mom had just complimented. I knew it was one Freya had bought her, an elegant, forest green dress that fit her like a glove, and she wore it damn well.