Page 58 of Fake It For Him

When he finished his drink, he moved onto mine and I put my foot down. Reaching out, I grabbed his hand and leaned in, keeping my voice down so that we wouldn’t draw attention. “What is this about? Did something happen?”

He didn’t even look at me, pulling away and withdrawing his other arm from around my shoulders. “I’m fine. Leave it alone.”

“I can’t,” I hissed, eyes narrowing. I leaned even closer to him so no one else would see the look on my face. “You’re going to make an ass of yourself if you keep acting like this, and today is about Freya and Jim.”

He rolled his eyes, but his jaw was tight, and his posture was too rigid. I hadn’t gotten through to him yet, and I knew that I had to. If I didn’t, he was going to end up doing something he would regret and that would give his family all the more reason to hate him.

I couldn’t allow that to happen. Over the last couple of weeks, we’d gotten to know each other pretty well. As much as Calan liked to pretend that he was just a jerk who didn’t give a crap about anybody or anything, I knew for a fact now that wasn’t true.

Something had happened that had set him off. He wasn’t just trying to be a dick for the sake of it, and he also wasn’t really a dick. He was just a guy who really liked to pretend to be one so no one knew how much stuff bothered him.

“You promised you wouldn’t screw this up,” I whispered in his ear. My hand wrapped around the side of his neck so that it would look like an intimate exchange to anyone watching. “Look at her, Calan. Just look at her.”

I pulled away a little and his gaze slid to his sister, who was tearful and sniffling while her best friend continued making her toast. A flash of shame crossed his expression, and he exhaled. “I shouldn’t let Finn get to me so easily.”

I nodded and put my hand on his knee. “Whatever he did, put it on the back shelf and we can talk about it later. Right now, we’re here for Freya. This is your chance to prove that you’re not the same guy you were four years ago. Get it together and show them you’re not who they think you are.”

The tough love worked. Calan settled back, putting his hand on mine to keep it on his knee and keeping his mouth shut. When a waiter came by and asked if he could bring Calan another drink, he shook his head.

“I’ll switch to coffee. Thanks.”

The man nodded. “Right away, sir.”

Relief spiraled through me. Something I’d said must’ve gotten through to him, which meant I didn’t have to play damage controller anymore.

For the remainder of the speeches, he sipped his coffee, held my hand, and at least pretended to listen. When the last person set down the microphone, he exhaled and applauded right along with everyone else, rising to his feet and taking only a tiny sip of champagne.

We sat down after the toast, and waiters immediately started circling with plates in their hands. Dinner was served, and throughout, Calan kept up casual conversation with the others around our table, his chair closer to mine than it had been before.

I didn’t mind him staying close, though. It was better than the alternative, which was him rushing off to go confront his brother about whatever had happened between them. At the thought, my gaze sought out Finlay and his date, a stunning blonde with her hair swept back into a beautiful, delicate French braid and her thin body clad in an expensive navy dress.

I wondered if Calan’s sudden mood had something to do with her. At the thought, a ripple of jealousy passed through me. I frowned, knowing I had no reason or right to feel what I’d just felt. Besides, I couldn’t ask him if it had been about her without drawing his attention back to his brother, and I couldn’t do that unless I wanted him to cause trouble.

Which I didn’t.

Ultimately, this wasn’t about me either. It was about Freya and Jim, and as they opened their gifts after dinner, I oohed and ahhed right along with the rest of the guests. Calan was still pretty rigid at my side, but he held my hand and watched them as well.

Two massive armchairs had been brought in and the couple sat on them like thrones as Freya’s friends handed over gift after gift for them to open. People had gone all out, just like I’d expected, but I’d underestimated just how lavish the gifts would be.

They were given top-of-the-line kitchen equipment and artisanal products for their pantry. Fancy artwork and what appeared to be a solid silver keepsake box. “I don’t even want to know how much that thing cost.”

I hadn’t meant to mutter it out loud, but I realized I had when Calan squeezed my hand. “It’s not that expensive. I saw it online. A couple grand. Unless it’s the plated version, in which case it’s only a couple hundred.”

I swallowed hard when Freya was handed our gift next. “If I’d known the caliber of the stuff they were going to get, I never would’ve suggested what I did.”

“It’s perfect,” he said with sincerity and honesty in his voice. He glanced at me and smiled for the first time since he’d gotten back with our drinks. “She’s going to love it. Watch.”

I turned my gaze back to her as she unboxed our gift.

“It’s an at-home date night! Baby, how amazing is that? It’s exactly what we need after the chaos of wedding planning.”

“Told you,” Calan murmured at my side, grinning when I looked at him again. “You did good, baby.”

I wanted to roll my eyes at him, but I couldn’t quite get that far. Laughing instead, I shot back, “Well, you paid for it, baby. You did good too.”

He chuckled, finally seeming to relax just a little bit. Dessert was served while they finished opening their gifts, and I moaned around the first bite of chocolate mousse. Calan’s gaze shot to mine, heat and amusement flickering in those dark eyes.

“Care to pop out to the guest house with me?”