Page 85 of Pretend To Be Mine

“Is that—are those—” Elizabeth leaned forward, eyes wide.

“Naked people? Yes. It’s hedonistic. Vulgar, but this is Sebastian’s thing.” I helped her out of the car. “He said it fit the theme of decadence.”

“It certainly does that.” But she was grinning, her eyes dancing with delight as she took in the whole scene. The fountain, the manor, the sheer opulence of it all.

She looked like a princess arriving at her castle. There was wonder written across her face. Watching her take it all in was an eye opener. I’d been to countless venues like this. I stayed in houses like the one we were at while on vacation. Visited friends that lived in actual castles. I had become jaded to luxury. It was just another Tuesday in my world.

But Elizabeth made it new again. Her excitement was infectious. I loved watching and experiencing her joy at experiencing these things for the first time. It reminded me why I’d fallen in love with this industry in the first place.

I was having more fun with her around than I would have had without her. More fun than I’d had in years, actually.

“Adrian! Elizabeth!” Sebastian’s voice carried across the courtyard. He emerged from the manor’s entrance holding three champagne flutes, looking completely relaxed in dark jeans and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. “Welcome to my humble abode for the evening.”

He handed us each a glass. I noted with irritation that he looked far too calm for someone hosting a major fashion show in approximately six hours. I hoped he was taking this seriously. Out of all my brothers, he was the one I worried about the most. He had a tendency to go with the flow. Grab life by the horns and just go with whatever happened.

I was Type A and he was… God I didn’t even know what he was.

“You seem relaxed,” I said, hearing the edge in my own voice.

“That’s because I am relaxed.” Sebastian grinned, clinking his glass against mine. “Unlike you, dear brother, I understand that these events work best when everyone’s actually enjoying themselves.”

“This isn’t a party, Sebastian. This is⁠—”

“A celebration of decadence. Which, fun fact, actually does require a party atmosphere.” He threw an arm around my shoulders. “Adrian, my brother, my CEO, my eternal stick-in-the-mud—you need to lighten up. Tonight is about excess, luxury, indulgence. What did you think the vibe was going to be? Puritan restraint?”

I wanted to argue, but he had a point. I’d been at every planning meeting for this show. I knew Sebastian’s theme, knew his concept, had approved every decision. But knowing it intellectually and accepting my brother’s blasé attitude were two different things.

“I just want it to go well,” I said.

“It will. Because I’m not you, and I don’t stress about every tiny detail.” He released me and turned to Elizabeth. “You, however, look stunning as always. That dress is perfect. Annika’s work?”

“Yes, she picked it out this morning before we left New York.” Elizabeth glanced at me. “Can you explain what tonight’s setup is? I know it’s different from the New York show.”

Sebastian lit up, clearly delighted to have an audience who actually wanted to hear about his vision. “So, Adrian did Legacy—honoring the past, very serious, very moving. Blah, blah, blah. Very much Adrian’s thing. I’m doing Decadence.”

“I understand that,” Elizabeth said with a shake of her head. “But what does that look like?”

He led us inside as he talked.

I had to admit the team had done incredible work. The manor’s grand ballroom had been transformed into something between a high-end nightclub and a Renaissance feast. Tables laden with champagne and delicacies lined the walls. The runway had been built lower than traditional height, putting the models almost at eye level with the audience.

“The whole point is intimacy,” Sebastian explained. “I want the audience close enough to touch the fabric. They will see every detail. And instead of theater seating, we’re doing lounge-style. Sofas, chairs, and in the back people can stand and move around. It’s more like a party where fashion happens than a traditional show.”

“It’s great,” Elizabeth said. I could see her designer brain cataloging every detail.

“Thank you.” Sebastian beamed. “If I do my job right, everyone here is going to leave wanting to either buy everything they saw or have sex with everyone they met.” He lowered his voice, glancing around to make sure no staff were in earshot. “Except you two, obviously. It’s a shame, too. You guys make a cute couple. Might actually convince people this whole thing is real.”

I felt my jaw tighten. “The plan is working. That’s what matters.”

Something shifted in Elizabeth’s expression. I could see her almost withdraw. There was a flicker of hurt or disappointment that she quickly masked. “Sebastian, is Annika around? I need to run something by her. About… fabric.”

“East wing, second door on the left. She’s set up her workshop there.” Sebastian pointed. “Tell her if she needs anything, anything at all, to let me know.”

“Thanks.” Elizabeth squeezed my hand once, a gesture that felt more like goodbye than see-you-later, and headed off toward the east wing.

I watched her go, that flicker of hurt still visible in the set of her shoulders.

“Did I say something wrong?” Sebastian asked, his playboy facade dropping slightly.