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“Nice to meet you both.” Callie smiles before leaning into me, wrapping her arm around my waist. I instinctively put my arm around her shoulder, feeling her warmth against me.
It feels nice to have her by my side, even if it’s just pretend.
“And congratulations, you two!” Wyatt pats me on the shoulder as guilt washes over me for lying about my relationship with Callie to yet another person.
Carson and Wyatt have been best friends since they were in elementary school, which means I’ve known Wyatt practically my whole life. Even though we’ve barely seen each other in years, it still feels like no time has passed since we were kids running around the ranch together.
“Yeah! We’re so happy for you both.” Britt smiles.
“It’s really good to see you again, Wade. It’s been too long. Britt and I were actually just talking about how we haven’t seen you since you serenaded Layla and Hunter on the beach in California.”
“Oh, I’d love to hear more about that.” Callie giggles, taking a sip of her Dr. Pepper.
I can’t help but roll my eyes. “Hunter came up with the grand plan to have me serenade Layla on a freaking horse—on the beach—so he could propose. But I never understood why he thought to ask me, cause Layla doesn’t even like my music.”
“Our friend Liz, however, is a huge fan and nearly blew the surprise from squealing so loud.” Britt laughs. “But it was soooo sweet. Everyone loved it.”
“That’s amazing.” Callie chuckles. “I would’ve loved to see that.”
“It was a sight to see, alright.” Wyatt smirks. “Well, we’re gonna find our seats, but let’s catch up later?” Wyatt tips his cowboy hat before heading off toward the guest tables with Britt. I nod, watching them go with a smile before turning back to Callie.
“You’re a great fake fiancée, you know that?” I say, nudging her with my elbow.
“I aim to please.” She grins. “Well, this seems like as good a time as any to make some small talk with your family.”
“You’re right. Let’s get it over with.” I grab her hand and ignore the electric sensation that runs through my body at her touch. The anxiety that has been clouding my mind melts away as our fingers intertwine.
We make our way to a table with a few of my relatives, and I introduce Callie to everyone. They all seem to like her, and she fits right in with their banter and jokes. I find myself relaxing more and more with her by my side as she charms them all with her quick wit and contagious smile.
My aunt and uncle who are visiting from Boston are delighted to meet Callie, marveling at how well we seem to fit together. My cousin Emmy immediately connects with Callie, as if they’ve been best friends their whole lives. As they start talking about past family weddings that we weren’t able to attend, reality once again sets in that I’m a failure.
An outsider.
I wasn’t able to attend Carson and Emma’s wedding. And what’s worse is that they thought I only missed it because I was on tour ... but I didn’t even have a show that night. I lied because I was too embarrassed to face them—too ashamed that I disgraced our family name and was all over the media for being drunk and disorderly.
I take a moment just to look around the room, doing my best to gather my thoughts. Everywhere I turn there are smiling faces—my parents laughing with friends, cousins with their dates, and my brothers with their wives. Sawyer is beaming from ear to ear as he holds Bailey close.
It’s been so long since I’ve experienced this kind of family togetherness.
I almost ... miss it.
Almost.
My thoughts are interrupted as the wait staff comes out with decadent dishes filled with roasted pork tenderloin, crispy roasted potatoes glistening with butter and herbs, and a mix of fresh vegetables cooked to perfection. Everyone at the table takes their first bite in unison, showing their appreciation with murmurs of “mmm” and “ahh”.
Callie takes a bite of the tender pork and her eyes light up with delight. “Oh my gosh, this is amazing,” she says, taking another bite and savoring the flavor. “You weren’t kidding when you said your family likes to go all out!”
“They sure do,” I reply, taking a bite of the succulent meat and savoring its flavor. We joke about how our stomachs are going to hurt from eating so much.
The conversation with the family turns to lighter topics, as everyone talks about their favorite dishes and memories from family gatherings past. Callie shares some funny stories of her own, and luckily, we aren’t put on the spot too much.
This fake fiancée thing is surprisingly easy.
As the night wears on, the guests start to let loose on the dance floor. We watch from the sidelines as Sawyer and Bailey share another dance, their bodies moving in perfect sync with each other.
“You know, you could join them,” Callie says, nudging me with her elbow.
“I don’t know if I’m really up for dancing,” I reply.
