Her cheeks turned bright red. With a nervous flutter of her hand, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “It’s not really a secret. I’ve had a crush on him since we were little kids. I told him how I felt during our graduation party five years ago, but he didn’t seem to care. Hooked up with Leslie Brown that same night. I think she dumped him the next week.”
Joseph shook his head. Typical Garret. “Don’t get me wrong, I love my brother, but he’s oblivious. I dated Leslie before him and tried to warn him off, but he never listens. I think he has a deep-seeded need to repeat all of my mistakes.”
His little brother was always tumbling after him, trying to outdo him. Wearing the same clothes. Playing the same sports. Hanging with the same crowd of friends. Dating the same girls. It was like a weird sort of competition. He’d even made up his mind to follow him into the military.
All it took was two weeks of leave and an impromptu version of boot camp for Joseph to change Garret’s mind. That was never going to be the life for his little brother. He was better off going to Kansas State University for accounting. At least he had a solid future now.
“That’s okay.” Michelle gave him a half-hearted smile and leaned on the edge of his father’s desk. “Maybe he’ll forget that I was so pathetic. It’s kind of turned into one of those memories that I can’t seem to scrub from my mind. You know, the ones that flash in front of your eyes just as you’re trying to drift off to sleep?”
His shoulders relaxed and he found himself taking a step toward her. “Yeah, I get those sometimes. They make it impossible to fall asleep.”
“How long do you think it takes to forget?”
“Maybe twenty or thirty years.” A smirk worked its way onto his mouth. “But in instances like these, I’d plan for at least half a century.”
She rolled her eyes and sighed. “Makes a lobotomy sound appealing just about now.”
“I think one of these books has the instructions for such a procedure. Want me to help you out? I’m cheap.”
“As wonderful as that sounds, I think I’ll have to decline.” Her blue eyes sparkled with laughter. It was much better than the troubled expression she wore just minutes ago. “But thank you for the offer.”
He smiled at her, his sour mood evaporating at once. Michelle was still the same caring person he’d remembered. She knew how to laugh and when to take herself seriously. It was an admirable trait. He’d never admit it aloud, but he’d once had a crush on her himself. But that was ages ago, when they were only kids. A lot had changed since then.
“I guess I’d better get down to the party,” she said, slipping off her perch on the desk. “It won’t be long before my parents send out a search party.”
“You’d better do that.”
“Thanks for letting me share your hiding spot.”
He stepped aside to let her pass, her arm bumping against his and sending electricity shooting up and down his spine. It was the strangest feeling, unlike anything he’d felt before. But before he could analyze it any further, she jumped away from him, her hip ramming into the nearest bookshelf and causing several books to fall from their perches onto the ground.
“I’m such a klutz!” she cried.
“It’s fine.” He snorted at the mess. “It’s just my dad’s outdated Reader’s Digest collection. I think they’ll survive.”
She bent down to retrieve them, just as he was about to do the same. Their foreheads bonked and both of them fell back onto their rears, rubbing their heads. It took a long moment of staring blankly at each other until they both burst into laughter. Eventually, he pushed himself off the ground and offered her a hand. She took it, warmth cascading up his arm until she stood and released it.
“Any longer in this place and I think one of us is going to get killed.” She gazed at the books lying on the floor. “I’d offer to help you clean up, but I’m not really in the mood for another brain injury.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll get them later.” He waved away her concern. “No one but me comes in here anymore. Except for on tax day. Dad claims the room and the rest of us steer clear of his bad mood.”
“I’d have a bad mood on tax day, too.” She smiled sweetly. “Thanks for letting me spill my deepest, most embarrassing moment to you, Joseph. It feels good to get it off my chest.”
He gave her a thin lipped smile and nodded. It might not have been the afternoon activity of his choice, but at least she felt better. And as silly as it seemed, it felt good to be a sort of hero once again. He’d had a purpose today. These days, he couldn’t ask for much more than that. Leaving the military was supposedly what he’d wanted, but finding something to do afterwards had been harder than he thought it would be. He felt lost most days.
She was opening the door, about ready to step into the hallway, when she froze. Turning slowly on her heels, she looked at him with a crazy expression in her eyes.
“Can I ask you something?”
He nodded, wondering what could be going through her head at that moment to make her look that deranged.
“Does Garret really always fall for the girls you like?”
“Pretty much...” He shrugged. “I haven’t really dated anyone in a long time, not since my military career, but that’s how it was when we were in school.”
He wasn’t sure where she was going with this, but the excitement in her eyes only grew brighter.
“If you liked me, do you think Garret would follow the same pattern? Hypothetically speaking, if you and I spent time together, would he finally notice me?”
“What? No.” He recoiled from the idea, his mouth twisting in disgust. “That’s ridiculous.”
Her shoulders slumped and her face flushed bright red. With a sharp nod of her head, she turned back toward the door. “I’m sorry I said anything. You’re right, it’s stupid. Forget it.”
“Michelle, wait.”
Joseph chewed on the inside of his cheek, his mind whirling. Michelle’s idea wasn’t too bad. Maybe he’d spoken too soon. And wasn’t he just wishing he had a purpose again? A reason to do good in this world. If that meant helping someone like Michelle and his clueless brother, then he would embrace it.
Garret obviously couldn’t be trusted to find himself a girl as steady and sweet as Michelle. He always went for flaky and self-absorbed, even when Joseph tried to warn him away. But someone like Michelle could straighten him out. She already had feelings for him. All Garret needed was a push in the right direction.
“Are you planning on going to the carnival this evening?” he asked.
The town of Blessings threw a carnival every fall in the town square. It was a tradition with rides, greasy foods, and vendors from local businesses and artisans. A kind of kickoff to the Thanksgiving holiday. The schools even let out early to let kids attend. He hadn’t gone in years, but he could still taste the excitement he’d felt as a young kid in the days leading up to the event.
“Sure. Everyone within in a ten mile radius of Blessings goes to the carnival.” Her blue eyes widened with curiosity. “Are you?”
“Wasn’t planning on it, but I might just change my mind.” The wheels were turning swiftly in his mind. “And I know for a fact Garret will be there.”
Her head cocked to one side. “As we’ve established, I’m pretty sure he won’t even notice I’m there.”
He snorted. “What if you went with me?”
Confusion passed over her face. “What are you saying?”
Garret has always wanted anything Joseph shown the least bit of interest in. Cars, sports, even girls. If they played this right, he’d be eating out of her hand in no time.
“I’m saying I’m in.” He swallowed hard. “We’ll go together, flirt a little in public, and you’re right, Garret will notice. He’ll wonder if you’re my girlfriend. When he asks, I’ll tell him we’re just friends. I’ll encourage him to go after you. And if we play it right, you’ll have a date to the Harvest Ball on Saturday.”
He c
ould predict his younger brother’s every move. Once he assured him that his relationship with Michelle was nothing more than a harmless flirtation between friends, Garret would be free to go after her. And he would be the hero who helped her get what she wanted and also the guy who helped his little brother get over his tragic habit of dating girls who were more interested in their Instagram accounts than him.
“Are you sure?” She gave him a pained expression. “Now that I’ve said it aloud, it sounds really crazy.”
He shrugged. “It is, but what do you have to lose?”
She stared hard at him for a long second before something flipped in her eyes. It looked like acceptance. Shaking her head, she chuckled and flipped her hair over her shoulder.
“Just to warn you, I’m not a very good liar. He might spot our deception a mile away.”
He shrugged. “Come on, I’ve known you since we were both in diapers. We’re friends, aren’t we?”
“Well, yeah...”
“Then a little flirtation between friends doesn’t seem like lying. It’ll be harmless fun. Trust me.”
She gazed up at him, a sequence of worry and doubt flashing through her eyes. But when she finally released the breath she’d been holding, she seemed to accept his plan.
“Meet me there at 4:00?”
“By the cotton candy booth.” He smiled, relieved she would entrust him with this. “Trust me, Garret will be interested in you. He’d be crazy not to.”
Her cheeks pinkened and her lips curled into a soft grin. “I thought you said he’s oblivious.”
“Yeah, well that was before you had a military man on your side.” He puffed out his chest, enjoying the sense of purpose once again. “Secret ops are sort of my thing. You’ll see.”
Her right eyebrow arched and she scanned over his face, her eyes flashing. “Right. We’ll see.”
He exhaled slowly and watched her leave. Pride filled his head as he thought about what would be his next successful mission. He’d never failed one yet. But at the same time, there was an indescribable twinge of nerves inside his chest.
He’d never been nervous for a mission before now. And there was no reason to change. Joseph Smith wasn’t the kind of guy who went off script. He won the battle and brought home the gold.
“I hope you’re right about this, Joseph,” Michelle called over her shoulder as she walked down the hall. She turned and walked backwards, shooting him a smile. “Because if this all goes wrong, that lobotomy just might be my plan B.”
He returned her smile with a military salute, warmth flaring in his gut. The only thing he was really sure about in that moment was that his brother had to have been blind to turn down someone like Michelle Bright. Anyone could see she was different from all the other girls.
It wouldn’t be hard to fake it with her.
Chapter Three
Michelle had never stress eaten so much cotton candy in a single sitting. She paced by the booth handing out the pink confectionary, her desire to eat out-muscling her ability to say no. Why had she blurted out her harebrained idea to Joseph? She thought her crush on Garret Smith had been put to rest years ago in a single, disappointing night. To even entertain the idea of getting his attention by fake dating his older brother was crazy. It would never work.
And yet, she couldn’t tell Joseph to forget it. The way his eyes had lit up with the plan had been fascinating. He’d seemed so reserved when she first set foot into that study. Like a man hiding from the world. But the moment he had latched onto the idea, that mentality had melted away. He was a man with a mission. She couldn’t let him down now.
Not to mention, somewhere deep inside she still wondered what would’ve happened had Garret taken her into his arms that night so long ago. Would they have lived happily ever after, like the characters in a cheesy romance movie? The romantic in her just couldn’t back out now. She would’ve always wondered what if.
“More cotton candy, dear?” The older woman working the booth held out another cone, a beaming smile on her face. “I’ve never met someone who enjoyed it so much.”
“No, thanks.” Michelle shamefully licked the last bit of sugar off her fingertips. “Any more and I’m afraid I’ll go into a coma. I’m just waiting for a friend.”
A friend. She’d never really considered Joseph a friend before today. Sure, they played together as kids. And he would often tease her when their families got together. By the time they got to high school, he seemed to forget she even existed. They hadn’t spoken in ages. And now, he was going to help her get the attention of his little brother.
Was that what friends did?
Someone tapped on her shoulder and she nearly jumped out of her purple canvas Toms. Strong hands wrapped around her upper arms, steadying her and keeping her upright. She turned to see Joseph standing just a foot away, a bemused expression on his face. Behind him stood his brother and two guys she recognized from school.
“You ready for this?” Joseph muttered, his brow rising.
She nodded, not entirely convinced. “Sure.”
He grabbed her hand and interlaced his fingers with hers. With a reassuring wink, he turned and pulled her towards his brother’s group of friends. A funny feeling began in her stomach, working all the way up to her burning cheeks.
It seemed they were really going to do this. She desperately hoped that her hands weren’t clammy and wet. He could probably feel her shaking. She wasn’t sure if that was because of his close proximity or the curious expression Garret was giving her that very moment.
“Guys, this is Michelle Bright,” Joseph said, dropping her hand to wrap his arm tightly around her shoulders. “Michelle, this is Todd and Russel.”
Todd was over six foot tall with shaggy white-blond hair, an equally pale complexion, and a spattering of freckles over his nose. Russel was tiny in comparison. He couldn’t have stood more than five feet, eight inches tall. But what he lacked in height he made up for in muscle. His neck was thicker than Michelle’s thigh. He had a shiny, shaved head and wore a dark pair of sunglasses that reflected Michelle’s image back to her.
They both grunted greetings to her, which Garret echoed with a sweeping glance of his own.
“So, you’re the one that finally got my brother out of the house?” His gaze darted to his brother and back. “Tell me, how’d you do it? He’s been stuck up in that room since he got back from Afghanistan. I was afraid he’d never come out.”
She felt her cheeks burn even brighter, suspicion weighing heavily on her chest. He was already onto their plan. She knew she shouldn’t have shown up. She should’ve stayed home, skipped the carnival, and dug into her mom’s famous pumpkin pies instead. She could’ve had an entire tin finished by now.
Joseph didn’t seem to be feeling the same panic. He threw her a grin and elbowed her playfully. “Sorry to say it, Garret, but you’re just not as pretty as Michelle. And there’s nothing like a pretty girl to get you out of the house. Am I right?”
“Yeah, yeah.” Garret ran a hand through his hair, tousling it with perfect ease. “If I’d known all it took was a pretty girl, I would’ve sent Michelle in ages ago.”
She hid her nervous smile, altogether undone by the conversation surrounding her. She needed a change in topic and fast.
“Anybody up for a ride?” Holding up a strand of pink tickets, she tried her best to smile naturally. “The first one’s on me.”
“Let’s go,” Joseph said eagerly.
They agreed to try the Egg Scrambler first. As the guys led the way through the carnival ground, Joseph held onto her arm and pulled her gently behind the group. The scent of his cologne lingered on the late November breeze, both tangy and sweet. He nudged her softly and mouthed the words “watch this.”
His brother glanced over his shoulder at them, curiosity written on his face. At the same time, Joseph softly brushed the hair back from Michelle’s neck and whispered into her ear, “It’s already working.”
Tingles ran up and do
wn her spine at the sensation of his warm breath on her neck. She raised her eyebrows and spoke out of the side of her mouth. “How do you know for sure?”
“Because I know my brother.” The pad of his thumb traced a tantalizingly lazy circle on the side of her neck. “And that’s his jealous face.”
Sure enough, Garret was still throwing furtive glances back at them over his shoulder. He did the same as they walked through the town center and during the wait in line for the Scrambler. After that, they rode three more rides, devoured a funnel cake, and threw balls at the dunk tank booth. The entire time, Joseph flirted with her, laying it on heavy. He joked about the carnival, put a dab of powdered sugar on her nose, and touched her every chance he got.
It was beginning to get easier for her to join the act. She liked Joseph and his easy-going nature. He’d become more sure of himself in the army. He had a steady, protective aura around him. The kind that drew people in. And the rare times he smiled were dazzling enough that she’d forget those smiles were all an act.
The guy was good. Maybe a little too good.
“I’m all out of tickets,” Michelle exclaimed, holding up her empty hands after they’d spent the last of them on a goldfish toss and lost miserably. “Does that mean the party’s over?”
“What? No way.” Joseph stuffed his hand into his back pocket, yanking out his wallet. “We haven’t ridden the Ferris wheel yet. I’m getting more tickets. Garret, keep her company while I go buy some.”
He jogged toward the ticket booth, leaving Michelle to stare at her feet as Garret stood beside her. Joseph probably expected her to come up with something witty to say to his younger brother. Something that would seal the deal on their plan to get him to notice her, but she had nothing. As usual, her tongue wasn’t working around the man.
“So...Brown, huh?” Garret rocked on his heels, his hands deep in his jean pockets. “How’s that going?”
“It’s good.” Somehow, her ability to speak had returned, but her brain wasn’t picking up much steam. “Really good. Seriously good.”
Blessed by the Fake Boyfriend Page 2
