Pretend To Be Mine

by C. Morgan

  I woke up thinking about her and went to bed hoping to see her in my dreams.

  Things had gotten too serious too quickly. I had to protect myself.

  Last night had been the first night we shared a bed together and didn’t have sex. If Natalie had been confused by it, she didn’t show it. Perhaps she assumed I was out of sorts because the wedding was only days away now. And maybe I was.

  Maybe all the doubt I felt was because of the wedding and not because of me and Natalie.

  A guy could hope.

  Natalie pointed out a massive Christmas tree up ahead and sparkling snowflakes in duty-free shops on either side of the walkway. She dragged me into a Swarovski store and held my hand while she looked at crystal pens, bracelets, rings, and necklaces.

  When she happened upon a set of Swarovski-studded champagne flutes, she turned to me. “Did you buy Mona and Logan a wedding present?”

  Was she nuts? Why on earth would I buy my cheating ex a wedding gift? “No. Definitely not.”

  “We should buy them these.” She held up one of the flutes by the stem. “What do you think? A set of two or four?”

  “I’m not buying Mona a wedding present. That expectation goes out the window after you sign divorce papers.”

  “Don’t be such a sourpuss,” she said as a saleswoman noticed her interest and flocked toward us like an eagle to a salmon-infested creek. “We’re buying them. I’ll buy them. Every woman needs Swarovski somewhere in her home. At least those of us who like glitter and glam. And Mona strikes me as the sort who likes a bit of sparkle. No?”

  I shrugged.

  Natalie rolled her eyes at me. “Oh come on, Rylen. You’re killing me here. You were married for four years and you knew her longer than that. Remember what I said last night? I’m in no mood to sit beside this guy on an airplane for eleven hours.” She gestured at all of me in a sweeping up and down motion. “You’re annoying the hell out of me with this attitude of yours.”

  I’d never had a woman tell me so flat out what she was thinking and feeling. It left me stammering like an idiot, trying to think of something to say. No words came before we were interrupted by the saleswoman, who Natalie handed the flutes to.

  “Can you package these up tightly with lots of bubble wrap?” Natalie asked. “We have to get them to Paris in one piece.”

  The saleswoman smiled politely and went behind the counter to start wrapping. Meanwhile, Natalie continued to browse while I followed her around like a kicked puppy dog. She purchased herself a pair of earrings, which she claimed would look good with her new dress for the wedding, and she bought two crystal pens, one for her and one for Victoria for Christmas.

  She glared at me over her shoulder as she handed her credit card to the saleswoman. “I shop when I’m annoyed.”

  I followed her out of the shop and didn’t say anything until we dropped into our seats outside our gate. “I’m sorry that I’ve been a little off my game. It’s just… none of this has really felt real until now.”

  “Well buck up, sweetheart,” she said as she fished our boarding passes out of her purse. “Because this is happening whether you drag your feet or not. Isn’t it?”

  “Yes. Stop talking to me like I’m a fool.”

  “Then stop acting like one.”

  “I—” I broke off and shook my head. “Never mind.”

  She made a dissatisfied sound in the back of her throat. “You don’t need Mona, Rylen. You’re perfectly fine without her. In fact, you’re more than fine because I’ve spent every spare minute of the past two weeks trying to spend as much time in your arms or in your bed as possible. And I just don’t do those kinds of things. I run the other direction. But not with you. So please, can we stop this charade and get back on track with our plan? We can still be us while pretending to be engaged. Or we can drop the fake engagement if you’re getting cold feet.”

  “No,” I said, taking her hands in mine. “I’m sorry. I got caught up in my head. I want to stick to the plan.”

  She sighed and relaxed a bit. “Good, because I think we’re going to have a lot of fun together but you need to stay here with me, not get lost in your thoughts, okay?”

  “Okay,” I said simply.

  If it weren’t for her, I didn’t know where I’d be. Yes, I was scared that things were moving quickly. And yes, I was scared that this thing with Natalie would end in disaster. But we were here now, about to board a plane and about to leave the country. I could make myself miserable and dread the end or I could enjoy this week while I had it—before it became nothing but a fleeting memory.

  Natalie crossed one leg over the other and leaned against my shoulder. “Please don’t make me give you any more pep talks this week.”

  I rested my cheek on her head. “I won’t.”

  We waited for our flight to board like that. She never lifted her cheek from my shoulder and I never lifted mine from her head. When first class was called to board, we extracted ourselves from our seats and got in line. I hadn’t told Natalie we were flying first class and she was giddy with excitement as we inched to the front of our line to eventually hand our boarding passes to the attendant. She checked them over, double-checked our passports, and invited us to make our way down the ramp to the plane.

  We turned left and entered the first-class cabin.

  Air France had done a nice job. Natalie gasped as she laid eyes on the spacious cabin. Pods of two cream leather seats were divided by half walls for privacy. Each pod had a table between the seats which reclined into full beds. There were flat-screen TV’s in front of each seat as well as personal lamps in the side table to read by. Blankets were draped over armrests and menus with various dining options rested beneath the lamps.

  Up ahead about four pods down was a lounge.

  Natalie stopped walking. “Shut up.”

  I glanced down at her. Her eyes were glued to the bar which would open once we’d reached altitude.

  “They serve cocktails, wine, and beer,” I told her. “And you can order appetizers like wings and baked brie and stuff.”

  “Shut up,” she exclaimed again. “This isn’t real life. This is an airplane. Since when do they have bars on airplanes?”

  I chuckled. “Since a long time ago.”

  “How am I supposed to ever fly coach after this?”

  “You don’t,” I told her simply. Thank God for Grady and his money. Otherwise, this might not have been an option. One first-class ticket? I could handle that. But two first-class tickets?

  Not so much.

  We found our seats and put our bags in our own private overhead compartment that we didn’t have to share. Natalie was mindful of the package that contained the champagne flutes and ended up tucking it under her seat just in case things moved around up top. We got comfortable and waited for the rest of the flight to board.

  In the meantime, Natalie looked through the drink menu. “Oh, a Moscow mule? I might get one of those. Or a Manhattan…” She trailed off as she read through her options.

  I got situated in my seat and familiarized myself with where everything was. I played with the air controls and seating adjustments before reaching for the in-flight entertainment magazine. As I did, I caught a glance of a woman in a leopard-print sweater making her way down the aisle. She wore cat-eye-framed glasses, several glittering rings on her fingers, and a black turtleneck that showed off a necklace I’d seen a hundred times over.

  “Oh shit,” I breathed.

  Natalie glanced over at me. “What’s wrong?”

  The woman making her way down the aisle stopped in her tracks when we locked eyes. Her eyebrows, tattooed on, rose toward her silvery hairline. A tall slender man behind her, her husband, stopped and gave her a nudge to keep going.

  The pair of them stepped into the pod ahead of ours and peered over the divider.

  “Rylen,” my ex-mother-in-law said in her sing-song voice. She pressed one of those many ring-covered hands to her chest. “What a pleasant surp
rise. We didn’t expect to see you until Saturday or the rehearsal dinner.”

  I got to my feet and nodded at her and her husband. “It’s nice to see you, Maureen. Dale.”

  The plane continued to fill all around us but I hardly noticed.

  It had been just shy of two years since I last saw Mona’s parents, who had become like parents to me, too. Dale had showed up at the house with his pickup truck to help Mona move all her stuff out two days after I caught her cheating. I’d been there, ready to throw in and help, thinking they’d see this for what it was, a tragedy.

  Dale had told me to go get a beer or something and they would handle the work at the house. Confused and feeling like I’d lost even more family than I’d realized, I let them move her out on their own.

  Now here he was, staring me down in the first-class cabin.

  I cleared my throat. “You both must be looking forward to this week. I know Mona is. And I doubt Cora could last another week. This wedding has been all she can talk about and that’s saying something because normally she’d only have eyes for the Christmas season.”

  Dale grunted.

  Maureen shared a well-rehearsed smile. “We are quite thrilled, yes. And you know, Rylen, we think it’s very big of you that you’re coming to the wedding.”

  I looked back and forth between her. Dale certainly didn’t look thrilled.

  She continued. “We know how important it is to Mona that you’re there to support her. She really didn’t want any bad blood between you two, especially for Cora’s sake.”

  I nodded and was about to respond when Natalie rose gracefully from her seat, stepped in front of me, and extended her hand to Maureen. “Hi,” she said confidently. “Rylen has told me all about you two. Cora is so lucky to have grandparents like you in her life.”

  Maureen shook Natalie’s hand, followed by Dale, who blinked at her in confusion.

  Natalie stepped back and wrapped an arm around my waist. “I was just delighted when Mona agreed that I could come to the wedding as Rylen’s plus one. I know it’s not easy, a situation like this, but cooperation is crucial. I feel so blessed that Mona knows that as well and I get to be part of her special day.”

  Maureen looked from me to the redheaded bombshell smiling back at her. She laughed nervously and fluffed her hair. “I’m so sorry, my dear, but I’m not sure I know who you are.”

  Natalie laughed effortlessly and I knew she’d planned this entire exchange. She wanted Maureen to have to ask who she was so that she could gaze lovingly up at me while she said the following words. “I’m Rylen’s fiancée.”

  I gazed back at her and did everything in my power not to break and crack a smile.

  Maureen and Dale stared at us like two pigeons fixated on breadcrumbs in the middle of a dangerous intersection.

  “You’re engaged?” Maureen asked.

  I nodded and pulled Natalie in closer. “Yes, I am. Makes you think everything is happening for a reason, don’t you think?”

  Maureen nodded and looked up at her husband. “Right. For a reason.”

  Dale nodded and took his seat. His wife was quick to follow, and once they were out of sight, Natalie and I fell into our seats and leaned across the table between us to snicker amongst ourselves about the look of absolute shock on their faces when they’d heard the word “fiancée.”

  Some twenty minutes later after the plane took off and we reached altitude, Natalie made a show of ordering champagne to celebrate her first trip out of the country with the love of her life. We toasted to new beginnings loudly enough for Mona’s parents to hear, and we may or may not have engaged in some PDA that certainly wouldn’t have happened if not for the encouragement from the champagne—and Natalie’s delicious lips.

  Chapter 29

  Natalie

  The lobby of the French hotel with a name I could not pronounce to save my life resembled the ones out of the movies. Bouquets of white roses burst out of gold vases. Crystal chandeliers the size of a small car hung over every focal point and cast brilliant reflections upon the polished marble floors that were streaked with gold. The check-in counter sprawled against the back wall of the lobby. Directly across from it were grand archways that led out into the gardens. This morning, the archways were sealed with pull-down glass doors with gold trim. In the summer months, I imagined it would be open. Indoor spaces would bleed into outdoor spaces.

  But it was snowing here and it wouldn’t do to have snow blowing into the lobby.

  I stood beside Rylen as he gave the young man behind the counter the information for our hotel reservation. I was glad he was able to function like a normal human being because I was all out of sorts after the long flight, the time change, and the copious amounts of champagne we’d had at the bar on the airplane. I’d insisted I was drinking for the experience. That was biting me in the ass in this moment as I stood in the sophisticated lobby feeling like a fraud who didn’t belong there.

  Rylen’s name came up on the computer booking system and we were given two room keys to come and go as we pleased. In a thick accent, the young man told us how to get to the indoor pool, the outdoor pool, and the ballroom where the wedding would take place four days from now. We also had to be there at seven o’clock on Friday night for a rehearsal dinner.

  Next, we were given thank-you cards from the bride and groom before a bellboy came out to help with our bags and lead us to our room. We were on the fourth floor with a view of the outdoor pool down below. Even though it was winter, the pools were open. They glowed a pale blue color and steam rose up off the surface of the water. A few people milled around in the water with drinks in hand.

  Our room was quite lavish. Plush carpets covered the marble floor that seemed to continue from room to room throughout the hotel. I could only imagine how much money that had cost. The suite was nicely appointed with Paris-inspired decor, like hand-painted oil paintings of the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame. Fresh flowers sat in vases on nearly every surface and there were candles on the coffee table, nightstands, and bathroom counter.

  A clawfoot bathtub sat nestled in one corner of the bathroom beside a shelf built into the wall holding bath salts, oils, and bombs. Complimentary skincare items like serums and face masks had been provided as well.

  I joined Rylen at the balcony doors where he stood with his hands in his pockets looking down at the pools.

  “I can’t even imagine how much this wedding must have cost,” I said.

  “At least thirty grand.”

  “Thirty grand?” I asked incredulously.

  “Consider the venue alone,” he said. “This hotel wouldn’t be cheap to rent a ballroom for a night. Add on top of that the cost of food, liquor, and rooms?” He whistled. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it was closer to fifty thousand.”

  “For a wedding? That’s insane.”

  “It’s what Mona has always wanted.”

  “To break the bank?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t think they did. Logan’s folks have a lot of money. As far as I know, they covered most of the costs.”

  I shook my head. “Unreal. I’m so glad I get to reap the benefits of someone else spending that kind of money. This place truly is beautiful.”

  Rylen took my shoulders and guided me out in front of him. He pointed out the window and I followed his gaze. “Do you see it?”

  I frowned. What was I looking for?

  Then I spotted it. The spike on the horizon. A thrill rushed through me at the sight of the Eiffel Tower.

  “Wow,” I breathed.

  “Tomorrow, we’ll see it up close and personal.”

  “I can’t believe we’re in Paris,” I gushed as I spun from the window. I kicked off my shoes and discarded my jacket on the chair beside the dresser.

  Rylen watched as I began opening doors on the dresser until I found what I was after, the mini fridge.

  Rylen crossed his arms and chuckled as I held up two little bottles of scotch. “You’re a bad influence, you know
that?”

  I padded barefoot across the plush carpets toward him. “Or am I just the right dose of bad?”

  He accepted the bottle I held to him and cracked it open. In unison, we tipped our heads back and drained the bottles of their contents. I hiccupped. He burped. We descended into a fit of giggles and Rylen wrapped an arm around my waist and fell with me in his arms onto the bed. The blankets and mattress were so soft they nearly swallowed us whole.

  Had his eyes not been so enticing and his lips beckoning to be kissed, I might have fallen asleep right there.

  I closed my eyes and pressed my lips against his. He returned the kiss greedily. As his hands roamed all over my body, I told my alcohol-muddled brain that his weird behavior the night before back at his house had just been pre-wedding jitters. I knew that was a thing reserved for brides and grooms but it seemed fitting that he would be experiencing some stress, too.

  He wasn’t pulling away, I told myself. He was just distracted.

  He broke the kiss. “I’ve been thinking about this since you looked Maureen in the eye and told her you were my fiancée.”

  I pinched my bottom lip between my teeth. “Me too. She looked like I’d just slapped her.”

  “Well, figuratively, you kind of did.”

  I giggled. “Do you think she’ll tell Mona today?”

  “Absolutely,” Rylen said. “They’re thick as thieves, those two. Her mother will tell her how many freckles you have.”

  “Too many to count,” I said.

  Rylen smiled and ran his thumb along my jaw. “I’d be happy to lay here and count them.”

  “That’s the scotch talking.”

  “Maybe.” He chuckled.

  I hooked a leg around his and crushed myself up against him. Rylen slid his hands up the inside of my shirt and reached around to unclip my bra. It opened with a soft snap and I exhaled as the pressure of the band was released. I didn’t like to wear my bra at home and usually only wore one when I was out and about or going to the office. I’d been wearing the damn thing since I got up on Sunday morning back at Rylen’s. I had no idea how many hours had passed, only that it was a relief to have the damn thing off of me. He cupped my breasts and massaged them gently. The ache ebbed away as my body responded to his touch.