Faking With The Enemy: An Enemies-To-Lovers RomCom: Milestone Mischief #2

by Piper James

  My body flashed cold and then hot, her words voicing my own thoughts, however crassly. If I was actually in a real relationship with Nate, I knew that no matter how hard I tried to dismiss them, those fears would forever reside deep inside my heart.

  I’d seen his loose and easy ways first-hand years ago when I’d found him fucking the owner’s daughter, hadn’t I? That’s why I’d hated him for so long—because he wasn’t the man I’d thought him to be. He was just what Charity had called him…a man-whore.

  “You’ll never be enough for him,” she went on, unaware of my internal monologue. “And when he tires of you, he’ll come to me.”

  I knew what she was doing. Her claims of one day having him didn’t have two legs to stand on—Nate despised her—but even if it wasn’t her, it would be someone else. Despite the convoluted truth in her statements, her motives were as black as her soul.

  She was trying to tear apart an engagement that she thought was real. She was trying to destroy my confidence in my relationship, my belief that my fiancé really loved me and that I was everything to him.

  She was spilling bile, hoping to find a notch in my armor that she could exploit and tear me down with. She was a vile human being, and I was suddenly filled with so much rage, there was nowhere for it to go but out…directly toward her.

  Before I knew what I was doing, I stepped closer, up into her personal space, making her flinch back against my car. There was real fear in her eyes, like she’d somehow forgotten that I’d already lost my temper once and hit her.

  I’d never had violent tendencies before, but Charity Glasscott’s manipulations had brought forth a viciousness I’d never known existed inside me.

  “If you hit me again, I’m calling the cops,” she said, injecting confidence into her words that was belied by her body language.

  “Go ahead, bitch,” I snarled. “My father was a cop and had connections all over the county. They might take me down to the station, but I’d walk in the front door and right out the back.” Lie, but she didn’t need to know that. “But while I’m there, maybe I’ll tell them a little story about a certain banker’s daughter, extortion, and harassment.”

  I’d already made this threat, but obviously, she needed reminding. And the fear that crept into her eyes told me if I did follow through on that threat, the investigators would definitely find something. Something that would hurt Charity’s family.

  “You know what,” she said, slipping out from between me and the car, “Nate isn’t worth this bullshit. I’m done. Tell him to lose my number and never look at me again. I hope the two of you are very happy together.”

  The venom dripping from her voice belied the well-wishes, but I wasn’t thinking about that as she spun on her six-inch stilettos and stalked away.

  It was over. Nate’s plan had worked, and he didn’t need me anymore.

  I looked down at the diamond engagement ring on my left hand. He was going to take it back, and things would go back to normal. To the way they used to be.

  I should’ve been happy. Mission accomplished. The only thing I felt was numb.

  Like there was an endless black void where my heart used to beat.

  31

  Nate

  Ivy: Charity confronted me today. It’s over. She said she’s done, and you can move on with your life. Congratulations.

  I stared at the text for the hundredth time, then at the one below it where I’d responded, “Good news.” That was our last communication, and it was three days ago. I’d typed out a dozen other text messages, only to delete them. I pulled up her number to call her half that many times, only to change my mind.

  It was Thanksgiving, and I knew I would see her at Rafe and Jessa’s place. I’d talk to her in person, thank her for everything, and tell her that her mother’s car would be done next week and she could pick it up whenever she was ready.

  I shoved my phone into the pocket of my jeans and grabbed my wallet and keys before heading out to my car. It was almost time for dinner, and I didn’t want to be late.

  When I pulled up to the curb in front of my childhood home, Lola was parked in front of me, getting out of her car.

  “Hey baby sister,” I called out, slamming my car door and jogging to catch up to her.

  “Don’t call me that, Nate,” she said, but her words carried none of the teasing lilt that they usually did.

  “Hey,” I said, placing a hand on her arm to stop her. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” she said, giving me a weak smile. “I’m just tired. I have finals coming up, and I’ve been up late every night studying.”

  “You need to take care of yourself, Lola,” I said, slipping into overprotective-big-brother mode.

  “You take care of yourself,” she shot back. “What’s going on with you and Ivy?”

  “What do you mean?” I asked failing to keep a slight edge of panic out of my voice.

  “The whole fake engagement,” she said, using finger quotes. “How’s that going?”

  “How’d you know about that?” I asked, deflecting.

  “Rafe told me,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “He didn’t want me to be blindsided if I heard the rumors. You should’ve told me, Nate.”

  “I know. I’m sorry. It’s over, anyway. The woman blackmailing me believed it and backed off, so…”

  Lola stared at me, her dark brown eyes intense, like they were trying to penetrate my mind and my heart. I fought to keep my expression neutral, and finally, she looked away with a shake of her head.

  “Whatever. I’m glad it all worked out.”

  Then she turned and headed toward the front door. I caught up to her just as she was knocking—something we did now that Rafe had Jessa. Walking in on our brother buck-assed naked one time was more than enough. Jessa opened the door with a wide, welcoming smile, and Lola hugged her while demanding to see the ring.

  That was right. Rafe proposed to Jessa, and I’d been so wrapped up in my own shit, I’d forgotten all about it. Guilt washed over me. I was a terrible brother and an even worse best man. I’d congratulated Rafe when he texted to tell me she’d said yes, then promptly put it out of my head.

  I hugged Jessa after Lola moved on to find Rafe. She squeezed me back, then pushed me away to look into my face.

  “You okay?”

  “Don’t I look okay?” I shot back, turning from side to side so she could see both profiles.

  She smacked me on the arm. “I’m serious, Nate. You seemed…uptight while Lola was gushing over my engagement to Rafe. Are you not happy about it?”

  “What?” I asked, honestly shocked by her question. “Of course, I’m happy. I love you, and I think you’re perfect for my big brother. If I seem off, it has nothing to do with you. I’m happy for you both. I swear.”

  “I know. I’m sorry,” she said with a wave of her hand. “The holiday is making me emotional, I think. Come on in.”

  I tried to be cool, I really did, as I scanned the room for Ivy, but apparently, I wasn’t as smooth as I thought I was.

  “She’s not here, yet,” Jessa said, a knowing smile on her face. “She had to go pick up her mom, but she should be here any time.”

  “That’s cool,” I said, keeping my voice light and disinterested.

  Jessa shook her head and walked away. I spotted her friends, Karly and Felicia, chatting in one corner. Jessa’s dad, Greg, and his long-time business partner and new girlfriend Janice sat on the couch. Rafe came out of the kitchen with a big smile on his face and hugged Lola, and I couldn’t miss how happy he looked.

  Why wouldn’t he be happy? He was engaged—for real—to an amazing woman who adored him. He had a great job, wonderful friends, and a new extended family that included everyone here.

  There was a knock at the door, and I turned back, swinging it open. My breath caught in my throat as my eyes landed on Ivy, her cheeks pink from the brisk late-November air and a smile on her face that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

/>   I must’ve lost track of time as I stared, because a throat cleared. Trance broken, my eyes snapped toward the sound to see an older woman standing next to Ivy. Same blonde hair, same ocean-blue eyes.

  “I’m sorry,” I mumbled, stepping aside quickly to let them in.

  “Mom, this is Nate. Rafe’s brother. Nate, this is my mom.”

  “Mrs. Anderson, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” I said, stretching out a hand for her to shake.

  She made huffing noise and pushed my hand away, going in for a hug instead. My arms looped around her waist with uncertainty, but I was soon squeezing her tightly as the full effect of her embrace hit me. Full of warmth and acceptance, it reminded me of the way Mamá hugged me when I was little.

  “None of this Mrs. Anderson stuff. Call me Barb,” she said as she pulled away.

  “Barb,” I said, smiling as I rolled the name around on my tongue.

  She gave me a light pat on the cheek and moved away, calling out to Rafe. He was the only person she’d met before, and I heard her ask for a hug and to be introduced around.

  “She’s amazing,” I whispered to Ivy, forcing my eyes to remain on her mother.

  “Yes, she is,” Ivy agreed before moving away from me.

  I wanted to stop her. To tell her…something. But I managed to restrain myself. The lines were clearly drawn between us, and blurring them again would only make things messier. It didn’t escape my notice that she wasn’t wearing the ring and she introduced me to her mother as “Rafe’s brother.”

  She obviously hadn’t told Barb about our fake engagement…I just hoped everyone else here knew that and didn’t mention it. I would hate for Ivy and I to have to explain something like that over turkey and dressing.

  Other than a few menacing stares shot my way from Karly and Felicia, the dinner was fun and relaxing. Everyone seemed to feel comfortable, we ate until our stomachs tried to pop, and the wine and beer was freely flowing.

  I caught myself staring at Ivy multiple times, but I never once saw her look at me. She was determined to ignore me, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. My brain knew it was for the best, but the rest of me…the rest of me wanted her to look at me.

  “Attention, everyone,” Jessa called out, tapping a fork against the rim of her glass of water. “Rafe and I would like the thank you all for coming. You’ve made our first Thanksgiving together one to remember, and we love you all.”

  A chorus of thanks and declarations of how great dinner was rang out, and Jessa looked at Rafe, who gave her a small nod. She took a deep breath as she waited for everyone to quiet down, and I wondered what was happening. I tilted my head, watching her.

  “As you all know, Rafe asked me to marry him, and I said yes,” she said, her adoring eyes moving back to my brother. “We’ve been talking about a New Year’s wedding.”

  My head reared back with surprise. They were obviously in love and wanted to get married as soon as possible, but New Year’s was only five or six weeks away. Why the rush?

  “We know it’s quick, but…I don’t want to be as big as the side of a house on my wedding day.”

  She rubbed her belly and several gasps rang out, but I was just confused. Was Jessa planning on packing on some weight?

  “That’s right,” she said. “We’re pregnant!”

  Cheers erupted around the table, and Jessa moved from her place to squeeze in between Greg and Janice and hug them both. They both had tears in their eyes, which made Jessa cry even as she laughed with joy.

  Congratulations were passed around as Rafe told the story of his proposal and how it almost went south because of pregnancy hormones. Everyone laughed as Jessa gave him a stern look, then moved around to hug everyone at the table.

  When she hugged me, she whispered in my ear, “Are you ready, Uncle Nate?”

  An image of her snuggling a tiny baby flashed through my mind. She was sitting in a rocking chair, with Rafe gazing down lovingly over her shoulder. The image morphed, and it was Ivy holding a baby.

  My baby.

  Fuck. What the hell is wrong with me?

  “I was born ready,” I said quickly, giving Jessa what I hoped was a sincere-looking smile.

  It must’ve been convincing, because her grin widened, and she gave me another quick hug before moving on. Rafe caught my eye, and the look of sheer happiness on his face was damned-near blinding. I smiled back at him, giving him a nod and mouthing, “Congratulations.”

  “Thanks, man,” he mouthed back.

  He’d done it. My brother, the one who’d spent his entire adult life concentrating on me, Lola, his patients, and everyone else around him had finally found someone who would look after him. Someone who would love him unconditionally and bring him the happiness that had been missing since our parents died.

  He’d been acting as a father-figure since Lola and I were young, and now he was a father, in truth. I knew he’d make an amazing dad. And I was going to make an awesome uncle.

  “When are you due?” Barb asked after Jessa hugged Ivy and moved on to her.

  “July,” Jessa replied, smiling widely.

  “Oh, a summer baby. How wonderful,” Barb said.

  My gaze moved from her to Ivy, and I met her stare for a half a second before she glanced away. An ache formed in my chest, and I rubbed the heel of my hand against it to ease the burn.

  Ugh. Must’ve eaten too much food. Heartburn is the worst. Yeah. It’s heartburn.

  32

  Ivy

  Thanksgiving weekend came and went, and other than a quick greeting from Nate at Rafe and Jessa’s, I hadn’t spoken to him since the day I texted him about Charity. I kept telling myself the separation was a good thing. Better to break ties and move on before someone really got hurt.

  I’d taken off his ring before Thanksgiving, and it winked at me from its resting place on the kitchen counter. I knew he’d be wanting it back, so I left it there to be easily accessible once he asked for it. I certainly didn’t leave it out so I could stare at it with longing and disappointment.

  Definitely not.

  I stretched out on the couch and tried to concentrate on the movie I was watching, but memories of my time with Nate kept distracting me. Our dates, his considerate actions, the longing in his eyes when he looked at me.

  The sex.

  I couldn’t stop thinking about it. And it wasn’t just the physical pleasure that I missed. It was that connection, the feeling of being right where I belonged, wrapped around Nate’s body while he pleasured mine.

  There was something so intimate about it, some key ingredient that I’d never experienced before with another man. Maybe it was because I’d wanted him when we met, and that desire had been pushed down into a locked box after the incident at Hero’s. Maybe it was his total devotion to making sure he made me feel good, both physically and emotionally.

  Maybe it was because I…loved him.

  Oh, no. No. No. No.

  I didn’t love Nate Walton. I couldn’t.

  Shit.

  The seed had planted somewhere inside me, and now I couldn’t shake it loose. I muted the television and closed my eyes, going over every interaction Nate and I had since the day he proposed this fake engagement.

  The nervous energy, and the way he calmed it. The fun, the laughter. His smart mouth and his chivalry. His inherent love of family and, despite our past differences, considering me a part of it. The way he set me on fire with just a glance from those baby blue eyes.

  The way he worshipped my body like ensuring my gratification was more important than his own.

  All of those things flashed through my mind on repeat, spinning faster and faster until I sat up with a groan.

  “Fuck,” I mumbled, rubbing my temples with my fingertips.

  Something was wrong with me. Maybe I needed a CT scan. Or a lobotomy.

  Because there was no way I’d let myself fall in love with my fake fiancé. I couldn’t possibly be that stupid.

  The text from Nate ca
me in a few hours later, as I was trying for the fifth time to get into the movie I’d been watching. I snatched up my phone, ignoring the little thrill that shot through me when I saw his name on the screen.

  Nate: I think we should be seen in public again. You know, just in case Charity is still paying attention.

  I tamped down the disappointment that tried to rear its ugly head inside me. Of course, Nate didn’t want to see me. He just wanted to be seen with me so Charity wouldn’t come sniffing back around.

  Me: Of course. When were you thinking?

  Nate: Are you free for dinner tonight? Or we could get drinks at the bar.

  Me: Drinks sound good.

  I was definitely going to need alcohol to get through this “date” with Nate. Particularly after all the soul-searching I did today and the revelations it uncovered. Revelations I still refused to fully accept.

  Denial wasn’t just a river in Africa.

  Nate: Great. Pick you up at seven?

  Me: Sure thing.

  I tossed my phone down beside me and hung my head. I could do this. I could maintain an emotional distance from Nate while pretending to be in love with him.

  Pretending. Not actually in love. Don’t forget that, Ivy.

  I hopped into a scalding hot shower, attempting to wash away my troubled thoughts. Once I was finished, I blow-dried my hair into fat waves and applied some minimalistic makeup. I pulled on some jeans, a conservatively flowy shirt, and a black leather jacket.

  Perusing my boot collection, I chose a black pair with high heels and stitched accents that matched the pink of my top. I stared at my reflection in my full-length mirror and realized I was as ready as I was ever going to be.

  This night was going to be hell.

  Because no matter how successful I was at pushing away thoughts of strong feelings for Nate now, I knew being with him was going to destroy all my defenses.