Trouble with the Fake Boyfriend (The Rock Bottom Series Book 3)

by Holly Renee

  Nothing I asked of her was.

  I twirled her around again, and she smiled even though it didn’t meet her eyes.

  “He accepted our offer.”

  “What?” She leaned away from me slightly and stared me straight in the eye.

  I nodded my head. “My real estate agent sent over some paperwork earlier. He finally accepted.”

  I couldn’t tell if she was mad that I had waited until now to tell her or if she was happy. Either way, she just stared at me without saying a word.

  “That’s what we wanted, right?” Now I was second-guessing myself. I was second-guessing every decision I ever made with her.

  “Yes.” She snapped out of whatever haze she was just in, and her hand gripped my forearm. “Are you kidding me? Yes.” A laugh bubbled out of her.

  She had the biggest smile on her face as she wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me into a hug. She laughed again and I couldn’t stop myself from joining her. People were looking at us, but it didn’t matter.

  “I can’t believe this is happening.” Her words were mumbled against me.

  I kissed the top of her head. “It’s happening.”

  She looked up at me and rose on her tiptoes. I couldn’t look anywhere but at her. She threaded her fingers through my hair, pulling me down to meet her, and she stared at my mouth as she said, “Thank you.”

  She didn’t wait for me to respond. She pulled me harder into her and her lips met mine. She kissed me like I was responsible for every bit of happiness she ever felt.

  She leaned back, still hanging on to me, and she looked like every worry she ever had been lifted from her shoulders.

  “Do you want some champagne?” I couldn’t stop smiling at her.

  “I’d love some.”

  I reached for her hands and held them in mine. I didn’t want to let her go. I didn’t want to lose this moment or this feeling or the way she was looking at me.

  I didn’t want her to look at me any other way.

  I brought her hand to my mouth and kissed her soft inner wrist. “I’m going to go grab us some then we can celebrate.”

  “Okay.” She nodded. “I’m going to run to the ladies’ room.”

  I let go of her hands and she was still smiling as she walked away from me.

  I decided in that moment that no matter what she decided she wanted from me, I was going to make it my mission to keep that look on her face. Even if it meant that we were nothing but business partners. Even if she wanted nothing else from me.

  I walked to the bar and ordered us both a glass of champagne.

  “Hey there, stranger.” I looked down at Katie as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear as she leaned against the bar next to me while I waited for mine and Brooke’s order, and even though I hated the fact, I could still admit she looked beautiful tonight.

  Her brown hair was tied in a braid down one shoulder and she wore a simple blue dress that fit her perfectly.

  “Hi.” I looked back to the bar. I didn’t have the time or energy it took to deal with Katie, and all I wanted was to grab our drinks and get back to Brooke.

  “Do you have a second?” She looked around before looking back at me.

  I couldn’t imagine what in the world she could possibly have to say to me, but even though the girl didn’t deserve it, I couldn’t just be an ass to her.

  “How have you been?” She looked like she was genuinely curious and that just pissed me off. She didn’t have any right to be curious about me anymore.

  “I’ve been good. Really good.” I nodded my head. “How about you?”

  From what I heard, she hadn’t done much with her life since I’ve been gone beyond moving into Brad’s house and waiting on his every whim. That wasn’t the girl I knew. It wasn’t the girl I had loved.

  “I’ve been okay.” She looked at her feet, and I could feel her nerves rolling off of her. I had always been able to read her so easily.

  “That’s good.” There was a long moment of awkward silence, and I wished she would use it as an excuse to walk away, but she didn’t.

  Instead, she took a small step closer to me as if she wouldn’t dare let anyone else hear what she was about to say. “I’m sorry, you know? I’m really sorry.”

  Hell, she may have been, but I still didn’t believe her. I didn’t think I would ever be able to believe the words that came out of her mouth again.

  “How’s Brad?” I knew my words hurt her as soon as I said them, but I didn’t care. Despite the fact that everything between us happened years ago, I was still allowed to not give a shit.

  “He’s okay.” Her voice was even softer now. “I would take it back if I could.” She stared up at me, and I could see the sincerity in her eyes. “I would take it all back.”

  “But you can’t.” She couldn’t take any of it back. Not a second of it, and she had to live with the choices she made. We both did.

  “I know.” She looked behind her like she was worried Brad would see her talking to me, and when she turned back toward me every bit of emotion she was just showing was locked down so tight it was easy to remember how I once had believed all her lies. “I just wanted you to know that I would.”

  She took a step toward me, and for a quick moment, the urge to reach out to her was overwhelming. But that was nothing more than an old habit. I didn’t want Katie anymore, and the only person who flashed into my head at that moment was Brooke.

  “I would give anything to have us back.”

  I stared down at her, and I couldn’t believe she was saying this to me. After all this time, at the worst place possible.

  “I’m with someone else.” I grabbed the two flutes of champagne the bartender set in front of me and started to walk away, but I could feel Katie right on my heels.

  “I know about her.” Her words were soft, but they held their impact.

  I turned around quickly, tucking the two of us out of sight from the rest of the wedding, and I could barely control my anger.

  “You don’t know a thing about her.”

  “Yes. I do.” She nodded her head, and I could see the fire in her eyes. “I know that you two aren’t really together. I know that you paid her to be here.”

  I flinched as if she had hit me. I didn’t pay Brooke to be here. Not really. Did I offer her an opportunity she couldn’t refuse? Sure. But she wasn’t some prostitute like Katie made her sound.

  “You have no idea what you’re talking about, Katie.”

  She reached out and grabbed my arm as I tried to walk away. “I overheard her talking about it, Liam. What would your mom think?”

  “My mom isn’t going to find out.”

  “She doesn’t have to.”

  “Don’t fucking threaten me, Katie.” I took a step into her space. “Does Brad know you’re over here asking me for another chance? Does he know that you care as little about him as you did about me?”

  “I loved you.” She genuinely seemed hurt by my words, but I had already spent too much time in my life worried about her and her feelings. She put her hand on my chest, and I stared down at where she was touching me.

  “There you are.” I took a step back from Katie as soon as I heard Brooke’s voice. “Oh. I’m sorry.”

  She stared at Katie but didn’t make eye contact with me as she quickly turned back in the direction she came from and walked away from us.

  “Brooke.” She didn’t stop when I called out to her, and I couldn’t stand the idea of her thinking I was back here with Katie while she was waiting for me.

  I took a step toward her. I didn’t give a shit what else Katie had to say. I walked away from her as easily as she had me all those years ago, and I rushed through the crowd to get to Brooke. I couldn’t stand the thought of her thinking I would ever choose Katie over her.

  That I would ever hurt in that way even if we were just pretending.

  If she was pretending. Because I wasn’t. Not anymore.

  “Brooke.” I reached
out and gripped her fingers in mine. “Hold on.”

  She turned toward me, and I could see the panic in her eyes before she quickly hid it. “I didn’t mean to interrupt you.” She looked over my shoulder to where Katie and I just were.

  “You weren’t interrupting anything.”

  “It looked like I was.” She didn’t say it like she was accusing me. She said it like she was sad.

  “She wanted to talk.”

  “It’s okay, Liam,” she interrupted me before I could explain. “You don’t owe me an explanation.”

  But I did. I owed her more than I would ever be able to give her.

  She nodded toward the table where my parents sat. “I’m going to get some air before I head back over there.” She lifted the skirt of her dress so she wouldn’t step on it and started moving away from me.

  “I’ll come with you.”

  “No.” The word was so sure. So final. “I just need a minute alone.”

  I didn’t want to give her a minute alone. I didn’t want to give a single second.

  She knew it too. “Please, Liam.” She took another step back from me, and I swear I could see pain in her eyes.

  Pain that I had caused her without even trying.

  I didn’t want to hurt her anymore.

  “Okay.” I nodded my head. If this was what she needed then it was what I’d give her.

  Her blond hair was still perfectly curled and the dress still fit her body like a glove, but that spark in her eyes that she walked in with, that was completely gone.

  “I’ll meet you back at the table.” I nodded toward where my parents still sat. Not a clue in the world that their son was losing the girl he never even had.

  But I could feel it.

  She was pulling away from me right in front of my eyes.

  Sixteen

  A Business Deal

  Brooke

  I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

  I knew that was silly. I had no right to be mad, and I wasn’t. I was something that I couldn’t even explain.

  I was confused and hurt and so damn mad at myself for ever thinking this was more than it actually was.

  Liam didn’t do anything wrong. He was kind to me and playful, and I let my stupid heart lead instead of my head.

  I never let that happen, and there was a reason.

  This was the reason.

  I had no idea what he and Katie were talking about, and I didn’t have a right to know.

  But it didn’t matter.

  I saw the way he was looking at her. It was the same way he looked at her every time we saw her. He looked at her like he would never look at me.

  Katie had been real for him.

  I was a business deal.

  Regardless of what he thought he felt.

  And I needed to start acting like one.

  I needed to remember that Liam was acting and regardless of how good of an actor he was, I was a complete fool if I didn’t remember exactly where I stood. Tonight was nothing but a reminder of that.

  He was caught up in this week and what he thought he wanted, but we would be going back home tomorrow and reality would hit him.

  He would regret believing we could be anything more.

  I was going to be his business partner, and as such, I had no right to care about what he was doing with his ex. I had no right to care that her hand had been on his chest like he was hers.

  He had been more hers than he had ever been mine.

  She was the only one who had any right to care or be jealous, but she gave up that right the moment she chose anyone else over him.

  I hated her for hurting him and being here and making me question everything just when I thought I had a clue about what I was feeling.

  I stared out over the small balcony at the small creek that ran by the hotel. The wedding had been beautiful. Liam’s cousin didn’t look a thing like him, but he did look happy.

  He looked so in love with his bride that it made me a bit jealous. I was dying to be looked at like that.

  I was an idiot.

  I was an idiot for coming here, for ever agreeing to this whole damn plan of Liam’s, and I was an idiot for letting myself forget why I was here.

  I took a deep breath and straightened my shoulders. I had faked my way through far worse situations than this one. I just had to be the doting girlfriend for one more day then I could go home where no one else could see me, and I would let myself fall apart.

  Walking back into the reception, my eyes immediately sought out Liam. He was sitting at our table next to his parents and some other people he introduced me to but I couldn’t remember their names. His dad was talking to him, but Liam looked stressed.

  He looked up at me as soon as I came in view, and I smiled at his parents so they wouldn’t know that anything was wrong. They were what I was here for, and no matter how much I hated lying to them, especially his mom, I only had one more day of this left.

  “Brooke,” Liam said my name like he wanted to talk, but this wasn’t the place or the time.

  I pushed up onto my tiptoes and kissed his cheek before taking a seat next to his mom. He was still staring at me, and I didn’t know what he wanted from me. I didn’t know what he expected.

  If I just didn’t care then everything would be easier. If I didn’t care then everything would have gone just like it was supposed to.

  “Everything okay?” His mom put her hand over mine.

  “Of course.” I smiled at her but I didn’t think she believed it. I didn’t believe it.

  She ran her fingers over my skin, and she gave me a sad smile. It almost broke me.

  I could deal with me getting hurt, but I didn’t know how I was going to handle it when she did.

  Not when I was the one to cause it.

  The two of us had the best day today. We got our nails done and our hair styled, and I laughed so hard with her that my stomach hurt. It made me wish that she was mine. My mother was nothing like his, and I hated that I had to give her up.

  Things wouldn’t just be going back to normal with me and Liam when we left. There would be no more Sarah. No more Jim.

  They were his.

  And I wasn’t.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, please help me welcome the bride and groom to the dance floor for the final dance.” The DJ’s voice rang through the speakers and dread filled me.

  I wasn’t ready to go back to Liam’s parents’ house.

  I wasn’t ready to be alone with him. I didn’t want to talk about what happened tonight. I didn’t want to explain why I was affected at all.

  “Do you want to dance?” Liam was at my side and he was looking at me like he would give anything for me to say yes, but I couldn’t.

  “I’m really tired.” I avoided his eyes as I said the words. It wasn’t a lie. I felt like I could sleep for a week and still be exhausted.

  “Okay.” He nodded in understanding, but he didn’t. “Let’s go.” He reached for my hand and I let him take it as he pulled me to my feet.

  We told his parents we’d see them at the house then we walked out to the car in complete silence. Still hand in hand.

  I could tell he was thinking about what to say to me, but he just kept stewing. I was thankful. If we could just avoid this conversation altogether, I would be happy.

  We didn’t need to hash this out. It would only make things more complicated, and that was the last thing we needed.

  I stared out the car window as he drove us home, and I could practically feel the tension buzzing between us. I just wanted to get back to the house, take off this dress, and bury my head in my pillow.

  He cut off the engine and took a loud breath. “I don’t know what you think you saw back there, but Katie means nothing to me.”

  I looked down at my lap. “It’s fine, Liam.” I tried to change the subject. “Are you going to tell me how much the building cost? I know I probably can’t contribute half, but I should be contributing something.”

 
“The damn building isn’t important.” He sounded frustrated with me, but I was frustrated with him.

  I opened the car door and took a deep breath of the fresh air. I felt like everything was closing in on me. “Yes. It is. It’s the only thing that matters.”

  I climbed out of the car before he could respond, but he was right behind me.

  “That’s such bullshit and you know it.” He rounded the car, but I was already headed for the house. “Brooke, talk to me.”

  I spun in his direction, and I could feel my throat getting tight. “What do you want me to say?”

  “I don’t know.” He threw his arms out to the side. “But something other than this bullshit. Don’t pretend you’re only in this for the deal.”

  “What do you think I’m in this for, Liam?” I marched up the stairs and waited at the door until he opened it. “We had a deal with clear rules.”

  He opened the door and motioned for me to go inside. “I think we blew those rules out of the fucking water last night, don’t you?”

  I didn’t wait for him or turn around to see if he was following me as I stomped up the stairs. These damn heels were killing my feet, and I wasn’t going to stand around arguing with him in four-inch heels. I opened his bedroom door and started unclasping the small buckle around my ankle. “Last night was a mistake. Neither one of us should have let it happen. We shouldn’t have screwed this up.”

  “It wasn’t a mistake.” He was standing directly behind me, and I hated how wounded he sounded.

  “This can’t work.” I motioned between the two of us.

  “Why not?”

  “Because.” I didn’t know what to say. He knew we were a bad idea as much as I did. “We’re barely even friends, Liam.”

  “We’ve seemed like pretty good friends since we’ve been in Tennessee.” He threw his suit jacket on his small desk.

  “Isn’t that what you hired me to do?” I crossed my arms and tried to breathe. I needed to end this now. I was already hurt and we hadn’t even started. Liam was the kind of guy that could destroy me. I couldn’t rely on him for everything. I came here because of what he offered me. Regardless of how badly I didn’t want to be like my mom, I knew that.