Fake Boyfriend - Miley Maine Page 0,25
wouldn’t appreciate it at all.
“Okay fine. You’ll meet them soon enough. I have one more favor to ask. But this one is much easier than the last.”
“I’m listening.”
“I don’t want you to tell my family about the asshole who tried to take my purse. Although my aunt might take it as a compliment.”
“That you almost got mugged?”
“She bought the purse. Trying to one-up with gifts is one of her favorite hobbies.”
“She sounds delightful.”
“She’s really not delightful at all -- she’s awful, but her daughter is the one getting married. And despite her faults, my cousin is a good person. And I love her.”
“Would you like her if she wasn’t related to you?”
“Probably not.” I laughed at my own admission.
“I won’t mention it to them.” He hopped to the ground and again, like the perfect gentleman, held out his hands for me to take.
“You have no idea how much all of this means to me. I really do owe you.” Now that we were on flat ground, I flung my arms around him and hugged him tight. “I’ve never had a friend who didn’t know who I was, and was nice to me anyway.”
He patted me on the back. “You don’t owe me anything.”
I wasn’t going to cry at the admission that I'd never made my own friends. I swiped at my eyes. “I do. I don’t want to promise my dad’s money, but I will. If there’s a charity you support, or a cause you need boosted, I can offer that with no hardship at all. Or if you need photography at an event, let me know. And I’ll be there.”
He kissed me on the top of the head. “Now that, I might take you up on.”
“I really do appreciate it,” I said. “I know I’m a lot to handle, and I absolutely do not want a bodyguard ever again, but having you with me makes me feel really safe.”
My statement was genuine. It did hurt me to admit that I’d needed help, but I had. And Jackson had delivered. Because of him, I was having a blast.
Chapter Eleven
Jackson
How the ever-loving fuck did I get into this situation? I came to regroup, and pull my head out of my ass, and now I had a hot-as-hell woman with me, every step of the way.
If I fell apart, she was going to have first row tickets to my breakdown.
And yet I wanted Loren with me. I didn’t want to dump her off at some ritzy hotel with her family, who all frankly sounded like a bunch of snobby bastards who didn’t appreciate her unique personality one bit.
“You ready to hike for real?” I asked as we left the store where we’d shopped for the gear. Before we left the easy trails, Loren needed a pair of good hiking boots. Her running shoes weren’t going to get the job done.
The trip had taken longer than I’d anticipated -- Loren had been enchanted by all the camping equipment. She’d read one display after another, including the ones that made outlandish promises, such as having the right backpack, the right clothing, and the right food that would turn a novice into a seasoned camper.
“Wasn’t that real hiking?”
“No. That was the warm up. Now that you have the right clothes and boots, we’re moving on.”
“I need this,” she declared, holding a glittery walking stick in the air.
“You don’t need that.” I put the stick back in its container. “You’d probably just use it to whack me.”
“Ooh, now that’s a good idea,” she said.
I laughed at her silliness, and paid for our purchases and hopped back in the Jeep. I left the tourist area behind, and headed for a more secluded area where we’d have no amenities.
I pointed out the areas I’d been before as we drove along. “There are places out here that I’ve camped. They’re not allocated campground spots. They’re just part of the land. There’s no restroom here, no shower, no electricity. And best of all, not many people.”
“What if a bear wanders up? That’s what’s always on the news. Bear attacks.”
“Usually it’s a few assholes that deliberately go looking for bears to annoy. But not always. This is the bears’ home. So if we see one, then we’ll back away slowly, not making any sudden moves. But I’ve also packed my rifle in my carry-on luggage just in case. But it’s never come to that before, and I’ve hiked here many times.”
We found a place to park, and I jumped out of