Fake Boyfriend - Miley Maine Page 0,35
learned in college just how far from normal my life was.
His hand came over to brush the hair off my face, then went right back to the wheel. “So tell me about this blue-blood family of yours. I’m meeting them soon, and I’m your fake boyfriend. How did we meet?”
I turned in my seat to face him and squealed. “You’re right. I hadn’t even thought of that.”
“Isn’t that the question families ask first when the daughter brings home a boyfriend?”
“How would I know?”
“Don’t look at me. Yours is the first family I’m meeting. Even though it’s fake.”
“I still can’t believe no one’s snapped you up.”
“Who said I would have allowed myself to be snapped?”
I rolled my eyes and gave him a playful whack on the arm. “I just assumed someone would have tried.”
“Oh they have.”
“Now you’re just bragging.” I settled back into my seat. “So the story of how we met. We need to think of something good.” I rubbed my hands together. “You live on the base at Fort Benning. That’s not far from where my parents live. How about we say we met at the grocery store.”
“The store that you just started going into.”
“Right. My family knows I love the grocery store. They know I go in with my headphones and my list, and that I take my time.”
“And I’m guessing this drives them crazy?”
“Oh yes. I’d get back with all my bags -- reusable of course -- and I’d put them all over the counter top and they’d start yelling about germs and clutter.”
“I guess they didn’t know groceries came in bags?” he asked, and I could see that Jackson was trying to hide his grin.
“Nope. In their world, groceries come from the fully stocked pantry, or more likely from the butler’s tray that’s served.”
We both erupted into laughter.
“But if we met before the airport, this Micahel bodyguard would have been trailing along behind you.”
“You’re right. You’re pretty good at this.”
He tapped his temple. “Tactical mind.”
I pushed at his shoulder playfully. “If you ever retire from the military, you should go into matchmaking.” I put my arm on the window and stared out, hoping the green hills would give me some insight into lying to my family. “You’re right. I just left my security behind for this trip. He’d have noticed -- and told my dad -- if I’d been seeing anyone.”
“Maybe we were sneaking around?”
“I’m not that sneaky, and everyone in my family knows it,” I said.
“Let’s just tell the truth. That’s always the simplest answer.”
“How would that work?”
“Everything is the same, except the part where this is fake,” he said.
I wondered then if it had to be fake. If there was any way that he’d ever consider making it real. It didn’t seem likely, and I wasn’t going to spoil our trip by asking. At least not yet.
“It’s a good story by itself. You upgraded my seat, we sat together on the plane, and we spent the next five hours flying to Seattle, and then another three hours flying to Anchorage.” He tapped on the dashboard. “Done. Perfect.”
“But you will not mention the attempted purse jacking.”
“Right. I’ll say we hit it off on the plane, and asked you out.”
“Yes! That’s great.”
“And your family is not going to have me secretly assassinated because I took you on an overnight camping trip the same day I met you?” he asked.
“No. And even if they were mad, they won’t blame you. They'll be thrilled to see that I’ve brought a date with me. Just watch.”
“Okay. I’ll take your word for it,” Jackson said, but I could tell he didn’t believe me. That was fine. He’d find out soon enough.
Chapter Fifteen
Jackson
The hotel for the wedding looked about like I’d expected it to. A four-storey rugged-looking inn that overlooked the water of Prince William Sound, on the east side of the Kenai Peninsula. Parts of it looked like a postcard. But it stood alone, the only building for miles, imposing in its size. In the right lighting, it could probably look like a haunted mansion. And it was no doubt expensive as hell.
I pulled the Jeep into the empty parking lot. “There aren’t any cars here.”
“My family rented this place for the full week,” Loren said. “So I have the entire day to find the best places for the photos. Are you up for helping?”
“Isn’t that what a good boyfriend would do?” I asked.
She stuck her tongue out at me, and I caught her around the waist and lifted her