forward. And yeah, this is a crazy idea, but I think there’s a reason that this is happening for the both of us and so I think we should just see how it plays out.”
With an empathetic look on her face, she reaches over and puts her hand on my shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. Then she smiles and giggles bashfully, her hair falling over her face. “I’m sorry. I forgot how amazing your shoulders feel. You’re a fucking tank, you know that?”
My lips quirk into a quick smile, constantly flattered by her even though she’s saying things many others have said before.
She clears her throat and takes her hand away, as if she’s been caught doing something she shouldn’t. “Anyway, as I was about to say before I touched you and got all distracted, I hope this is all okay.”
“You having an ex-fiancé? Of course it is. It was presumptuous of me to assume that you wouldn’t be attached.”
She gives me a steady look. “Listen, I would not have hooked up with you and I probably wouldn’t have even flirted with you if I was with someone else. I am a one-man woman.”
And for now, in this world, I’m her man.
I inwardly wince. This is the second time today I needed a kick in the bollocks over my fanciful thoughts.
“So, while we’re on the subject of disclosing stuff, why don’t you tell me about your past relationships?” she asks. “I should probably know as much about you as I can if we’re going to pull this off.”
“You make it sound like a heist.”
“It kind of is.” She pauses, studying me for a moment. “Have you thought long and hard about this? I’m not questioning your motives or anything, but you are essentially lying to your dad, your grandmother, the town, et cetera. What happens…” She trails off, licking her lips. “You know, down the road, when we go our separate ways? Even if I leave after two days, eventually they’ll catch on that I’m not coming back.”
She’s talking in such finite terms that it bothers me.
I shrug. “It’ll be my problem. I’ll tell everyone we parted amicably and it didn’t work out.”
“So this truly is just for your father?”
I nod, looking her in the eyes. “It’s all for him. He’s dying and … I need to do this.”
“Okay,” she says after a beat. “Okay.” She’s smiling now. “I’m going to help you in whatever way I can. Now, let’s get started on the nitty gritty stuff first. We have, what, two hours in this car? Let’s see if we can create a believable relationship in that time.”
10
Valerie
I’ve never had two hours fly by like this before.
Then again, I’ve never been in a car with such an enigmatic and striking human being before. Usually in these situations I tend to blather on like an idiot in an attempt to fill the awkward silences, but with Padraig, there are none. We’ve been talking the entire time, hammering down the details of our faux relationship.
But as much as he both puts me at ease and fills my belly with butterflies, I’m still a nervous wreck around him. Because, what we’re doing? It really is insane. In some ways I’m surprised my sisters were okay with me walking out of the hotel room this morning and into the unknown (though it may have had something to do with them being both hung over again). I thought maybe Angie would have pulled me aside last night, having changed her mind or come to her senses.
That didn’t happen, and now I’m here, in his lux car and heading down Ireland’s east coast, toward his tiny hometown of Shambles.
So yes, I’m nervous and time is flying by way too fast. I don’t think I’ve quite gotten down what I need to.
“So, give me the gist of it again,” Padraig asks, as if he can read my mind.
“Because you already forgot?”
“Because I’m testing you.”
I purse my lips together as I try to suss him out. “Fine. Here it goes. We met at the same bar we actually met at, but this was almost a year ago.”
“When though?”
Man, he really is testing me. “March of last year.”
“And when did we get engaged?”
“At Christmas.”
“And how did I propose?”
“You took me for a walk along the river after our favorite meal at our favorite Chinese restaurant, and you got down on one knee and asked.”
“Simple, yet effective.”
“Speaking of,” I say as I wave my hand at him. “Where’s my