Page 23 of Fake Fiancé, Real Wedding
“Youwhat?”
“Remember the slow driver I was complaining about yesterday?” I start walking again, strides long. To hell with waiting fifteen minutes. “It’s her. I’m in love with her.”
Flynn laughs. “What the?—”
Grinning, I hang up. I’m going to find Del, tell her how I feel, and convince her a life with me will be the best life she could hope to have. That I will treat her like the precious, feisty, adorable goddess she is for the rest of her life.
And then I’m going to use my finely honed cyber security superpowers to locate her stalker and bring that shit to an end.
Chapter Sixteen
Del
In my stolen Henley and sockless Doc Martens, I’m not dressed for bush walking. My temper tantrum at Lachlan’s behaviour, however, didn’t give a rat’s bum about that fact.
I’m sitting on an ancient wooden bench seat in a tiny clearing where the path I’d stomped along ended. It’s farther up the mountain than I’d intended to go. There’s a breathtaking view of the deep valley, sandstone cliffs, gorges, and distant waterfalls. I get the feeling it was once a dedicated lookout back when the convicts built the Cloudkiss homestead. Based on how overrun the path leading here is now, it isn’t used much anymore.
That’s okay. I need to be alone for a while to clear my head. I’m being petulant. I know I am. The fact Lachlan seemed ready to go all Hulk on Jared when he thought Jared was my privacy-crashing fan shows he wasn’t just using me. I think.
Staring out over the view, I chew my bottom lip.
There are enough people in my life now happily in love to prove that love, the soulmate forever kind of love,canhappen. So why am I grumping about up the side of a mountain insteadof talking to him like a mature, reasonable adult about the possibility we might have something special?
Is it because I’m…afraid?
A hot lump fills my throat, and I let out a wry laugh. “Chicken,” I murmur, withdrawing my phone from my bag, “thy name is Del.”
Checking the signal bars—a whole two 5Gs—I drag in a shaky breath and Facetime Stevie.
Her worried—and a tad pixelated—face fills my screen on the second ring. “Whereareyou? We thought you went back to your room, but when?—”
“I’m scared, Stevie,” I cut her off, part confession, part bewildered disbelief.
“Scared?” She frowns. “Are you in danger? Is it your Instagram stalker? You really shouldn’t be alone.”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I shake my head. “No. I’m scared of all these big feelings overwhelming me, and how…how…bigthey are.”
“Ah.” Her lips curl. “I see.”
I huff into my hair. “I mean, I’ve never failed atanythingI’ve set my mind on doing. Never. I was first in all my subjects at school, captain of the debating team, captain of my field hockey team, thebestfreaking cousin anyone could ever have—” she laughs “—and I defied everyone’s expectations to become a professional cosplayer. I’veneverfailed.”
“But?” she prompts, her voice gentle.
I chew on my bottom lip again, shaking my head even as I skim my blank stare over the valley view.
“But love?” I return my attention to her. “That’s a totally unknown scary with no prescient outcome. What if I open my chest, hand Lachlan my heart, and he gets sick of me? I know I’m a lot. I’m not shy, or demure, or submissive. I’m chaotic neutral.At best! Or worse still, what if we give it a go and just don’t work?”
Stevie narrows her eyes at me. “Are you really telling me, cousin, you’re not even brave enough to try?”
The question, more like a condemnatory accusation, punches me in the chest.
“Good gravy,” I grumble. “I need to stop being pathetic.”
“You do.” Her pixelated face grins back at me. “Right now. Go find him and kiss him senseless. And then could you pretty please with sugar on top put your butt into bridesmaid mode? I’m getting married tomorrow, remember? And I really want you here to distract me from my nerves. Not that this isn’t a first-class distraction, mind you. I’m talking—” she does a chef’s kiss “—on distraction levels, but I’d rather you were actually in the same room with me, if that’s okay? For starters, I still haven’t decided how to do my hair!”
“Yeah, yeah.” I laugh, getting to my feet. “It’s always about you, isn’t it.” I sigh. “I really am sorry, Stevie. Awesome Cousin Del is back on duty.”
“Love you, Del,” she says with a soft chuckle.
