Chapter 3

CHAPTER

THREE

Courtney

It's been three days since Merrick Kincaid bailed me out of the most embarrassing moment of my life. Three days of avoiding my mother's call. She wants details. Details I don't have. It's Friday night, and I know my time is up. I've avoided her all week saying work was slammed. She knows I'm off this weekend, which is why when I see her name pop up on my screen, I let out a deep sigh and hit Accept on the call. It's time to face the music or she'll show up at my door.

"Hi, Mom."

"Courtney, I've been calling you all week." Her tone is accusing, as it should be. We both know I've been avoiding her.

"I know. It's been crazy at work." It's a lie, but she will believe it. Besides, work has been steady. Jordyn has taken her boutique and made it a staple here in Willow River in such a short amount of time.

"Too crazy to call your mother?" My mom is the master of guilt trips.

Yes. "Yeah," I say, feeling the remorse weigh heavily on my shoulders, especially at the lies I keep telling. The last three days have been hell for me. All I can think about is telling her the truth. I hate that I lied. I hate even more that she made me feel so pressured I felt like I needed to lie to her. I know she means well. She loves me. My mom is wonderful, but she can be a bit much when she fixates on something.

"Why don't you bring your boyfriend over for dinner tonight?" she suggests.

I sigh inwardly. I knew this was coming. Hence the reason I've avoided her calls this week. "He's got plans with his brothers." The excuse rolls freely from my tongue. I have no idea what Merrick is doing tonight. However, I do know I won't be calling him to have dinner with my mother this evening.

"And he didn't invite you?" she inquires.

"We don't spend every waking moment together, Mom."

"Well, I've yet to see the two of you together at all." There is accusation in her tone, and I know she's right. No one has seen us together. She's curious and I suspect suspicious of my sudden relationship.

I need to give Merrick the opportunity to change his mind, and if he doesn't, we need to set this little ruse in motion, or she's going to become even more skeptical.

I'm not going to be able to get out of this. "I'll talk to him, and we can set something up." I plan to give him one more chance to back out of this mess before I ask him to have dinner with my family. "Maybe we can meet at a restaurant or something?" I suggest. That seems less intimate than taking him home to meet my family. Not that he's not going to be meeting them, but damn, I've gotten myself into a mess.

"This weekend?" she asks hopefully.

"Not this weekend. I'll talk to Merrick, and we'll plan something." Possibly. Maybe. If he doesn't take the out I offer him and bail on this fiasco. Not that I would blame him if he did.

"Fine." She sighs. "Then how about you and I have dinner? Your father is golfing, and I'm home alone."

I smile. "Sure, Mom. That sounds nice. Where do you want to go?" It's not lost on me that she inquired about dinner with Merrick tonight. I have no doubt she'd call my father and tell him he needed to cut his night of golfing short had I agreed. I make a mental note to remind myself that Dad owes me one.

"Oh, let's just go to Pizza Town. I've been craving their cheesy breadsticks all week." She laughs, and it's a carefree sound. Her disappointment in me has already passed for the night.

"Sure. I'll just meet you there if that works. Around six?" I glance at the clock. It's just after five, so I have time to change and mentally prepare myself for the abundance of questions I'm sure I'll have to answer about my nonexistent relationship with Merrick Kincaid.

"Six is perfect. Be safe. Love you."

"You too. Love you too," I say, ending the call. Tossing my phone on the couch next to me, I release a heavy sigh. I should tell her the truth, and I will if Merrick backs out. I know I should tell her anyway, but if I'm being honest, three months of not being nagged to find a date, or just a nice guy friend to spend my time with, sounds like absolute heaven.

Standing from the couch, I head to my room to quickly change clothes before heading out to meet my mom at Pizza Town.

"Courtney!" Mom says as soon as I'm out of my car. She comes rushing toward me with a huge grin on her face and wraps me up in a hug. "I missed you."

I can't help but smile. "I missed you too, Mom." I return her embrace and internally scold myself for ignoring her all week. She might be a helicopter mom, but she loves me and my sister fiercely. I can't fault her for that, even if her hovering drives me crazy.

Pulling out of our hug, she says, "Come on. Cheesy breadsticks are calling my name." She loops her arm through mine and leads us inside the small pizza joint. She lets go of her hold on me and weaves through the tables to a booth midway through the room. She slides in one side, and I settle opposite her and reach for a menu even though I have it memorized.

"So, how about we split a pizza? What sounds good?" Mom asks.

I look up at her and grin, and we both reply at the same time, "Hawaiian." We laugh, and the tension from dreading this dinner floats away. I love my mother, and I know her heart is in the right place. Dinner, just the two of us, is a rarity, so I want to enjoy it.

We place our order, and I sit back in the booth, waiting for the inquisition. "Let's have it," I say, knowing she's chomping at the bit to ask questions about Merrick. Questions I don't want to answer because I still need to call him and offer him an out. If he declines, I need to plan for him to have dinner with my parents and me. It's stressful.

Mom grins and holds her hands in the air. "I'm not going to. Not tonight," she adds quickly with a laugh. "I just want to spend time with my daughter. I know I come on strong sometimes, and you've avoided me all week because of that." She points an index finger at me. "I'm calling you tomorrow, though." Her eyes twinkle, and I toss my head back in laughter.

"Fair enough." Our waitress delivers our drinks, and I immediately take a sip of my root beer. "So, how have you been?"

Her eyes twinkle. It's killing her not to ask me, and very rarely does she give me a pass, so I'm taking it.

"Good. Chloe is pretty much done with the wedding plans," she replies, taking a long pull of her Diet Coke.

"Yeah, she texted me and said it was all done. She's so organized and the least high-maintenance bride, so I'm not surprised."

"Yeah." Mom smiles. "She wanted simple and elegant."

"It's going to be beautiful," I agree. Despite my mother's insistence I need a date. I'm thrilled my baby sister is marrying her best friend.

Mom starts to say something, but her eyes grow wide, and a grin tugs at her lips as she looks past me. I turn to see what's got her smiling like she just won the lottery and my breath hitches. Merrick Kincaid, his brothers, and his cousin's husband, Deacon, are standing at the entrance looking like Greek gods. How is it that one family has so many good-looking men? Those Kincaid genes are on point.

I quickly turn back around and reach for my drink. My throat is suddenly dry. I quickly place the glass back on the table to hide the slight tremble in my hands.

"Aren't you going to go say hi?" Mom asks.

"He's with his brothers." I'm surprised I can keep my voice calm and even when my insides are twisting in panic.

"He's your boyfriend, Courtney. He's not going to care if you go say hello." She gives me a look that tells me she thinks I've lost my mind, insinuating I'd be interrupting him.

I try again, "It's guys' night." Mom's eyes light up, and I know that means they're moving in our direction. There's a large table a few spots from ours, and I'm sure that's where they're headed. When they get closer, I close my eyes, willing this booth to allow me to sink into the ripped pleather material and fade away from this moment.

"Ladies."

I hear his sexy voice, followed by a hand on my shoulder as I slowly open my eyes. Merrick is smiling down at me. He moves slowly and I swallow hard as he presses a kiss to my cheek. My skin tingles where his lips just were.

"Hey, babe," he greets me.

He doesn't use his inside voice, which is why my mother's "Aw" fills the air between us.

Merrick stands back to his full height but keeps his hand on my shoulder. "I didn't know you were going to be here." He keeps his eyes locked on mine, and he's cool as a damn cucumber. This impromptu little meeting doesn't seem to faze him in the least.

My shoulder is on fire from his touch as the heat of him seeps through the fabric of my shirt. It's a warmth that I don't hate. "Last-minute dinner plans," I say. I sit up a little straighter, proud of myself for keeping my voice even.

"I was just telling Courtney that we need to have dinner together. Her father and I would love to host you."

I'm internally rolling my eyes at my mother. She doesn't talk like that. She's doing it for his benefit. She's trying to sound proper to my "boyfriend" to make a good impression. Too bad it's a wasted effort on her part.

This is all pretend.

"Definitely." Merrick nods to my mother as he turns his gaze to me. "Just tell me when and where." He smiles, and somehow that simple act has the tension bleeding out of me.

"Yeah," I say lamely.

"Would you like to join us?" Mom offers.

"Mom!" I scold. "I told you Merrick is spending the evening with his brothers." It was a lie. I had no idea what his plans were for the night, but thankfully, I was spot on. I know how close the entire family is, so it wasn't a far-fetched guess on my part.

Merrick studies me for several long heartbeats before he turns and smiles at my mom. "She's right. I'm having dinner with my brothers, but let Court know when and I'll be there." He gives my shoulder a gentle squeeze, letting me know he's picking up on the tension I'm feeling. Oddly, it relaxes me.

"Oh, yes, of course." Mom glances over her shoulder at the table where his brothers are laughing and cutting up. I do the same and see one of them looking our way. Maverick Kincaid, Merrick's twin brother.

It's easy to tell them apart. For one, Maverick is wearing his wedding ring. Two, Merrick stopped and talked to me, and three—well, three is a little harder to explain. I just know Merrick is the one standing next to me. It's like there's this tether of a connection between us since he agreed to bail me out.

Maverick's eyes find mine, and he waves, with a smirk tugging at his lips. I do the same before peering up at Merrick. I mouth, "Thank you," and he gives me a subtle nod. "I'll call you later?" I offer.

He smiles down at me. "You better." For the second time tonight, he bends and kisses my cheek. His hot breath against my skin affects me in ways it shouldn't. I find myself squirming in my seat as he says goodbye to my mother and walks away.

"He's so handsome," Mom coos. She starts to look over her shoulder, but I stop her.

"Mom," I hiss.

"What?" She shrugs.

"It's new. Don't be weird." I widen my eyes at her, giving her a warning look to chill the hell out.

"So new that he's willing to be your date to your sister's wedding three months from now?" She raises a curious brow, and I huff out a breath.

"Yes. It's been a few months, and things are going well between us, but it's still new."

My mother nods as if she understands. I'm glad she does because I'm literally spouting off random shit to get her to leave this topic of conversation behind us and to keep her from staring at Merrick and his brothers all night.

Even though I just scolded her, my eyes have a mind of their own as they quickly scan to the table of men. Merrick is laughing and smiling as if he doesn't have a care in the world. He must feel my gaze because his eyes meet mine, and I swear I see something in them soften. He winks and turns back to his brothers.

How is this my life?

Shaking out of my stupor, our pizza arrives, and I force myself to enjoy this dinner with my mother and take the reprieve she's offered. I can see the questions in her eyes, and it's killing her not to ask, but she's sticking to her word and letting me have the night off from her inquisition. I'm grateful.

"I'm stuffed," I say, pushing my plate back from me.

"You and me both," Mom says, wiping her mouth and doing the same. "That hit the spot."

"Dad's going to be pumped when he gets home to see these leftovers." I laugh. Hawaiian pizza was a staple in our house growing up. All four of us love it—it's our favorite.

"You sure you don't want them?" she asks.

"Nah, let Dad indulge."

"You know he will." She smiles softly. I can see the love in her eyes to this day when she talks about my father.

I know she wants that for me. She's thrilled Chloe has found that kind of love with Rodney, and me, the last one standing, she just wants me to find happiness. I understand, but the pressure is sometimes too much. Okay, most of the time it's too much.

Mom and I say goodbye, and we stand to leave. I'm sliding out of the booth when I see a hand appear before me. I look up to see Merrick. "Hey." I smile up at him. He's sexy, and handsome, and hot as hell. I can't manage more than a simple greeting to the man who's saving my ass.

"Can I walk you to your car?" he offers.

"You don't have to do that." I glance over to the table where he was sitting.

"We're done eating. Now, we're just shooting the shit. Let me walk you to your car."

"How sweet. I'm going to take care of the bill." My mom hustles away like her ass is on fire. I know she thinks she's giving us some alone time, and I have no doubt she's going to be staring at us once she gets to the counter.

My shoulders fall as I place my hand in his and allow him to help me stand from the booth. "Thank you for tonight. I'm so sorry, Merrick. I had planned to call you to give you a chance to back out, and you still can. I know this is a lot," I ramble, rushing to get the words out.

He surprises me when he lifts his hand and cradles my cheek. "Breathe, Courtney."

I pull in a sharp breath. "Sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I agreed to help you, and I'm a man of my word. I don't need an out. You need to relax or we're never going to pull this off."

"She's watching us."

"I assumed she would be." He grins.

"I don't know how I'm ever going to repay you for this."

"Easy. You're going to help me decorate my house. I need furniture to fill it up and curtains and dishes and all that stuff. I could have my mom or my sisters-in-law, or my cousin, Ramsey, help me, but it's something I want to do on my own. Well, outside of my family." He smiles at me. "When you're a twin, you don't get much of your own time, your own thoughts, and this is that for me. I want to create my home on my own. Without leaning on my family." He offers me a quirky grin. "So, I'm just going to lean on you. I'll need a woman's touch."

I can't help but smile back at him. "That I can do. Thank you again, so much."

"You're welcome, Court. Now, give me your hand, and let me be the kick-ass boyfriend I am and walk my girl to her car." He winks, drops his hand from my cheek, and laces his fingers with mine.

He leads me to the front of the restaurant, where my mother meets us. "I look forward to dinner," he says politely. "Can I walk you to your car?" he offers, never letting go of my hand.

"Oh, heavens no. You kids say your goodbyes. Courtney, I'll call you to make plans." She leans in for a hug.

I try to pull away from Merrick, but he just holds my hand tighter, preventing me from doing so.

"Love you," Mom says. I can hear the excitement in her voice.

"Love you too."

She practically skips out of Pizza Town.

"You made her night," I tell Merrick, watching through the glass door as my mother climbs into her car and pulls out of her parking spot.

"Yeah? What about yours?"

I peer up at him. "You saved me. Again."

A slow, sexy grin tugs at the corner of his mouth. "Come on, let's get you to your car." Pushing open the door, my hand still firmly in his, he leads us outside and to my vehicle. I unlock the door, and he pulls it open for me.

"You know, we really have to sell this if we want people to believe us."

"There is no one around to sell it to."

He chuckles. "Courtney, if you think for one second this entire town isn't going to be talking about the two of us, you're mistaken. You grew up in Willow River. You know that word travels fast."

"Yeah, but not yet."

He shrugs. "I guess we need to give them something to talk about, then." Before I can decipher his meaning, he's leaning in and pressing his lips to mine. It's a chaste kiss as far as kisses go, but the heat of his touch, the firm press of his lips against mine has my body craving more.

More kisses.

More of him.

This is bad.

"Text me when you make it home," he says, pulling away.

"You don't have to worry about me. I'll make it home just fine."

"You're my girl now, Court. It's my job to worry about you. Text me when you get home."

"We're pretending," I whisper, because I need the reminder.

"And we're going to sell this. I'm all in, baby." His lips press to my forehead, and I melt. I've read about this kind of reaction in my romance novels, but I've never experienced it.

Merrick Kincaid just made me swoon with not only his words but his actions.

I'm in so much trouble. I'm in over my head with this man. "I'll text you."

"Good girl." He steps back and waits for me to slide behind the wheel and buckle my seat belt before closing the door and tapping the roof of my car. My hands are shaking as I reverse out of my spot and drive home.

I refuse to look in the rearview mirror to see if he's standing there. Instead, I keep my eyes firmly on the road and repeat to myself over and over again that we're pretending. This isn't real, and I cannot, under any circumstances, allow myself to fall for Merrick Kincaid because in three months, this will all be over, and my heart will be shattered.