6. Hallie

The walk back to Josh’s house is nice. We talk back and forth about nothing really, both of us avoiding the predicament we have forced ourselves into, and it almost feels like old times. Like the old Hallie and Josh who would spend hours together, with and without Maddie, and never got bored or tired of one another. I can still feel the anger and stress radiating off of him, but I can also feel his playfulness that always used to appear between us. He teases me, makes fun of me, but then asks about my classes, and what I’ve been reading lately, and I can almost forget that he’s about to become my fake husband.

That is until we reach the path that leads up to his house, and he pauses, pulling his arm from mine and looking at me solemnly. “You should know that Daemon knows about us,” he starts, and when I look at him in confusion he adds, “About our arrangement I mean, that this thing between us is fake.”

I blow out a slow breath, wondering why out of all the people he would have told him, but all I can say is, “Okay.” The word fake makes tears burn at the back of my eyes, but like I’ve practiced a million times I force them away.

“Levi probably also suspects something is up considering he was privy to information when I dealt with Thorne, but I haven’t told him anything, and I know he probably won’t care enough to ask. Landon is my friend and teammate, but I am keeping him in the dark along with everyone else,” he tells me, and I nod along knowing he’s right, but hating the reminder anyway. “So the only people that know the truth are me, you, Maddie, and Daemon, and possibly Levi” he tells me firmly.

“And Nova,” I add mindlessly, and he pauses whatever else he was going to say and looks at me with a frown. A frown that makes me roll my eyes, because it seems even the fact that his own sister is now dating him has not made him like the captain of his hockey team even a fraction more. “Look, I know you hate him, and I also know that deep down you know hating him for something both your parents did is ridiculous, but Nova and Maddie are together now, and you have to accept that.”

He scoffs at my reply. “In what way am I not accepting it? I’m only marrying you so she can be with him,” he snaps, and his words are like a slap in the face.

I try not to let it knock my ego too much given his stress about everything, but still I can’t help but snark, “And what a prize that is for me.”

His face softens in regret as he rushes to say, “Hals, I’m sorry, you know I didn’t mean it like that, it’s just the guy’s a douche. I don’t know what she sees in him.” I don’t bother listing the many assets that not just Maddie, but half the female population here at FU see in Nova Darkmore, and instead just laugh.

“And I’m sure there are some people who are going to wonder what I see in my lovely future husband,” I muse in response, and he smiles, shaking his head.

“Look, all I’m saying is this has to look like it’s real,” he pleads, reaching out and pulling my hand into his, and I try my best to hide the effect he has on me as I smile and nod.

“So let’s go and put on a show.” I hold out my hand to indicate for him to lead the way, and he only pauses for a couple of seconds before he nods, and turns and leads us up the path towards his house.

When we enter I brace myself for the smell of sweaty jocks, but am pleasantly surprised to find it smells fresh and almost like oranges. This isn’t my first time here, but with the exception of a couple of parties, Josh made it perfectly clear to Mads and I when we started at FU that this was his space, which we both respected. Unlike on the nights of parties, the house now is clean and organized. Sure there are some shoes tossed by the door, a couple of discarded hockey bags, but everything else is mostly tidy.

We find his three housemates all home and occupied, until we walk in that is. Two of them are sitting on the sofa playing video games, and the third is in the kitchen alone, headphones on, and humming quietly to himself as he cooks, but it’s clear they all note his arrival.

“Peters, finally man, come and help me kick Cooper’s ass, he’s…” The guy I know to be one of Josh’s friends, Levi Jones, trails off when he realizes that Josh hasn’t come home alone.

Levi moved to Fairfield when Josh was a freshman in high school and with their shared love of hockey they struck up an easy friendship. Most people mistake them for being best friends, and they are really close, but I know Josh well enough to know that he still keeps him at arm”s length for most things. Being close to Josh myself means I knew him pretty well before we went to FU together and right now I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.

“Hallie, hey, didn’t expect to see you here,” Levi adds, looking between us in confusion, which only intensifies when his gaze drops down and he notices our interlocked hands.

Levi doesn’t get a chance to add anything else because his words have now brought the attention of his buddy beside him. “Oh my god, Josh brought home a girl, Christmas miracles must be coming early this year,” Landon Cooper booms, pausing the game and tossing his controller on the table in front of him as he makes no secret of checking me out.

“Alright you pair of neanderthals, no need to be dramatic,” Josh starts, his words casual, but I don’t miss the not so casual step he takes towards them, while tucking me half behind him. “You’ll be seeing a lot more of her, so get used to it,” he tells them, and despite now being half-hidden, I still see both their eyes widen.

“Damn, Peters, I know you had a no touching rule for her, but I didn’t think it was because you were banging her yourself, you dog,” Landon drawls, diving off the sofa and holding his hand up for a high five.

“Watch your fucking mouth, Cooper, or I’ll watch it for you,” Josh snaps, making both his housemates look at him in surprise, and I notice we now have the attention of Daemon Forbes from the kitchen, but all I can focus on is what Landon just said.

I know you had a no touching rule for her

What the hell does that mean?

Landon holds his hands up in defense as Levi comes to join him at his side. “Sorry man, we just didn’t realize you had a girl,” Landon says carefully, noting the protective stance Josh has in front of me, and I can’t help but feel bad for him.

“She’s my fiancée and you and everyone else in this house will treat her with respect,” Josh grits, not backing down from his anger, and Levi’s eyes flare wide.

“Fiancée?” he splutters, clearly taken aback by this whole situation, and I can feel this thing falling apart before it’s even begun, which is why I know I need to take a stand.

I step out from behind Josh, squaring my shoulders and standing firm at his side. “You can’t honestly be this surprised, Levi, I mean how long have we known each other? You must have known how I truly felt about him,” I tell him with as much conviction as I can muster, which isn’t hard considering everything I just said is true. Then I lean into Josh and add, “I just had to wait for this dumbass to realize how amazing I am.” I mix it with my signature eye roll for effect, and Josh scoffs a laugh, placing his arm around my waist.

“Oh yeah, with every barb from your lips I just fell head over heels,” he drawls sarcastically, selling the lie even more.

“Don’t think I won’t dick punch you in front of your friends,” I tell him, and both Levi and Landon laugh.

“I guess I’ve been a dumbass too,” Levi admits, appraising us again, and it’s an effort not to squirm under his stare, but thankfully his friend lightens the mood.

“I knew you were a kinky fucker, Peters, but dick punching, really?” Landon laughs, shaking his head, but I feel Josh tense around me at his words, as if Landon just uncovered a secret, yet still I smile.

“Careful now, the dick punching is widely available,” I warn him, coming to Josh’s defense, and Landon narrows his eyes at me, but I don’t back down.

Josh takes one warning step forward, ready to intervene, that tension back in his hold on me, but Landon rolls his eyes. “Whatever,” he snarls, stomping back to the sofa and picking up his controller to continue his game.

“Alright, Tink, let’s go,” Josh tells me, pulling me away from the living room, towards the kitchen.

When I turn I find that Daemon is still watching us, the knife in his hand paused as he takes in the situation before him. He is still wearing his headphones, but there is no longer any humming. In fact, it seems the only thing he is listening to now is our conversation. There is a look in his eye that I can’t seem to decipher, a look so intense it makes me shiver in Josh’s hold as he moves us towards him.

“What’s on the menu?” Josh asks, slipping away from where I stand to check out the ingredients on the island. “Oh chicken piccata, nice,” he adds, answering his own question, as if he expected that Daemon wouldn’t, especially given that the man in question is still watching me silently. “Can’t wait, it smells delicious,” Josh continues on, not seeming to care that his friend isn’t responding.

No, Daemon Forbes continues to stare at me, as if his eyes can dissect every secret I have ever had, and it unnerves me completely. We aren’t exactly familiar with one another, and I find myself thinking back to the game of truth or dare we played a few weeks ago with some of his other teammates. Alexander Reign dared me to kiss Archer, something that was only slightly awkward given I know Archer pretty well thanks to the economics class we share. Yet it isn’t the kiss that sticks in my mind, but Daemon’s reaction to it. He didn’t say anything, just like now, but he watched it like he both enjoyed it and hated it at the same time. Yet I could still feel Daemon’s stare, except he wasn’t looking at me, he was looking at Archer, and I can’t help but wonder if he has some secrets of his own to divulge.

“Well we’ve got some wedding planning to do,” Josh interrupts my thoughts, and I watch as Daemon finally turns his way, sharing a knowing look with him and Josh nods.

Then he leads me away from the kitchen and up the stairs, and I feel Daemon’s stare on us every step of the way.

When I decided earlier that we needed to come here, I don’t think I thought it out fully, because as we reach Josh’s room, and he pushes open the door, I find that I brace myself slightly. It’s been a long time since I have been in his bedroom, and despite the fact I agreed to marry him, this feels really strange. Of course I am used to him in my space. He is over at the house all the time, and has found himself in my room on numerous occasions, but since his dad’s affair he has always kept his own space private. I feel like I am entering Narnia or something as we walk inside, and I can’t help my eyes from flying everywhere.

His room is just as clean and tidy as it always was when we were kids, confirming he is still a total neat freak, and I can’t help but smile. His bed is made, curtains drawn open, desk tidy, no clothes on the floor, and I roll my eyes when I see he still keeps a checklist on his notice board, yet he makes fun of my lists any chance he gets. I walk around the whole room, inspecting everything my eyes land on, and even smiling at the shelf with photo frames on it. Something personal in this cold and tidy world of his.

In the first frame there is a picture of him and Maddie from when they were kids, but it’s the other picture that grabs my attention. Not just because I am in it, but because I have seen it before. I used to sleep with it under my pillow when my crush for him was really bad, but I didn’t know he had a copy. This picture was taken on my prom night. Maddie and I were all dressed up, and she forced Josh to take a picture with us. He stands tall and broad in between the two of us and I can remember the feeling of his arm against my bare skin like it was yesterday. When I got my copy I folded my best friend out of it until there was only me and Josh, and the fantasies I created in my head of that night are still used in my nightly rotation to fall asleep now. Of course I had to tuck the picture deep into a box when I moved in with Maddie, but seeing it now, here, makes me smile.

By the time I turn back to Josh, I realize I must have been looking at his room a lot longer than I realized, because he is standing in the corner, watching me carefully, as if waiting for me to make a comment about his room. Feeling both exposed and nervous, I don’t comment on his room, and instead go with, “So what’s the deal with Daemon?”

My question throws him completely and his frown is instant. “What do you mean, what”s the deal with him?” He throws back, not seeming to know what I’m referring to in the slightest.

“I mean, you know, he seems really intense, scary even,” I shrug, knowing I’m not really explaining what I mean how I want to, but Josh is already shaking his head.

“He isn’t scary, he’s particular, misunderstood,” Josh states coldly, moving towards me, and letting his stare flick to the picture of us over my shoulder, before coming back to me. “Daemon Forbes is one of the best people I have ever met, you just need to get to know him.”

I nod, knowing that if Josh is vouching for him, then I can believe it, and because his closeness to me is intoxicating, I push away from the shelves and move to take a seat on the end of his bed. “So, wedding plans?” I say, clearing my throat and pretending all of this is completely normal, and he turns to me with a look of surprise.

“Hallie, you are doing me this huge favor, one I will never be able to fully repay, so please don’t worry about a thing. I will sort everything, the minister, the location, the rings, just leave it to me,” he tells me, moving across his room towards his desk. “And speaking of rings,” he adds, opening the top drawer and pulling out a back velvet box. He moves back towards me, his height towering over me as he reaches where I sit on the end of his bed and holds out the box towards me. “This is for you.”

I know what’s inside the box, I’d have to be stupid to not know what a little black velvet box houses, even if we weren’t already fake engaged. Yet I can’t make my hand reach out and take it. Not when it’s currently shaking so hard that all I would do is drop the thing. Again, I’m not stupid. I knew there would be a ring, but I guess I didn’t truly think about this moment, and what it would mean to walk around with his fake claim to me on my finger.

I flick my stare up to Josh and find him watching me closely with an amused grin as he purrs, “Do I have to get on my knees again for you to take it? I know how much you’d enjoy that.”

I scoff at him, yet still it takes everything I have to keep my hand steady as I slowly reach out and take the box from his hand. He doesn’t move away like I expect him to, even when I take it. Instead he keeps his eyes on mine as I slowly open the box and reveal the most beautiful piece of jewelry I have ever seen in my entire life.

I’m not sure what I ever expected in an engagement ring, but it’s as if he climbed inside my brain and curated the most perfect design for me from the very essence of my desires. There is a large oval diamond sitting in the center, with green sapphire petals perched on either side of it, all set on a shiny platinum band. It’s simple and elegant, and takes my breath away completely.

“I don’t know what to say,” I tell him truthfully, not trusting myself to not get emotional. “It’s so beautiful it almost looks real,” I add in a whisper, still just staring at it, and to my surprise he drops to his knees before me.

“Don’t insult me, Hallie, of course it’s real,” he snaps, rolling his eyes as if the idea of having a fake ring for a fake marriage is totally ridiculous, yet still I say nothing. “I know it’s no ring pop, but as soon as I saw it, I thought of you,” he tells me innocently, not realizing he is making the heart that beats for him and only him, soar even higher. “Like Tinkerbell in a ring,” he laughs, taking the box back from my hand and plucking the ring from it.

The very real ring with three very real, very huge, gemstones.

Then he reaches out and takes my left hand, slowly pushing the ring into place for where it will remain for who knows how long. It’s as if that thought resonates with both of us, because as soon as it’s on my finger we both just pause and stare at it for a few seconds, and then when our gazes collide it’s like something shifts between us. Like this ring, and this lie, will change everything. I see something in his eyes similar to the day on the rock when he tried to kiss me, and just like that day I panic and shoot to my feet.

“Okay, so if you’re sorting the wedding stuff out, then talk to me about your dad,” I blurt, forcing myself to breathe deeply as I pretend to casually move around his room.

I ignore his sigh, and don’t watch him get back to his feet, and before he even speaks I can feel the coldness seeping back in. “I can handle my father, leave it to me.” Words I have heard a hundred times before, and they sound less believable every time.

“No,” I tell him flatly, and when I turn back towards him I find him watching me as if he misheard me. “That’s right, I said no. Someone dares to have the audacity to say no to the golden boy.” I throw his family nickname out and feel a little regret when I see him flinch, but I push on. “I’m in this now, Joshua, whether you like it or not you brought me in, so let me in, let me help,” I plead, moving towards him and pretending I don’t feel the weight of his ring on my finger. “Not just as your almost wife, but as your best friend,” I add, using a title I haven’t dared to use in years.

Josh stares at me, absorbing every one of my words until he sighs, “You’re a pain in my ass, you know that right?”

“And yet you want to marry me, so it sounds like you’re the problem to me,” I fire back, and he laughs, shaking his head, sitting on the bed and gesturing for me to take a seat on the chair by his desk.

“So I think we can both agree my dad is an asshole,” he starts, and I don’t bother voicing my agreement, Josh knows how I feel about Hugo Peters, and it isn’t pretty. “Well I’ve been watching him for years, waiting for him to trip up, just so I could have something, anything on him, and I think I finally found it.”

My interest is fully piqued, because if anyone needs knocking down a peg or two, it’s the Mayor. “What did you find?”

“I’m not sure exactly. I heard him talking in his office a few weeks back, before I offered myself up to him, about making new deals even if he has to wait for a return on his investment. It was then I saw some papers on his desk that looked like they were from an offshore account, but before I could get a good look he came back. Then I knew I needed help, so I asked around, disguised my interest for what I needed until I was given a name.” He leans back and reaches into his pocket, pulling out a piece of paper and handing it to me.

“Lincoln Blackwell?” I read out loud, the name not sounding familiar at all. “Who is he?” I ask, returning my stare to Josh, and he shrugs.

“Apparently he is the go-to guy for finding shit out and getting shit done. He works over in Black Hallows, and only takes meetings in person if he deems you worthy.” I’d say Josh almost sounds impressed by him and his reputation, and I wonder if he is jealous about the fact.

“And are you worthy?” I ask, not joking, but he smiles anyway, standing and walking over to where I sit at his desk, spinning my chair, and leaning down beside me to open his laptop.

“Let’s find out.” I ignore his scent as it surrounds me, the heat of his arm as it presses against my own, and watch as he opens up a new email thread, writes a quick summary about needing his services, and then uses the information on the piece of paper to send it away.

“Now what?” I ask, and I feel his answering shrug against me.

“Now, we wait.”