Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 141676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 708(@200wpm)___ 567(@250wpm)___ 472(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 708(@200wpm)___ 567(@250wpm)___ 472(@300wpm)
“So tell me,” Nana says, clasping her hands together and looking at Dexter. “What are your plans for my granddaughter?”
I almost spit out my cake.
“Nana! You can’t be so direct,” I whisper.
“You can and you will when you’re this old, hon. You’ll understand some day. After seventy years, a person gets awfully sick of beating around the bush.”
Oh my God, this is it.
The end of me.
I’m also getting horrible flashbacks of the time she dropped the same question on Liam and he gave her an answer that haunts me to this day.
Why, I wanna marry her, Jo. Isn’t it obvious?
If Dexter tells her he wants to marry me, I will die.
Like this will become a 9-1-1 emergency.
Also, I can’t bear to see Nana’s hopes destroyed again.
To endure the ugly whispers from my cousins a second time, the sad sympathetic looks when it’s all over, the smiling assurances that ‘someday you’ll find your man’ that are supposed to be kind but just come off as annoying.
Dexter frowns at me, just slightly, the tips of his brows pulling together. The expression is echoed in his eyes.
I don’t dare shake my head. Not when Nana’s watching like he’s holding the key to the universe. I’m frozen inside.
“Well,” he says slowly, still looking at me, “Junie’s pretty special, huh?”
Please, I beg, wishing I could beam my thoughts into his head. Please don’t mention getting married.
“We’re coming up on six months together,” he continues, glancing back at Nana as he drapes his arm over the back of my chair. “You’re a lovely lady, Jo, and I can’t be anything but straight with you. We haven’t made any big plans for the future yet. There’s a good chance that’s coming someday, but we’re focused on today. And right now, we love spending time together. Right, Junie?”
“R-right,” I sputter breathlessly.
God, it’s suddenly too hot in here.
Dex’s arm presses against my shoulders with a slight pressure that reminds me he’s here.
He’s doing everything he can.
He’s here, acting his heart out and handling Nana delicately so he can satisfy my end of the deal and fix his mistakes.
My heart swells.
“Hmmm. Interesting answer,” Nana says, sitting back in her chair. “I guess I won’t have to chase you out of here with a shotgun just yet. If you’re good to my Junie, then you’re good to me, and from what I’ve seen this evening, sir, you know how to make her smile.”
The tension dissipates so fast I feel like I’ve been dropped back into my own body.
Holy crap.
We pulled it off.
She believes his fake boyfriend act.
She likes him.
In the long run, that makes this whole thing so much worse. But tonight, it’s the win we need.
“Junie, be a dear and come help me find a new bottle of wine.” Nana gets up from the table and beckons me over.
With a longing glance, Dexter removes his arm and I head into her walk-in pantry. She closes the pocket door behind me.
“Okay, let’s hear it. What do you really think?” I ask.
“Oh, he’s wonderful!” she whispers. “Don’t you dare let a man like him slip through your fingers, missy.”
I sigh.
Did I mention there were drawbacks to spinning the perfect illusion?
“He’s Dex,” I say simply.
So convincing. Great acting, Junie.
“Truth be told, he reminds me a little of your grandfather when he was young,” she says, clasping her hands together, a dreamy look on her face.
Oh no. Now she’s showering him with the highest praise.
Granddad died when I was a kid so I don’t remember much. Just the odd sun-bleached memory at the back of my head. But I do remember the way they looked at each other and that vibrant smile I haven’t seen on Nana’s face since he left.
“No way,” I say, almost out of habit.
“Yes, yes.” She opens the wine fridge and starts sifting through bottles. “You’re young and in love and you’re making your old grandmother jealous.”
Then I see it.
She moves quickly, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.
I’m instantly sliced in half.
I have a sudden urge to drop the act and fess up, to fall to my knees and confess my stupidity, to tell her I’m so not in love with Dexter Rory.
We’re barely on speaking terms.
In a normal dating situation, he’d be the guy I’d unmatch the second he goes off about sugar being devil dust.
But I, Juniper Winkley, am a terrible coward.
And even if my honesty cost me everything and I had to pay back Dexter Rory every red cent, leaving the Sugar Bowl stuck in nowhereland, it still wouldn’t be a fraction as scary as facing Nana when she thinks she’s seen Granddad’s second coming. If she finds out we’re pulling one over on her…
My eyes sting.
I decide to keep my dumb mouth shut while she stands up and turns, cradling a bottle of blueberry wine. “Too sweet for his palate?”