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She felt the phone vibrate again in her purse, a harsh reminder of what had brought them here. Luca. She’d changed the setup while at the boutique so her managers could reach her through a different app with a distinct alert pattern. She couldn’t leave them unsupported, but she was done with Luca’s constant interruptions.

Rhett must have noticed something. “Getting tired?”

“A little. I think I’m just overwhelmed,” she admitted.

“Who wouldn’t be?” He meandered along, his hand available should she choose to hold it.

It was a subtle move. Only the most observant person might see it as a question. Here in this crowd no one was watching them closely. That would change at tomorrow night’s reception, and when they got back to South Carolina, his family would surely watch her like a hawk.

She eased her hand into his solid warmth. His hands were strong from his hours in the boxing ring. Max had shared some fun stories of Rhett’s training—both the early mishaps and the more recent successes.

Overhead, colors blazed from peach to indigo as the sun sank into the horizon. “This time tomorrow, we’ll be exchanging vows,” he said.

“Are we crazy?”

“I’m sure someone will say so,” he admitted. “But we know what we’re doing.”

She hoped so. “Your parents will be in shock.” She had fond memories of Mr. and Mrs. Ellington, but Rhett marrying her—especially out of the blue like this—would turn things upside down.

“Not for long. They raised us well and emphasized the importance of being happy.”

“Will they believe I make you happy?”

He laughed. “Of course.”

She hoped his confidence proved true. More, she hoped she could match his skill at convincing others they were delighted with each other.

Tonight felt like a real date, despite her woefully limited experience. She hadn’t known Rhett could be romantic. Thoughtful and patient had not been his obvious strong suits when they were kids. Not hers either, if she were honest.

She’d been so desperate to get as far away from an unbearable situation as she could—physically and emotionally. As a result, she’d handled many things poorly that year. Everything. She’d cut communication with her parents, stopped interacting with close friends, and struggled to bond with her classmates in that French internship.

Seeing Rhett in France had both frightened and annoyed her. One more person who might look at her and know she’d been fooled by a smooth-talking, handsome young man with big ambition. Luca had talked often about his future plans, boldly including her. The daydreaming had been flattering and fun, until he’d stopped listening to her hopes, carelessly adjusting her goals to fit his plans.

If only she’d heeded the warning from her intuition, she might never have been caught in his snare at all.

“Your mind is wandering,” Rhett said as they left the excitement of Mallory Square behind.

“A little,” she confessed. As they walked along, she felt relaxed and protected with him at her side. For the first time in nearly a decade, she felt the whole story bubbling up. A strange temptation to tell him everything came over her, but he’d done so much already. He’d be tied down into their charade for months to come. He didn’t need to take all that on and her baggage too.

“I’m a good listener.”

“Hm.” She didn’t want to wreck the happy mood of the day. “You don’t seem to be fazed by any of this.” She surprisedherself, leaning into him a little, savoring the tingly rush under her skin.

They crossed the street, and though plenty of people milled about, moving between various bars and restaurants, she felt as if they were in their own bubble of quiet.

“We could walk back to the Cove, but it’s a hike,” he warned. “I’ll call for a car.”

“Don’t bother.” She did a quick heel-toe move with her foot, showing off her cute wedge sandals. “These are far more comfortable than they look. I could hike ten miles.”

“I wouldn’t put you through that.” He gave her hand a light squeeze. “Before you argue, that’s not an insult. I wouldn’t put myself through that.”

She cocked her head to look at him. “You wouldn’t put yourself through walking ten miles with me or you wouldn’t put yourself through walking ten miles at all?”

He gave her a deceptively innocent look. “It can be both.”

She bumped him as he laughed outright, then her own giggles escaped. “Look at us.” She tipped her gaze to the dark sky overhead. “I guess people might believe this is the real deal after all.”

Until Rhett started visiting his sister more frequently, Trina couldn’t remember a time they could be in the same room without glowering at one another. Even a few months ago, when her Inn had hosted his family for brunch, he’d been all scowly and growly around her.