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Charlie:Sorry if that sounded creepy. I just meant the green seemed like it would suit you.

I feel a blush creeping up my cheeks. Is he flirting with me?

No, this is just Charlie being Charlie. Charming, funny, completely oblivious to the effect he has on me.

Me:No worries. The green is my favorite too. Though they're all stunning.

I pause, then text again.

Me:Your wallet must be feeling pretty light after this shopping spree.

His response comes quickly.

Charlie:Worth every penny if it helps sell our story. Plus, you deserve to feel beautiful.

My heart does that weird flip-flop thing again. I’m going to have to figure out how to be around him without being a total mess. I stare at his last message, unsure how to respond. My fingers hover over the keyboard, but nothing feels right. Too flirty, too casual, too desperate.

I finally settle on a simple response.

Me:Thanks, Charlie. Goodnight.

Charlie:Night, Tess. Sweet dreams.

I lean back against my pillows, my mind racing. This fake dating thing is going to be harder than I thought. How am I supposed to act like a normal person when just a text message from him has me all flustered? And how am I supposed to remember it's all pretend when he says things like that?

Chapter 8

Charlie

“Ihaven’t seen her this way in a long time,” Jane says with an amused smile. The three of us watch Tess while she schmoozes with Senator Ross. She tips her head back and laughs at something the senator said. I’ve never noticed before how melodic her laugh is.

“She seems to be having a lot of fun,” I respond and Trey nods in agreement.

“How many has she had?” Jane asks, taking a sip of her Chardonnay.

“I don’t know. A few. She doesn’t seem drunk though. More like just energized.”

“That’s always been an amazing thing about Tess. She can totally hold her alcohol. She’s drunk me under the table numerous times over the years,” Jane interjects. “Be careful though. It will hit her at some point, and it’ll hit hard.”

“I just hope it doesn’t hit while Mom and Dad are watching. They’re so damn pleased that I finally brought a “respectable” date to a wedding.” Jane and I both laugh while we watch Tess head to the dance floor with the senator, daintily holding onto his arm.

“It’s like some magical elixir that turns an introvert into the most loquacious extrovert.” Jane grins up at me.

“I wish it worked that way for this introvert,” Trey says, rocking back on his heels. “These events are always torture for me.”

Poor Trey. He hates these things. Perhaps he should have thought about that before marrying my sister. She’ll whine and moan about them, but she always ends up having a great time and is one of the last people to leave.

I have more of a love-hate relationship with weddings. I love the social part but don’t like the business relationship-building part. Plus, except for a handful of them, most of my dates have been problematic, causing some kind of stir.

It’s a gorgeous day for a wedding though, sunny with a warm breeze and not an insect in sight. A huge white tent has been set up on the rolling green lawn, but most people are milling around on the outskirts of the tent, enjoying the rare western Washington sunshine.

Daphne is a beautiful bride in a very traditional over-the-top wedding gown. She seems totally in her element, moving from group to group, chatting with friends and family. Rence is glued to her side, smiling though looking somewhat distracted. I wonder how he’s feeling right now. Is he happy he made the leap? Or terrified? He looks a little shell-shocked.

I watch my buddy Stratton dance with his wife Ariel. It wasn’t that long ago that I was in their wedding. Standing by his side as one of his groomsmen, I couldn’t believe how calm and collected Stratton was right before the ceremony. He seemed to be completely at ease with his decision, no second-guessing himself. So far, they seem to be happy as clams, enjoying their life together with their daughter Chloe.

The song is about to end, and I head to the dance floor to steal Tess from the senator. It’s a perfect opportunity to sayhello to him; it’s been years. As one of the most influential men around, he’s usually difficult to get time with. Tess has done a tremendous job with that today though. Can you blame him though? She’s stunning and totally charismatic.

Tess is wearing the floral dress Charlotte picked out. It hugs her in all the right places. She’s done her makeup and hair, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look this beautiful. She’s always been pretty but, since she’s Jane’s best friend, I pretended not to notice.