Page 58 of The Love Hoax

“Just pulled into Tahoe. Nice, right?”

Evie yawns. “It’s incredible.”

“Glad you’re awake to see it.”

She glances at the clock on the dash. “Wow, is that the time?”

“Yep.”

“You were out cold. Didn’t want to wake you.”

Evie breaks from taking in the magnificent view to face me. “Thanks for letting me rest. I haven’t slept this much in years.” Sheturns back to look out the window. “Do we have time to explore the area?”

“I figured you might want to check it out. I allotted a few buffer hours for the trip. Meals, time to stretch our legs, and such.” I point to a dock in the distance. “If you want, we can grab a bite over there. Best views in town. And they have amazing burgers.”

Evie sits up. “Okay, let’s do it.”

I park near the pier, a minute walk to the burger stand and take hold of Evie’s hand. “Ready, Ronna?”

She smiles. “You bet.”

Chapter Forty-One

Evie

We’re sitting side-by-side on the wood-planked dock, our legs dangling off the edge. I sense a change in Adam. He’s quieter, lost in his thoughts. When I woke, the threads of my dreams fading, the glorious view in the distance, I wondered why I live where I do when places like this exist.

Maybe it’s the serene surroundings but I can practically feel my blood pressure reach a new low. The lake is a mesmerizing shade between blue and green, reflecting the swaths of surrounding pine trees. A sloop sails by, its mainsail taut in the wind.

A takeout bag and two cups of iced tea are positioned between us. I bite into my burger, juices squishing out the sides, missing my jeans by a hair. “Oh wow, that’s good,” I manage. I’m not only sleeping more but my appetite has gone crazy. I can’t stop eating.

“Told ya.”

“I’m never going to fit into my dress.”

I pause, realization hitting me. “Oh no, I don’thavea dress.” And if I’m a soon-to-be member of the family, I’ll need the right color dress. We’re arriving shortly before the festivities. No time for shopping.

“Taken care of.”

Though relieved, I’m unsure what that means. I hope whoever took care of it has tacked on an inch or two to my waistline measurements. Adam meets my gaze. “You’re going to look stunning.”

I flush. “Thanks . . . sweetheart.”

Adam freezes mid-bite. Then, “You’re role playing.”

I grin. “Yep. How’d I do?”

“Convincing.” He looks away.

It hits me that maybe this whole charade is confusing for him too. I wipe my mouth with napkins I find in the takeaway bag. “How do you know Tahoe so well?”

“I used to come here in college. I worked at the resorts as a waiter.”

“You’ve come a long way since then.”

Adam nibbles on a packet of ketchup and squeezes it out over his cardboard pouch of fries. “No question. But it wasn’t always easy. Fry?”

“Don’t mind if I do,” I say, savoring the saltiness.