Page 22 of A Real Good Lie

Jace tightened his arm around Callahan and spun them so their backs were to Rhys.

“Rhys,” Callahan muttered, fighting in the slightest against Jace’s push toward baggage claim and turning back around. He didn’t want to have this conversation and he especially didn’t want to have it in the middle of the airport, but he’d been raised to be polite, and so he would.

“Haven’t seen you in a while,” Rhys said.

“There’s no reason for us to see each other,” Callahan reminded him. “We aren’t anything to each other anymore.”

“And here I was, going to invite you to the wedding.”

Beside him, Jace made a choking sound, and Callahan knew the news of Rhys being engaged was probably coming as a shock. Callahan hadn’t mentioned it, though to be fair, he hadn’t mentioned much.

“We’re busy that weekend,” Jace told Rhys.

“You don’t even know when it is.”

“We’re busy every weekend.” Jace slipped his hand down Callahan’s back and squeezed his ass.

“Jace!” Callahan jumped and yelped, caught off-guard by the brazen display of affection. Even if Jace had been his real boyfriend, which wouldn’t have been bad though never a real possibility, that wasn’t something to be done where others could see.

“We need to get our bags, babe,” Jace said, a smirk on his lips. Callahan didn’t hate the basic endearment or the way it sounded coming out of Jace’s mouth.But it’s just pretend,he tried desperately to remind himself. Jace was smooth. Callahan remembered the night they met clearly and he remembered how close he was to letting Jace drag him home and do much more than kiss him.

“Right.” He took a deep breath and looked at Rhys. “See you later, then.”

“That’s it?” Rhys put his hands on his hips, cocking one out in a dramatic pose Callahan hadn’t seen in a very long time. Probably since he’d seen Rhys last.

“What did you want?” he asked, growing annoyed. “We just got into town and we’re tired. We need to get our bags and get checked in. I’m sure I’ll see you at the ribbon cutting.”

Jace chuckled and looked down at the floor.

“It’s been awhile,” Rhys said. “I figured we could catch up.”

“Not necessary,” Jace interjected, taking a step backward. He tugged Callahan with him. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

Callahan turned to follow, reaching for Jace’s hand and grabbing him with an unexpected ferocity. Jace gasped, but caught the sound in his mouth, and he let Callahan lead him toward the baggage claim.

“Are you okay?” Jace whispered once they came to stop in front of the baggage carousel.

“What?” Callahan blinked and turned to him, his heart hammering in his ears.

“He’s a prick. Are you okay?”

“Oh. Uhm. I’m fine. Just…I haven’t seen him in a long time. The whole thing caught me off-guard.”

“You kissed me.”

Callahan’s stomach churned, and he turned away sharply.

“Hey.” Jace touched his cheek, coaxing him to look back. “It’s okay. I…That’s what I’m here for, right? Pretend boyfriend at your service.”

Callahan scoffed, biting back his discomfort at the idea, and the word, focusing on the real issue. “He’s getting married. He doesn’t care that I have a boyfriend.”

“Then make me a fiancé.” Jace shrugged. “I’ll be your trophy husband.”

“He knows I’d never…” Callahan trailed off. The idea was ludicrous. There was no way Jace would want to be with someone like him anyway, and then Callahan stopped himself. Jace wasn’t being serious. He was playing the part. Pretend boyfriend. Pretend fiancé. Pretend husband.

“Never what?” Jace asked.

The baggage carousel roared to life, a deafening alarm blaring through the claim area. Jace took a step closer to him, pulling at their joined hands.