Page 65 of Make-Believe Match

There was a lot I didn’t know about my husband.

But I found myself wanting to know more, to understand him better.

To be closer to him.

TWELVE

devlin

The parking lotfor Buckley’s Pub was packed, as were both sides of the street. We ended up parking about two blocks down and walking back to the bar.

At the door, we stood for a moment and gathered our wits, like we were preparing for battle.

“You ready?” I asked her.

“I think so. You’re going to do most of the talking, right?”

“Right.”

“And I’ll just agree with you and add things when I have to?”

“Yes.”

“And we’re not going to say we’re already married until tomorrow?”

“Exactly.” We’d already removed our rings. Mine was in my wallet. Hers was in her purse. “Let’s go.”

I opened the door for her, and we headed inside. The place looked great—even better than I imagined. It was primarily intended to be a sports bar, and there were games on big screens hung on walls and behind the bar, but it also looked like a cool place to just hang out and grab a beer or cocktail with friends. The decor was masculine—cement floors, exposed brick walls, black leather couches—but it was warm and inviting.

I spotted Xander’s height and wide shoulders right away. He was standing near the bar talking to a group of people I didn’t recognize. My eyes scanned the room and found Austin and Veronica seated at a table over to the side, and I was surprised to see Kelly sitting with them as well. She had a ball cap covering her famous red hair, but I recognized her. My dad was chatting with my Aunt Faye at a table nearby, and Mabel’s best friend Ari was working behind the bar. All around the room, people were smiling and laughing and having a good time. I was happy for Xander—he deserved this success.

Taking Lexi by the elbow, I brought her over to where Xander was standing. “Hey, brother.”

He turned, his face surprised. “Devlin! You’re here!” His huge bear arms grabbed me in a hug, his fist thumping me on the back a couple times. “Thanks for coming.”

“I wouldn’t have missed it.” When he let me go, I gestured toward Lexi. “I want to introduce you to someone.”

Xander’s brow cocked up, and he gave me a quick glance before holding out his hand. “Hey. I’m Xander.”

“Lexi,” she said, placing her palm against his.

“You look familiar,” he said. “Are you from around here?”

“About an hour away. My family owns Snowberry Lodge.”

Understanding dawned quickly on Xander’s face, and even though I caught the what-the-fuck look he gave me, he played it cool. “Nice,” he said, nodding. “I remember skiing there when I was younger.”

“Lexi and I met a few weeks ago at The Broken Spoke,” I said. “You might have seen her there.”

“Sure.” Xander nodded. “That must be it. So... you two kept in touch?”

“Yes.” I put my arm around Lexi’s shoulders. Kissed her temple. “We sure did.”

Xander’s jaw was hanging open at this point. He rubbed his dark brown beard with one hand. “Interesting. I mean, great. Cool. Let’s get you guys some drinks. What can Ari pour for you?”

* * *

After introducing Lexi to Ari and my father, we sat with Austin, Veronica, and Kelly for a while. The story Lexi had seen online turned out to have been true, and Kelly gave us a quick rundown of what had transpired. She was obviously trying to fly under the radar tonight, but a few people approached and asked for her autograph anyway. She was kind to everyone, even posing for photos.