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CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

GARY

I was a little worried I made my crush too obvious, but I didn't like the way he was talking about himself. I thought Easton would make a great boyfriend, even without all the romance stuff. He picked up on when I was upset and needed touch to feel better. He went out of his way to protect me, probably because it sounded like fun at the time, and still protected me now, even though our relationship was fake and he wasn’t obligated.

He helped me make new friends, and supported me connecting more with my roommate.

He even studied with me, now that the material was getting more specific and he couldn’t just bullshit his way through tests.

Sure, he didn't buy me flowers or take me on dates, but he was still the best boyfriend I could have ever asked for, and our relationship wasn’t even real.

Having such a heavy conversation after that experience in the kitchen left me reeling a little, and we both stayed silent for the rest of the shower.

Not distant, he still hovered, but we were both in our heads and quiet.

It wasn’t until we were out and getting dressed that I remembered that our friends were waiting for us.

“You don’t think they came in while we were in the shower, do you?”

We hadn’t cleaned up the kitchen and, knowing Coach, he’d go straight there to poke around to make food.

None of us ate much at the restaurant. The food wasn’t very good.

I honestly think Coach would’ve been an amazing chef if he wasn’t a teacher.

When I heard someone laugh and Easton raised an eyebrow, my whole body burned with a blush so deep, I felt like I had a fever.

Easton barked out a laugh, smacking a kiss on my mouth.

“It’s their damn faults for coming over unannounced. Come on. They’re going to grill us about the new plan, and I’ve got a fight tonight.”

“Can I come?” He hadn’t allowed it so far, but I’d seen him fight now, and I really wanted to see it from start to finish.

His frown said he wasn’t into the idea, and I couldn’t help but pout. He rolled his eyes with a smirk.

“The places I fight are dangerous, Gary. I don’t want you there until you can defend yourself.

Your puny muscles won’t be enough in a place like that.

” He squeezed my bicep with a mocking raise of his eyebrow.

I don’t know what came over me, but I kicked him in the shin in retribution, pinning him with a scowl.

“I’m not puny!”

He laughed, eyes wide like he was just as stunned at my reaction as I was.

I was coming out of my shell around my friends and around Easton.

I didn’t duck my head and capitulate to whatever everyone else had to say.

Easton helped me feel confident enough to express myself.

Apparently confident enough to kick him.

“You’re gonna get it for that,” he growled, but there was no venom to it. He was playing with me and didn’t scare me for a second. That didn’t mean I was going to stick around to see how he’d react. I was getting braver, but I wasn’t stupid. At least I’d had time to get dressed first.

Throwing my towel at him, I tore out of the closet and his room, racing for the living room.

He was right behind me, and I couldn’t stop laughing as I ducked behind Coach.

Angel was sitting on the couch, watching with a grin, and waved me over when Easton tried to duck around the massive giant.

With a yelp, I threw myself over the back of the couch, tumbling straight off and onto the floor.

“P, don’t–”

I watched in slow motion as Easton came flying over the couch.

If he landed on top of me with that much momentum, he’d probably break something.

I winced and waited for the pain, but he managed to catch himself with half his body still on the couch to slow himself down before slithering off the couch and landing on top of me with a lot less force.

I still grunted out an oomph with the weight of him, but it didn't hurt.

“Dude, that scared the shit out of me. I thought we’d have a Gary pancake on our hands,” Smiley said from somewhere above me. I didn’t have a chance to take a good look around at where they were all sitting while I was getting chased by Easton.

“Same,” Chuckles said with a laugh. “P, you’re too damn big to be throwing yourself at him like that. Don’t squish the innocent.”

Easton nipped at my neck playfully before lifting his head to smirk at his friends. “You assholes walked in on us less than thirty minutes ago. You know damn well he’s not innocent.”

“Easton!” I whined. Was it wrong that I’d hoped our unusual arrival would’ve distracted them from talking about that?

Angel’s face appeared above me, grinning like an idiot. “No pretending that didn’t happen, bestie. Coach refuses to go into the kitchen until one of you sanitizes every surface.”

Slapping my hands over my face, I groaned while they all laughed. Easton was completely unrepentant, laughing right along with them, and didn’t get up to go deal with the problem until I poked him hard in the ribs. He was still laughing when he walked away.

Angel offered me a hand once I was finally brave enough to peek through my fingers. He pulled me off the ground and onto the couch next to him, wiggling his fingers in a gimme motion.“Lemme see.”

It took me a second to figure out what he was asking for. Oh, right. I got engaged a few hours ago. It wasn’t real, but I still blushed when I gave him my hand. The others crowded closer, and a few whistled low when they saw just how ostentatious the ring was.

“Damn, Phantom. I know you wanted to piss the bitch off, but getting engaged at her party wasn’t enough?

Hilarious plan, by the way,” Chuckles said when Easton came back, lifting his hand for a high five before rethinking it and grimacing.

Easton rolled his eyes, rubbing his hand all over Chuckles’s face.

“I washed my hands, idiot. And I needed to make sure she knew it was real. She recognized me. If I would’ve given him something small, she would’ve seen through the ruse.”

“Is that why you gave her a diamond bracelet?” Angel asked with a scowl. I winced when I remembered that. I got something way better, but it still stung that he gave such a nice gift to the bitch who bullied me my whole life.

“That was fake,” he said blandly, sitting on the arm of the couch next to me. “Got it at one of those knock off vendors at the mall. The real jeweler looked fucking confused when I asked for a spare box to put it in.”

Relief flooded through me, making me sag into the couch. Easton made an irritated sound.

“I wasn’t going to give that bitch anything real, Gary. She’s lucky I didn’t dip the thing in acid first.”

Yeah, that would’ve probably gotten him arrested. I liked his plan better. She probably wouldn’t question the authenticity, since it was Easton who gave it to her. Every time I saw her wear it, I would get to enjoy knowing it was fake while she acted like she had on something fancy.

“So what’s the plan, then?” Angel demanded. “She was trying to call your bluff by demanding to help plan the thing. This won’t work long term.”

“It will if we act like it’s real,” Easton shrugged.

He gave them a quick rundown of the plan, and I felt my stomach flip when he reminded me we’d actually have a wedding.

I kept mentally repeating not real, not real, not real, over and over because I couldn’t even say what kind of horrible thing I’d do for a chance to marry Easton for real.

“So… What you’re saying is, we’re going to throw a fucking wedding just to get Gary’s sister to back off?” Angel raised an eyebrow at him. “I know you’re a little coo-coo for cocoa puffs, but don’t you think this is going a little far? What will your family say?”

Easton’s expression said he didn’t care even a little bit. “They’ll probably be glad I’m not going to end up single and alone. They don’t need to know it’s not real.”

It hit me like a ton of bricks. If we went through with this plan, I’d have to meet Easton’s family.

That idea would be daunting enough if he was just a regular guy, but now that I knew who his family was, it felt impossible.

I wasn’t anyone special. I had to put off college for years because my parents manipulated me, and I didn’t have enough money to leave when I figured out they never truly planned on helping me.

I wasn’t even a full semester into my college career, had only ever worked part time, had a bank account that consistently dipped into the red, and came from a family who couldn’t give a shit about me. I didn’t belong around rich people.

Angel must’ve seen my panicked expression, because he rubbed my back reassuringly. “Relax, Gary. Phantom’s family is nice. And he’s probably right. They’ll just be so excited he found someone, they won’t even question it. I still think this is going too far, but–”

“But we were all there at that party. She was pissed the second Gary arrived and tried to hurt him more than once. Unless he wants to change his name and flee the state, he needs to take a stand,” Coach said with a serious expression.

“I also think we should start recording your interactions with her, Gary. She said she wants to call you more. Once you figure out how to fix your broken phone, we should set it up so you can record phone calls and remember to take screen shots whenever she messages you.”

“There’s nothing wrong with his phone,” Easton interrupted. When I looked up at him, confused, he looked a little ashamed when he admitted, “Remember when I overheard that conversation between you and your family not long after we met?”

I remembered him overhearing the conversation between me and my mom.

I didn’t realize he’d also heard the conversation with Brienna.

My face flushed when I remembered how she spoke to me and how I let her get away with it.

It made me wonder why Easton stuck around when I came off as so pathetic and weak.

“I was pissed at the way they treated you, so while you were distracted with the food I brought you, I blocked them both. I thought if you stopped responding to them, they’d get bored eventually and leave you alone. I didn’t think I’d be making things worse.”

Horrified, I fumbled trying to get my phone out of my pocket.

When I unblocked the numbers, I found myself thrown into a group chat I didn’t realize I was part of, going back weeks.

Messages from my parents berating me for treating my sister so poorly, for refusing to help pay for her party.

I would never have been able to afford it, but that wasn’t really important right now.

My phone buzzed and a new message from Brienna popped up, like she knew I’d unblocked her and wanted to make sure I was aware of how deep in shit I really was.

Brienna: There’s no way a man like that would end up with someone as pathetic as you. He’ll drop you eventually. Just like Justin did. And I’ll be there to pick up the pieces. Then you’ll regret ignoring me when I take your dream guy.