Page 7

7

Stellan

It’s a few days after the grocery store debacle, and I’m at another charity event. This time, it’s a fancy cocktail thing at some glitzy downtown venue. The kind of place where the floor is shiny, the chandeliers are ridiculous, and the photographers are in full force, flashing their cameras like they’re trying to catch lightning in a bottle. Fiona’s here, looking like she stepped out of some high-fashion ad, and I’m here with her, playing the part—her pretend boyfriend, smiling for the cameras, shaking hands with donors, doing my best to look like a guy who’s got his life together.

In other words, it's a night full of smiling, posing, and not much else.

I make my way to the bar, needing a moment to breathe and clear my head. The whole night’s been a blur of handshakes and fake smiles. I order a drink for Fiona—she asked for something fruity, I remember—and while I’m waiting, I can’t help but watch the crowd. People are mingling, and I’m already tired of all the superficial conversations.

When I return to where Fiona was standing with her father, I see her talking to a guy I don’t recognize. He’s tall, sharply dressed, and definitely more polished than me. He’s got that look , you know? The kind of guy who thinks his smile could solve world hunger. I roll my eyes before I even realize I’m doing it.

And then I hear it. The sound of his laugh. It’s one of those laughs that says, “I’m way too confident for my own good.” He’s leaning in, way too close to Fiona, his hand resting on her arm like they’ve known each other for years.

What the hell?

My grip on the drinks tightens, and an uncomfortable heat rises in my chest. It’s like this primal thing, this urge to storm over there and tell the guy to back the hell off.

I can’t remember the last time I felt this pissed. I mean, it’s ridiculous. She’s just a friend, right? She’s just the owner’s daughter and my fake girlfriend for the sake of my image, right?

So why the hell am I so pissed that some guy is hitting on her?

I take a deep breath and walk over there, trying to seem calm, but I know I’m probably failing miserably. As I approach, I hear the guy’s voice again, smooth and confident.

“So, Fiona,” he says, practically purring her name. “I’ve been dying to know, are you as interesting as you are beautiful?”

I almost choke on my own saliva. The guy’s laying it on thick, and I’ve had enough.

“Hey,” I say, cutting in before Fiona can respond. “Everything alright over here?”

Both of them turn toward me, and the guy’s face twists into a little bit of surprise, like he didn’t expect me to interrupt. Fiona’s looking at me, and there’s that moment where her eyes flicker between confused and amused.

“Stellan!” she says, surprised but trying not to show it. “There you are.”

I glance at the guy, who’s already sizing me up, probably wondering if I’m some rival competitor. I can’t help myself. I put my arm around Fiona’s shoulder, pulling her a little closer, like I’m staking my claim. It’s instinctive, and for some reason, it feels good. Her eyes widen, but she doesn’t pull away, which surprises me.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt,” I say, giving the guy a nod. “Just came to check on my girl .”

The guy looks at me, then back at Fiona. He opens his mouth like he’s about to say something, but I cut him off again.

“Are you bothering her?” I ask, my voice low. I’m not even sure why it sounds like a challenge, but it does.

The guy looks at me, sizing me up. “I didn’t realize you two were a thing,” he says, clearly annoyed but trying to mask it.

Fiona, looking at me like I’m insane, steps forward, breaking the tension. “We’re are, thanks,” she says to the guy, smiling with that politeness that’s obviously practiced. “But I think it’s time for you to move on.”

The guy finally gets the hint, muttering something about maybe seeing us around and walks away, but not without throwing one last, lingering look at Fiona.

“Are you serious?” I mutter, still trying to control my breath. “You don’t need to deal with guys like that. He was all over you.”

Fiona raises an eyebrow, clearly trying to suppress a smile. “He was just being polite, Stellan. You don’t need to scare him off.”

“I wasn’t scaring him off,” I shoot back, my voice rising slightly. “He was being way too forward. I was just making sure he knew you weren’t available.”

“Stellan,” she says with a laugh, but I can tell she’s a little flustered. “It’s fine . Really. I can handle myself.”

I take a breath, trying to calm down. It’s ridiculous, I know. It’s all part of the job. I’m the one who agreed to this fake relationship. It’s just... hard not to feel something when some guy’s getting too close to her. And that realization hits me like a freight train.

“Right,” I say, trying to smile and shift the mood. “Just doing my job as your boyfriend, keeping the wolves at bay.”

Fiona shakes her head, but her eyes soften just a little. “Well, you’ve done a good job so far,” she says, still laughing. But there’s something in her eyes that’s different now. Maybe it’s that flicker of understanding. Maybe it’s that we’ve both realized how easy it is to get caught up in all this pretending.

I pull her a little closer again, this time in a playful way, my hand finding hers. For a moment, it feels natural. Like this is something I’d want to do, even if we’re not really dating.

For a split second, it feels like we’re not playing at all. Just two people holding hands because they want to.

I glance over at her dad, who’s watching us from across the room. He’s got a slight smile on his face, like he approves. I can’t blame him—he’s probably just happy to see his daughter getting some attention from a guy who’s willing to keep her safe from assholes like that.

Fiona looks at me, her expression softening just a little. “You’re ridiculous, you know that?”

“Yeah, well, I can be a little overprotective,” I admit, shrugging. “You bring out the worst in me.”

“I bring out the worst in you?” she says, her voice teasing. “So you’re telling me this whole ‘fake relationship’ thing is really my fault?”

“Absolutely,” I say, smirking. “I’m just trying to be a good boyfriend here. The least you can do is help me out.”

She laughs, shaking her head, but then she does something unexpected. She squeezes my hand.

“I’m glad you’re here,” she says softly, her voice warm. “Even if it’s all for show.”

The words slam through me in a way I wasn’t prepared for. I want to say something back, something meaningful, but the words get stuck in my throat. We both know this isn’t real, but for some reason, it feels like it’s becoming more than just a job.

Before I can respond, her father walks over to us with a glass of wine in his hand. “You two look like you’re enjoying yourselves,” he says, a little too casually. “How’s everything going?”

“Everything’s going great,” Fiona replies, a small smile on her face as she glances at me. “Thanks for asking, Dad.”

I nod, trying to keep things light. “Yeah, just keeping the peace around here. Making sure no one gets too close to Fiona.”

Oliver raises an eyebrow. “I’m glad you’re keeping an eye out,” he says, clearly amused by our banter. “You two make quite the couple, don’t you think?”

Fiona and I both exchange an awkward glance, but I can’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, this “couple” thing isn’t all that bad. At least, not when it feels as real as it does in this moment.

Just then, Fiona’s best friend Lacey walks up to us, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “So this is the Stellan?” she asks, looking me up and down with a grin.

I extend my hand to Lacey, doing my best to stay charming. “Guilty as charged,” I say, flashing her a grin. “And you must be Fiona’s best friend.”

“Guilty,” she says with a wink. “And you’re even better looking in person. Fiona’s lucky to have you around.”

I glance at Fiona, who rolls her eyes. “Lacey, stop. You’re embarrassing me.”

Lacey grins, unbothered. “I’m just speaking the truth. You two are adorable together.”

I can’t stop the grin spreading across my face. Maybe this is all pretend. But for now, pretending doesn’t feel all that bad.