Page 54

MILLIE

Fucking blabbermouth

Finally, we’re ready.

A selection of photos hang around the main room in black frames.

A long table with a white tablecloth sits at the opposite end, with champagne flutes ready to be filled.

Jazz music drifts softly from the speakers.

All that’s left now is for people to show up and for me to not pass out from the panic.

When the door swings open twenty minutes before the exhibit is due to start, I nearly fall over. Relief washes over me when I see it’s Mack sauntering in with a big bouquet of flowers, Dan lumbering in behind him.

“Maelstrom!” Mack cries.

“You guys came,” I whisper, almost to myself.

“We wouldn’t have missed this for the biggest waves in the world,” Mack says, wrapping me in a tight hug.

“Liar,” I whisper in his ear.

Mack grins as he pulls back. “These are for you. Dan picked them out and made me carry them because he hates coming across as affectionate. I’ll get a vase.”

I smile at Dan as Mack walks off. “Thank you.”

He lifts one corner of his mouth and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek.

Dan’s the quietest of the group, but he expresses so much in his actions.

He kisses me on the cheek, he holds out chairs for Steph, he shakes his head at his friends.

He communicates the loudest with the most subtle of actions.

Plus, he knows Noah and I are fake-dating, and he’s still welcomed me in, even though he’s been against the idea from the beginning.

Dan’s gaze drinks in the room. “The place looks great.”

I huff a nervous laugh. “Thanks. I think I might vomit.”

“You’ve got this, Maelstrom.”

Mack returns without my flowers. “Ellis told me they didn’t suit the decor, so she’s left them out the back.”

“This minimalist look was very carefully crafted,” I reply.

Mack claps his hands. “Can I pour myself a drink? What time is it? Have you heard from King?”

Dan sighs, like a father would when his child won’t stop asking questions and looks at me. “I can’t promise there won’t be punches thrown tonight.”

I giggle. “Yes, you can get yourself a drink and it doesn’t start until four.” I lift my phone and frown. Still no word from Noah.

“He’ll be here,” Dan assures me.

“He’s coming straight from the event, but it’s Saturday,” Mack chimes in. “They’ll probably hit traffic.”

Dan frowns, fishing his own phone out of his pocket. “I’ll get the drinks.” He walks off staring at his phone and unease settles in the pit of my stomach.

Mack steers me by looping his arm around my shoulders and stopping in front of the photo of him in the surf. His mouth drops open, and a quiet pride replaces the unease. “Maelstrom, this is me.”

“Mhmm.”

His arm leaves my shoulder, and he steps closer to inspect the image. It’s from our camping trip, his head thrown back towards the sun and his surfboard under his arm. “This is beautiful.”

I beam, clasping my hands together to keep from fidgeting. “Really? You’re not saying that because you’re in it?”

“Well, sure that’s part of it.” He turns back and winks at me. “I can’t get over how you captured this.”

“Thanks, Mack.”

We stand in comfortable silence as the jazz music hums around us. That is until, Mack turns back to me. “How long is yours and King’s pretending schtick going to go on for, anyway? You guys got an exit plan?”

I tilt my head, unsure if I’ve heard correctly. Mack mimics me, before wiping his smile off his face. “I mean?—”

My mouth drops open. “You know? ”

“Um, yes?” Mack admits.

“Have you told anyone?”

Mack purses his lips. “Why does everyone think I’d tell? I might enjoy gossip, but I’d never betray Noah like that. Or you, for that matter.”

“Sorry.” I frown at my own response. “That was shitty of me.”

“It’s okay,” he assures me, sliding his hands into his pockets. “I am a chatterbox. My mum said I came out of the womb talking.”

I smile. “How long have you known?”

“I guessed before we went camping,” he replies proudly. “I called his bluff and right when I thought he was going to deny it, he admitted it. To be fair, you guys have pulled this off better than I expected.”

The fact the people around us know about this arrangement no longer feels like an issue, given the brief conversation Noah and I had on the beach yesterday. It also makes me feel better to know Noah had friends he could offload to, while I could speak to Ellis.

Dan returns holding two beers and a glass of champagne. He hands me my drink, and Mack his, before hitting Mack up the back of the head. “Ow!”

“You’re a fucking blabbermouth,” he scolds.

Mack holds the back of his head, the vein in his temple pulsating as he glares at Dan. “How did?—”

“I know you better than you know yourself,” Dan cuts in. “And I could hear you talking from across the goddamned room.”

“I’m glad you know.” My lips twist into a smile. “Truth be told, I’m not a great pretender.”

Mack forgets the ache at the back of his head, leaning in. “We’ve heard. Are you into him, for real?”

Dan throws his arms out. “Seriously?”

My cheeks flush as Mack looks perplexed. “What? I’m asking the direct questions. You pansies spend so long making shit up in your own brains, someone has to take control.”

Mack lifts his glass in a ‘cheers’ movement.

“On that note, let’s toast to how I’m a genius for coming up with the fake-dating idea.

I want you to name your firstborn after me for my brilliance.

He told you it was my idea, right?” He takes a swig before turning to the door.

“I see cars approaching. I shall take my post greeting your guests. You’re going to kill this. ”

Mack heads towards the door, leaving me with my thoughts whirling and Dan’s intense gaze burning into me. “What?”

Dan’s movements are slow as he takes another swig of beer. He wipes his beer moustache away with the back of his hand. “Mack runs a million miles a minute, but he makes some good points.” Dan looks around to make sure no one’s in earshot. “I don’t want to see either of you get hurt.”

“I have no intention of hurting Noah,” I assure him.

“I know.” Dan pauses. “I just want both of you to protect yourselves.”

The concern on Dan’s face triggers an alarm in my chest, a warning.

He knows Noah better than anyone, and he was there when he dragged him out of California and back home, instilling a sense of calm.

The fallout with Sofia was ugly, especially in the press, and Dan was an eyewitness to every step of it.

I’m certain he doesn’t want a repeat of that.

“I know you’re protecting your friends,” I assure him, before wincing, anticipating his reaction to my next words. “Noah told me about Sarah.”

Dan’s mouth forms into a flat line, a tic beneath his beard unmissable. “Did he?”

“I asked,” I say hurriedly. “It makes sense why this whole situation hasn’t exactly been your cup of tea. I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable.”

“Don’t be sorry. They’re separate situations.

Turns out, I’m a little sensitive.” He sighs.

“I know your situation is different, but the idea of people pretending to care about each other to get ahead . . . I figured there was no way someone wouldn’t get hurt.

” He gives me a knowing look, and I swallow down the dryness in my throat.

He’s right. This is the exact dilemma I’m in, wondering how to proceed without breaking my heart or Noah’s or ruining something that was the perfect summer fling.

“I’ve been burned before, and I’ve been taking my angst out on the two of you,” he continues. “I like you, Millie. I don’t want you getting hurt. It’s not worth it.”

There’s an unmistakable pain in Dan’s eyes. Instinctively, I reach out and touch his forearm, assuring him I understand the things he’s not saying.

“Thanks, Dan. You’re a good friend.”

He nods as the door opens and Mack’s voice booms across the room to welcome people to my event.

Dan smiles at me. “You ready?”

I do my best to push aside thoughts of fake-dating and hard conversations and roll my shoulders back. “As I’ll ever be.”