Tease (Cloverleigh Farms #8)(16)

Exhaling, I gave the beer one last, longing look before sticking it back in the fridge. “I have to make a phone call.”

I went out the back door into the yard, pulling the kitchen door shut behind me, so my mother wouldn’t be tempted to eavesdrop. The air outside was warm and humid, and smelled slightly metallic, like there might be a storm coming. I slapped at a mosquito before dialing Felicity’s number.

“Hello?”

“I got the bat signal. What’s up?”

“Okay, before I tell you, will you promise to honor the deal?”

“Why do I have a bad feeling about this?”

“Do you promise?”

“Yes.”

She sighed with relief. “Thank God. Because I have to get out of this closet soon, and I can’t face Mimi again without your help.”

“What closet? Where are you?”

“I’m at the reunion,” she said, “but I’m hiding in the coat closet because I did something bad. I mean, I said something I shouldn’t have.”

“About what?”

“About you. Well, about us.”

“What did you say?”

She exhaled. “I said that we’re engaged.”

“You said what?”

“I said that we were engaged. Well, I said that I was engaged to a hot billionaire, and then when Mimi asked who, I said you. You’re the only hot billionaire I know.”

She thinks I’m hot was what registered first, and it fired up my insides a little. “Thanks. But why did you lie about being engaged in the first place?”

“I couldn’t help it, Hutton,” she said. “Mimi’s been so mean and terrible all night, first when it was just the two of us, and then in front of her friends, and I just couldn’t let her get away with it anymore. She kept bragging about her own engagement to some rich dude who hates vegetables, and making me feel bad about myself, and then she was going to look me up on Dearly Beloved, and I had to say something to stop her before she saw that awful review. So I said I was engaged to you,” she finished, sounding out of breath. “Also, there may have been some vodka involved.”

“I’m not surprised.”

“I’m sorry, Hutton. I panicked.”

“It’s okay,” I told her. “Do you need me to come pick you up?”

“No, I need you to come here and be my fake fiancé.”

My gut clenched. “Is that really necessary? Can’t you just say I’m out of town?”

“It’s sort of too late for that. I already told her you were coming.”

I groaned, rubbing my temples with my thumb and middle finger.

“I’m sorry, okay? I’ll straighten it all out eventually, but can you please, please come here tonight and pretend like we’re getting married?”

If it were anyone else, I’d have refused to do this insane thing. But Felicity was special to me, and after all, I had made a promise. I checked my watch. “It’s quarter to eight. I won’t be there for at least forty-five minutes. I have to go home and change.”

“That’s fine.”

“What am I supposed to wear?”

“Something billionairy. A nice suit and tie. You don’t happen to have a diamond ring lying around, do you?”

I laughed. “I’m not that kind of billionaire.”

“Is there any chance you could find one?”

“Where the hell would I find a diamond ring at eight o’clock at night?”

“I don’t know. Can’t you borrow jewels for the night like Richard Gere did in Pretty Woman?”

“Richard Gere had more notice than I did. Jewelry stores are closed.”

She sighed. “It’s probably fine. I told Mimi the ring was at the jeweler’s being sized.”

“Jesus Christ, Felicity. How am I going to keep all the lies straight?” I was starting to sweat.

“Those are the only ones I told so far! We’re engaged, the ring is at the jeweler’s, and you’re coming here later. I swear to God, I will make it up to you, Hutton—I just need this one night.”

“One hour,” I said.

“One hour will be perfect,” she said. “I’ll send you the venue address, and then you can text me when you get here. I’ll even come out and meet you so you don’t have to walk in alone.”

“Thanks.”

“Thank you, Hutton. I mean it. You’re the best friend in the world.”

I hung up and went back into the kitchen, where my mom was spooning French onion dip from the plastic carton into the dip end of a chip-and-dip bowl. “Everything okay?” she asked.

“Yeah, but I have to go.”

“Where?”

I clenched my jaw. “My high school reunion.”

“Really?” She sounded pleased.

“Yeah. Felicity is there, and she needs me to . . . show up,” I finished. There was no way I could explain the real situation.

“A date with Felicity? I think that’s wonderful!”

I chose not to take the bait. “Can you apologize to Dad for me?”

“Of course. Maybe I’ll introduce Cleopatra to Harvey. He’s been so lonely since Edna died last year.”