Nina's POV
Theo pulled out his phone and opened a notes app. Because of course he did. The man probably drafted contracts in his sleep.
Rule one, he said, all business now. No one knows the truth. Not your business partner. Not my sister. No one.
Priya already knows I was considering a fake boyfriend for Santorini.
Then tell her you met someone real. Tell her we connected and it happened naturally. His eyes were serious. One person knowing puts everything at risk, Nina. Can you lie to your best friend?
I thought about Priya. About how she'd see through me in seconds.
I'll figure it out, I said.
You'll have to do better than that.
Fine. I'll tell her we're real. She'll believe it. The lie tasted bitter.
Good. Theo typed something. Rule two: public affection only when necessary. Hand-holding at family events. Casual touches. Maybe a kiss if the situation demands it.
My face heated. Define 'if the situation demands it.'
If someone questions whether we're together. If your ex gets too close. If my colleagues need convincing. He said it clinically. Nothing excessive. Just enough to sell it.
Right. Selling it.
Rule three: no real feelings. Theo looked up from his phone. This is a business arrangement. We both get what we need, then walk away clean. Emotions complicate things.
Agreed. My voice sounded steadier than I felt. No feelings.
Rule four: no sex. He said it flatly. That's where these fake relationships always fall apart.
I wasn't planning on sleeping with you, Theo.
Good. Because I'm not planning on sleeping with you either.
The way he said it shouldn't have stung. But it did.
Anything else? I asked.
Timeline. Theo scrolled through his phone. The gala is March eighth. Three weeks from now. Santorini is the fifteenth through the twentieth. After we get back, we wait two weeks, then have a quiet breakup. Mutual decision. We stay friendly.
And then everything goes back to normal.
Exactly. His expression was unreadable. You're Marcus's little sister again. I'm his best friend. This month never happened.
Something about that felt wrong, but I couldn't explain why.
We'll need a backstory, I said, changing the subject. How did we get together?
We've known each other for years, but never really talked beyond surface conversation. Theo was typing again. What changed?
I thought about it. Your birthday party last month?
He looked up sharply. You remember my birthday party?
You remember that I wore a blue dress.
Something flickered in his eyes. I remember more than that.
Like what?
Like you spilling wine on Marcus's jacket and blaming it on his law school friend. I thought it was brave. Or stupid. Maybe both.
Despite everything, I smiled. Okay, so at your birthday party, we actually talked for the first time. Really talked.
We realized we had more in common than we thought. Theo was writing this down. We started texting. Got coffee a few times.
And we decided to make it official right before Marcus's birthday party tonight.
Which is why we're announcing it at Sunday dinner tomorrow. He nodded. This works. Simple. Believable.
The sliding door above us opened. Mom's voice rang out: Nina? Where did you go?
Theo and I looked at each other. Then, without discussing it, we both stepped back. Creating distance. Looking casual.
Down here, Mom! I called.
Her face appeared at the balcony railing. What are you doing in the garden? It's freezing! And Theo's with you?
We were just talking, Theo said smoothly.
Well, come inside! Andreas is asking for you, Nina. And Theo, Elena called looking for you.
She disappeared.
We should go back, I said.
Not yet. Theo caught my wrist. One more thing.
His touch sent heat racing up my arm.
What?
When we walk into your parents' house tomorrow night, everything changes. Your family will have expectations. Questions. They'll watch us constantly. His grip tightened slightly. Are you sure you can handle this?
Can you handle lying to Marcus?
Marcus isn't the problem. Theo's thumb brushed against my pulse point. Could he feel how fast my heart was beating? The problem is making this look real when we're both terrible at pretending.
Then we practice.
Practice what?
Being comfortable with each other. I stepped closer, emboldened by wine and desperation and the way he was looking at me. You said we need to look natural together. Like we can't keep our hands off each other.
Nina—
So practice. I put my hand on his chest. His heart was racing as fast as mine. Tomorrow night, you're going to walk into that house and act like you're crazy about me. You're going to touch me like it's natural. Look at me like I'm the only person in the room.
And you're going to do the same, Theo said quietly.
Yes.
This is dangerous.
This whole thing is dangerous. I didn't move my hand. But we're doing it anyway.
For a long moment, neither of us moved. His hand was still on my wrist. Mine was still on his chest. We were so close I could feel his breath.
Sunday dinner, Theo finally said, his voice rough. Five-thirty. I'll pick you up.
Don't be late.
I'm never late.
He released my wrist and stepped back. The cold air rushed between us.
We should go inside separately, he said. Less suspicious.
Right. Suspicious.
Theo turned toward the stairs, then looked back. Nina?
Yeah?
Don't back out on me.
Don't back out on me.
His smile was slight but devastating. I don't plan on losing. Do you?
No.
Good. He started up the stairs, then paused halfway. And Nina? Wear something nice tomorrow. I want Dylan to choke on his regret.
Then he was gone, leaving me alone in the garden with my racing heart and the weight of what we'd just agreed to.
I looked down at my wrist where his fingers had been. I could still feel the ghost of his touch.
Tomorrow night, this all became real.
Fake real. But real enough to fool everyone we loved.
I was either making the best decision of my life or the worst.
And I had no idea which.