This is the moment of truth. Liam has spotted us, so Zane and I need to make our ruse believable. My entire body tenses as my ex approaches us. There’s no way he’s going to fall for this.
Zane does an excellent job of looking like an annoyed and jealous boyfriend when Liam pulls me in for a friendly hug. “Holly, darling, so glad you could make it.”
Speaking of fake… I can’t believe I never noticed how over-the-top Liam’s tone can be. After he air kisses both of my cheeks, he pulls back to have a good look at me before weighing in with his opinion. “You look absolutely radiant. You’re positively glowing, darling.”
As I stare at my ex, I realize how polished his appearance is. It’s almost too refined––as if a rainstorm would completely ruin his entire look. In contrast, Zane has the rugged good looks of a man who would kiss a woman senseless during the pouring rain and look even hotter with wet drops falling from his thick, black hair.
Zane gently pulls me closer to him and places a possessive arm around my shoulders as I give Liam a brittle smile and thank him for the obviously insincere compliment.
Liam turns a raised brow in Zane’s direction before asking in a much less friendly tone, “And who is this?”
Before I can answer, Zane dives in to say, “I’m her loving fiancé, and the proud father of her unborn child. She threw up on my shoes at our first encounter and my heart has belonged to her ever since.”
He’s jumping ahead and veering away from my planned script, but the stunned look on Liam’s face has me instantly forgiving Zane for the impromptu changes. Liam is still bugging his eyes out in our direction when Bella slinks up behind him.
She glares at me through her narrowed cat-like eyes and lets sarcasm drip from her tone when she says, “Holly, you made it. Great.”
“So nice to see you, Bella,” I say, sounding just as disingenuous as she had.
She quickly turns her attention from me as if I’m not worthy of another moment of her time. Her eyes widen as she drinks Zane in from head to toe and back up again. Her voice magically transforms into a sexy purr as she ogles him and says, “I don’t believe we’ve met.”
The man by my side answers the tall, thin woman, who could easily pass for a supermodel, in a detached and disinterested tone, “I’m Zane.”
“So wonderful to meet you, Zane. I’m Bella.” Her voice is husky and flirtatious as she flicks her long, golden hair over her shoulder.
It’s obvious by her sparkling eyes that she’s expecting a significant reaction from him. She’s most likely used to having men immediately fall at her elegant, pampered feet whenever she turns on the charm.
I nearly burst out with laughter when Zane squints at her and asks, “Are you okay? It sounds like you have a hairball lodged in your throat.”
Bella’s head snaps back as if she has been slapped, making it obvious she’s never met a man who is immune to her siren’s call.
For his part, Liam seems completely oblivious to the entire exchange. I had always believed him to be so astute, but he looks pretty dense right now––like the wheels in his brain are turning, but at an exceptionally slow pace. Eventually, full comprehension dawns. He gives me an accusatory look before asking, “You’re pregnant? By him?!?”
“Oh, so virile,” Bella takes another shot with Zane.
My eyes bulge at the bold woman’s audacity. She already stole one man from me. That is more than enough. I’m considering kicking her long, shapely shin when Zane answers, “Yes, my sperm can’t get close enough to Holly.”
He gazes down at me as if I’m the only person he’s ever found attractive. It’s all I can do to keep the laughter at bay. He’s really laying it on thick, and I would have preferred he not mention his sperm, but his sincere-sounding proclamation has obviously stunned the happy couple. They are both gaping at us with their mouths hanging open.
Zane turns to look at them before reaching up to his own chin and saying to the duo, “You might want to close your mouths before any of the bird-sized mosquitoes that live down here decide to fly in and set up camp.”
Their mouths snap closed in tandem.
Just then, a harried-looking woman approaches us. Her voice is frantic when she tells Bella, “The bartender just quit and walked out.”
Bella glares at her before barking, “You’re the party planner. Handle it.”
“I’ve tried, but your reputation for being… umm… particular has spread around the island. No one else within thirty miles is willing to fill in.” The woman cringes away as if concerned that Bella is going to physically lash out at her.
“This is unacceptable!” Bella’s screech is so high-pitched, I’m concerned the crystal stemware might shatter.
Zane’s deep, calm voice breaks the awkward silence after Bella’s outburst. “I can tend the bar.”
Rather than being grateful, the blonde bride-to-be sneers at me. “Your boyfriend is a bartender?”
She spits the last word as if it’s a crime.
Unperturbed, Zane corrects her. “I’m Holly’s fiancé.”
The look she gives me, then, is overflowing with false pity.
I lift my chin as I say, “Yes, Zane is a bartender. It’s one of his many talents.”
Apparently, the way I enunciated the word ‘many’ hits home because Liam lets out a disbelieving ‘pfft’ of air before he says, “Like knocking up women out of wedlock?”
Bella shakes her head and makes a ‘tsk’ sound with her mouth before she stage-whispers, “Barefoot and pregnant by a bartender––yikes.”
Even though I know she isn’t being literal, I look down at my sandal-covered feet before saying, “My feet aren’t bare.”
Zane chuckles then gazes down at me. Loud enough for the other couple to overhear, he says, “It sounds like Barbie and Ken need me to save their party.”
“My hero.” I beam up at him, delighted by how realistic our fake romance seems.
The man lifts my hand to his soft lips for a sweet kiss before he turns toward the outside bar.
I stand there staring after him and marveling at how such a simple touch could make my entire body tingle with an electric zing of pleasure.