Nate Jackson and Josephine Davis have been best friends since elementary school. Both of them have been in love with the other for nearly as long. However, since they were teenagers, neither seemed to be single at the same time as the other, leading to a series of near misses ever since.
As Nate’s most recent girlfriend breaks up with him because he won’t back out of being the best man at the wedding of his frat brother and the woman he always thought of as being the one who got away, he sees an opportunity. He convinces Jo to come with him, to play the part of his date, so he doesn’t look pathetic showing up alone. While they’re there, he plans to show Jo just what kind of a partner he can be, in the hopes of convincing her that they should take that leap now that they’re both single.
When Jo hesitantly agrees to go with him to this wedding, she’s worried he’s going to be the one who can’t hold his peace at the ceremony. As they arrive, and he claims he felt nothing when seeing the bride, she’s not sure she believes him. Add to it that he’s been acting strange. When he asked her to be his fake date, to play the part of his girlfriend, she assumed there would be some light touching, hand holding, and the occasional kiss. But when he’s still affectionate when they’re not near anyone, she has a hard time convincing herself that this is as fake as it’s supposed to be.
Can Nate show Jo that she’s the one he wants, not the bride? Will Jo be able to handle playing the part of a girlfriend but not getting to be with Nate? Will a manipulative bride with ulterior motives drive a wedge between the two of them before they can even find their footing?
Tropes: childhood best friends, they’re each other’s person, his ex’s wedding, the one who got away, fake date, showing her what it’s like to be with him, manipulative bride, she can’t handle playing the girlfriend, both are afraid of losing the other
Available: Kindle – Kindle Unlimited – Paperback
Content Warnings:
Peer Pressure – There are moments in the story when the FMC feels pressured to do things she wouldn’t normally do, such as skinny-dipping and going to a club.
Lies of Omission/False Pretenses – The MMC doesn’t tell the FMC that he has been hooking up with his ex for the last eight years. Both MCs have kept their feelings for each other from one another for most of their lives. The MMC convinces the FMC to come to a wedding because he doesn’t want to be alone or look pathetic. He wants her to behave as his date, but actually plans to show her how things could be between them if they were to date.
Infidelity, if you Squint – Both of the MCs have shared a bed often as adults, even going so far as cuddling at times when one was single, and the other’s relationship wasn’t serious. His couch is uncomfortable to sleep on, so if she stays over, she sleeps in his bed.
Manipulative Behavior – The bride orchestrates an entire relationship and wedding to get the MMC to give up the FMC by planting falsehoods and lies. She invites the MMC to her room with intentions to seduce him under the pretense of something being wrong with the groom, one of his best friends.
Anxiety – The FMC has a good bit of it, freaking out over things initially until she gets used to the idea of it. One instance is when her mother immediately goes overboard with event planning towards the end. Fears of potential parenthood are addressed in the Epilogue.
Alcohol Consumption/Excessive Alcohol Consumption at Points – Usually, I have this as a more general warning. This story is about a several-day trip where almost everyone is drinking often. The FMC gets very drunk at two points.
Explicit Sex
Shonna Preston 