ChapterNineteen
Nine Months Earlier
Day 1: Fake Relationship with a Real-Life Hero
Sunny glanced around the bustling Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport but felt little of the excitement places of travel usually gave her. Her eyes skimmed unfocused over faces, not seeing the details she once cherished. No harried family twisted her heart with empathy. No cocky teen made her laugh as he puffed up like a rooster when he noticed her. She couldn’t even muster the energy to search for her favorite sight. In every airport, she could always find at least one older couple that doted on each other, taking care of one another in little ways that always filled her heart with warmth and longing.
Surely, Jed hadn’t stolen her joy of watching people along with her money.
“I’m glad both you and Davis were able to get here before the wedding. It’ll give Carter time to get comfortable around you two.” Her sister Lena shook Sunny out of her dreary, downward spiral. “You sure you’re up for this? Carter can be a handful.”
Lena’s doubt as she inspected Sunny’s face twisted like a sharp knife in the chest. In truth, the pitying looks she caught from her family and friends had just as much to do with her numbness as having the man she had started entertaining ideas of marriage with stealing her livelihood. Did that one mistake of trusting the wrong person negate everything else she’d done in life?
Sunny rolled her eyes in mock exasperation. “Carter loves me. He’ll be fine. Will you?”
Lena bit her bottom lip in uncertainty, her alert gaze searching for a threat in the crowd. “Honestly? I don’t know. Since the kidnapping, he hasn’t been the same.” She snorted a self-deprecating laugh. “None of us have. Maybe we shouldn’t leave him.”
When Carter had been kidnapped, Lena almost lost everything she loved for the second time in her life. Sunny couldn’t imagine all they went through. But she didn’t want Lena to cancel her honeymoon out of fear.
“Hey. He’ll be fine. You’ve got the best security team out there, and you’re bringing in this Davis guy undercover, which I have to say I’m excited about. Pretending to be in love with one of your sexy military friends won’t be a hardship on me.” Sunny bumped her shoulder against Lena’s. “The chances of anyone getting past all that is practically zero. Plus, I’m like the coolest aunt ever. Carter will be having so much fun, he’ll forget you’re even gone.”
“Thanks, I think.” Lena scowled. “Listen, about Davis.”
She paused, drawing Sunny’s attention. Her sister fidgeted, which Lena never did. Just what about this guy had Lena hemming and hawing?
When she didn’t continue, Sunny prompted her. “Yeah?”
“He’d kill me if he knew I told you this, so don’t say a word to him.” Lena gave Sunny a pointed look.
“I won’t. Scouts honor.” She held her fingers up in salute.
“He’s having a hard time adjusting to civilian life. Maybe it’s more…”
When Lena paused, Sunny couldn’t keep the question in. “More?”
“Ugh. Maybe something happened before he got out that’s bothering him. I don’t really know.” Lena huffed out a sigh. “He doesn’t really talk to anyone about it. Just don’t take it personal if he’s standoffish.”
“So, you’ve put me in a fake relationship with a grump?” Sunny lifted her hands in exasperation, though a sense of solidarity fluttered in her chest. “How’s this supposed to work exactly then?”
“I don’t know. I guess … just … grrr.” Lena growled and crossed her arms. “Remember how angry I was after Ethan died?”
“Yeah.” Sunny swallowed. Had Davis gone through something as horrible as Lena had with not being able to save her fiancé?
“Just … don’t be disappointed if Davis doesn’t play his part well.” Lena whispered the last.
Sunny’s heart clenched in her chest. Was heartache all that was left in the world? She glanced around the busy luggage area, noticing for the first time all the frustrated, angry, and weary faces. She closed her eyes and shook her head. She didn’t want to be that bitter person. Didn’t want to only see the bad in others.
Maybe this fake relationship was exactly what she needed to get out of her funk. Maybe it could be the break she needed to just forget reality and pretend like her life hadn’t been swept away like an avalanche leaving her buried in distrust and failure.
“Okay. Here we go.” Lena’s anxious words snapped Sunny’s gaze to the escalator.
A man with a large pack slung over his shoulders stepped onto the escalator. His short dark, brown hair and rigid posture as he scanned the area below him screamed military. He was ridiculously handsome and incredibly built, with his t-shirt stretching over muscles she could see even from this far away. When his scan stopped on her and Lena and he tipped his head in acknowledgement, Sunny snapped her mouth shut.
“That superior specimen of man is my fake boyfriend?” She hit her sister with the back of her hand as she gaped at Davis.
“Yep.”
“Oh, man. This is going to be a rough three weeks.”