I Pretend You're Mine

2. The Cottage

"Actually, Aunt Amy, you've already met the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. My fiancée. It's Tim," Lucy declared with her and Tim's hands clasped together.

Tim could barely fathom why Lucy was holding his hand so suddenly, and greater confusion set in when his brain processed her words. Fiancée?

Amy's face lit up. "Really? Last we spoke, you denied that you two were even together."

"I haven't told my parents about our relationship let alone that we're engaged. I didn't want them to be the last to know," Lucy lied. All of her undercover training was activated in her mind to make this story work.

She looked between the couple for a moment and then pulled them into a big hug. "I'm THRILLED! Congratulations you two!"

Lucy let go of her aunt and tucked some hair behind her hair. "Thank you."

"This is the best news!" Amy pinched Tim's cheek and beamed. "Alright, well, since you're about to be family, why don't you stay here with Dave, Lucy, Tamara, and I."

"I..." Tim stammered. He was utterly confused and pretty dizzy, and he vaguely realized he was holding Lucy's hand, but he could not let go as though that was the only thing anchoring him to the Earth.

Lucy saw that Tim was too stunned to speak, so she volunteered, "I'll call the bed and breakfast and get this sorted out."

"Nonsense! We have plenty of room! Oh, it would make me so happy if you both would stay with us," Amy said.

She looked to her fake fiancée, who was still frozen in shock and definitely not playing his part well, internally rolled her eyes, and responded, "I'll help him get settled in a guest room."

"A guest room? Lucy, I know you two are adults, and you're ENGAGED! You two will stay in the cottage together."

"Oh, I've already settled into the guest room with Tamara," Lucy said nervously.

"Dave can help you bring your things over. It's no trouble."

Lucy looked over at Tim's bewildered expression, which seemed to be how his face is permanently fixed now, and then saw how her aunt was positively ecstatic. "Okay, Aunt Amy." Her eyes snapped back to the dumbfounded man beside her, and asked, "Can I just talk to Tim alone for a moment?"

"Sure," Amy smiled and started walking away from the beach and back into the house.

"Tim," Lucy hummed softly. Her aunt was not far enough away to speak any louder. He slowly blinked at her but didn't speak. "Tim," she repeated and squeezed at their joined hands- neither of them had let go.

"W-W..." He took a deep breath and fixed his eyes on hers. "What just happened?"

"Aunt Amy thinks we're engaged," she answered simply.

"I got that."

"I mean, we're not ACTUALLY engaged...I just sorta had to tell her that we are."

The way she was biting her lip made him relax a little out of his panicked stupor. When Lucy is worried, he wants to be the one to make her feel better. "That doesn't make any sense."

"My aunt said she wanted to meet my fiancée."

"Why did you tell her you have a fiancée? Are you and Chris...?"

"Oh, God no!" She was horrified at the idea. She squeezed the bridge of her nose and tried to explain the situation again. "You know how much I love my Aunt Amy, and I would do anything for her. She told me she wants to see me get married or at least meet the person I'm going to spend the rest of my life with, and so I lied and said you're my fiancée to make her feel better."