Summer Charade

Chapter 5

Izzy lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying the kiss over and over in her mind. Every detail seemed to stick—the warmth of Luke's lips, the way his hand had gently cupped her cheek, the electric spark that had caught her completely off guard. She groaned, covering her face with her hands.

"This is ridiculous," she muttered into the darkness. "It was a fake kiss. Part of the act." She tried to push the memory away, but the sensation lingered, leaving her unsettled. Sitting up, she sighed heavily and whispered to herself, "It's just physical attraction, right? That's all it is. There's no way this is more than that."

But no matter how many times she told herself it was meaningless, the truth gnawed at her. The kiss had felt real.

Across town, Luke sat at his kitchen table, idly stirring his coffee, though his thoughts were far from his morning routine. His mind kept drifting back to the kiss, replaying it with an annoying amount of clarity. "Just chemistry," he muttered, shaking his head as if the movement could dislodge the lingering feeling. "It didn't mean anything."

But the memory of Izzy leaning into the kiss, the softness of the moment, kept sneaking back into his thoughts. He'd expected it to feel forced, awkward even, but it hadn't. It had felt... easy. And that bothered him more than he cared to admit.

Luke glanced at his phone, half tempted to text her, but he quickly pushed the thought away. "Keep it cool, man," he muttered to himself, leaning back in his chair. "It's all part of the deal. No big deal."

Yet, as he sipped his coffee, that nagging feeling persisted—this wasn't supposed to feel real. But somehow, it did.

...

The Bennetts' house was buzzing with energy as Izzy and Luke stepped inside. The rich smell of grilled chicken and fresh bread filled the air, and the soft hum of conversation came to an abrupt stop the moment the two of them walked in. All eyes were on them, and Izzy felt the pressure immediately.

"Well, there they are!" Wendy Bennett's voice rang out, beaming at them from across the room. "The happy couple!"

Izzy forced a smile, feeling the weight of the moment. This is too much. She caught sight of her mom, Angela, standing next to Wendy with an almost smug look on her face. The two mothers exchanged a conspiratorial glance, clearly enjoying the fruit of their matchmaking efforts.

"They were just too stubborn to see what was right in front of them," Angela said, laughing softly. "But look at them now!"

Izzy's stomach churned. I didn't sign up for this much attention. She shot a quick glance at Luke, who looked as calm as ever, though there was a tightness in his jaw that told her he wasn't exactly thrilled either.

Before they could make it further into the room, Luke's little brother, Ryan, appeared, grinning mischievously. He was in full-on tease mode, clearly loving this new development.

"So, how exactly did this happen?" Ryan asked, eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Was it love at first sight? Or did you two have some grand, romantic moment where the stars aligned?"

Luke rolled his eyes, but before he could respond, Ryan continued, "Come on, spill it. Did you guys have a secret thing going on this whole time? Because, let me tell you, no one saw this coming."

Luke shot Ryan a look. "Cool it, Ryan. It's not a rom-com."

Izzy forced a laugh, though her nerves were starting to show. "Yeah, nothing that dramatic."

Ryan smirked. "Oh, sure. But now you're all lovey-dovey?" He tilted his head at them. "Prove it."

Luke's tone was casual, but firm. "Maybe later, little bro. We're here for dinner, not to give you relationship advice."