“Pretending to get married,” she clarified quickly. “We’re calling it off after the engagement party tonight.”

“Audrey,” he said with a laugh.

“I know,” she said, laughing along with him. “Trust me, I know. It’s insane. But because you love me, and because I’m vulnerable, can I ask for a week’s delay on the lecture?”

He sighed. “I won’t lecture. And, I guess… well, as always, I’m thankful for Clarke. He takes care of you in ways I can’t.”

“That’s not true,” she said loyally.

It was a little true. Anderson had been a good big brother, but the age difference meant that their childhoods hadn’t overlapped much, much less their school lives. Even if they had, Anderson had been the lanky, nose-in-a-book teen who’d warranted social issues of his own. He’d hardly been the type of brother you could flaunt in front of your bullies and say, “My brother will beat you up.”

Not that Audrey had had many social problems aside from the occasional playground bully and high school mean girl. But to her brother’s point, maybe the reason her life had been relatively smooth sailing, save the Brayden incident, was because of Clarke. He’d always been her fiercest defender, her most loyal companion. Armed with good looks, ample confidence, and way too much charm, he’d been able to talk his way out of anything, both on his behalf and Audrey’s.

“It is true,” Anderson said gently, reading her thoughts. “But I appreciate that you’ll still let me pretend to be your big brother.”

“You are my big brother, and I am sorry I didn’t tell you about my plan. And that you had to hear about it from Instagram, of all things. I should have told you when I told Mom and Dad.”

“Oh God.” He laughed. “I bet Mom is loving it.”

“I think she was more excited about us all being in on a charade together than she would be if it were an actual wedding.”

“Well, she does like to remind us about her acting aspirations. We can’t go a single Christmas without hearing about her starring role in her high school’s Hello, Dolly!”

“Annie Get Your Gun.”

“Whatever.”

“Well, I guess I’ll get to see tonight just how good of an actress she is.”

“What’s happening tonight?”

“Engagement party,” she reminded him. “Mom and Dad flew in.”

“They took a six-hour flight for a fake engagement party?”

“On the company jet, so not exactly a hardship,” Audrey pointed out. “Plus, Clarke’s mom more or less badgered them into it.”

She could practically hear him shaking his head in disbelief. “You have a weird life, little sis.”