Honestly, I didn’t expect us to have to do so much to keep up this ruse. I expected that Elise and Grant would want to spend most of their visit alone with May. And with me too, I guess, since May and I are basically a package deal. I thought Travis would only need to pop in for a couple guest appearances. But they seem determined to get to know him and treat him as part of the family. Not that I’d actually call this weird thing the four of us have a family.

We eat in silence for a bit until Grant asks me, “So that event you had here went well?”

“Oh yeah,” I tell him, spearing a baby carrot with my fork. Normally, I hate carrots, but Addison put some kind of glaze on these that made them deliciously sweet. If only all vegetables could come sweetened.

Grant watches me a few seconds, and when I don’t elaborate, he says, “That’s good. Would you like us to move into a room here now that it’s over? We don’t want to keep putting you out.”

“Yes, we’re sorry. We didn’t realize we were coming at such a bad time,” Elise adds. “But I am glad we’ll be here to see this spring festival May’s been telling me about.”

It occurs to me now that they haven’t given me an end date for their stay. It makes sense that they’d want to stay for the festival, but I assume they’ll be leaving right after. They never like to slum it here for more than a week.

Unfortunately, because of the festival coming up, the inn is still booked solid this week. I mean, that’s not unfortunate for the inn. Only for my mental state, since I can’t move them here.

When I tell them as much, I make sure to hide my feelings about the situation.

Elise apologizes again, while also assuring me they’re happy to stay at my house. “And we’ll find things to do on our own,” she adds. “We won’t keep bothering you at work.”

I’m not sure if she’s intentionally using reverse psychology on me, but her implying that they’re bothering me actually makes me feel bad, so I wind up saying, “Oh no, you’re not bothering me. I can always make time to have lunch with you. I’m the boss, after all.”

Elise looks happy, while I try not to cringe at my own words. This weekend can’t come fast enough. I’m not going to let them ruin my fun at the festival with May. And then after it, they’ll be gone, and my life can go back to normal. No more faking, no more sleepovers with Travis.