“Not bad enough to tank everything, but enough to slow me down. I facilitated the permits, the land purchase, all of it myself instead of letting Hudson take the lead for once. I thought I had it under control.” He lets out a low, humorless laugh, rubbing a hand over his face. “Turns out I missed a few things. Some zoning technicalities, and now there’s a hold-up on the liquor license and the use of outdoor space.”

I frown. “Can it be fixed?”

“That’s what I’m working on.” He leans back, shaking his head. “I shouldn’t have screwed up in the first place. Hudson’s already waiting for me to fail, and I’ll be damned if I give him the satisfaction. If I can get the City Manager behind me, I can push the permits through faster and get everything back on track.” He taps his fingers against the table, tension still radiating off him. “I gotta prove that I deserve to be the one running things.”

I squeeze his hand, grounding him back to himself. “Then we need to make sure we woo his professional socks off. I’ve known Jeff and Kendra since middle school and taught their adorable kids. They love love. They can see it, feel it, and know when it’s fake. Now, I think we’ve been doing great executing each task, except… Number five.”

I open the coffee table drawer, then pull out The Love Syllabus.

The Love Syllabus

1. Intimate conversations – Get to know each other more, childhood trauma, irrational fears, middle school horror stories. The whole bonding package.
2. Build an Online Presence – Couple posts and flirty comments.
3. Ooze Chemistry – Stolen glances, lingering touches, inside jokes. Enough tension to make onlookers uncomfortable but intrigued.
4. Public Appearances – Business dinners, casual brunches, spontaneous dates where we’re just so in sync.
5. Physical Touch – Seal the illusion! A well-timed touch, casual hand on my back, whisper something in my ear that makes me laugh. And a well-timed forehead kiss in public wouldn’t hurt 😊

“Physical Touch,” I dare to admit, the both of us looking at one another with fierce intensity and want and relief. “I think our conversations are great, social media’s been surprisingly fair so far. We fake our chemistry so well.” I pause, hoping he’ll flinch at fake, but he doesn’t, so I continue. “We’ve fooled the outsiders and even many of the townsfolk, but…we can definitely turn it up a notch.”

No expression. No emotion. Just another swig of whiskey. “Continue, Kerry.”

I feel like he’s egging me on, so I just say it. “I think you should touch me more…for the outside perception, of course, not for me. Not because I want you to.” I lie, nervously biting my lips.