"She won't be mad." He couldn't make his mother feel guilty when he was the one lying and fooling everyone.
"Good. Because I have a gift for her." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.
A cold trickle of fear ran down his spine. "What is that?"
She opened the box and amongst the cushy interior sat a band of diamonds. Each stone was shaped like a double-ended teardrop, the gaps dotted with tiny red rubies, making the ring look more like a wreath than a typical wedding ring.
"This belonged to my great grandmother," she said, tracing a finger over it. "I've been saving it for when you found the right girl."
"You never showed me this when I was with Sadie." The words stuck in his throat.
"You never said you were going to marry her."
"Technically I haven't asked Libby yet, either." At least there was one thing he could say without lying. "And why didn't you give it to Des?"
"I know it probably seems like I'm hard on you all the time, but I was like you when I was younger." His mother wrapped her arm around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder. "I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life and your nonno was always frustrated with me because I wanted to explore and see the world. He just wanted me to settle down."
"I can't imagine it."
She laughed. "I'm hard on you because I know you have greatness in you, Paul. But, like me, you need a good shove sometimes."
"You're too little to push me around." He teased her to make light of the emotion battling inside him. His mother had never given him any indication that she understood him on such a deep level, let alone that she had been the same way herself.
"Sometimes it takes the right person to help us see our potential. I think Libby is that person for you … that's why I want you to give her the family ring."
His chest seized, guilt crushing down on him like a boulder. It was official; he'd easily take the title of worst son in the world. Jesus, why had he been so stupid to lie to his whole family?
"Ask her, Paolo. Make it official. Girls like that don't come along every day."
Didn't he know it? But wondering about what could be was pointless when he'd been down this road before. If he was stupid enough to think a relationship might work he'd only have egg on his face later. Libby would move onward and upward, while he struggled to keep up until eventually one of them decided there was too much distance between them.
"I have to wait … for the right time."
"It's now. Promise me you won't let this go to waste."
He drew a long deep breath. "Ma … "
"She's not Sadie, so if that's what you're worried about-"
"It's not."
"Then take the plunge. Don't be afraid."
Blood rushed in his ears, his body rebelling against her words. But what could he do? He couldn't blow his cover now. Not only would it make him look like a fool in front of his family but it would take away from Des and Gracie … they didn't deserve to have a shadow hang over their wedding because he was such a fuckup.
"Okay."
"I want you to know how proud I am of you." She pressed the velvet box into his hands. "Des told me about the idea you had for the cocktail classes at the bar. It sounds like a great idea."
"He did?" Paul turned the ring box over in his hand. He hadn't taken the business plan to Des yet, since there were a few final tweaks he wanted to make-Libby had taught him that much. If something was worth doing, it was worth doing properly.
"He was worried that he was too hard on you about the plans, but that must be a family trait. Right?"
"Yeah, we're a bunch of hard-asses."
"You're going to do great things, my son." She squeezed him. "Now make sure you drive safely. I don't want any of the boxes getting broken because you're driving like a maniac."
"Good to see we're back to normal." He shook his head and pocketed the ring box.
A fake relationship had seemed so easy when he'd first suggested it to Libby. A few little lies, what harm could they do? But now he knew. He was in a world of guilt because he'd been a bad son. A bad brother.
A liar.
He swallowed as he climbed into the driver's seat and slammed the car door shut with a bang. He couldn't change the past, but he could make damn sure that after this was all done he'd be a new person. A better person.
Someone they'd be proud of for all the right reasons.
The hour and a half drive to the Yarra Valley hadn't done anything to improve Libby's mood. The neat rows of grapevines, greenery as far as the eye could see, and fluffy white marshmallow clouds blurred by, unappreciated, until the GPS announced she'd arrived at her destination.
She'd managed to avoid seeing anyone while she checked in. As she entered the room she was to share with Paul, the dark cloud remained firmly in place. Her father tended to have that effect on her.
Sinking down onto the massive king-size bed in the vineyard's hotel room, she brushed her hands over the luxurious covers. Tomorrow she'd have to face Paul's family again and front up to the web of lies she'd created. Including pretending to be Paul's fiancée.
"What the hell have I done?" she muttered into her hands.
"You won't find any answers there." Paul's voice caught her attention and she looked up.
"When did you get in?" She brushed her hands down the front of her dress and tried to ignore the flutter in her stomach.
He wore a suit. Sharp. Black. A white shirt opened at the collar to reveal tanned skin, and his shoes were polished to a high shine. His dark hair had been cut short since she saw him last, but the natural curl still showed through.
"You can close that pretty mouth of yours. Yes, I do own a suit." He smirked. "I got in early to have a meeting with the bridal party and the emcee."
"Oh." She nodded, pushing up from the bed and resting a hand on her suitcase. "I didn't realize there'd only be one bed here."
All the wedding guests were staying at the vineyard's accommodation, an old homestead that had been renovated and transformed into a luxury hotel. Gracie's mother knew the owner and the family had been given rooms with views of the Yarra Valley's sweeping landscape. The sun dipped low in the sky, casting ethereal gold light across the rolling hills.
The view could not have been more beautiful even if it had been perfected by an artist's brush.
"We're supposed to be a couple." Paul shrugged out of his jacket, and Libby allowed herself a single second to admire his broad shoulders before she spun around, pretending to inspect the room service menu. "A couple who's engaged, no less."
"Right." She swallowed.
How would she survive the night sleeping in the same bed as Paul? If she managed to keep her hands off him-which was unlikely-she wouldn't get a wink of sleep. If she gave in to the magnetic pull then there was a high chance of her being completely unable to keep her wits about her at the wedding.
That's what he did to her. One look, one touch, was all she needed to forget why she was here. Forget why she stayed away from relationships. Forget how much she'd let people hurt her in the past. Hell, if he kissed her hard enough she'd probably forget her own name.
But her father's visit had reminded her why the happily-ever-after endings of Hollywood movies were a sham.
"I can sleep on the couch," he said, snapping her attention back to the present. "You take the bed. I couldn't exactly ask for a room with two beds."
"No one would believe you were the waiting kind," she said attempting to lighten the mood, but a dark shadow passed over his face. "Not after the way you kissed me at your parents' place."
He nodded. "That was a hell of a kiss."
Talking about that would not help her state of mind, either.
"What do we need to do for the rehearsal dinner?" Libby grabbed her suitcase and lifted it onto the bed so she could unpack.
"Nothing. I have to give a speech, but you can just enjoy the wine and be your lovely self." He dropped down onto the bed and watched as she meticulously removed the items from her suitcase.
The tissue surrounding her wedding outfit crunched as she lifted it out and unwrapped it. The black silk gleamed. It was so glossy it appeared wet in the dying light. For a moment she regretted not going with the safe option.
Hunger flared in Paul's face, his eyes fixated on her as she unfolded the silk to show its full glory. "I have a feeling I'm going to like that dress."
Libby said nothing as she reached for a hanger, slipping the shoulders over it and setting it up to hang from the wardrobe door so any creases could fall out. She placed her shoes down on the floor next to it.
"Is everything okay?" He narrowed his eyes at her as she continued to unpack.