Faking Love

Chapter One: heat and greet

Daisy was weighing up the pros and cons of drowning.

Really, what kind of safety hazard was that, anyway? Having an open stream running through a hotel lobby? Sure, kids weren't allowed on this side of the resort, but were kids the only ones at risk of falling to a watery grave? What about five-foot-something gingers who once knocked over an entire corps de ballet after tripping over a toadstool during dress rehearsals?

In all fairness, the stagehand had put the toadstool in Daisy's line of fouetté fire.

Alas, it wasn't clumsiness tempting her to sign up for a meet and greet with Nemo and friends. Rather, if Daisy had to listen to the sound of lips smacking and tongues colliding for one more second, she was absolutely diving headfirst into the indoor waterfall—brand new crop top, matching blue skirt and all.

Pro: I won't be able to hear couples swapping saliva underwater.

Con: It would be a shame to ruin such a cute outfit.

Daisy's best friend, Laia, picked that exact moment to plant a kiss on her fiance's cheek as he retrieved their room card from the ever-smiling concierge. And if it wasn't Laia and Kenji battling it out in Tongue Twister that afternoon, it was Belle and her girlfriend of three years, Ruby. What might have been worse, Daisy thought, was being subjected to watching whatever Honey and her husband, the good reverend Matthew, interpreted as kissing—which she couldn't help but think looked a lot like two newborn aliens exchanging parasites.

Not that she'd ever tell the reverend that. She didn't need a sermon about aliens like the one he'd given about vampires that time she made a Twilight joke. Lesson learned.

"I take it you're lodging on the other side of the resort?"

Daisy whirled to the front desk, her copper hair doing some smacking of its own against the reverend's cheek.

Whoops.

"Oh, no," Laia cut in, answering on Daisy's behalf. She peeled her arm from Kenji's and linked it through her best friend's, her long, ebony hair shimmering like silk as she shook her head. "Daisy is staying with us. At the couples' retreat."

The concierge slicked back his already slicked-back hair. Like the valet and doorman before him, his uniform—a tailored khaki shirt and silky brown scarf—was giving off some serious Indiana Jones vibes.

He pursed his lips. "The couples' retreat is only for couples, I'm afraid."

Daisy couldn't argue with that logic. It was pretty sound.

Something sharp jabbed her side. Retracting her elbow, Laia widened her russet eyes, adorned with her signature flick of liner.

Right. Words. Because Daisy was an adult capable of conversation.

Allegedly.

Clearing her throat, she tried to mirror the concierge's Cheshire Cat smile. "My..." Boyfriend? Fling? "Joshua's flying in tonight. He's been away. On business."

Laia made a throaty sound Daisy knew meant, He's always away on business.

Right, Daisy's expression replied. And that's how I like it.

The concierge nodded. Daisy felt like that nod was laced with pity. "The cocktail mixer does start at six sharp. And ..." He conferred something on his computer. "Oh, dear. I see you're all booked under the group special. He'll need to check in by the end of the mixer for you to claim the discount—"

"He'll be here before the mixer," Daisy blurted. Wow. Was it just her, or did she sound a tad ... panicked?

She tried to smile her tone away.