JC just stared at me. For the first time in the three years I have known him, he is actually speechless. A part of me wants to laugh at the deer in headlights look on his face, but his answer is way too important for me to annoy him by dissolving into a fit of giggles.

“Let me get this straight,” JC finally finds his voice, “For the past year and a half, you’re led your family to believe that I’m your boyfriend?”

“Well, not really. You and I hangout a lot and they just assumed that we were together.” I defended.

He shook his head as he laughed, “An assumption you never bothered to correct.”

I rolled my eyes with a sigh, “Look, they already lecture me about everything. And when I say everything, I’m talking about my occupation and my wardrobe and the fact that I moved out here instead of staying in New York and th-.”

“Okay, Riley. I get it. You have a nagging family,” he interjected.

“It was just one less thing for them to gripe about. How was I supposed to know that Daniel was going to propose to his girlfriend?” I reasoned, “I didn’t even know they were thinking about marriage.”

JC shot me a look of disbelief, “Maybe I can understand you not knowing when he was actually going to pop the question, but Riley, you should have at least known that he wanted to marry her.”
I snorted and tried not to hear my high society Mother's voice in my head scolding me for being unladylike, “Not everyone Not everyone likes their siblings. In fact, I think that’s normal. You’re the weird one in this equation.”

“Says the woman who let her family believe that she’s been dating someone for almost two years when she’s never so much as kissed the guy in question.” JC quipped as he leaned over the table towards me.

“Touché, my friend, touché.” I replied.

A smirk found its way to his face before he replied, “I thought so.”

I can’t help, but smile. Somehow, no matter how bad the situation, he always manages to put me in a better mood. I reached across the table and took his hand in mine, “Jace, I need you to do this. It’s a free two week vacation in Hawaii. All you have to do is pretend to be madly in love with me. Really, it shouldn’t be that hard.”

“Oh, you think so?” He asked while trying to suppress his grin.

I released his hand, “Don’t be a jerk, Joshua Scott.”

“Wow. We’re busting out government names now?” JC laughed, “If I do this, what’s in it for me?”

“Seriously?” I questioned. “Did you miss the whole ‘two weeks free in Hawaii’ part of my explanation earlier? Do I need to throw in that the wedding is in July? That’s what’s in it for you.”

He shrugged and I knew instantly I wasn’t about to like his answer, “Not good enough.”

“Seriously?” I huffed.

“Riley girl, I think you should work on expanding that vocabulary of yours.” He joked.

I wasn’t sure what he wanted, but I knew I wasn’t going to like whatever he was going to ask for, “Name your price, Chasez.”

“Halloween.” JC answered quickly.

The urge to roll my eyes is strong because I know exactly what he was asking of me. I decide to play dumb instead, “Sweetheart, my dad might be a very important man and the Gallagher name might mean a lot, but I doubt I can get you a holiday.”

“Brat. I don’t want Halloween per se.” He pulled his straw out of his drink and started chewing on the end, “I want to pick your costume for Halloween.”

“Only you would be thinking of Halloween in the middle of February.” I said with a glare, “And I am not going to play the Jinx to your James Bond. You’ve been trying for three years. Let it go.”

“It’s a solid costume!”

I shook my head in disgust, “I am not traipsing around LA in an orange bikini because you think it’s a ‘solid’ costume. Plus, I am nowhere near Halle Berry’s level of beauty. I’m not about to embarrass myself like that.”

“What do you think will be more embarrassing: dressing up as Jinx or having to explain to your family why your boyfriend hasn’t joined you in Hawaii for your brother’s wedding? Even if you tell them that I’m just a bad boyfriend, they’re going to give you hell about it. If you tell them that we broke up, they’re going to spend the whole time pitying you. Let’s not even get into what’s going to happen if you actual tell them the truth. I mea-“

“Okay, Jace. I get it.” I take a deep breath before continuing, “You know, I good best friend wouldn’t be blackmailing me like this.”

“You’re right,” he agreed, “but a great best friend would. I’m blackmailing you because I know our friendship is strong enough to survive anything. It gives the friendship character.”

“I hate you.” I replied before sticking my tongue out at him.

“Mature, Riley girl, real mature.”

I run my hand through my hair before responding to him, “Chasez, you better be the best damn boyfriend in the world on this trip.”

He has the audacity to look offended and, not for the first time, I’m silently berating myself for putting myself into this situation, “Of course, I’ll be great. By the time we’re done, your family will love me.”

I simply shake my head instead of replying to his statement. He may think that he gained a victory by getting me to agree to dress up as Jinx, but that’s a small price to pay for his presence at my brother’s wedding. He really has no idea what kind of craziness he's getting himself into.