Lucy turned her head as she woke and realized she was being held. She looked to see Tim beneath her and his arms encircling her. It was not the first time she had seen him sleeping; he had dozed off in the shop a few times, and though Lucy jokingly referred to him as "Sleeping Beauty", he did look objectively beautiful with his morning scruff, his face peaceful, and his hair messy. Her eyes traveled lower, and she realized that he was shirtless and only in his boxer briefs, which should have made her uncomfortable, but she liked the bare skin of her legs pressed against his. He was so warm and holding onto her so snugly that she nestled her head back onto his chest and allowed herself to revel in snuggling with him. Her eyes caught on something sparkly in the corner of her vision, and Lucy realized that she was wearing the engagement ring.
She wouldn't dare call it HER engagement ring, but Tim had picked out something absolutely perfect for her, and when he slipped it on her finger, Lucy never wanted to take it off. They would be leaving shortly, she knew, which meant that she would have to remove the shiny ring and would no longer share a cozy little cottage with him. If she only had a few more hours left to enjoy the fantasy, Lucy wanted to stay exactly where she was with her ear pressed to Tim's chest and feel every rise and fall from every breath and hear each beat of his heart mixed with the distant sound of waves while the warmth of his skin bled into hers. It was perfect.
So perfect she was pulled back to sleep.
When Tim woke up, his eyes immediately snapped down to where Lucy was draped on top of him. He lifted the covers to see how their legs had ended up tangled together, and then he followed her arms and hands until he found one palm pressed against his pec. With the gentlest touch, he traced that hand and the diamond ring on it, and he wished this could be his life- Lucy and him waking up in bed together every morning, his ring on her finger tying them together forever.
He thought about how everyone rumored that they were pregnant, and Tim could vividly imagine the sound of a baby crying just beyond the thin curtain separating the bed from the rest of the space. It was a nice dream, but Lucy only asked him to be her fake fiancée for the weekend, and their time to pretend to be in love was almost coming to an end. Since he did not get his fill of kisses and touches the night before (he never thought he could get enough of her), Tim promised himself that he would hold Lucy's hand throughout breakfast and kiss her in front of Aunt Amy before the charade would end. He needed one last kiss.
"Tim," she said, her voice groggy.
"Hey," he replied, and before he could stop himself, Tim's fingers slowly combed through her messy, wavy, locks.
"What time is it?"
"Early. I might try falling back asleep," he lied. Tim had not checked his watch, since that would mean tearing a hand away from Lucy's body, but based on where the sun was hanging in the sky outside, he could tell it was around 8AM. The rest of the wedding guests would probably be starting to go into the main house for breakfast, and a few were likely loading their cars to leave and start the long drive, but Tim did not care about anyone or anything else. He just wanted to keep Lucy in the bed with him for a little longer if he could.
"Okay," she sighed and her eyes slipped closed again. She did not have any impetus to move away from him and the way he was running his fingers through her hair that made her barely swallow back from moaning. Lucy's eyes fluttered open, and she saw him staring down at her and not trying to fall back asleep. "I thought you were gonna go back to sleep."
"Right," he replied guiltily and shut his eyes.
Lucy chuckled, and she secretly hoped he wanted to stay in bed with her as much as she wanted to remain with him, but she was unsure. Finally, she sprang up and announced, "I have to pee."
Tim snickered while watching her dart over to the bathroom, and then he finally shuffled out of bed. He started stripping the sheets to make it easier for Dave and Amy to wash the bedding when Lucy emerged.
"I was gonna lay down again," she said.
"Sorry, I was just trying to help."
"It's okay. We should probably start packing anyways."
"Yeah," he agreed.
"Actually," Lucy had an idea and lunged forward to take the neatly folded bedding out his hands. "I think I should wash all this."
"It might take a few hours. Are you sure you don't wanna get on the road soon? I don't mind staying...for the laundry."
"Maybe, we can both take care of it together," she suggested, and she hoped he would say yes and agree to stay in their bubble of pretend for a few hours more.
"Sure. Yeah, I can help you make the bed when everything's washed," he offered knowing making a bed did not require the collaborative effort of two people.
"Perfect. I might even sweep up and maybe clean the bathroom."
"I could clean up the kitchen," he proposed, even though they both knew they had only used the coffee maker in the kitchenette.
"Great."
"Great. So, let's start the laundry, get ready, and grab some breakfast. Then, we can come back and clean up."
"Sounds like a plan," Lucy gave him a soft smile and walked over to the little closet where the washing machine was hidden inside of.
After getting ready (again, in perfect harmony despite sharing a small bathroom), Lucy and Tim walked up the beach. He reached for her hand, and she slotted her fingers between his perfectly as if they had done it a million times. When they walked inside the main house, all eyes turned to them.
"You woke up late, Lucy. You shouldn't be so lazy in the morning," Vanessa commented.
"It's my fault, Mrs. Chen," Tim fibbed to take the blame.
"Sounds like you two have already had a busy morning," Tamara joked.
Lucy blushed while Amy chuckled. "Leave the lovebirds alone. There's still plenty of food. Come on," Amy grinned and bent her neck in the direction of the kitchen where all of the breakfast was laid out.
Tamara followed the couple to get another blueberry pancake.
"Was that necessary?" Lucy hissed under her breath to her roommate.
"I thought you wanted me to play along?" The younger woman replied, feigning innocence, but there was the ghost of a devilish grin on her face.
Tim looped his arm around Lucy's waist and asked, "Want some pancakes, baby?"
She nodded and leaned into him a little. In a few short hours, even if they tried to delay leaving by cleaning the cottage, Lucy knew she wouldn't get to revel in Tim's hands on her or the soft way he calls her "baby", and she wanted to soak up every last minute of it.
He smiled and set two pancakes on her plate, then, he reached for the syrup and started drowning the pancakes in the golden brown liquid the way she likes.
Lucy pursed her lips together to try to stop smiling, but she absolutely adores how well he knows her- even how she prefers her pancakes. He has teased her before claiming she eats "syrup with a side of pancakes", yet Tim poured the syrup for her and only grumbled quietly, "I can't believe you drown your pancakes like this."
"I like 'em sweet," she replied and watched his face pinch in disgust. She surged up and kissed his cheek (because she still could for a few hours), "I keep telling you, you should try it some time."
His first thought was that he would be willing to try extra syrupy pancakes if he were tasting it from her lips. Tim was confident he would enjoy it then. Still, he merely shook his head and guided them over to the small table outside on the porch, which happened to be as far away from Vanessa as possible.
About halfway through breakfast, Lucy followed Tim's eye line to find that all of her family was looking at them through the window. "Tim," she hummed and waited until he turned to her. "If they're gonna keep watching, we should give 'em something to see." His blank stare made her smile as she leaned in for a slow, gentle kiss.
Tim proved his hypothesis was correct; he does like syrup with a side of pancakes when tasting it from Lucy's lips. She pulled away slightly, and with his eyes still shut, he whispered, "They're still looking," because he hoped they were, and then he angled his head for another kiss.
Lucy knew that even though it was short-lived, she would miss finding excuses to steal kisses, claiming it was to keep up their cover, even if they both knew no REAL couple in love needed to have so many public displays of affection to prove the authenticity of their relationship.
♡ ⋆˙⟡ ♡ ˙⋆ ⟡ ♡ ⋆˙⟡ ♡˙⋆ ⟡ ♡
Since the cottage was spotless when they arrived, it took no time at all to clean up after themselves.
Tamara walked over and knocked.
"Come in," Tim called as he and Lucy finished smoothing out the duvet on the made bed.
Tamara stepped inside with a hand over her eyes. "Are you decent?"
"That's not funny," Lucy replied deadpan.
"I wouldn't want to walk in on you two again. Who knows what would've happened if I hadn't gotten home when I did the first time you kissed? If last night was any indication, there might have been some truth to those pregnancy rumors."
Tim felt his cheeks heat up as he distantly remembered how much he had tousled Lucy's hair when he buried his hands there at one point during their very long, very involved make out session on the dance floor the night before. He could not deny that he had gotten carried away, and they were in PUBLIC. How far would he have gone if they were ALONE?
Lucy's own cheeks reddened, and she scratched her scalp to distract herself from recalling how Tim's tongue had slid into her mouth so perfectly during the wedding reception. She remembered thinking that she had not been properly kissed before he claimed her mouth so expertly. If they were not around prying eyes, Lucy probably would not have stopped at just kissing him...if he's that good at kissing, she was certain he must be quite good at other things as well. Just the thought of finding out what else he's good at sent a shiver down her spine.
He cleared his throat and looked everywhere but directly at Lucy when he said, "I'm gonna say goodbye to Amy and Dave. We should probably hit the road soon."
Lucy offered him a forced smile and watched him leave the cottage so unceremoniously without even looking back that she wondered if he thought their time together in the little space was special the way she viewed it. Or, maybe he considered their fake engagement that forced them to share the cottage as a chore he was willing to do as a friend.
"Are you okay?" Tamara asked.
"Yeah, we gotta get going." Without a second thought, Lucy glanced down at her bejeweled hand, and she loathed the idea of removing the ring. Perhaps Tamara would not notice if she kept it on during the drive home?
While saying goodbye, Amy squeezed Lucy and asked again, "Are you sure you can't stay for a couple more days?"
"I really want to," Lucy replied wistfully. She was so at peace in the small beachside town, and she loved the thought of spending more time with her favorite aunt, but the real world was waiting.
Amy looked a little sad, but she said her I love yous and goodbyes before stepping back inside the main house.
Tim helped Lucy and Tamara load their bags, and he noticed that Lucy was still wearing the engagement ring. He liked that she still kept it on her finger for a few more minutes when Amy was out of sight. Even if it was fake, it was nice to see her wearing a ring he had given her. Once the women were ready to go, he waited for them to drive away first.
Except Lucy's car would not start.
The vehicle made a strange sputtering sound, and Tim immediately jumped down from his truck with Kojo in tow to inspect her car.
"You've GOT to be kidding me," Lucy groaned.
"There's definitely a problem with the engine," Tim reported based on his initial glance.
"Great," she sighed.
"Why don't I give you a lift home?"
"What about my car?"
"We can leave it at the body shop in town, and I can drive you back when it's fixed."
It was a sweet offer to drive so far out of town for her, but Lucy was not necessarily surprised, since that is the kind of man Tim is, but there was something gnawing at her about the whole situation. She leaned in ever so slightly and said, "I think it's a sign."
"A sign?"
"Yeah, I think I should stay with Aunt Amy for a few more days. With the craziness of the wedding weekend, we didn't get a lot of time to hang out, and this might be my last chance...ever."
"I know how much she's missed you, and she HAS offered you to extend your visit ever since you got here. I'm sure she'd love if you stayed."
Lucy nodded, appreciating that he understood.
"I'll take Tamara to your apartment, and we'll see you back in the city in a few days."
"Thank you."
"Let's call a mechanic to get your car fixed first. I want to make sure you're taken care of before we head out."
Lucy smiled at him and then pulled out her phone to Google the information for the town body shop.
"Everything alright?" Amy asked from the front porch. She saw the couple talking instead of driving away and wanted to check in.
"Lucy's having some engine trouble," Tim explained.
Amy walked over to them and replied, "Oh, I'm sorry, Lucy. How can I help?"
"I'm waiting for the town mechanic to pick up, so that my car can get towed away and fixed, and then, it looks like I'll be staying here for a few more days."
Amy's face lit up immediately. "Perfect! Tim, Dave can come out and help you bring your bags back over to the cottage. Let me go get him..."
"Actually, Amy I was gonna head back," Tim replied.
"Without your fiancée? You're going to leave her alone in another town for days while her car is broken down?"
"She'll be safe with you."
"Won't you miss her? The way you two can barely keep your hands off each other makes me think you can't go an hour without being around Lucy let alone a few days or however long it'll take to get the car fixed."
"He would love to stay with us, but he's a Sergeant. He's got a lot of work to do," Lucy tried to intervene.
Tim looked down at the ring on Lucy's finger, then into her eyes as he considered his options. "You know what, baby, I'll call Grey and see if I can stay." Staying in Carmel meant he would get to keep pretending to be Lucy's fiancée with all of the perks that came with it. A few more days of living with her sounded so much better than work; it really was an easy decision.
"Really?" Amy asked happily.
"Really?" Lucy asked curiously.
"Of course. Amy's right. I can't go days without you, and besides, it'll be nice for me to spend some time with Amy, too. Let me call Grey." The great part about faking was that Tim could say true statements that he would never actually say in real life; when their shifts do not align, and he goes days without seeing Lucy, Tim knows he gets irritable and mopey all because his favorite source of sunshine is not around. She never had to know that fact.
Lucy was astonished that Tim agreed to stay and was asking to take off MORE vacation days when he NEVER takes time away from work. He dropped a kiss to her forehead that made butterflies swarm her stomach, and then she watched as he stepped away to dial.
"Hi, Tim," Grey answered the phone.
"Hey, Grey," Tim greeted. "So...Lucy and I were wondering if we could stay out of town for a few more days to be with her aunt."
"Is she okay?"
"No, she's...very sick, but she's in good spirits, and being around Lucy helps, so..."
"You both have banked so many personal days, and you're taking time for your family. Stay with her aunt as long as you'd like. I'll figure out shift schedules," Grey assured.
"Really?"
"Yes, family is important. Don't worry about it," Grey urged.
"Thanks," he was appreciative that they had such an understanding boss, and it did not go unnoticed that Grey referred to Amy as a family member to both of them, because sitting with her during those countless dialysis appointments, Tim truly had gained a maternal figure where he had been lacking one for years. "Grey said we can stay as long as we want," he reported to Amy and Lucy.
"That's great!" Amy clapped.
"Did you get a hold of the mechanic?"
"He should be here in 15 minutes," Lucy replied.
"Good."
"Guys? What's going on with the car?" Tamara climbed out of the vehicle and finally asked.
"A mechanic is coming to tow it away, and we decided to stay a few more days while the car gets fixed, but I'm sure there's a bus that can take you back home," Tim started searching for bus routes as he spoke.
"Wait, BOTH of you are staying in town for a little longer?" Tamara inquired to clarify.
"Yeah," Tim answered.
"Oh, well in that case, I'd love to stay...if I can." A few more days of watching their far too convincing fake relationship? No ClipTalk account or TV show could ever be so entertaining.
"The more the merrier," Amy beamed. "Let's get you all settled back in, and I'll tell Dave the great news."
Lucy was thrilled for the chance to stay in their little fantasy, and she tried not to look down and admire her engagement ring, but it caught her eye again.
Tim noticed her staring at the piece of jewelry, and he wondered if she likes it because it's beautiful or because he gave it to her. He was too nervous of her answer to ask.
Amy and Tamara walked inside the main house while talking about cookies, leaving the fake couple to unpack the car.
She bumped his hip as they reached into the car for their bags. "You didn't have to stay. I know how important your job is to you."
"Yeah, but you know that some things matter more like making Amy happy. You saw the way she smiled when she heard that both of us were staying."
"That's because she's happy about our fake engagement. Staying means we have to keep pretending we're together. She still has to believe we're in love."
"You said to be convincing, all I have to do is pretend that you're the most important person in my life, well, that's not something I have to fake," he said simply and lifted Tamara's belongings.
She followed him inside the main house and up the stairs into the guest room that Tamara had been staying in before. "What does that mean?" Lucy asked as Tim set the bags down. He wondered why she and Lucy had packed so much for a weekend trip, but he knew there were female mysteries like overpacking he would never understand.
"It means," his eyes snapped up to meet hers, "you ARE the most important person in my life."
"Other than Genny and Angela," she supplied, assuming the other women were favored by him, and rightfully so, he had known his best friend and his sister longer.
"No," he could not stop his mouth before the words fell out, "you're my best friend and my favorite person." The amazement was clear on her face, so Tim felt compelled to add, "I know you have lots of people you care about and whatever, so it's probably not the same for you..."
She reached out and touched his bicep to stop his line of thinking. "It is...the same for me," Lucy assured him softly.
He stared into her eyes and saw the truth behind her words, and somehow, he shifted his gaze to her lips before looking back up, and it all happened so fast. Before he even knew what was happening, Tim's lips were slamming into hers and his hands were on either side of her neck.
She dropped her hands to his waist to pull him closer and heard his little moan when their bodies were pressed together.
Lucy wondered what had happened all of a sudden. Why was he kissing her now even though no one else was around? Did being his favorite person mean Tim has feelings for her that run deeper than friendship? She could not stop pondering what it meant as he gently bit her lip, and she let him take control of the kiss- whatever he wanted to do with his tongue and his feelings for her, Lucy was willing to follow his lead.