“Running off so fast before we can catch up?” He looked from me to Landon, and then back to me.
“Jason,” I said as I tried to even out my voice. I hadn’t been able to breathe since this whole damn auction started, and Landon practically dragging me across the room didn’t help.
Jason gave a slight head nod as he said, “Hello there, Emmerson. Landon.”
Landon gave Jason a tight smile. “Jason. You’re a little far from home, aren’t you?”
He laughed and wrapped his arm around the blonde who stood next to him. “My folks are large supporters of the hospital, and they asked me to be here tonight on their behalf.”
I knew it was a lie the moment it came out of his mouth, but I could not have cared less. All I could currently think about was what I could sell off to pay the large debt I had just gotten myself saddled with.
“Well, thank you for your support,” I said, noticing that Landon had moved his hand from my elbow and that he was now holding my hand.
Jason nodded and then said, “Where are my manners? Emmerson Wallace, Landon Lewis, this is my fiancée, Lillian Russel.”
His…fiancée? That poor girl.
“Lillian, this is an old friend of mine. We dated for a while, but things didn’t work out between us. Third party in the relationship,” Jason said as he shot Landon a smirk.
I was positive my mouth dropped open some. I chanced a look at Landon, who now seemed more confused than angry.
Lillian looked at me with something like satisfaction in her eyes before she turned and eye-fucked the hell out of Landon. I stepped closer and wrapped my arm around him. He didn’t even flinch, as if the action was something I did often.
“Congratulations,” I said with a wide smile. “When’s the big day?”
Lillian looked up at Jason and giggled. “We’re thinking a Halloween wedding! I’ve always wanted one.”
I wanted to groan internally. Good Lord, a themed wedding. I should have known.
“I heard you were a wedding planner, one of the best,” Lillian said. If she asked me to plan their wedding, I was going to laugh in her face. I didn’t care that Jason was getting married, but planning his wedding would just be plain weird.
“She is indeed the best,” Landon said as he pulled me closer.
“Oh stop,” I said, hitting him playfully on the chest.
Jason looked between us and shook his head. “I thought the two of you were simply friends. Wasn’t that what you always told me, Emmerson?”
I gave him a fake smile as I said, “Sometimes feelings change, Jason. You should know that better than anyone.”
He raised a brow. “Well, it worked out for the best. If not, I wouldn’t be marrying my best friend this October. I truly understand what love is now, and what it feels like to be loved.”
Lillian glanced down at her ring and then beamed up at Jason before she looked at me and Landon. “Like you bidding for Landon!”
“Well, can’t let anyone else take my guy out on a date!” I said as Landon stiffened next to me. Shit. Shit. Shit. First I’d spent thirty-thousand dollars—twenty of it his—and now I’d just invented a fake relationship for us.
“Aw, how cute that you love him so much to bid so high for him,” Lillian said.
“In love?” Jason asked in a disbelieving voice. “Emmerson?”
That made Landon tilt his head. “What does that mean?”
Jason laughed. “Nothing. I just never thought Emmerson had it in her to fall in love.”
“What? She’s a wedding planner! Of course she has it in her. Don’t you?” Lillian asked.
I nodded as I tried to force myself to smile. “As a matter of fact, Landon and I are engaged as well. We’re planning a December wedding.”
Oh my God.
Oh. My. God.
Did that really just come out of my mouth? I felt, more than saw, Landon whip his head around to look at me.
It’s okay. I’ll fix this all once I get Jason out of the way, and then I can talk to Landon.
“Oh, holy shit.”
The voice came from behind me and Landon. I didn’t have to turn to see that it was Hailey.
I ignored the way Landon’s eyes were boring into me as I plastered on my best smile.
Lillian gave a squeal of delight. “Oh, my gosh! No wonder you got in a bidding war with that other lady! I wouldn’t want anyone going out with my man, either.”
Jason frowned as he looked from me to Landon and shook his head slightly. “I always knew there was something more than friendship between the two of you.”
I could feel Landon’s eyes still on me as he softly said, “Is that right?”
I swallowed the lump in my throat and decided to ignore that statement as well. Maybe I could just ignore the last thirty minutes. Pretend none of it even happened. No, that wouldn’t work. I’m a fixer, so I’d just simply fix it all. It was only Jason and Lillian. Two people, one little white lie.
“When did he ask you to marry him?” Lillian asked in a voice that was way too excited and way too loud.
“Marry? You’re getting married?” Janet asked. “To who?”
Before I had a chance to dig myself out of the mess I had made, Lillian took the shovel and dug another few feet down for me. “To Landon! They’re engaged and getting married this December. A Christmas wedding!”
I held up my hands. “I never said it was a Christmas––”
Janet’s eyes went wide. “No wonder you bid against Claire!”
And before I even knew what was happening, Janet rushed off, back toward the stage.
“Oh no,” I whispered.
“Things just got crazy fun!” Hailey declared as we all watched Janet move quickly through the crowd.
Landon pointed at Janet. “What’s she doing, Emme?”
“We need to stop her!” I cried out as I broke away from Landon’s hold on me and started to push my way through the crowd, calling out Janet’s name.
“Janet! No! Wait, we don’t want people to know yet!”
I wasn’t sure how in the hell the woman moved so fast. It was like she grew wings and flew over everyone, because she was on the stage before I could stop her.
“Ladies and gentlemen, oh my, let me get your attention!” Janet said.
“Wait!” I called out. “Janet, no!”
“I just heard the most exciting news, and we all know I can’t keep a secret!”
The crowd laughed.
“That last auction we had…well, let’s just say, don’t come between a woman and the man she loves.”
“Janet! No!” I whisper-shouted from the bottom of the steps. If she heard me, she ignored me.
“Emme, stop her!” Landon said as he gave me a little push.
I started up the steps. If I had to rip the microphone out of her hands, I’d do it. But as I got to the last step, I tripped and landed on my hands and knees.
“Right, because that is just my luck,” I mumbled as I tried to stand up.
“Emmerson! Shit, are you okay?” Landon asked, rushing over to help me.
I stood and realized it was too late. I had really fucked up this time, and I had dragged Landon down with me.