Pretend With Me, an all-new fake-engagement small-town standalone romance in the Kanfield Brothers Series from bestselling author Allie Everhart is available now!
Jason Kanfield.
Tall, athletic, really hot baseball coach.
My first and only one-night stand.
And surprise! The father of my child.
I met Jason at a friendโs wedding and our chemistry was off the charts.
After a night of dancing and a few too many drinks, we ended up in his hotel room.
The next morning we decided not to see each other again since Iโd be moving away soon.
Months later, Iโm still thinking about him, wanting to see him, but not sure if I should.
A positive pregnancy test made the decision for me.
Jasonโs shocked at the news and wants to know how weโll co-parent with me moving away. But I have a more immediate problemโฆ my parents coming to town.
My very traditional parents would be crushed if they knew I was having a baby with a guy I barely know. I canโt disappoint them like that. So I hatch a plan.
A fake engagement, just for the week my parents are here.
Problem solved.
Or so I thought, until that little white lie gets leaked to the whole town.
I have to make a decision: Tell the truth or keep pretending.
I decide to fess upโฆ until Jason gets down on one knee. With an engagement ring.
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Excerpt
I walk up to Jason in the kitchen. โRemember how you said you owed me a favor for going to the wedding?โ
โYeah. What about it?โ
โYou said youโd do anything, right?โ
โWithin reason. Why?โ
โYou didnโt say within reason. You canโt add that part now.โ
He laughs. โMia, what is this about?โ
โMy parents donโt know that Iโm pregnant. I was going to tell them after my graduation, but I donโt think I can wait. Theyโll want to know who the father is and since youโre here, and theyโre here, and Iโm here, I thought Iโd introduce you to them.โ
โOkay. But thatโs not doing you a favor. Iโm happy to meet your parents. I want to.โ
โYeah, um, thatโs not really the favor part.โ
โThen what is it? What do you want me to do?โ
โI need you to pretend to be my fiancรฉ.โ
โFiancรฉ? Weโre not even dating.โ
โBut my parents donโt know that.โ
โWhy would you lie to them?โ
โBecause theyโre old-fashioned. I donโt want them knowing I hooked up with you at a wedding and havenโt seen you in months. I was going to tell them weโve been dating this whole time.โ I pause. โAnd maybe part of last year.โ
Jason laughs. โYouโre kidding, right? This is some kind of joke?โ
โItโs not a joke. I need you to do this.โ I clutch his arm. โIโm begging you to. If you knew my parents, youโd understand.โ
โIโm sure they know things have changed since they were our age. People have kids outside of marriage all the time.โ
โYes, I know, but itโs not what they wanted for their only daughter. Jason, you said youโd do anything if I went to your brotherโs wedding. I did my part of the deal. Iโm asking you to do yours.โ
โSo what happens when you leave at the end of the summer?โ
โIโll tell them we broke up. Iโll say we tried to make it work but it didnโt.โ
He shakes his head. โI donโt know, Mia. I donโt like this. I think you should just tell them the truth.โ
โAnd break their hearts? Jason, Iโve seen how much you love your parents. If you knew something would hurt them and disappoint them, but there was a way to avoid all that, wouldnโt you do it?โ
โMaybe. But Iโd be more likely to tell them the truth.โ
My phone dings with a text. โMy mom says theyโll meet me for breakfast in a half hour. Iโm going to go pack up.โ
โYouโre leaving?โ
I nod. โMy parents want me to stay and spend the week with them but itโs too risky. Iโd end up running into your family and then Iโd have to tell my parents everything. Iโm just going to go with my original plan of telling them Iโm pregnant right before they leave.โ
โWhat are you going to tell them about the father?โ
โI havenโt decided, but Iโll figure it out.โ I go to the bedroom and pack up my things. I take my suitcase out to the living room and see Jason sitting on the couch.
โBye, Jason.โ I walk to the door.
โWait.โ He jumps up. โIโll walk you out.โ
โYou donโt have to.โ I donโt want him to because Iโm pretty sure Iโll burst into tears when I get past the door. I really thought heโd do this for me, but he wonโt.
Jason goes with me to my car. He puts my suitcase in the trunk, but doesnโt close it.
โJason, I need to hurry. Iโm going to be late.โ
He closes the trunk and walks up to me. โWhat would I tell my family? If we did this?โ
โYou donโt have to tell them anything. My parents donโt live here, and as long as we keep them away from your parents, they never have to know.โ
โWhat if your parents want to meet mine?โ
โWe could tell them we havenโt told your parents yet. We could say we just got engaged and that you wanted to wait to tell them about the baby.โ
โThis is never going to work.โ
โMy parents arenโt going to be here that long. Thereโs very little chance theyโll run into your parents.โ
He checks his watch. โI need to clean up. Iโll meet you there.โ
โReally? Youโll really do this?โ
He shrugs. โI owe you. I have to pay you back.โ
Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars
Pretend With Me is the second book in the Kanfield brothers series that Iโve read, and I enjoyed it just as much as Brody and Kateโs story. Jason and Mia clicked right from the start, and I felt every ounce of their connection the night they meet at a wedding. And the yearning after! Mia was planning to move back home to Boston in a few months, so they both decided pursuing a relationship was pointless. Until Mia realized she was pregnant.
But man, I felt like I was getting hit over the head with all the back and forth about how she needs to love back home to take care of her aging parents, and he wonโt leave his family to go with her. I got it the first time, but between the multiple conversations and all of the inner dialogue, I felt it was all these two spoke and thought about. And as soon as Miaโs old-school parents came to visit and she and Jason pretended to be engaged since she was pregnant, the solution was so obvious. I canโt believe it took so long to get there!
Still, Pretend With Me was a pretty low-angst, instalove story that I easily read in a day. It hits all the right notes, and ends with a HEA for all! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
About Allie
Allie Everhart is the author of more than 50 books and several bestselling series, including The Jade Series, The Kensington Series, and The Wheeler Brothers. Allie writes angsty love stories, often with a twist of mystery and suspense. She loves reading for hours in a comfy spot, drinking strong coffee, walking in the woods, and writing emotional stories that make the characters work for their happy ending.
Connect with Allie
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