Free A Beautiful Lie by Tara Sivec

and excited, and Garrett was glad, but he looked quizzically down at the small box.
    “What’s this?” Garrett asked, scooping the box up in his hand.
    “Just open it,” Milo said, practically bouncing up and down with excitement.
    Garrett laughed at Milo’s exuberance and flipped open the box.  Nestled inside was a platinum solitaire engagement ring.  Before Garrett could control it, his face immediately fell.  He always knew that this moment would come.  He knew it after Milo arrived home from their first date, and he had to listen to his best friend rattle on and on about how perfect she was.
    He knew it every time he watched the two of them together holding hands, laughing, and kissing.
    Garrett knew it and prepared for it, but he thought he’d have more time.  More time to get used to the idea that his best friend was marrying the girl of Garrett’s dreams.
    Before Milo got suspicious of Garrett’s behavior, he put on a brave front and made a joke.
    “Milo, did you ask my dad’s permission for my hand in marriage first?  Because I can’t say yes if you didn’t follow the proper protocol.”
    Milo laughed and snatched the box out of Garrett’s hand.  “You’re such a dick, McCarthy!  So, what do you think?  Parker will say yes, right?  I mean…fuck, she wouldn’t say no, would she? I want to marry her so badly it freaks me out a little.”
    The sad fact was Garrett knew without a doubt that Parker would say yes.
    “Quit being such a pansy. You know Parker will say yes,” Garrett said with a roll of his eyes.
    “I can’t believe I’m going to ask her to marry me.  I mean I can believe it considering I just dropped 5k on a ring for her, but I just can’t believe this is really it.  Did you ever think getting coffee that day in college seven years ago would lead us here?”
    If you had asked that question to Garrett the day they met Parker, he would have absolutely believed this was where they’d be.  However, he had pictured his role in that particular fantasy a little differently than Milo did.
     
    Garrett hadn’t said a word the entire car ride to the airfield.  Parker gave up trying to figure out Garrett and his moods a long time ago, so as soon as the SUV parked, she jumped out of the vehicle without a word to him.  She said her piece and since they’d be stuck with each other indefinitely, he knew where to find her if he wanted to say anything else to her.
    Garrett watched Parker exit the car and walk with the other men toward the plane parked on the tarmac waiting for them to board.
    He knew they needed to hash this out, but it could wait.  He grabbed his bags from the back and followed everyone else to the steps of the plane.
    The most important thing right now was the mission, and Garrett needed to remember that.  It was going to be hard enough putting on the show they would need to once they got to the Dominican.  They needed to talk things out before then or this whole thing would blow up in their face if Garrett and Parker couldn’t act the part.  Garrett had a feeling Parker was going to lose her shit when he explained to her exactly what role she would be playing once they touched down.
    A sick, twisted part of him was thrilled at the prospect of doing this, but Garrett knew without a doubt this whole charade was going to cut him in two.  Garrett knew it would change his friendship with Parker.  He could even lose her forever once this was over.
    No matter how much he denied it to himself, this lie they were going to have to perfect would ruin him when he had to go back to his regular life without her.  It would tease him and taunt him and remind him of what he never had the courage to take.  It would be dangled in front of him for a short while and as soon as he got comfortable, it would be snatched right out of his hands.
    They took their seats on the plane and prepared for take-off.  Parker was surprised that Garrett sat down next to her.  She figured he