Lunch/Dinner went smoothly after the awkward conversation about my parents. Thankfully Liam's parents didn't say anything else about it and I was actually starting to relax around them. They were definitely different then I thought they would be, I thought they would stuck up and rude by instead they were all really nice and pretty sarcastic when they wanted to be. Lilly, Liam's mom, was very down to earth and was always smiling. Adam, Liam's father, was just as nice and seemed to always have something to say even if it was just a sarcastic remark. And Julie, Liam's sister, was mix of both her parents; she was really sarcastic and witty and made everything less tense. I knew I would be getting along with her just fine.

We had just finished eating and we were sitting there when Julie suddenly gasped and looked at me with wide eyes. I looked at her confused and then looked up at Liam next to me.

"Is that your ring?" The moment she said it Lilly snapped her head towards me. Her blue eyes looked down at my hands that were on the counter, staring at my ring. I had actually forgotten it was there.

"It is...beautiful!" Lilly exclaimed grinning widely at Liam and I. "You have to tell us how Liam proposed to you Jenna!"

"Yes. Was it sweet and amazing?" Julie joined in. "What it is Liam we are talking about." 

"Liam you tell it the best." I said turning to him and smiling sweetly at him. He glared down at me.

"No you do sweetie." He bit out. I shot him a look but an idea popped in my head. Well he asked for it.

"Okay. Well we had already been going out for 8 months when Liam all the sudden started acting weird and rude. He kept pushing me away and wouldn't answer my calls or texts." I said.

"Liam!" His mother turned and glared at him. I stifled my laughter and the glares Lilly and Julie sent Liam who in turned glared at me.

"After about 3 days of avoiding me he suddenly showed up at my work and asked me to go on a date. Since I was really in love with him I said yes although I was hurt. Anyways that night he picked me up and drove towards the beach. For our second date he took me to the beach after a romantic dinner. As we pulled up and walked a little ways in the sand we came to a stop in front of a blanket and candles that was set up. Apparently Liam here had someone set it up for us while we were on our way." I plastered a smile on my face looking at Liam and moving my hand up his arm. "He was so nervous and kept stuttering as we sat there. After a while of him trying to say something he finally got down on his knee just as the sun was setting. It was perfect aside from his nervousness and his red face." My hand was now on his shoulder squeezing it. "He acted the way he did because he was scared of my answer and wanted it to be a surprise."

"Awww that is so sweet." Lilly cooed smiling at us.

"Honey." Liam looked down at me. "I don't remember it being that way."

"It was sweetie pie, but it was perfect." I squeezed his upper arm hard but he didn't even flinch.

"Look at you two." I held back my smirk. Hey if Liam wanted me to say it than he better like what I come up with. "Let me go get the desert really quick." Lilly said suddenly standing up.

"Here let me help you." I offered feeling Liam's hand tighten down on my thigh.

"No your the guest, you sit down. Adam you can come help me." She shot Liam's father a look telling him to get up.

They left the room and I sat there awkwardly feeling the warmth of Liam's hand on my thigh soaking through my jeans.

"Your going to pay for that later." Liam suddenly whispered in my ear. His warm breath tickled my neck and his voice was deep making a shiver run down my spine.

"So Julie your a model?" I asked breaking the silence and Liam's hold on me.

"I am actually." She grinned over at me. Relief ran through me knowing I was right and didn't make a fool of myself. "Right now I'm one of the Victoria Secret Model."

"Wow that's amazing. I thought I recognized you from somewhere." The other day when I was sitting in my room bored watching tv several commercials came up for Victoria Secret and Julie was one of the girls. "How did you get into modeling?"

"I honestly don't know. I kind of just went with it a few years ago and now I love it. I don't always do Victoria Secret campaigns sometimes I do other modeling but it's mostly on the side. Right now I'm at school trying to earn my bachelors degree in Design."

"Oh wow. What university are you going to?"

"Columbia. How about you are you attending a University?" She asked drinking her wine and looking at me.

"Um, no not at the moment." I never really thought about going to college, I've just been so focused on trying to make ends meet that college wasn't even in the picture. I graduated high school but barely, I was more absent then I was there because I had to watch some of the younger kids at the home while everyone was at work. Now sitting her next to everyone who has or is going to college made me feel very stupid.

"That's okay college isn't for everyone." Julie said kindly just as their parents came back into the room. In both of their arms were plates with some kind of pie that looked amazing.

"Here you go. Jenna I hope you like blueberry pie." Lilly said placing a plate in front of me.

"Thank you it looks great. Did you make it yourself Mrs. Stanford?"

"Oh please call me Lilly. I didn't make it I actually bought it at the store. I can't make a pie this good." She chuckled taking a seat as everyone dug into their pies. As I took a bite I held back a moan at how good it was. Who knew blueberry pie could be so delicious.

We ate in silence and I glanced around at everyone. Liam was strangely quiet the entire meal only saying a few words and was now eating in complete silence not even paying attention to anything else, Julie was eating her pie slowly while occasionally looking at Liam and I, and Liam's parents seemed to be in a silence argument giving each other pointed looks. I ducked my head not wanting to be caught staring.

"So Liam and Jenna..." Lilly's voice broke the silence making all of us look at her. She seemed to be trying to decide if she should say what she wants to or not. "When is the wedding?" She finally blurted. She looked a little ashamed to just blurt it out but not really, she sat there staring at us expectedly.

Not knowing what to say I turned to Liam who thankfully was looking at me too. I asked him what we should do with my eyes and he thankfully seemed to get the hint.

"We haven't decided just yet." Came his simple yet perfect response.

"You haven't thought about the date, location, guests, anything?!" Lilly looked like she was about to have a heart attack any moment.

"No mother we haven't. We have only been engaged a few weeks."

"It's okay no need to stress, I'll help you guys get everything ready so will Julie. We are going to make this the greatest wedding ever." Lilly said taking deep breathes. "We have so much to do!" She clapped her hands together. I stared at her wide eyed not really liking the excited look she had on her face. Why do I have a feeling this wedding is going to be over the top?

"We need to get a date set, then think about a theme, guests and bridesmaids! And a dress!" Lilly rambled on not even taking a breath of air.

"Honey not right now. We can figure that out later." Adam said putting his hand on his wife's arm to settle her down from her wedding high.

"Sorry you are right, I'm just so excited." Her blue eyes sparkled as she thought about the wedding.

"How about we take this to the living room?" Adam asked sliding his chair back. Everyone got up and out of their seats. As Adam, Liam and Julie starting walking out I looked at the table and saw it was still covered with dirty plates. The room was emptied a second later, the waitress in me starting piling up the plates balancing them all in my arms. Using my butt I opened the swinging door to the kitchen and set them by the sink. I knew I was the guest here and should be out there with them but I needed a moment.

I started washing the dishes thinking about everything. Liam's parents seemed to buy our lie about meeting and how we got engaged. I always thought when I would get engaged it would be really sweet and real, not some made up scheme with a guy I don't even know and who doesn't like me. I already felt bad about lying to Liam's parents especially after how nice they have been to me today. They seemed like really nice people and I didn't even want to begin thinking about how they will act when they learn it's all fake. It was honestly very sad that I have stooped this low lying to strangers for money. I had only a few dishes cleaned when Lilly suddenly appeared out of no where scaring me.

"There you are! What are you doing?" She asked next to me. I jumped and put a wet hand to my chest. 

"Lilly you scared me." I put my hands back in the sink.

"Honey you don't have to clean those. I can do them later." She tried to stop me but I shook my head.

"No it's fine honestly I need to help with something. I'd feel better if I did it." I felt her staring at me before she moved to my right side grabbing a towel.

"You wash and rinse, I'll dry." She said taking a plate from my hand drying it. I nodded a small smile upon my lips. We silently washed and dried for a few minutes. "You know you are the first girl to ever offer to help." Lilly said suddenly.

"Oh?" I already kind of knew I wasn't the first girl Liam has brought over to meet his parents.

"Most don't ever lift a finger to do anything, not that I really care since I don't mind doing it but even the thought would be nice. I think your perfect for my son." She said glancing over at me.

"B-but you hardly even know me." I stuttered out surprised by her remark. She just shrugged.

"I don't need to know a lot to know your the right one. Thank you for helping me clean." She changed the subject before I could say anything.

"It's no problem. I grew up in a home and all of us always had a chore to do. I was one of the oldest ones so I did more then the little kids, but one of mine was doing the dishes."

"I don't mean to pry but how long where you there?" Lilly asked softly.

"My mom left me when I was 5 and I emancipated myself at 17." I found myself opening up to her and I couldn't figure out why. I'm usually a closed book but there was something about Lilly that made me want to tell her stuff; maybe it was the mother vibe that radiated from her. "The home wasn't that bad honestly, I mean it had its times but my time spent there wasn't horrible. There was about 6 of us at the one home; it was me and another guy my age, a boy 2 years younger then us, and 3 little ones who were about 3-6 2 girls and a little boy." I thought back to the kids and smiled.

Matt, the guy my age (16 at the time), was okay he never really had anything to do with any of us. He mostly kept to himself and stayed in his room. Ryan, the boy 2 years younger then me, was kind of the same but slightly more out-going. Sometimes he would play with me and the three little ones but he would always be a little reserved keeping to himself. Then you had the three little ones; Carrie was the oldest of the three at the age of 6 she was an angel always helping me, than Thomas the middle one at 4 who was rambunctious and like to get into everything, and finally Lea the youngest at 3 who was the cutest thing ever.

Of course the girls were my favorite but even Thomas had a piece of my heart. When the foster caretakers were busy with work I watched all three and we kind of became our own group. Right before I had turned 17 all three of them had gotten adopted thankfully. I was thankful and sad that they were going away but I didn't want them to stay here like I was, they deserved nice loving families. That was kind of why I emancipated myself a little after I turned 17 because I even more alone then I was. The 2 other boys never talked to me after the kids left so I decided I was ready to leave. After graduating I packed my stuff and left.

I hadn't realized I was rambling until my hand hit the empty sink and the clink of the glass plate being put away filled my ears.

"I'm sorry I've just been rambling." I apologized.

"Your fine Jenna really. I was the one who asked." Lilly said putting a hand on my shoulder. I smiled back at her feeling my stomach roll with emotions.

A part of me was happy that I told someone a little bit of my childhood, and also glad that Lilly didn't interrupt me or even judge. But the other part of me was upset with myself for easily spilling stuff about my life and the worst part was that feeling was starting to over come the other. I could almost physically feel myself closing myself in like a book shutting it's front cover. Shutting out my emotions was something I've always done, not letting myself feel anything to the fullest extent. Not being able to feel anything was better then feeling it all and getting hurt. Don't get close enough to anyone because they are just going to leave and hurt you, that use to be my mantra but now that I have felt a little of what a family is like I don't feel like doing that anymore.

I knew getting close to Liam's family would only hurt me and them but I could already feel myself starting to. Hell I just told Lily stuff about my life that it took even Sophia months to get out of me. I was walking on dangerous ground already and we weren't even close to the end of the year. If I wanted to make it out of the deal unscathed then I needed to stop myself from forming a bond with the family, but could I do that? Could I go back to being shut off, lonely?

Liam's POV

I didn't know about Jenna's parents and to say I was shocked was an understatement. I wasn't really that shocked at the news but more of why she didn't tell me when I was calling her a 'spoiled rich daddy's girl'. I knew I should have known that before I brought her here but I couldn't let myself become interested in her. I didn't plan on falling for her and I won't. Getting to know Jenna would somehow make this deal something more than a deal and I wouldn't let that happen.

Yes I felt bad for Jenna not having a family growing up that is terrible for any child. If I didn't have such great parents like I do I honestly don't know how I would live. I loved my family immensely.

I was sitting there at the table taking in Jenna's news, same as my parents and sister. Next to me I could practically feel the nerves radiating off of Jenna, I didn't know how to comfort her so all I did was squeeze her thigh that was under my hand. The rest of lunch/dinner I spaced out thinking about Jenna. Yes she was different, very different than the girls I have been with in the last few years. She didn't seem to care about fashion, her looks, what people think of her, and I'm starting to think that she doesn't care about money. That although isn't really true since she did take the deal for the money.

Something about Jenna intrigued me that I felt myself turning my body as she talked to my parents, my hand resting on her thigh the entire meal, and my eyes traveling her face. I haven't spent any time with her and now sitting here at the table I've started to notice she talked a lot using her hands, she could hold her own in a conversation, she blushed easily. She was definitely different than the other girls; she didn't scream confidence instead she seemed like the type to stand off to the side so others get attention while she observes.

The sound of Julie practically squealing jerked me out of my thoughts and to the present. I caught onto the conversation when my mom asked us how I proposed. My mind seemed to blank of a story my mother would believe.

"Liam you tell it the best." Jenna said placing her hand on my arm. She was looking at me with those wide green eyes that seemed to sparkle with mischief. I could tell she wanted me to say it so I'd mess up or something.

"No you do sweetie." I bit out not liking the endearment on my tongue.

"Okay. Well..." Jenna started instantly and I knew I fell for the trap. She wanted me to say that so she could make me look bad. As she continued on with the make believe story that would never in a million years happen I narrowed my eyes at her. She was making me sound like a stuttering wimp, I was anything but that. The more she lied the nice thoughts and feelings I just had of her flew out the window.

"Awww that is so sweet." My mom cooed smiling at us.

"Honey." I looked down at her clenching my jaw. "I don't remember it being that way."How was my mother buying into that?!

"It was sweetie pie, but it was perfect." She squeezed my upper arm hard but it honest felt like a small pinch. Man she's weak.

"Awww look at you two." Mom said grinning like an idiot at us. Beside me I watched Jenna's lips twitch like she was holding back a smile. "Let me go get desert really quick." Mom really went all out on this one. Jenna asked if she could help and I quickly squeezed her thigh warning her I wanted to talk to her about what just happen. Thankfully my mom brushed her off and my father got up to help.

"Your going to pay for that later." I whispered into her ear satisfied by her reaction.

Jenna turned to Julie a few minutes later asking her about modeling and such. I tuned them out not wanting to hear about their girly talk. I didn't surprise me Jenna knew my sister was a model for Lennon must have told her. Speaking of Lennon I needed to talk to her, I didn't want her to get close to Jenna. I didn't need any more issues or drama concerning this deal. The moment Lennon found out, which I had to tell her since she was going to be Jenna's 'assistant', she flipped. By the end of her rant I felt like my ears were going to fall off. I didn't understand why she freaked out the way she did but whatever.

"So Liam and Jenna..." My mom asked making me turn my gaze towards her. I instantly knew what she was going to ask, she was never one for letting things slide by. "When is the wedding?" I looked down at Jenna just in time for her to turn to me eyes wide.

"We haven't decided just yet." I said not really knowing what else to say.

"You haven't thought about the date, location, guests, anything?!" Mom looked like she was about to have a heart attack any moment.

"No mother we haven't. We have only been engaged a few weeks."

"It's okay no need to stress, I'll help you guys get everything ready so will Julie. We are going to make this the greatest wedding ever." Her hands fanned her face "We have so much to do!" She clapped her hands together. "We need to get a date set, then think about a theme, guests and bridesmaids! And a dress!" I groaned inwardly knowing my mother will make this wedding over the top. Having your mother be a designer sometimes wasn't the greatest.

"Honey not right now. We can figure that out later." My father said putting his hand on his wife's arm to settle her down from her wedding high.

"Sorry you are right, I'm just so excited." I ran a hand down my face already thinking about how this wedding is going to be a disaster.

The rest of desert thankfully went by fast. I was more than ready to get Jenna out of here as quick as possible. Once we would get in the living room like my father suggested I could make up a lie so we could leave. I could already see my mother and sister taking a liking to her and I didn't know if that was a good idea, especially my mom. She can get attached pretty easily and if she got attached to Jenna than at the end of the year she will be heartbroken. It's just better that my family doesn't like Jenna to much so this all could work out. If not everything will have just gone down the drain.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

HI!!!!! I am very sorry it has taken me a while to update this as you have previously read before. But I am back and ready to write. I have some good ideas that are coming up for this book which I'm am excited about. I am also sorry this isn't the greatest chapter because I started it a while ago and stopped. Please be patient as I get my groove back, and things should get better. I added a quick Liam's pov for you guys since some of you were asking for it. I didn't know how to end it so....

Hope you enjoyed it and as always

VOTE, COMMENT, READ, AND ADD TO READING LISTS.

<3

-Ken