Once I reached the front of the yard, Caleb sat on the edge of the garden on a bench with his far elbow resting on the back. I approached but realized too late he was still on the phone and hadn't yet noticed me.

"You'll let me know if anything changes, right?" Helplessness echoed in his tone, and deep lines dug into the tanned skin on his brow. His leg vibrated against the bench and ground as it trembled.

I had only caught glimpses of vulnerable Caleb since the airport, but he hadn't willingly shown me this much, and it seemed like I was invading his privacy. Although I longed to hold him until that storm faded, much like he'd done for me at my parents' place. Whether it lasted five minutes or hours, that calm energy fluttered on my skin at just the thought of our touch. While I usually empathized with people I encountered, I hadn't experienced it to this degree since Trev. And that hadn't ended well for either of us.

But this was different. Trev had life-changing expectations while Caleb came along for the ride.

Caleb's gaze flickered to me, and he froze.

"Thanks for telling me. I've got to go. I'm at Vince's wedding now, but I'll call you later."

Whatever the other person said inspired a faint smile. "Will do. Talk to you soon. Luv ya, bye."

The word flowed off his tongue naturally. It had to be his sweet family, but the tightness in my shoulders didn't agree. While I willed that sensation away, it strengthened its grasp.

"Luv ya, that's cute. Who's the lucky human?"

Subtle Audrey, like a bright yellow raincoat and rainbow umbrella at a sombre funeral.

He tucked his phone in his pocket, not looking flustered or nervous. "My mum."

I nodded and sat beside him. He could tell me to bugger off, but he remained calm.

"Everything okay?"

"Not really, but I can't change it." He clasped his hands together.

Poor Caleb. He must feel so powerless. I hoped his mom was alright given how much he loved her and how sweet she seemed.

"Is she okay?"

He nodded, staring at the bees flitting from flower to flower in the garden. They seemed to love the fluffy, light purple bergamot blooms.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He shook his head. With his non-verbal responses, I didn't want to push him too far. My presence alone might be too much for him.

"Do you want to be alone?"

His voice was faint. "No."

I scooted closer to him and took his hand like he did for me when I was upset. He squeezed it for a second before releasing mine and wrapping his arm around me instead. When I leaned my head against his shoulder, he exhaled, his breath leaving in shaky gasps. I understood that too well: holding it together as long as possible before the resolve crumbled and the world crushed me. Here, he was faking his way through a wedding date and charming my friends and family while he dealt with this. The guy was a saint I didn't deserve, but I would redeem myself.

"Is there anything else I can do?" I asked.

He met my gaze, those vulnerable green eyes sending a jolt to my chest. "Just stay a little longer."

"Of course."

We sat together, watching the occasional pickup truck pass on the gravel road in front of the house and kick up dust. His heartbeat remained steady in my ear, but his breathing grew more relaxed. His fingers absent-mindedly stroked my shoulder and arm, which lulled me into a sense of comfort and created a desire to snuggle into him. But the latter seemed invasive, so I tried to soothe him by rubbing his back, shoulders, and chest.

At least five minutes passed with us sitting like this on the garden bench without saying a word. But his tension had faded and a slight smile rested on his lips, only fading at the last moment as his eyes focused on the carved wooden wedding sign on the lawn.

"Sorry, I'm a terrible fake date," he muttered as he attempted to sit up straighter.

"Nah, you're great. I had a super awkward conversation with my ex, but I called you my date and didn't have to put on a show. Now I get a break from the busy wedding with you. Cuddling is right up there in the top three relationship perks. And you are a fantastic cuddler."

His chest danced with a laugh. "Thanks, so are you." His gaze remained on my face. "What are the other two perks?"

We shouldn't be having this conversation given his stresses, but I wanted to keep him happy. "Massage and kissing." His smile encouraged my next bold question. "What's in your top three?"

"I've never made a list, though I would add kissing in there. And I quite enjoyed having you around at the airport and in the city." That smile would melt my heart.

And he had said 'you', not someone, which I hadn't missed.

Chill out, he's dealing with a stressful situation and having company is making it easier.

But I wasn't about to let his feelings go unreciprocated because if my heart had been telling me anything, it was that they were. "I enjoyed having you around for all that and this wedding, too. I wish I was helping with whatever you're going through."

His smile brightened for a second. "You are."

His fingers moved from my shoulder into my hair, moving toward my scalp to massage above my temples. I closed my eyes and let out a contented sigh. The air grew warmer as I sensed our bodies growing closer. That pine and citrus scent both relaxed me and drew me in.

Were we going to kiss? We'd both mentioned it as a perk, and a wedding was romantic. Was that how he wanted me to help? My lips tingled with anticipation.

His hand traced down the side of my face, caressing my jaw. His slow and careful nature matched mine, and it'd been a long time since I'd been with someone like that. It made me more eager for him to close the gap.

But neither of us did.

We'd both been waiting for each other, but neither of us was willing to be bold. Best to let it lie, especially if he was in a vulnerable place. I wasn't a person who took advantage of that. Temporary relief didn't solve long-term problems. Plus, I didn't want our romance to be a bandaid. I selfishly wanted Caleb to crave me for me, not for the relationship perks or to forget his stress.

But I could give him one of my perks. Massage wasn't always romantic. I'd had plenty of professional ones that brought me relief and comfort. I brought my hand up to the back of his neck and gently kneaded at the muscles bordering the base of his skull.

"That feels so good," he closed his eyes and muttered.

I smiled and applied more pressure, making him tense and relax into my touch. This was the right decision.

"Here." I guided his hand down from my face and placed my other hand behind his ear. "Do you care what happens to your hair?"

"No, do whatever magic you want on me," he breathed.

That made us both laugh as I massaged his scalp. His soft hair brushed my palm and fingers, and I fought not to play with it as I focused on kneading the stress and pain from him.

Most of the haircuts I received in Asia came with a scalp massage as my hair was washed, and it had to be one of my favourite things. It helped to get me into hair salons more than the once a year my lazy and cheap butt usually did. Sometimes, if it had been a rough week, I'd treat myself to a head massage at the local parlour and leave floating on a happy cloud.

From the look of Caleb's serene smile, ten minutes later, I may have succeeded. He'd responded to all of my favourite spots, and I lingered at each one until his muscles were relaxed. As I finished up, I couldn't help but run a hand over his smooth jaw, making him shudder with a grin.

"Thank you. I understand why massage is on your list."

"When it's done right, it's amazing."

His green-eyed stare met mine. "I can't promise amazing, but I can try it for you."

I wanted to say yes badly, not just because I loved massages, but because my skin danced with pleasant sensations every time he was near me. His desire to reciprocate meant his mood had improved, and he cared about me. But showing up with dishevelled hair after wandering off with my new boyfriend was a bad look, especially around Trev and his family. We had an entire trip coming up where I could get massages. A smile broke out on my face thinking about it.

"Maybe later. My hair's trickier to get back in place."

He glanced toward the backyard where people were busy visiting around the barn and near the altar. Thankfully, none of them had taken an interest in us.

"Should we head back? I imagine you have friends you want to catch up with."

"You sure you're up for that?" I asked.

"Absolutely. Being your fake boyfriend is the best part of the trip."

How did Caleb always know exactly what to say to get my stomach in knots? "We'll see how it holds up against the polar bears."

"That'll be quite a fight. You may need an extra massage or two to keep the lead."

"I'll be happy to oblige, but I will take you up on your offer next time."

He grinned. "I hope you do. I want to make you feel good too." An intensity lingered in his voice, not too overbearing, but enough to know this was more than a platonic offer.

"You already do."

After squeezing my hand, he whispered, "I'm glad," sending tingles down my spine.

I fought the urge to stay and flirt with him on the bench until supper. He had been in a rough spot when I walked up, and I didn't need to push him. We had time to explore whatever it was this was becoming. As if sensing my thoughts, Caleb stood and offered me his hand, which I took and held onto as we wandered back toward the guests mingling in the yard and barn.

While Shayne and Hannah were in the wedding party and had left with the bride and groom for the photoshoot, Minji and Jason were around. We sat with them on the wooden chairs near the altar.

We chatted about their summer house-hunting where they'd had no success. They'd placed a few bids, but the market was far too cutthroat now and they left disappointed. So, they were taking a break from looking for the rest of August and September and hoped to find something in the winter when it was less competitive. I was pretty glad to not be in that position right now. Although, I wasn't sure if I'd ever be.

Minji smoothed out the gold fabric of her halter dress. "What's next for you two?"

Couples' discussions would prompt questions like that. At least our answer was simple.

"Trip to Churchill. When do we leave, tomorrow?" I asked Caleb.

He grinned. "I had planned for a rest day after the wedding, but we could go early to break up the drive if you wanted."

That was much better than dealing with another family supper. He was a genius.

"That sounds perfect to me."

Jason's dark hair ruffled in the light breeze. "Are you off to see polar bears?"

"There's a chance we'll spot them. We also have plans to visit beluga whales and sled dogs, tour the town and watch the Northern Lights," Caleb said.

"We are going to be very busy," I laughed.

How much had this second ticket set him back? None of these activities were cheap and I could not afford to repay him, which I felt guilty about.

"But I'm quite excited about it." That was no understatement on my part. He had splashed out and signed up for almost every excursion.

Caleb's green eyes gleamed as he smiled. "Me too. Perhaps we will take off tomorrow."

My heart danced with excitement. Only Caleb, me, and the open road. No pressure from exes, parents, or recalling the faux details to maintain this charade.

"You don't have to twist my arm." I turned to Minji. "We'll be back in about five days if you want to get together after that, I'm free."

She smiled. "Looking forward to it. I'm sure you'll have plenty of amazing stories to share."

As my gaze drifted to Caleb, I couldn't help but hope she was right. Perhaps stories to begin a new chapter of my life.