Caleb: I tried knocking, but you must be having a little sleep. Once you're rested, I'm free if you want to talk about our relationship before we face your parents again.

I exhaled, the air feeling heavy in my lungs. Was he having second thoughts? A fake relationship was a terrible idea, but we'd already lied to my parents, Claire, and Vince. Being honest about it would land Caleb in far more uncomfortable conversations with Vince and my family, and that wasn't fair because he was such a good guy. I'd only do that if he wanted me to.

Audrey: Good idea, I'm up now.

Not long after, a gentle knock came at my door. Caleb stood there with a tentative smile. His mid-length dark hair was messy like he'd run his hands through it many times, though I liked the look on him.

"How you going?" His accent made me grin despite the pit of guilt sloshing in my gut.

"Good enough."

"Can I come in?"

"Sure."

He stepped inside, looking at my childhood and university bedroom. Unlike American movies, if you were studying for a general degree at a local university here, most people from the city or the nearby communities lived at home with their parents and commuted.

Vintage-looking travel posters of Australia, New Zealand, and Rome hung on the walls, and souvenirs from various places like shells and decorated wooden boxes lined the shelves, so it wasn't too embarrassing, although I had a few silly childhood photos hanging. Of course, Caleb gravitated to those, gasping.

"You were platinum blonde. My god!" He chuckled to himself.

"Yeah, it faded to this forgettable dirty blonde with time."

"Forgettable isn't the right word for you."

My skin tingled like the sun was warming it to the perfect temperature. It wasn't the right word for him either, but I hesitated to say it because I didn't want to come on too strong too soon. That usually put me off of people.

He stepped back from the photos and looked at me while tucking his hands in his pockets. He'd changed from his shorts into a pair of light grey jeans and a thin forest green t-shirt that suited him well. It had a drawing of a wombat and the phrase 'Easily distracted by wombats' on it.

He caught me staring at it and his face brightened with a smile.

"Ya like it?"

I wasn't sure what to like more, his accent, his beautiful green-eyed stare, or the shirt. "It's womba-tastic."

He chucked. "You're more adorable each time we speak."

I fought to keep from blushing. Was he practice flirting or real flirting? And what was wrong with me that my regret over hurting Trev vanished the second Caleb smiled at me?

"How are you fighting off the jet lag?" he asked.

"Pretty sure if you hadn't messaged me, I'd have passed out for twelve hours and my mom wouldn't be too pleased. Have you rested?"

He shrugged. "I've tried, but it hasn't gone too well."

Silence lingered between us where our gazes met like ships passing in the night, but we both looked away seconds later.

I cleared my throat. "Are you regretting this fake dating arrangement?"

He ran a hand through his hair, which looked incredibly soft. "It was a rather hasty suggestion. Are you?"

Yes, just imagining Trevor's hurt face was regrowing the guilt like a fungus on a moist forest floor. But it wasn't fair to burden Caleb with that. "I asked you first."

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "It's something I hadn't planned for, which adds an element of excitement to it." His eyes met mine with electrifying intensity.

I rocked on my polka-dot sock-clad toes. Excitement accompanied the nerves in my stomach too. "I suppose it does."

"But unlike you, I don't have to deal with any of the long-term effects of it. I doubt Vince cares much about whether our fake relationship succeeds or fails. Your parents knowing is a different scenario."

Caleb was a better person than I deserved if his regret came from fear of how this would affect me. He was willing to put his needs aside to consider me, and I could stick this out to help him.

"I'll find a gentle way to break the news of our break-up in a few months. You fell for a dashing koala or wombat trainer, perhaps? I'm not great with relationships, so it won't be a shock."

"Koala? I like animals, but only date humans."

I grimaced. "Koala trainer is what I meant."

He chuckled. "I know. I just love to tease you. But it's interesting I'm the departee in this scenario given how terrified you are of reuniting with your ex," he said.

I wrung my hands together. Was that how I appeared? He was probably right. "You're a catch, Caleb. It's the most believable option."

He breathed out of his nose like he didn't quite believe me. "Thank you, as are you. Are you sure you want to keep lying to all of them?"

With how emotional mine and Trevor's past made me, I would approach him and when lessening my guilt, I'd mislead him and hurt him again. That wasn't an option. It wasn't like I planned to flaunt this relationship in front of him. I just wanted him to know I'd moved on, even if my all-consuming guilt was nearly as intense as when I'd left.

"As we've said, it's only for a few days, and I am, but only if you are," I said.

"I am too. Did you want to establish any backstory for our relationship?"

After giving a small smile, I sat on my bed while Caleb stood in front of me. "My mom will have plenty of questions at supper. I told Claire we'd been dating for a few months."

"We could say we've met up once or twice when I visited Indonesia."

I nodded since I would have posted pictures had I travelled to Australia. My travel heart ached to make that a reality, but I could daydream about that later. "Since we haven't met that often, we don't have to act that close."

"Yes, I thought it would be good to agree on what we're both comfortable with too."

That response warmed my heart. The more I got to know Caleb, the more of a walking green flag he was, as long as I overlooked his secrecy. But people were entitled to their privacy, and we'd only just met. Plus, I was a bundle of red flags, so if anyone should run, it was him.

"We should dance together, hold hands, and you can whisper in my ear if that's okay."

He smiled. "Fine by me. You lead, I'll follow."

"Do you have any boundaries you don't want me to cross?" I had practice establishing my own. It got easier in Southeast Asia where I never planned on seeing many of those travellers again, so their potential rejection meant nothing.

Caleb stepped closer. "How intense is this getting?"

My stomach lurched. That was the wrong direction. I'd have to shut down that train of thought. "Not very. I'm asexual, so this won't be one of those hooking-up-in-a-coat closet weddings. Plus, I don't want to rub this in my ex's face, just keep him disinterested."

Caleb simply nodded. "Fair enough. So what is the furthest you want this to go?"

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding in. He either understood asexuality or didn't but didn't care. Reactions to it had been all over the map, ranging from questions of what it was or, if I was sure, to the person saying this wasn't what they were looking for, to a look of disappointment. Soon, I only stopped telling people and stuck to being vocal about my boundaries.

The only other person who had been so relaxed about it was Trev... but I could not contemplate him again, not when I had to figure out this fake relationship.

"No farther than kissing, but I'll make that call." I suspected we could get through the night without doing it, but we'd see.

"Noted. Anything else I should know?" Not a hint of annoyance or discontent lingered in his tone.

I shook my head. Soon the sound of the garage door made a low dread fill my stomach. Just one family meal to survive today and a bunch more tomorrow, unless... "Did you have sightseeing plans before the wedding?"

He'd planned our layover in Hong Kong so it seemed impossible for him to have not researched southern Manitoba unless Vince and Claire had offered to tour him around.

"There are a couple of spots on my list, but if you're busy, I understand."

"I can be your tour guide. I have plenty of other days to visit my parents, plus they haven't retired yet, so I think my dad was heading into work, anyway."

Caleb wore that addictive grin of his, dimpling his cheek. I wanted to keep putting that look on his face as it was so easy to do. Better to be a positive force in the universe rather than what I'd done to Trevor.

"It's a date. We can get cute couple's photos to sell our romantic trip to your people," he said.

"I'm sure there are places you wanted to visit too."

"I wouldn't mind checking out a park or two. Maybe the Forks?"

"Done."

The way he stared into my eyes sent warmth travelling through my veins.

"Aren't I spoiled to have such a wonderful girlfriend, always putting me first?"

The words 'wonderful girlfriend,' shot waves of regret through me. But I forced a smile to ignore the memories. After the wedding, I could return to being single, carefree Audrey who spent her life diving and travelling without getting romantically involved with people and devastating them. If Trevor didn't hate me for bringing a date to the wedding, maybe I could apologize for breaking his heart properly in person too.

"Enjoy it while it lasts. I'm not known for being a great long-term candidate."

He squeezed my hand. "You're perfect for me."

Cue my heart melting like an ice cube in the Indonesian sun. This might be a problem.

I just love writing these two, especially these build-up chapters. Hope you're enjoying them too. There's one more chapter with the Clarke family with a fun little twist you may enjoy before Caleb and Audrey head out exploring. And I promise that Trevor's message will get read soonish. Thanks so much for reading!