Austin Hale is a high-powered lawyer with no interest in blind dates or small talk.Lucy Stephan is a quiet creative with a stubborn streak—and a blind date she did not ask for.Neither of them wants to be there, but when the night takes an unexpected turn, they agree to pretend they are a couple. It is easier than facing questions from family, friends, or exes.What begins as a simple arrangement slowly becomes more complicated. The longer they fake it, the more blurred the lines become.It was never meant to feel real. But now, neither of them is quite sure where the act ends.

“How flippantly we all treat a secret love, like a joke, something cute, as if it’s just a sweet little thing to pat. But when we are the secret lover, we hold our breath with each word they speak, we long so desperately for their touch, even just brief, we could almost bleed we long for it so. And when they find a lover, we feel like a shadow, longing to be seen as real, until we finally learn we have nothing more to do than to fade away from their light.” I read out the quote as I watched her squirm under my gaze. She looked everywhere but me. “What do you think about the quote?” I asked her as I observed her every move. “Oh…” her eyes grew wide at my question “Umm…” she began scratching her head. She wasn’t listening. Her next action took me by surprise, she began biting her lips with her teeth. “Do you always do that?” I asked her “Do what?” She replied but I was silent. She began biting her lips again as i scrutinized her. It made me uncomfortable, very uncomfortable. “Stop” I said but she looked confused“Stop what?“ she asked and I began taking steps towards her. She moved back until her back was on the wall. “Stop biting your lips, it makes me uncomfortable “ i said with my eyes buried in hers. “I d..don’t k..know what you are talking about?” She said with a shaky voice before gulping very hard. She was uncomfortable…too.

When was it? When did I start feeling this way? I can’t say when exactly, I can’t pin point the date or time but I just knew. I knew that my heart races whenever I see my brother, Austin. I know it not right, it’s abominable and that is the reason I kept it to myself. I tried to stop myself from feeling this way but I couldn’t help it. The way he talks, the way he laughs, everything that he does makes my heart race. Laying my eyes on him alone shoots millions of dopamine into my brain. My biggest secret is that I am in my love with my brother.