AN: Picking right up from where we left off with our fake couple...

Chapter 7

Bright winter light snuck in through the crack in the curtains, disturbing Jed from his sleep. He started to turn over and stretch but found something in his way.

Abbey was awkwardly awoken by being nudged in the neck. She had been sleeping on her side and something pushed her. "Wha…" she groaned, rolling over onto her back.

She rolled directly into Jed, who had somehow ended up sleeping on his side with his left arm resting across Abbey's waist, above the blankets. He'd stretched right into her mass of dark hair, and she'd rolled over and practically landed on top of him.

"Oh. Sorry," she said, very unsure of what else to say.

Jed sat up and scooted away from her. "I'm…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…We were asleep and…"

"You don't need to apologize to me!" Abbey insisted with a small smile. He was getting all flustered, and while it was very cute, she didn't want him to be upset. "I'm the one who stupidly fell asleep in your bed. Thank you for the blankets, by the way."

"Well, you looked comfortable and I didn't want you to get cold," he replied sheepishly.

"You know, I don't know if I've ever slept better. So whatever was happening, it was really nice," she admitted.

Jed smiled. "Yeah," he agreed. He didn't know what else to say. He still felt extremely embarrassed to wake up with his arm around her waist, even if there were blankets in between. But Abbey was right. It had felt very nice.

"I should get back to my room before everyone else wakes up and someone catches me in here." Abbey got out of bed, retying her robe around herself. She obviously hadn't meant to sleep in it, but she luckily hadn't gotten all tangled up.

"Abbey, I really am sorry about the…" He gestured to his arm.

She shook her head. "Stop apologizing. I told you. It was nice." With that, she snuck undetected from the room.

Jed lay back onto the bed. It was New Year's Eve, and he couldn't help but think that this was a very strange way to wake up on the last morning of the year. Strange and unexpected and awkward and inappropriate. So why did he feel so good? He should feel terrible. He felt embarrassed and guilty for feeling so good. The look on Abbey's face when she told him that his arm around her had been nice was so genuinely happy. He had made her happy. His arm around her had made her happy. And, if he was really being honest, it made him happy too.

Throughout the day, Kate noticed something different between Jed and Abbey. And again, she couldn't figure out what it was. They were closer than they had been. Physically, they were just closer to each other than before whenever they were in the same room. There seemed to be a sort of tension between them. The secretive smiles were more frequent than before. In fact, neither one of them stopped smiling all through breakfast. It was almost nauseating. Perhaps forcing them together the night before had been a bad idea. Although, Abbey had been back in her bed by the time Kate had woken up that morning.

Jed didn't have a chance to be alone with Abbey for the rest of the day. The whole house was busy getting ready for the big New Year's party the Barringtons always hosted. Abbey was forced into helping her mother in the kitchen, and Jed had volunteered to help Dr. Barrington with the decorations. With grandmother Roberta criticizing each and everything the men did, and Louise interrogating Abbey about every aspect of her life, Jed wasn't sure which of them was having the harder time that day.

"Abigail, is Jed having a good time? I know he's been very polite and helpful but I hope he's enjoying his holiday break here with us," Louise commented as she stood at the stove, stirring whatever she was cooking.

"I think he is. He would never say anything if he weren't having a good time, because he's so polite, as you said, but I think I'd be able to tell if he was unhappy," Abbey replied as she peeled potatoes in the sink.

"Are you two getting along still? You really aren't behaving in a way I'd have expected."

Abbey concentrated intently on the potato in her hand and the motions of the peeler she was using. "We're getting along just fine," she replied simply.

"Are you sure? You know, you've never been the most modest of girls, Abbey. I didn't think you'd ever behave so prudish around a boyfriend."

This was going to turn into something either offensive or extremely embarrassing, Abbey could tell. "We're in my parents' house. Jed and I are just being respectful of the family. I promise there's nothing wrong. We're very happy together," she insisted.

"So you aren't like this when you're both back at school?"

Abbey put the potato down and turned to her mother. "What do you want me to say? That he practically lives in my bedroom and our bodies are never detached for more than twenty minutes at a time?"

"Abigail!" Louise exclaimed, scandalized at her daughter's words. "Is that true?"

"No!" It was all Abbey could do to keep herself from rolling her eyes. "Mother, I don't want to talk about this anymore. You wanted him to come for the holidays, and he's here. Jed is wonderful and he makes me happy, so please just leave it alone!"

"You will not use that tone with me, young lady!"

Abbey narrowed her eyes. "Then don't ask impertinent questions," she grumbled under her breath. She went back to peeling the potatoes in silence.

This had turned into the strangest day. She wasn't sure if it was waking up in bed with Jed or getting angry at her mother, but Abbey found herself daydreaming about what living with Jed would be like. What it would be like if their bodies were never fully detached for more than twenty minutes at a time. She had some semblance of an idea of what that would be like, thanks to their sleeping arrangements. Abbey knew she shouldn't be thinking this way. No good could come from such impossible thoughts. But the impossible had never deterred her before, so she kept on daydreaming as she finished peeling the potatoes.

Meanwhile, Kate had gotten thoroughly fed up with the whole situation. Obviously Abbey was no help. Kate had tried every conceivable way to get her sister to open up about Jed and their relationship, but she wouldn't budge. So Kate moved on to the next obvious target.

"Hey Jed, can you help me find the streamers in the attic?" Kate asked innocently.

Jed couldn't imagine how he would be any help finding anything in an attic he had never seen before, but he agreed to help anyway.

As soon as they had both gotten up into the attic, Kate pulled the trapdoor closed behind them. "Okay. You've gotta talk to me."

"Sorry?"

"You and my sister. There's something weird between you two. What is it?" she asked angrily.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Jed lied.

"Just tell me! I'm dying here, trying to figure out what's going on. You're always within inches of her but you barely ever touch each other. There's all the smiling and the knowing looks and the talking forever about ridiculous things but no stupid pet names or disgusting lovey-dovey talk. And there has been not one hickey in sight on either one of you. And I know my sister. There's something wrong about that," Kate ranted.

Jed just shrugged, trying to hide the fact that he felt like he was about to start sweating. "I don't know what to tell you."

Kate narrowed her eyes at him. "What are your intentions with my sister?"

He knew better than to start laughing, as much as he wanted to. "I want her to be happy and successful and get everything she wants in the world. I never want her to be in pain. I want to be there whenever she needs me." For the first time all week, Jed told the absolute truth to a member of Abbey's family.

"Do you love her?"

"Excuse me?"

Kate repeated, slower and with a deep intensity, "Do you love her?"

The words came out of Jed's mouth before he could register what sounds he was making. "Yes. More than anything."