Can a fake relationship between best friends turn into the real thing?
After years of estrangement from his parents, Nick is finally going home for Christmas, but not without backup. He wants moral support, so his best friend and flatmate, Jackson, agrees to pretend to be his partner so he can go with him.
It’s easy for Jackson to be convincing when his feelings for Nick are as genuine as ever. He put his crush on the back burner long ago, but acting out a role he’d love to play for real is harder than he imagined. Holding hands, kissing under the mistletoe, even sharing a bed for the sake of the charade… He can’t help wondering what he’s let himself in for, and whether his heart can take it.
Emotions run high as Nick grapples with family issues, and the sexual tension between him and his best friend becomes difficult to ignore. But if he and Jackson give into the temptation to be fake boyfriends with benefits over the holiday, what will it mean for their future as friends once Christmas is over?
Contains: best friends to lovers, pretend boyfriends, daddy issues, mistletoe, and a happy ending—of course.
“I wish you could come with me,” he said wistfully. “I could use the moral support.”
There was a silence, and Nick immediately regretted voicing his thoughts. It wasn’t fair to ask Jackson to give up seeing his own family at Christmas, even if it was feasible.
“I would,” Jackson said. “If you want me to.” His gaze was steady and sure.
“But I can’t just invite you home for Christmas. They’d think that was weird. I mean… they know we’re close and usually spend Christmas together at yours. But that’s different.”
“Hmm. I guess.”
“Unless….” Cogs started to turn in Nick’s mind as a plan formed. “What if I tell them you’re my boyfriend now? Then it wouldn’t seem odd to ask if you can come with me, and they can hardly say no, can they?” With Jackson by his side, Nick knew he could face his father’s habitual disapproval and hostility.
Jackson’s eyes widened. “Um, no. But, Nick….”
“Yeah. I know. It’s not fair to ask you to give up Christmas with your own family. Sorry, man. It was a stu—”
“That not what I was going to say.”
“What then?”
Jackson scrubbed a hand through his hair as he looked down for a moment before meeting Nick’s eyes. Brow furrowed, he asked, “Wouldn’t it be weird? Pretending to be like, you know. Together… a couple, acting like we’re in love with each other?”
Nick stared at him. He loved Jackson like a brother, and he’d never thought about him any other way. But Jackson was undeniably attractive. Although they were used to living together, he supposed that sharing a room—and a bed—would be a little strange. Nick’s heart beat faster as his imagination filled in those gaps. “Yeah. I guess it would be. You’re right. Just forget about it. I can go on my own.” He swallowed. “It’ll be fine. I can cope with a couple of nights, right?”
Jackson’s face softened. “Nick. It’s okay. I’ll come.”
Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England. He comes from a family of writers, but always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed him by. He spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content.
One day, Jay decided to try and write a short story—just to see if he could—and found it rather addictive. He hasn’t stopped writing since.
Jay writes contemporary romance about men who fall in love with other men. He self-publishes under the imprint Jaybird Press.
Website: https://jaynorthcote.com/
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