Blog Tour: Knot Really Engaged by Kendall Hale

Our little white lie tied us up in ways we never expected.

Knot Really Engaged, an all-new brother’s best friend, fake engagement, friends to lovers romance from bestselling author Kendall Hale is now available!

I promised my family I would bring my boyfriend home.

Everything was going my way.

Until his wife showed up at the airport instead of him.

Thankfully, my brother’s best friend is taking the same flight.

Liam Cohen saw me at my worst, but during our trip, we make a pact:

To shield each other against the relentless matchmaking efforts of our mothers.

We were single and happy with it.

Or so we thought.

Liam, however, decided our agreement wasn't quite enough.

Suddenly, we found ourselves engaged.

“It's for my grandmother,” he claimed.

“You’ll benefit from it too,” he dared to say.

“Just for the weekend,” he reassured.

“Everything will be just fine,” he promised.

Except, it wasn't.

My mother is now on the brink of choosing my wedding dress and color palette if I don't beat her to it.

His relatives are suggesting we make it official that very weekend.

And my brother, Liam's best friend, is now in on the scheme. Joy.

But it will all be worth it when we’re able to go our separate ways, single and free.

That’s what all the shared jokes, close touches, and fleeting glances have been about.

Right? What could possibly go wrong?

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Audrey

“What was I thinking?” I pace the terminal of San Diego International Airport, my heart racing and palms sweating.

“You were not thinking, and now . . . Well, what if . . .” I stop, my eyes darting between the digital clock overhead, my phone, and the gate where my red-eye flight to Boston waits. My stomach churns, and I feel a wave of nausea wash over me.

This trip is monumental, not just a mere visit home. I haven’t been there in three years, but I’m also introducing Ben, the man I’m convinced is my soulmate, to my family. My heart swells at the thought of him, but the anxiety quickly takes over again.

Should I have picked a better date than my parents’ fortieth anniversary? Probably, but here we are in what can be described as the biggest, yet best, mistake I’ve made in a while. I let out a shaky breath, my shoulders slumping under the weight of my decision.

Why did I tell Mom I would introduce her to the love of my life? It was probably the news that Ethan, one of my brother’s four childhood friends, was engaged.”

The four best friends and eternal bachelors are beginning to find love, and Mom is expecting that Jacob, Max, and I will do the same soon. She’s hoping that at least one of her children should get married—and give her grandchildren. I can practically hear her voice in my head. The hopeful tone, and the desperation.

The lady has a list of things to accomplish in life and obviously we’re not helping her achieve her goals.

Am I getting married to Ben?

I hope so, but I’m starting with the first big step: introducing my boyfriend to my parents. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves, but it does little to ease the tension in my body.

The weight of this decision presses down on me. I’m excited and anxious. My hands are clammy, and I wipe them on my jeans, trying to rid myself of the evidence of my nerves.

Too anxious.

I bite my lower lip, my stomach fluttering with a swarm of butterflies that threaten to overwhelm me. I close my eyes, taking a moment to compose myself. Maybe I should be more concerned about Ben’s whereabouts.

“Where are you, Benjamin Starling?” I mumble under my breath.

Every so often, I compulsively check my phone, hoping for a text or call from Ben—anything to indicate he’s on his way. But nothing comes. The minutes tick by, and though we still have time, there’s the nagging feeling in my gut that something is just not right. I pace back and forth, my fingers drumming against my thigh nervously.

What do I do if he doesn’t make it in time?

But booking another ticket will be too expensive, and I promised Mom I would be there to help her with the preparations for the next couple of days. Not that she needs me. Knowing her she already has everything under control, ready to show off to her sisters and cousins.

They have this unhealthy competition that drives everyone insane. I, on the other hand, would accept the help from others. Dad has taught me that there’s pride, and then there’s just wasting your time on something that could’ve gotten done earlier if we had worked as a team.

And this will be a perfect time to follow Dad’s advice, now can someone help me find my boyfriend?

Where the fuck is he?

A frustrated sigh escapes my lips. I call him again, but the voicemail picks right away.

The texts aren’t shown as delivered. Did something happen to him?

He promised he’d be here on time. He actually paid for his ticket—he was sitting next to me while doing the transaction. If we had bought them together, I at least would’ve checked-in for him or I’d know that he did check-in. I mentally kick myself for not insisting on doing so.

Thinking about Ben always makes me feel good, like a comforting warmth inside my chest: a summer day or a cozy blanket on a chilly evening. Today, that’s not the case. I’m feeling like a ship tossed about in a stormy sea, my stomach churning with unease.”

What if something happened to him during the drive to the airport? I wish I knew someone in his family so I could reach out to them. No, that would be a little too desperate. But I should at least know them. I mean, we’ve been together for almost a year.

This might be my longest relationship in my adulthood. And yet, there are many things about him that I don’t know. The realization settles heavily in my chest, and I find myself questioning the depth of our connection.

Do I love him?

I mean what is love, really? Probably what I feel for him, right?

Despite my doubts, I can’t help but smile when I think of Ben. He is the perfect combination, responsible and yet a free spirit. I know he’ll totally charm my parents. This weekend is going to be spectacular. Everyone at the party will love him. I can already see us, swaying to some cheesy love song from my parents’ playlist, completely wrapped up in each other.

The thought fills me with a sense of warmth and anticipation, momentarily pushing aside my worries.

Who knows, maybe he’ll propose soon, and next year, we’ll be getting married. That’s how relationships work, right? You meet, you click and then you create a life together. This will make Mom so happy. She’s proud of my accomplishments, but always asks when I’m going to find the love of my life and marry him.

Well, I met Ben and we’ll marry sooner rather than later, hopefully.

A dreamy smile plays on my lips at the thought, and I can’t help but let out a soft, wistful sigh. However, the smile quickly fades as I glance at the clock again, my brows furrowing with concern.

“Come on, Ben. Don’t let me down now.”

But he wouldn’t, Audrey, don’t be ridiculous, I remind myself, shaking my head slightly. He’s a very dependable person who only promises what he knows he can do. And he promised me he’ll come along and meet everyone who matters to me because . . . Well, he didn’t give me a reason, but we’re happy together, right?

Not that it matters. Right now, I need to focus on where the fuck he is.

As they call for my flight, which will be boarding shortly, my heart stutters. He has like twenty minutes to arrive if we’re lucky. I was already nervous thinking of my parents’ reaction to meeting him. I’ve never brought a guy home before, but I’ve got a good feeling about Ben. They’re going to love him.

With every announcement that blares over the PA system, my heart skips, mimicking the countdown that’s been running through my mind. I keep texting him and he’s still not responding.

Boarding time for my flight inches closer, and I feel a cold sweat breaking out on the back of my neck. It reminds me that this might go from the best day of my life to an atrocious disaster.

My family is going to believe I made up Ben. I don’t know what’s worse, if I should wait for him to make sure he’s alright or leave without him. Either way, it’s a lose-lose situation for me. I bite my lip, my eyes darting between the boarding gate and the airport entrance, desperately hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

The prospect of facing my parents and siblings without Ben by my side unnerves me, and I feel a knot forming in the pit of my stomach. I can almost hear the concern in my mother’s voice, the slight tremor that betrays her worry. Maybe, because I’m still the same awkward child who liked to bury herself in a book and ignore everything around her. That girl who would go as far as to make up friends and stuff, who’s not as perfect as her cousins.

This could be compared to the time I made up a friend at camp because I didn’t want them to worry about me. The thing was that at band camp, everyone is an introvert, and it’s hard to meet new people. Yet, I was still having a blast, getting lost in the music. But Mom was expecting me to make new friends, have a pen pal or just something juicy to tell her sisters about me.

Having a child that was a music geek wasn’t as cool as saying I was popular at camp.

But this time I do have a real-life-flesh-and-bone boyfriend. A faithful, loving boyfriend who, at the moment, is missing in action.

Damn it, Benjamin, I mutter under my breath, my fingers clenching into fists at my sides. I can feel the frustration and anxiety building inside me, threatening to spill over. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my frayed nerves, but it does little to ease the tension throughout my body.

Suddenly, a woman strides purposefully yet hesitantly as she makes her way toward me. Something about her—maybe the way she scans the crowd with a mixture of determination and uncertainty—tells me she’s looking for someone specific.

When her eyes lock onto mine, a flicker of recognition passes through them, followed by a steely resolve. Once she’s right in front of me, she asks, “Are you Audrey?” Her tone is sharp. “Audrey McCallister?”

I straighten, a flutter of unease tickling my spine. “Yes, I’m Audrey. Can I help you?” My response is cautious, my voice wavering slightly.

Is she going to serve me with a lawsuit? My mind races with possibilities of why she’s here and who could be suing me. I can’t think of any reasons. I’m a good person, pay my rent on time and never loiter.

The woman takes a moment, as if gathering her thoughts or perhaps courage. She draws in a deep breath, her shoulders rising and falling with the effort. Then, she launches into an explanation, her words tumbling out in a rush. “I’m here because of Ben.”