Just a Post... Right?

Grace was finishing her coffee at the kitchen counter when she heard the sound of an envelope sliding onto the table.

She looked up.

Jax was holding a fresh copy of a magazine, an amused smirk tugging at his lips. "Look what just came in."

Grace raised an eyebrow, taking the magazine from him. The front page was impossible to miss—her and Jax, hand in hand, smiling at each other like they didn't have a care in the world. A bold headline sprawled across the top:

"Jax Riot & Grace Bennett: True Love or the Best PR Stunt of the Year?"

Her stomach tightened, but as she skimmed through the article, her expression shifted.

They weren't dragging them this time.

In fact... it was kind of positive.

"From romantic outings to their undeniable chemistry, it's getting harder to believe this is all fake. Fans are starting to root for this duo, and we can't blame them. If this is a publicity stunt, it's the best one we've seen in years."

Grace blinked. "Oh."

Jax leaned over her shoulder, peering at the pages. "Not bad, huh?"

"They're actually... on our side?" she said, still in disbelief.

Jax grinned. "Looks like it."

Grace let out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding. After everything—the staged dates, the constant rumors, the accusations of her being a gold digger—this was the first time the media wasn't tearing them apart.

Jax nudged her playfully. "So, what do you say? Wanna go out and give them more to talk about?"

She rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help but smile. "You just want an excuse to show off."

"Obviously." He flashed a cocky grin. "And because I feel like making today your problem, we're going shopping."

Grace groaned, but she was already reaching for her jacket. "Fine, but if we get mobbed, I'm making you carry all the bags."

Jax winked. "Deal."

By the time they reached the city, cameras were already waiting.

Flashes went off the second they stepped out of the car, voices overlapping with questions.

"Jax! Grace! Are you two making things official?"

"Grace, what's the best thing about dating Jax Riot?"

"Jax, are you in love?"

Grace barely had time to react before Jax laced his fingers through hers, squeezing lightly.

He turned to the cameras with his signature smirk. "What do you guys think?"

The photographers laughed, some even cheering at how relaxed he seemed.

Grace played along, smiling as she added, "He's not as insufferable as I thought."

"High praise," Jax teased.

They answered more questions, keeping things light and fun. Every little joke, every lingering glance between them only fueled the headlines.

"This doesn't look fake at all!" someone shouted.

Grace felt her cheeks warm.

Jax leaned in slightly, lowering his voice just for her. "That's because it's not."

Her heart did a weird little flip.

And as they walked further into the city, hand in hand, Grace realized something.

For the first time, pretending didn't feel like pretending at all.

The idea had come out of nowhere.

One minute, they were walking through the city, dodging cameras and answering questions. The next, Jax turned to Grace with a mischievous glint in his blue eyes.

"Wanna ditch all this and go to an amusement park?"

Grace blinked. "What?"

"You heard me," Jax said, already pulling out his phone. "I haven't done something fun like that in forever."

She hesitated. "Won't we get recognized?"

Jax smirked. "Probably. But that just makes it more interesting, doesn't it?"

Grace rolled her eyes, but the truth was—she kind of loved the idea. They had been stuck in this whirlwind of fake dating, drama, and secrets. A day of normal fun sounded... nice.

"Fine," she said, sighing dramatically. "But if I throw up on a roller coaster, that's on you."

Jax grinned. "Deal."

A few hours later, they were standing in front of the biggest amusement park in the city. The smell of cotton candy and fried food filled the air, and the distant sounds of screaming from the roller coasters made Grace's stomach flip.

Jax, of course, was loving every second of it.

"Where to first?" he asked, bouncing on his feet like an excited kid. "Something scary, right?"

Grace narrowed her eyes. "Why do I feel like you're trying to torture me?"

He laughed. "Because I am."

Despite her protests, they ended up in line for the biggest roller coaster in the park—a massive metal beast with loops, drops, and a terrifyingly steep climb at the start.

Grace eyed the ride warily. "This was a mistake."

Jax slung an arm around her shoulders. "Too late now."

The second they were strapped in, she regretted everything.

As the ride climbed higher and higher, Grace gripped the safety bar until her knuckles turned white. "I hate you."

Jax just smirked. "You're gonna love this."

And then—the drop.

Her scream got lost in the rush of wind as they plummeted down. The ride twisted, turned, flipped them upside down, and by the time they finally rolled to a stop, Grace was breathless and shaking.

Jax, on the other hand, was laughing like a maniac.

"That. Was. Insane," he said, running a hand through his messy black hair.

Grace shot him a glare. "I officially hate you."

"You say that," Jax teased, nudging her, "but I saw you smiling."

She huffed, refusing to admit he was right.

The rest of the day was filled with rides, junk food, and unexpected moments.

Jax won Grace a ridiculously huge stuffed bear at one of the game booths (after failing five times first).

They shared cotton candy, laughing as Jax got some stuck in his hair.

And at one point, when they were walking through a crowded part of the park, Jax instinctively reached for her hand.

Not for the cameras. Not because anyone was watching. Just... because.

Grace looked up at him, surprised.

But Jax didn't say anything.

He just held her hand tighter and kept walking.

As the Ferris wheel slowly moved, Jax pulled out his phone and snapped a selfie—his arm draped over Grace's shoulders, her lips pressed softly to his cheek. The city lights glowed behind them, making the moment look almost magical.

Grace barely had time to react before Jax tapped on his screen, typing out a caption.

"With my baby"

Her stomach flipped. "Seriously?"

Jax smirked, locking his phone and slipping it into his pocket. "What? Thought I'd make it official."

Grace let out a dramatic sigh, but her face was warm. "Great. Now the internet is losing its mind."

And she was right.

Within minutes, his notifications were flooded.

"Okay, maybe they are real."

"I was a hater, but I'm lowkey obsessed with them."

"Jax Riot?? Soft???"

"If he's calling her 'baby'... I'm actually crying."

Grace scrolled through the comments, her heart racing. This was insane. The whole world was watching, analyzing, believing.

"It's just a post," she muttered, more to herself than to Jax.

But when she turned her head, she found him already looking at her.

His gaze softened. "Yeah." He leaned in slightly, his voice quieter now. "Just a post."

Yet, as the Ferris wheel continued to rise, as his arm stayed around her, warm and steady—

She started to wonder if it really was.