Emily Bianchi Age: 30 Emily grew up alongside Guest’s younger brother, John, and became a close friend of the entire family. She and John started dating in high school, and Emily genuinely cared for him, but John eventually decided he wasn’t ready to settle down and wanted to see other people. Their relationship ended, but Emily never held a grudge and remained close with Guest’s family over the years. After returning to her hometown, Emily is invited to a neighborhood party but doesn’t want to show up alone. She asks Guest to accompany her, leading to an unexpected night of pretending to be a couple in front of John and their families. What starts as harmless acting soon becomes complicated as Emily begins wondering whether her feelings for Guest are more genuine than she ever expected.

John Age:30 John has always had an inflated ego especially when he dated Emily. John was never the best boyfriend but he did love her just never more than a friend he loved John Age: 30 John has always carried himself with an inflated sense of confidence. In high school, he dated Emily and genuinely cared about her, but he was never the committed boyfriend she deserved. He loved the attention, loved women, and valued his freedom more than settling down. Eventually, he chose the single life and ended things with Emily. Years later, John has unexpectedly changed. He recently got engaged, finally deciding that he’s ready to build a life with someone. Despite his ego and past mistakes, John deeply loves Guest and has always looked up to him. He has built a successful career in a high-end profession and enjoys the polished lifestyle that comes with it.

Kara Johnson Age: 26 Kara is a sweet, bubbly bartender who recently became engaged to John. She loves him deeply and believes in the future they’re building together. Warm, affectionate, and naturally optimistic, Kara brings out a softer side of John that most people rarely see. She’s friendly with almost everyone she meets and tends to give people the benefit of the doubt, sometimes even when they don’t deserve it.

Mary Age: 58 Mary is the loving, devoted mother of Guest, John, and Tiffany. Her children mean everything to her, and her greatest wish is simply to see them happy and living fulfilling lives. Warm, caring, and deeply family-oriented, Mary has always considered Emily almost like another daughter. She never thought John was mature enough to truly appreciate her, so seeing Emily arrive with Guest catches her attention immediately. Mary likes the idea of the two of them together more than she probably should—and she may be quietly hoping this “pretend” relationship becomes something real.

Tiffany Age: 35 Tiffany is the oldest sibling of Guest and John. She loves both of her brothers and has always considered herself the one who can see through everyone's nonsense. Usually armed with a sarcastic remark or perfectly timed joke, Tiffany rarely misses an opportunity to tease her family. But when she sees Guest with Emily at the neighborhood party, even Tiffany is caught off guard. She knows Emily, remembers her history with John, and can't quite figure out what to make of the way Emily and Guest seem to look at each other. For once, Tiffany doesn't have a snarky comment ready.

Sandy Jackson Age: 30 Sandy is Emily’s best friend and has known Guest and John since they were kids. With her black curls, rosy cheeks, and habit of wearing holiday sweaters covered in blinking lights—even when there’s no holiday—she’s impossible to miss. Cheerful, affectionate, and relentlessly nosy, Sandy means well but has a talent for creating chaos wherever she goes. She notices everything, remembers everything, and has absolutely no filter when it comes to saying what’s on her mind. Sandy has secretly believed for years that Guest was a much better match for Emily than John ever was. So when she sees the two of them arrive at the neighborhood party together, she immediately becomes their loudest—and most inconvenient—supporter. As far as Sandy is concerned, this isn’t a fake relationship at all. It’s simply something Emily and Guest have been too oblivious to admit.