Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
“So you pretend to date her?” Maverick asks, his voice quiet so as to not give the details away to anyone who might be listening.
“Yep. We’ll hang out a few times. I’ll spin her around the dance floor at her sister's wedding, and we’ll conveniently not work out.” I shrug like it’s easy. It will be easy. They’re the ones making it complicated.
“You seemed pretty into her.” Maverick’s eyes find mine.
Fucking twin logic. Maverick and I have this weird thing where we know what the other is thinking and feeling. It’s eerie as fuck, and it’s how I knew Stella was more to him than even he realized. This isn’t the same.
“That’s the point.”
Maverick nods, but the look in his eyes tells me he’s not buying what I’m selling. My brother is still the fun-loving man he’s always been, but loving Stella has calmed him down, and he shows more of his serious side. His dad side is showing. Ada and the twins, Lacey and Ryan, have mellowed my brother, but the connection we have as twins remains the same.
“I better get home,” Maverick says, standing. “Stella’s with all three kids on her own.” He tosses some money on the table for the tip and grabs his bill. “See ya.” He strolls to the counter to pay, and the rest of us stand and do the same, following him.
I’m pulling into my driveway when her text comes through.
Courtney: I’m home.
She’s been home, which means she forgot to text me. If we’re going to pull this off, she needs to do better. Sure, it’s just a text message, but she needs to be all in, just as I’ve vowed to be for this to be believable. That means texting her caring boyfriend when she gets home, so he doesn’t worry. She might not be mine for real, but while we’re pretending she is, I’ll treat her as I will my future wife.
Grabbing my keys, I head inside the house and drop down on the couch. Instead of texting her back, I hit her contact info, press Call, and put the phone to my ear. It rings once, twice, three times before she answers.
“Merrick?”
“You forgot, didn’t you?” I ask her.
“Yeah.” She sighs.
“We have to sell this, Courtney. If it’s going to work, we have to be all in.” I don’t do anything half-assed. Our family motto is to work hard, love harder. This is going to be work, and I’m stepping up to do what it takes, but she has to be with me. This is for her, after all.
“I know. I was actually planning to call you tomorrow, even before we ran into each other tonight.”
“Yeah?” Why does that make me want to smile?
“You don’t have to do this, Merrick. I know that I’ve put you in an impossible position, and I wouldn’t blame you if you backed out.”
“I’m not backing out.” There is zero hesitation or uncertainty in my reply. “Are you?”
“I should.” Her reply is quiet.
“Are you?” I don’t realize I’m holding my breath, waiting for her response until she gives it to me.
“No. Not if you’re not. I will, though, if you need me to. I’ll call my mother first thing and tell her it was all a lie. This is going to be more than just hanging out a few times and then going to my sister's wedding. My mother, she’s amazing, and I love her, but she hovers and nags, and she means well, but she’s... a lot, Merrick.”
“It’s three months.”
“Three months you’ll never get back. You didn’t sign up for family dinners and to be drilled with questions by my mother.”
“What about your dad?”
She chuckles softly. “He’s laid-back, the complete opposite of my mom. When they say opposites attract, that’s my parents to a fault. He loves me, but he also trusts my judgment. If I tell him you are who I want, and that we’re together, he will accept that without question. The only time he wouldn’t is if he thought you or any man weren’t good to me.”
“I’ll be good to you, Courtney.” My voice is husky to my own ears as I will her to believe me. I don’t know why it’s so important to me, but I need her to know. “I’m in this for you. Whatever that looks like.”
“Why, Merrick? I don’t understand.”
I ponder her question, and I don’t have a simple answer. “You seemed distraught. I hate it when a woman is upset. Just ask Ramsey, my mom, or my sisters-in-law. You looked on the verge of tears, and I don’t like your tears. I’m able to help you, and I want to.” I realize I said her tears and not the tears of any woman, which is true, but I don’t like hers either. That’s also my truth, one I don’t understand and can’t explain. All I know is she needed me, and it’s within my power to make things easier for her, so that’s what I’m going to do.