Pretend We're Over (Pretend 2)

That is until the next morning when we wake up to five very naughty puppies. But even then, he helped clean up the mess and snuggled with me and one of the pups on the couch afterward. And as I lie resting my head on his chest, I have to remember—this isn’t real, and I only have three more months left.

35

Sebastian

“It must feel good to have the cast off. I know you weren’t expecting to have it on this long, but I’m glad we waited the extra time to ensure it healed properly,” the doctor says as he removes my cast.

“Uh, yea, feels great,” I say because that’s what I’m supposed to say. But in fact, it feels horrible. Of course, I want the cast off, but it means I only have weeks left until the six-month time limit is up. Until we are to stage a fight. Until we are supposed to file for divorce.

Trevor hasn’t been bothering Millie. In fact, he seems to have moved on and is dating another woman in his office. Millie is safe.

We’ve been married long enough that it won’t be embarrassing when we break it off, but not too long that our friends won’t encourage us to fight to stay together.

Oaklee probably already knows the truth about our relationship.

Larkyn suspects.

Kade thinks I should have already divorced her.

Boden is an idiot who I haven’t spoken to in months.

There is no reason we need to keep the act up. No outside reason to stay together.

Except, my own heart. My own addiction to her.

I thought these six-months would move slowly. I thought her spontaneous and adventurous spirit would drive me mad with the need to control everything. Instead, it’s brought me new life and focus on only controlling the important things in my life that keep me from turning back to drugs or alcohol.

“So you’re a newlywed. That’s exciting. How is married life?”

I should say it’s horrible. She’s controlling or she’s messy or we bicker a lot, something to start the process of acting like there is trouble in our marriage. The last few weeks I’ve been trying to drop hints at work. Trying to say little things that bug me to Larkyn.

But every time I start to complain, somehow it comes out as a compliment. Somehow it makes it seem like we are more in love than ever. Every time I try to say how awful it is, it backfires. In the five months we’ve been together, we haven’t had one real fight.

So instead of pretending our marriage is horrible, I just say, “It’s great.”

“Good, you’re all set,” the doctor says.

I hop off the table and put weight on my ankle for the first time now free of a cast. I’m thankful to have complete freedom during my last few weeks left with Millie.

When I get back to my penthouse, I don’t expect Millie to be here. She’s been working a lot in the evenings, and my appointment wasn’t until after I got off work.

Shadow, the puppy that Millie ended up keeping, comes bouncing down the hallway to me when I enter. He’s peed almost everywhere, ripped up carpet, chewed the legs off of two chairs, and destroyed all of my shoes, but he still makes me smile every time I see him. Another thing I’m going to miss when we get divorced and Millie takes him with her.

“Come on, buddy. Let’s go get you fed.”

I carry him to the kitchen when all of a sudden, Millie pops the cork on a bottle and yells, “Congrats!”

I startle, and Shadow barks happily at her as champagne spills everywhere.

“I thought you had to work?” I say with a large grin as I grab her and pull me to her as Shadow wiggles between us.

“I changed my days. I couldn’t miss celebrating that you got your cast off.”

“With champagne?” I raise an eyebrow.

“Non-alcoholic champagne.”

“What’s the point then?”