Description
The man of my dreams abandoned me almost a decade ago.
Now he’s back… and I’m planning his wedding.
Seriously, could life get any more brutal?
I’m thinking about what I did to deserve this.
To watch Cade’s ring on someone else’s finger.
But here’s the thing.
I’m the one who got the best gift from him.
His child.
And the crazy part?
Cade doesn’t even know that he gave me that gift.
He absolutely cannot find out.
Neither him nor the goddamn press.
His family is toxic.
His dad is a powerful politician and it’s his career that’s on the line.
Hence, this sham wedding.
I just need to keep my head straight.
Plan the wedding.
Show up to the wedding.
Go home, cry, eat some ice cream and then move on… again.
But what if… during all of this, Cade discovers the one secret that makes us family?
Prologue: Laura
This was going to be the best summer of my life. The summer when all my dreams would come true.
I was wearing my old two-piece, bathing suit, which had cartoon watermelons all over it, and lying on a towel out on the deck of the Kirkpatrick lake house, drying myself under the summer sun. Owned by Cade’s parents, the lake house was a gorgeous building, a grand structure with several bedrooms—which his parents called a ‘quaint cabin.’ But for me, it was a stunning and massive house than any I had ever seen before. From the main road, it looked like a simple log cabin, but once you reached the driveway, the house dwarfed you with its height and expanse. Inside, it was even more amazing! There were multiple fireplaces, plush cushions, expensive artwork and sculptures as well as dark rich wood paneling from floor to ceiling. It made you feel so warm and welcomed.
Not that I’d had too much time to observe the décor. I’d been busy. Both of us had been way too busy.
I still couldn’t believe that Cade Kirkpatrick, the most popular guy in high school, would be interested in me. He was handsome, rich, friends with everyone, smart and ambitious—everything that you could ever want in a boyfriend. The first time I saw him in the school hallways, I was mesmerized by his dark green eyes. They seemed to suck you into his mysterious and effervescent persona, made it seem like your world was turning upside down.
I knew that there was no chance in hell a guy like that would ever go out with a girl like me. Our worlds were poles apart—after all, he was the son of a senator and I was a slightly chubby, white trash girl from the trailer park. While Cade was the most popular guy in school, I was the tree in the background for all drama club musicals.
But destiny works in its own weird ways and you never know when your whole life can completely change.
I still clearly remember the day when Cade and I were made lab partners in Mr. Kovacs’ chemistry class and—the irony wasn’t lost on me—sparks had flown. Having Cade sit so close to me, being able to smell his strong cologne, looking into his eyes, seeing his smile that made his eyes twinkle…I was mesmerized! I spent the whole day in a daze, wondering whether we had had a genuine connection.
Was he really flirting with me? Did he really say that he was so happy to know me more and that he wanted to go out with me?