I shrugged. “Chicks dig it…at least in a guy friend.”
“I doubt you have any trouble with the women,” she said.
I cast a glance at her. “I’m not having much luck with you.”
She had that uncomfortable expression, so I went back to my chopping.
“I’ll set the table and tidy up,” she said, taking her wine glass with her as she left the kitchen.
I got the roast and the potatoes cooking and then made a salad that I stuck in the fridge. Then I grabbed my glass of wine and the bottle, and went to find Holly. She was in the living room, staring in space.
“Penny for your thoughts?” I asked.
She looked up. “Is this where you thought you’d be by now?” Then she shook her head. “Never mind…you’re still starting out.”
“No. I had no clue I’d end up in Nebraska. But I’m okay with that. It sounds like you’re feeling stuck or not happy in your life.” I stepped into the room, wanting to sit next to her, but instead taking a seat in a chair across from her. I set the wine bottle on the coffee table.
She shrugged.
“Let me guess. You thought you’d be married. Maybe have a kid or two. Perhaps you’d be taking classes on the side to get your administrative license so you could become a principal, maybe even the superintendent.”
“Are you psychoanalyzing me?”
I shook my head. “You don’t need a psych degree to understand people. Am I right? Close to right?”
She looked down into her empty glass. I picked up the wine bottle using it as an excuse to move closer to her. I sat on the couch and refilled her glass.
“I know you were engaged and that didn’t work out. I’m sorry. To be honest, you’re probably better off without him because he has to be a royal asshole idiot to walk away from you.”
Her lips twitched upward slightly.
“And if it’s kids, well…women are doing that alone by choice all the time, although I guess your Mrs. Reynold’s wouldn’t look positively on that. By the way, if you did want to go at it alone but needed a donor, I volunteer. There are twins in my family. You might get two for one.”
She laughed. “Does anything ever get you down?”
“Yes. Child abuse. Poverty. War.”
She sighed. “You think I’m being melodramatic. My life isn’t so bad compared to others.”
“There’s always someone who’ll have it worse. But no, I’m not trying to guilt you. I’m just a person who’d rather focus on the half full glass, not what’s empty. Life’s too short, then you die. So why not focus on the good? Right now, I’m with a smart, beautiful woman, drinking wine and about to help her raise money for a project to help kids. That’s all good in my book.”
“We’re duping someone into thinking we’re married. That’s not good.”
“It’s not bad.” Then I shrugged, because I suppose, lying is bad. “It’s for a good cause. End justifies the means, especially since no one will get hurt.”
She inhaled a breath. “You’re right. Thank you.”
“Anything for my wife.”
She rolled her eyes but there was humor in it.
“Oh, I almost forgot,” I said reaching into my front pocket. “These are fake too, but they should be good enough to pass for our purposes.” I handed her a fake gold band.
She looked at me. “Rings?”
“If she’s traditional, she’ll expect them, right? These are from a costume box I had from when I volunteered in a children's theater.”
She went pale and annoyance flared that she’d find being married to me, even fake married, so distasteful.