The Fake Engagement

“Honestly, this place is incredible, and I’m not just saying that. It’s shocking that no one has taken this,” Lydia said.

Stepping into the front door, Eliza fell in love. It was straight out of her fantasies of a dream house. “Oh, my,” Eliza said.

“Tell me about it,” Lydia said.

It was a huge, open hallway, and she could see a large Christmas tree during the festive season, or some large spider for Halloween, along with cobwebs. The stairs were a few feet away, but as she turned left or right, she could see into the rooms.

Lydia took the lead, showing them a large, open dining room that led into the kitchen. They went through the sitting rooms, into an office, and there was a laundry room and a small pantry as well. The yard was big and long. There was a small yard past the main one with a couple of trees, and she could imagine her own kids with treehouses of their own.

There was a great deal of privacy, and there was also a small pool, which she loved.

“Let’s head upstairs,” Lydia said. “Now, compared to the other houses on this street, this one has only four bedrooms and two bathrooms. One of them is the en-suite to the master bedroom.”

Eliza fell in love with the house. She never wanted a home to be so large that a family could seem to be living on their own. This place was everything she had ever wanted.

“I can see that you like it,” Lydia said.

“It’s amazing.”

“Then I’ll take it,” Preston said. “If Eliza likes it, tell me what I need to sign.”

She froze. This wasn’t hers and Preston’s dream house. They were not actually engaged. The ring she wore was a fake. The bracelet she’d been wearing was a mockery of the potential for vows.

Eliza tugged on his hand. “Don’t you think you need to look at this place a little more? Get a good look at everything. Not just … make a rash decision.”

Lydia’s cell phone went off. “Shoot, I need to take this.” She stepped out of the bedroom.

Eliza watched her go.

“What’s the problem, Eliza?”

“Don’t you think you’re making a rash decision?” she asked. “They’re going to think you’re making the decision for me.”

“What if I am?” he asked.

“Don’t do that. Don’t pretend like this is something more than it actually is. We both know—”

“I’ve got to go. If I give you the keys, I’ll get the paperwork together and we can handle it back at your parents?” Lydia asked.

“Sure thing.”

Lydia pressed the keys into his hands, gave him a smile, and left them alone.

Eliza heard the door close and she nibbled on her lip as she glanced around the large master bedroom. “You want this house?” Eliza asked.

“Why is it so hard for you to believe?”

“I’ve been inside your bachelor pad back at the city. Believe me, this place is a far cry from anything you have back there.”

“And it seems so far out of my reach?”

She frowned. “No, of course not.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“I don’t know. This place just doesn’t seem you.”

He snorted. “So you’re judging me based on what you think you know of me.”

“No, I’m judging you based on what I know.”

“Really? So you knew about my parents. The love that has lasted since they were ten years old. You knew I had three brothers, all married. A sister who is gay, and still hasn’t come out to my parents.”

“No, I didn’t know all of that.”

“Okay, then how about this. Did you know all my life I’ve wanted a big family? How I cannot wait to be the dad that has screaming kids around the table and he can’t think straight? Or the fact I want to hold a baby in my arms? That I love to snuggle? How I want to get a couple of dogs and have the time to train them?” he asked.

Her mouth opened. “You want that?”

“Yes, I do.”

She looked around the room before directing her gaze straight at him. “How? Why?”

“Why did I leave town and go and build my company?”

“Wasn’t there someone here you wanted to love?” she asked.

“No. I never had a girlfriend here. I lost my virginity at a party in college.”

“How old?” she asked.

“Twenty-one years old.”

This did surprise her. “You’re quite the enigma, Preston,” she said.

He took a step toward her. “Eliza, I’m pretty sure there are a lot of things you don’t know about me. Don’t believe everything you see or read. You got questions, come ask me.”

“Why me?” she asked.

She had no intention of asking him that, but the words just slipped out before she could stop them, and the moment they were out, she cringed. This wasn’t a topic she wanted to talk about.

He reached out and slowly stroked back some hair. “Why not you? You know I told my family that it was your ass I saw?” he asked.