Falling for Fallon (Oak Hill 2)

“Don’t you think it’s strange to marry someone you don’t love?” I whispered while wavering between a mental breakdown and hysterical, crazy, put-me-in-the-loony-bin laughter.

His brows furrowed. “No. Not at all. Don’t you see the amazing opportunities this gives the both of us? Not only do we both come from the same background, but I’ll literally inherit some of the business when your father retires. It gives me much more pull than I have now. And you’re made to be the wife of someone like me. You’ll rock it.”

I almost laughed. “Is that your way of giving me a compliment?”

He shrugged nonchalantly. “If you’ll take it.”

I rolled my eyes and he chuckled.

“Let me ask you this, Fallon. Why are you okay with marrying someone you don’t love? You think it’s strange, yet here we are…” He waved his hands around the room. “You… me… alone… discussing marriage. Tell me. Why have you continued on with all these “dates” if you’re not on board with this? Haven’t you been raised for this? Aren’t you ready to get on with your life and be a corporate wife?”

I swallowed, feeling even smaller now. In fact, Derek could probably stomp on me like a little ant—that was how small I felt.

My voice broke at first. “Because…” Derek raised his eyebrows at me. “Because I already disappoint my parents every chance I get. I’m tired of bringing home men that they disapprove of. I’m tired of looking at my father’s face as it turns to stone when I tell him what my ‘boyfriend’ does for a living. I’m just kind of sick and tired of being the worthless daughter.”

That was only half true. Sometimes I basked in my rebellious ways—the rule-breaking, the rises I could lure out of my parents—but lately, I just felt tired. All my life I was told to act a certain way, to look a certain way, to freaking curtsy when prompted. And nearly every day, I did the opposite of what I was told, and it was just exhausting. It felt like I was living someone else’s life, and at some point, didn’t I just have to accept the inevitable?

Derek’s jaw clenched at first, but then the muscles along his temples relaxed. “So, what? You’re only doing this to please your parents?”

“I… I don’t know. Maybe. I hear what you’re saying; we make a good pair. I was raised to be a corporate wife, and as much as it annoys me to admit this… you’re not terrible. One minute I’m on board with marrying you, but then the next, I’m… afraid.”

Silence stretched around us, and then he finally nodded. “Don’t be afraid, Fallon. You and I are already good together. Think about how well we’d do if we were actually married.”

I laughed when he turned on his heel. He walked all the way over to the front door before I stopped him.

“So that’s it? We’re just going to get married now?” My heart started to beat faster in my chest, pounding so much it was hard to catch my breath. What the hell was I doing?! Agreeing to marry this guy after going on some bogus dates?! Sure, I had known him and his family for ages, but I didn’t truly know him.

I didn’t know him at all.

Was he attractive?

Yes.

Was he successful?

Absolutely.

Did I like him?

I had no idea, but I surely didn’t love him.

I sighed. I could really use some magic fairy godmother to make me fall in love right about now. Then maybe I wouldn’t be having a minor panic attack. All of a sudden, things were getting real.

Never mind my mother planning my wedding. She’d been planning my wedding for years, but I was currently staring into a pair of dark eyes, seeing a scary future full of uncertainty. And for what? All to please my parents?

To continue being a part of my family?

Ha, what family?

“What do you mean, that’s it?” Derek asked, the three lines on his forehead furrowing.

“I mean…” I started as I walked around my bar, my dress swishing along my hips. “We’ve never even spent any real time together. You’ve kissed me, like, once, and it was in front of people. That’s it. And you’re just ready to propose? We’re going to be getting married. That means… like… sleeping in the same bed and… ya know.” I raised my eyebrows, and Derek looked even more confused. I rolled my eyes. “You know…”

“I know what?”

“SEX! I’m talking about sex. The thing two people do when they’re in love.” I furrowed my brow. “But we’re not in love. We’re not even in like. What are we even doing?!”

I was breathing like a maniac, my chest rising up and down, up and down. The room felt like it was spinning. I hadn’t thought of all this before. I hadn’t thought of anything other than how I could secretly do everything my parents told me NOT to do and still please them at the same time.