Fiance Next Door

If there’s anyone who should be angry, it’s me. He… made me uncomfortable last night. Then he made the decision for me and my dad to live in DC. Without asking me. And now he’s saying my dad and I have to live on different floors? Hell, no.

“I need to take care of my dad, Mason,” I tell him. “We talked about this already.”

“There will be a nurse to take care of him at all times,” Mason says. “Your father will never be alone and he will have everything he needs.”

I grab his hand and pull him to a spot a few feet away. “Mason, you can’t do this. This is my father we’re talking about.”

“I know. That’s why I’m giving him the best care.”

I beat my chest. “I am his best care!”

“Aster,” my dad calls me.

I let out a deep breath before facing him. “Dad?”

He shakes his head. “You shouldn’t be fighting with your husband.”

And God knows it’s the last thing I want to do in front of my father, but Mason gave me no choice.

I force a smile. “We’re not fighting, Dad. We’re just trying to decide what’s best for you.”

“I think it’s obvious,” he says. “I’ll go and live downstairs and you stay here with your husband. I’ll just be in your way if I’m here.”

I frown as I go to him. “That’s not true, Dad. I want you here. I want to be with you. I – ”

“Shh.” My father cups my face. “I’m happy I got to take pictures of you in a wedding dress. I’m glad you’ve found yourself a man to spend your life with. But you know what would really make me happy? To see you stop worrying about me and start doing things for yourself.”

He strokes my cheek.

“I’ll be fine, starlight. I’ll have the dogs and a nurse and I’ll just be an elevator ride away.”

I place my hand over his. I don’t want to let him go. I don’t ever want to let him go. I know I’ll eventually have to, though, and he knows it, too. That’s why he’s making me do this.

“Aster.” He takes my hand and kisses it. “Everything will be fine.”

Will it? I don’t like this. Not one bit. But it seems Mason and my dad have made up their minds. I can’t fight them both.

“Okay,” I give in. “But I’ll still be spending lots of time with you, Dad. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

He lets out a sigh as if to say I’m hopeless, but then he smiles. “Alright.”

I, too, finally smile. At least I’ll still see him every day. Like he said, he’ll only be an elevator ride away. There are longer rides.

“Mrs. Burke?” Frank stretches his arm towards me.

At first, I’m confused as to what he wants. Then I realize he’s asking for Dali’s leash.

I pet Dali on the head. “I’ll still come and spend time with you, too, okay?”

He doesn’t even seem like he’s listening, though. There’s just too many new things catching his attention.

I hand his leash to Frank.

“This way, please,” he says to my father.

I give my dad a hug. “I’ll see you later.”

I watch Frank lead him away. As soon as he’s out of sight, I turn to Mason.

“I can’t believe you just did that,” I tell him.

He shrugs. “I said we’d bring your dad to DC, but I didn’t say he’d be living a room across from us.”

I frown. “No, you didn’t. I shouldn’t have agreed to come with you to DC. I didn’t want to.”

“Like you didn’t want to marry me but you agreed to anyway?” Mason asks me.

I don’t answer.

“You should be thanking me,” he says. “Now that your dad is on a different floor, you don’t have to pretend all the time that you’re in love with me. There’s a smaller chance he’ll stumble upon the fact that you married a man you didn’t love just to please him. Your sacrifice won’t be in vain.”

He’s being sarcastic again, but I guess he does have a point. Still, I’m not thanking him.

“Couldn’t you have told me about it first? He is my father.”

Mason sighs. “Fine. The next time something needs to be done for your dad, I’ll let you know.”

I nod. “I’d appreciate that.”

“But can you do me a favor? Can I ask you to have faith in me, too, even if it’s just a little? I know you don’t love me and you didn’t want to marry me, but I think things would be easier if you didn’t keep doubting me or fighting me.”

I realize he’s right. We may not be a real married couple, but we can be friends. At least, we can’t keep being at each other’s throats.

I draw a deep breath. “Fine. I’ll try.”

Mason’s lips curve into a smile. Not a grin. A genuine smile, one that lights up his face and brings a flicker of warmth to my chest. I had no idea that just a few words could make him so happy – or that seeing him happy could make me feel the same.