“H...how?”
“We’ll change your last name...to Tate.”
She withdrew herself slightly and stared into my eyes, gulping hard.
“I’m considering it,” she said, then buried her face in my chest once more.
We sat like we had before, but this time she pulled herself practically on top of me for comfort, not that I’d have complained. Her warm body overtook all my senses. All I could hear was Harper, all I could smell was Harper, all I could feel was Harper, all I could see was Harper, all I could taste...was Harper. I would do anything for her. I would die for her.
I’d only known her a few weeks.
But I was in love with Harper Bailey.
You’re in deep, Callum, I thought to myself because I had just asked the love of my life to marry me but did it for all the wrong reasons.
Harper
I had no idea what I was doing. I practically agreed to marry a stranger. Except he wasn’t a stranger, was he? He was Callum. Sweet, adorable, amazing Callum. Agreeing to marry him for appearance’s sake only felt wrong, though, knowing how I really felt about him. I was falling in love with Callum and marrying him for the wrong reasons made me feel ill to my stomach, knowing I’d only end up breaking my heart in the end.
I knew I would do it, though. As pathetic as that seemed, I know I would. If Callum Tate ever asks you to marry him, you do it whether he loves you or not because he would treat you better than anyone else. I knew how stupid I was being but I literally could not help myself. Never had I ever lead my life with my heart. Why I was doing it now, I didn’t know but I couldn’t help but wonder if it was because I really did love Callum. It was a self-destructive decision. I had no real sense of self-preservation. To hell with it. I’ll probably leave the imitation marriage with my heart scattered in pieces at my feet but at least I’ll get to know what it feels like to belong to someone, really belong to someone, with papers to prove it and everything.
Since we’re both using the other to survive is it really using? Yes. It was. I couldn’t lie to myself but somehow it didn’t feel like using. I knew Callum and I would figure it out together whether we went ahead with the sham marriage or not. That made me feel a little better about considering his fictitious proposal.
“We can’t tell anyone it’s fake,” I blurted out to him.
“I completely agree. We couldn’t let anyone know, not even Charlie or Cherry. It’s just not smart if we don’t take this all very seriously.”
“I know.”
“And, uh, I’m not sure how you feel about this but we can’t get married in a church. This is not a promise we’re making to God, only to the state.”
I laughed. “Callum, I know that. Trust me, you’ve made that very clear. This is not a real marriage,” I said, my stomach hurting knowing the pain I was purposely inflicting on myself. What a glutton for punishment.
All the color surprisingly drained from his face. “I’m sorry, I know.”
“So, when would we do it?” I asked.
“We would have to apply for a license. It takes several days to process. Then get married on Saturday.”
“And we’re sure John would never be able to find me?”
“There’s no guarantee, Harper. I mean, I’m just betting he’s too stupid to check to see if you were married. We can ask about making the records private.”
“Okay, and we’re just doing this for a year? Just enough to save a few bucks and get our own place?”
“Right, then we get an annulment or divorce, whichever. I just don’t see any other way to live while we go to school since we lost our money and I can’t sell my bike now.”
“You were thinking of selling your bike?” I asked, knowing I never would have ever let him do that.
“Yeah, we didn’t have anything else to sell.”
“Yes, we did,” I said. “My book.”
“Absolutely not, Harper. No way! I would never let you do that!”
“It’s better to sell the book. It’s all we have now, no thanks to me.”
“Will you stop blaming yourself? And, no! I’m putting my foot down. No! That book stays in your possession come heck or high water. No, this is our only option.”