Fake Marriage Box Set

I knew what was coming next; I never got out of these conversations easily. I had dated quite a bit since my divorce, if dating is what you want to call it. It was more like a string of one-night stands, keeping me busy without the headache of another relationship.

“That’s cool,” he said, winding up. “What are you guys going to do?”

“We’re supposed to be checking out a band at one of the bars in Aggieville,” I replied, trying to get around his questions. “Nothing crazy or formal; just a few drinks, some good music, and good company to head into Friday with.”

Andy turned to me and looked with one eyebrow raised. I knew it; I knew he wasn’t going to let this go. Aggieville is where all the college students hung out on the weekends, and he knew I wouldn’t be taking anyone my age out to the college mess on thirsty Thursday. He knew me too well, irritatingly so at times, but I couldn’t be mad; he tried to help keep me between the lines. I appreciated everything he and his family had done and continued to do for me, but sometimes it would be nice to not get the third degree every time I mentioned having a date.

“So, who’s the lucky girl?”

I stared at him for several moments trying to decide whether to tell him who she was or not. It wasn’t complicated at all; I had no real interest in this girl, but he already knew that. I shrugged my shoulders and sighed, figuring I might as well let him know: he was my best friend after all.

“It’s one of the cheerleaders,” I said, closing my eyes and waiting for the blowback. “Like I said, no big deal, just getting some drinks, listening to music, and planning on having a good time. She just happens to be a cheerleader here.”

Andy looked at me and shook his head, his eyes rolling into the back of his skull. That was his usual reaction to the girls I ended up shacking up with, so it wasn’t anything new to me. One day, though, I hoped his reaction wouldn’t be that harsh. He wasn’t being judgmental; he just wanted to see me act my age, which I figured I was, considering I was only thirty-one and divorced from a hideous bitch. I might as well have some fun.

“How in the world did that happen? You are unbelievable,” he said, still shaking his head.

“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “The cheerleaders have been practicing in the room next to the weights clinic that I oversee every Thursday. It just so happens that we have music in common and she struck up a conversation about the band playing tonight.”

“You are nuts,” he said, laughing. “She’s probably trying to make her giant boyfriend jealous, and you are going to end up being the fall guy.”

“I’d like to see one of my guys come at me like that,” I chuckled. “I’ll put them on their ass in front of everyone.”

“I just don’t get it,” he said. “You are an attractive guy—”

“Hey, I like you and all, but not in that way,” I said jokingly.

“Shut up,” he scoffed. “I just mean that you can have the pick of almost any woman you meet. You have a great job, you’re settled, and you can be pretty charmin

g when you want to be; women fall all over themselves for you. And what do you do? You go for the cheerleader who goes to the school where you are a coach? I mean, even if there wasn’t a rule about that, it’s beneath you, man.”

“She’s a nice girl,” I said. “You shouldn’t be so quick to judge.”

“You’re a trip,” he said standing up. “The reality of it is, you’re all invested when you’re picking these girls out, but you give no thought to sticking around afterward. I’ve seen the trail of destruction you leave behind in these girl’s lives; the last thing you need to do is bring it on the field with you.”

“Andy,” I said, grabbing his arm before he could walk away. “I promise, I got this.”

“You better,” he said, grumbling as he walked away toward the sports complex.

I sat there on the bench thinking about the conversation, realizing that I really couldn’t argue with anything Andy had said. In reality, I never could really argue with his words of wisdom; he was usually spot on with his thoughts. Sometimes I really hated the fact that he forced me to step back and really take a look at my life and my choices. Sure, I was having a blast, but in some ways, I knew that, eventually, this lifestyle was going to catch up with me. The last thing I wanted, though, was to settle down with another woman. In my eyes, they were all crazy, and I’d had enough crazy to last me the rest of my life.

Since my divorce, which was incredibly nasty in every way that a divorce could be, I had been living my life as a free agent, running away from long-term and choosing short and sweet instead. Most of the girls I was hanging out with weren’t students of the college, but every now and then I would run into one who I just couldn’t turn down. Case in point: the sexy cheerleader who was probably showering and changing at this very moment in preparation for our night out on the town. There was something sexy about these girls being super impressed with me, even if behind closed doors I was a complete disaster. Everybody wanted to be wanted; it just so happened that I was wanted by girls that were about ten years younger than me. Age is just a number, right?

I wasn’t going to change the way I was living my life unless I had a really good reason to do so. As it was, there was no way I was going to get into any type of long-term relationship with anyone, much less a twenty-one-year-old cheerleader who was a senior in college with a major in political science and no idea what she wanted to do with her future. I liked the way my life was, and I had a very small group of people I had to answer to, Andy being one of them. Sure, not everyone was going to approve of my lifestyle, but beyond a little flak from my best friend, I couldn’t see any reason to change; I was having way too much fun.

I had gotten married young, and when my divorce was final, I knew it was time to make up for the years I lost fighting through a senseless marriage to a woman who was too lazy to do anything but bitch and moan. Now I had control over how much flak I took from a woman, and I liked that, especially since the last one was so damn demanding. This lifestyle focused on what I wanted, and that was something I hadn’t had in a very long time. So, I was going to go get dressed, pick up the cheerleader, and take advantage of my new-found freedom. If people didn’t like it, they could just fuck off.

Chapter Two

Quinn

“Take two spaces,” I said, looking down at Jake and smiling.

I was babysitting Jake, an adorable little six-year-old boy, and we were going head to head in a very intense game of Chutes and Ladders. It had been one of my favorite board games when I was his age, and so I brought it over for our evening together. He seemed to be having a good time, so that was good enough for me. Jake was always so quiet, never really saying much more than whatever answer you were trying to get out of him. He was a shy kid, but he had a really big heart, bigger than most adults I knew, but I guess that was how it was supposed to be since adults had become jaded by life’s hardships and had lost some of that caring spirit as time went on. I was really hoping I could get him to come out of his shell a little bit, though.

I hadn’t been Jake’s babysitter for that long, only a couple of weeks, and always during the afternoon, right after he got home from school. Even when his mother was there, she would have me stay and make dinner before I left. Already though, I was completely smitten with his bright, inquisitive green eyes and shy smile. Every time he tried to hide a giggle, I would work to get it out of him, and he was starting to get more comfortable with me. Just as I was about to roll the dice, there was a loud knock on the front door. I looked up at the clock and wondered who was coming to visit since it was just the two of us there.

“Hold that thought,” I said, ruffling his hair, “and no cheating.” My fake look of stern authority caused him to snicker.