Fake Marriage Box Set

I groaned. “Please no more jokes about our friendship,” I begged.

“Which is why I want you to settle down. I can’t leave you by yourself without knowing you’ll be taken care of,” she said.

“I can take care of myself, mom,” I argued. “I have everything I could ever need.”

“You need love,” she said. “What your father and I had, it was everything. I wouldn’t change a single thing between us. He completed me, and I know there’s a girl out there who would complete you.”

“I can’t just find a woman and marry her. I’m not even dating, and there’s no one I’m remotely interested in,” I said. “It’s impossible.”

She smiled at me. “Nothing is impossible,” she said. “I need you to promise me that you’ll find someone.”

I shook my head and looked at the sky. This was a promise I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep. But she was serious, and it tore my heart to see her worry about me when she had so many other things to be concerned with.

“I promise,” I muttered.

“I’m going to freshen up; I’ll meet you inside.” She patted my hand and stood, a little wobbly but otherwise fine. She returned inside as I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees. What on earth had I just promised?

I stood moments after and turned toward my house. A shadow in the corner of the entrance caught my eye, and I realized Maddie was standing in the corner of the doorway, in perfect earshot of our conversation.

“I couldn’t find the restroom,” she said. I didn’t have to wonder if she used her eavesdropping talent on us; her startled, pale face said it all.

Chapter Six

Maddie

Gavin remained neutral as I followed him toward the other side of the house. We passed plenty of guests lounging about the mansion as they spoke of the stock market, racing horses, and sports events. Ron mentioned the guests were close family and friends of Gavin’s family, but it didn’t seem as if he paid attention to any of them. In fact, the only people I’d seen him speak with were his mother and Ron.

“Your house is lovely,” I said. Gavin’s head nodded as he somewhat acknowledged my words. I wasn’t lying; his house truly was incredible. Tall ceilings that were decorated with diamond chandeliers and marble corners, with furniture that seemed too expensive to sit on and Greek statues that gave the mansion a sort of old architecture vibe. I wanted to explore it all, from the countless numbers of doors that led to more giant rooms, and up the grand staircase and across an indoor bridge toward the rest of the mansion.

Though it did seem empty, I realized as Gavin showed me a washroom tucked in the corner. The other two restrooms in the foyer had been occupied, but I was surprised to learn that there had been another two in the back of the house.

His house lacked a personal touch. No pictures of happy family moments, nothing to show even a glimpse into the mind of the man who owned such a huge mansion. It was obvious he hired a decorator, but even he seemed uncomfortable as he stared at the wall decor.

“I’m sorry about your mother,” I said. Gavin gestured toward the open door of the restroom.

“It’s fine,” he said and turned. He was much taller than I remembered, and I barely remembered him at all, but I recognized the same bright blue eyes that had always seemed to grab my attention. His hair was still dark, but now there was gray peppered throughout his short hair, and he was much, much more muscular than he had been when I was leaving for college. “Dinner will be ready soon.” He left almost in a hurry, leaving me alone on the other side of the house. I couldn’t stop thinking about his eyes, even as I stepped into the restroom and took care of business.

His mother was dying. Poor Mona, I had met her maybe twice in my life through Ron, and she had always been such a sweet woman. A dedicated mother, I remembered. Once, when I was still in high school, I was at Ron’s house waiting for my mother to pick me up when Mona and Gavin had stopped by to pick up one of his suits. She had taken one look at me and made a joke about my side of the family being blessed with good genetics while Ron had been stuck with a pre-maturely balding head. Gavin had agreed, and me, being the self-conscious teenager that I was, had blushed profusely and stumbled over words of gratitude. I mentioned my dreams of being a model, and Mona promised to attend my first show.

How long did she have? Would she still be alive for my first movie role? I shook my head as I washed my hands in the sink. It would be a long time before I got any type of role in a movie, and she had made it sound like her time was short. This must have been what the dinner was for, to tell everyone the truth at the same time. It seemed that Ron didn’t even know.

Poor Gavin, I thought. His house already made him seem lonely, and now he was losing his mother? No wonder she wanted him to find a wife. And of course, he wanted to make her happy, but what was he going to do? Then again, a man with his looks and money wouldn’t have any problem finding a woman to marry him.

I left the washroom just as the rest of the guests were sitting for dinner. Some were already eating, and I found my spot beside Ron. Gavin was on his other side, with Mona at the end of the table. She seemed lively enough as she smiled and laughed with the guest on her other side. I wondered if she was able to stop thinking about her death long enough to enjoy the company of the room. I hoped she was able to, at least.

“The asshole could barely look me in the eye,” Ron was saying to Gavin. “He had his tail between his legs and ran in the damn puddle as he tried hiding. Fuck, it’s been so long since I’ve had to raise a puppy.”

“Milo?” I forced myself into their conversation. “Don’t blame your lack of training on him. It takes the average puppy like a year to be fully potty trained.”

“Then you take him,” Ron said. “I already offered him to Gavin, but he refused, even though this house is big enough for like 10 Great Danes.”

“You complain about him all the time, but we both know that you couldn’t handle spending a single night away from that dog,” Gavin said. “You love him.”

“He does,” I said. “I’ve caught them snuggling on the couch a couple of times.”

“Milo doesn’t like his crate,” Ron said. “What am I supposed to do? Force him in there?”

“That’s exactly what you’re supposed to do,” Gavin