Fake Marriage Box Set

“Yes,” I said through gritted teeth. “Lots of pictures.”

I reminded myself to later drill it into Maddie’s head that we weren’t going on a kayaking date, nor the ice museum.

Mom asked Maddie about her modeling career, and my date went into a detailed explanation of how a photo shoot worked.

“Do you prefer that to acting?” she asked. “I’ve seen you in a few commercials. It’s always nice seeing a familiar face on the TV.”

“Oh, acting is my one true calling,” Maddie said. I recognized the same faraway, dazed look cross onto Maddie’s face as she shared her passion. “I decided to start auditioning for more commercials, without my agent. I’m starting to think that I’m going to need to get it done on my own.”

“That sounds like a very hard career,” Mom said. “A lot of people would give up by now.”

“Maddie’s determined to get what she wants,” I said without a second thought. My fork paused in mid-air, a piece of salmon stuck on it, as Maddie shot me a betrayed look. I returned it with a hardened stare, but thankfully Mom remained oblivious.

“A woman after my own heart,” Mom said and returned to her meal. She opened her mouth to continue, but she was caught in a hard cough and grabbed onto the table as she bent over abruptly and choked on her food.

“Mom!” I yelled and rushed to her side. “Mom, breathe!”

She forced herself to breathe deeply, but the coughing had taken its toll, and her face grew pale. I checked her plate to find that she had only eaten a single bite of potatoes. Karen returned just as Mom threw up dark bile onto the table. Maddie gasped and kneeled on the other side of Mom as I held onto Mom’s upper arm and tried helping her stand.

“I can’t—” she tried speaking, but a clear liquid was spilling from her mouth and dripping down her chest. She tried covering her mouth with her elbow, but her legs collapsed as I lifted her and she fell onto the floor into her puke.

“Here,” Maddie said gently and pressed a thick napkin to Mom’s lips. She wiped off puke that clung to her face and took her other arm. Together we lifted her up and into the bathroom, over the toilet.

“I’ll get her medicine,” Karen said and left. Maddie stayed near Mom’s side through most of the night, gently rubbing her back as Mom grew sicker over the toilet, and repeating kind and gentle words even though we both knew that Mom wasn’t listening to either of us.

It wasn’t until later, when I was putting Mom to bed and saying goodnight, that I fully realized how caring Maddie had been with her. There was nothing forcing her to take care of Mom like that, she could have easily walked away and not dealt with her illness, but she had stayed without a second thought.

We walked back to my home in silence.

“I’m sorry,” I said after closing the front door behind us. “I can pay you a little extra for everything you did.”

“What?” She turned toward me and frowned. “Pay me? Why would you do that?”

“You acted like her nurse,” I said. “You don’t want any compensation?”

“Why would I?” she asked. “Gavin, I wasn’t going to just leave a sick woman like that.”

I held my tongue. Maybe Maddie did have a heart after all.

“I’m going to get some sleep,” she said and lied down on the couch. “I’ll leave before you’re up.”

The night had taken a toll on the both of us, it seemed. I left her on the couch and stood in the kitchen as I took two long gulps of whiskey. I waited until a buzz helped sooth my nerves, and went over the night’s events. Maddie was quick to help and had seemed beyond worried about Mom, even after I had acted like an ass to her. She deserved some respect, at least.

I walked back to the living room with the intention of inviting her to sleep on my bed, it would be a much more comfortable night for her this way, but I froze

when I saw her.

Her mouth was parted as she slept, her breathing long and even, and an arm draped over her forehead. I watched her for a moment and decided against bothering such a comfortable sleep.

I opened a chest on the side of the couch and pulled out a thick, plush blanket and draped it over her. I’d apologize to her and thank her tomorrow.

Chapter Twenty

Maddie

I woke up much later than planned. I had wanted to leave before the sun had a chance to rise, just to avoid any awkward confrontations with Gavin, and thought I set my alarm for five in the morning. But it wasn’t the shrill sound of a phone’s alarm that woke me, but the pleasant smell of fluffy pancakes and maple syrup.

The sizzle of bacon made me lean on my elbows and look over the couch, where I found Gavin standing in his kitchen making breakfast. He tall, strong frame torso was naked, and my eyes raked down his muscled back to the top of loose drawstring pajama bottoms. I almost groaned. Avoiding awkward conversation would be difficult while leaving in the middle of his breakfast for one.