Fake Marriage Box Set

I got up and walked into the closet, rummaging through my clothes in search of a pair of black slacks and a black shirt. I found what I was looking for and tossed it on the bed before moving over to the sliding glass door in my bedroom.

Light flooded into the room as I pulled the blinds back. It felt good to let the warmth of it race over me.

I could get through the day. I had to. My mother deserved a proper burial next to my dad at the old church cemetery. And she would get that.

Memories of my father's funeral raced through my mind as I turned and got dressed. Longing filled the center of my chest, but I swallowed it back down. How easy would it be to pretend that Maddie cared about it and let her back in?

I'd been ignoring her since Sunday, which I hated to do, but what was the point? Really?

A knock at the door had me frustrated all of a sudden. Who the hell was bothering me on the morning I had to bury my mother? Ron. It had to be my best friend. Chances were that he was coming by to pick me up.

He was good like that.

I buttoned my shirt as I walked to the door, my slacks already on, but my feet bare.

Maddie stood on the other side of the door, her black dress fitted, but conservative. "Hey," she said softly. Her long hair was around her shoulders and blew about at the wind picked up.

I loved everything about her but wasn't sure what to trust anymore. She was a skilled actress and could become whatever was expected of her to become. And she could do it at the drop of a hat.

"Hey. Come on in. I gotta finish getting ready. Mom's funeral is this morning." I walked back to the bedroom.

"I know. Ron told me." She followed me, and I couldn't ignore the hurt in her voice.

Had she expected me to call her? To fill her in? To maybe cry a little on her shoulder? I pursed my lips to keep from being a total dick. It wasn't her fault that I'd agreed to her deal. It was mine.

And it was my own goddamn fault that I fell in love with her.

"I actually thought you were him." I walked up the sink and reached for a brush, running it through my hair. "Did you need something?" I looked at her in the mirror as she stood behind me, just off to the side.

"No. I mean, I wanted to check on you, and you've been ignoring my calls." Her hands went to her hips, and she cocked her head to the side. She was pissed.

"Did I have a reason to call?" I gave her an odd expression. "Mom's dead. The deal is over. You offered your services until she passed in exchange for the money to live your life in California. It's over. Congrats. You made it. You did a great job."

"Gavin." She took a step back as if I'd punched her in the face.

Some part of me wanted to turn and sink down to my knees, to pull her close and press my cheek to her stomach as she held me. It would have been so right to do it, but I knew I could end things at this point and not leave my heart lying about for her to slip a knife into it.

I couldn't take much more.

"If you need a letter of recommendation on your acting skills, I'm happy to provide it." I doused my hands in cologne and patted the sides of my neck, and I turned to face her. "You're going to be great. Really."

Her eyes were filled with tears, and the pain on her pretty face hurt me. Ron thought she was in love with me, but the poor bastard had no clue that the woman had asked for a huge bankroll to play my girl for a while. He would be sick if he did.

"I'm not leaving here until we talk about us." Tears rolled down her cheeks. "I have so many things to tell you."

"Save it," I barked and moved around her. "I have to bury my mom this morning. Unfortunately, this day isn't about you." I lifted my hands in the air. "I know, shocking, right? Someone else gets the limelight for a few minutes."

"Gavin." She followed after me. "Why are you doing this?"

I jerked around and got in her face, focusing only on my anger. "Doing what exactly? I warned you multiple times not to make more of my hospitality, of my attention, of our sex than you should. If you did, then that's on you, sweetheart."

She stepped back and pressed her hands to her mouth as a soft sob left her. "You don't mean that."

"Yeah. I do." I pointed to the door. "Now, get out. I have to get to the church. You have your money. Go live your dreams and don't look back. I don't want to see you again. Not ever."

She spun on her heels, her crying filling up the room around me as she jogged toward the front door.

I wanted until she slammed it to drop down on the bed and exhale. My body was tight, my hands shaking. Too many emotions raced through me, all of them fucking me up and leaving me broken. The last thing I wanted to do was attack Maddie.