Fake Marriage Box Set

Would she know that I lay awake at night? Would she know how many times I counted out the steps between our rooms without getting out of bed? I tried to think of it as an alternative to counting sheep, but it only left me wide awake.

"We could get lost in the woods," Penn suggested.

I looked off the darkening edges of the path and weighed my options. Get eaten by wild animals or sit across from a supposed psychic. "You don't think she's the real thing, do you?"

"Don't you believe in psychics?" Penn asked.

I stopped on the path despite the fading light. "Do you?”

"I believe people can be a lot more powerful than they appear. Maybe she's just very perceptive."

That didn't comfort me at all. It didn't take a perceptive person to notice I was hand-in-hand with Penn out in the woods, instead of across a linen tablecloth with Joshua. I'd made my choice, but even I wasn't sure how far it went. And I wasn't ready for someone else to show me. Or, worse, tell Penn.

The trail was uneven, but well packed. Penn led the way but took the time to explain. "The spa's motto is mind, body, and spirit. The manicured gardens and luxuries are supposed to be for the body. Then there are the outdoor classes and guided activities. And, there's this. They made the path to look rustic."

I wobbled around a corner after him and saw another trail sign. "Meditation Grove?"

"One of my mother's favorite places. She leads groups here at least twice a week. Or she did." He kicked a few rocks loose along the path. "I looked on the schedule, and she's been taking a lot of time off."

I squeezed his hand. "Resting is good. It means she's trying to take care of herself. She’s trying to fight this thing."

I was still concentrating on Penn's worry for his mother when we came to the next sign. "Let's get this over with, huh?" he said and marched me past a sign that read “Psychic Consultant.”

"Come in," a musical voice called from the old-fashioned expedition tent. "It may seem silly, but I know why you're here."

"And who we are," Penn snorted. "My mother sent us."

"Of course, of course, and I'll get to you, Alice's son." Tabitha stood up from a brightly colored rug and took both my hands. "But first, I want to comfort Corsica. May I embrace you, my dear?"

Her faded sea blue eyes were so sincere that my heart bobbed in response. Tabitha enclosed me in a gentle hug, and her soft, silvered hair brushed my cheek. I blinked back sudden tears and thanked her in a whisper. It had been a long time since I felt the gentle support of a mother.

"Your mother's fight with cancer was so hard on you," Tabitha said. She straightened up and smoothed my hair back from my face.

Penn snorted again. "You mean my mother, don't you? Need to get your notes straightened out?"

"My mother died of cancer," I told him.

The gold fleck in Penn's eyes stood out as he gaped at me. "You never told me that. How could you not tell me that?"

Tabitha stepped between us. "Because she was helping you. She was playing the part you assigned her. What part is that?"

Penn cleared his throat. "Corsica is my fiancée. I'm sure Alice thinks that's an archaic role, but Corsica came here to help my family."

"As if she was part of it already." Tabitha smiled at Penn.

He turned away from her and skimmed over the knickknacks she had lined up on a rough wooden shelf. "We'd really like to focus on the here and now. So, I don't mind if we make this quick."

Tabitha sat on the rug and pulled me down beside her. "Obviously the past and the future are not easy to think about for either of you. Though, it is part of what binds you so close together."

Penn met my eyes and pulled a goofy expression behind Tabitha's back. I felt a tug in my chest as it occurred to me he might not want to be tied to me. "So we're a good match?"

"Doesn't everyone tell you that?" Tabitha asked.

I scoffed. "Everyone tells us we look good together, but as you can see, Penn doesn't put a lot of stock in looks."

Tabitha laughed. "You both look past that, but it's always when the other one is looking. Oh, I love seeing the silly mistakes of new love. Just remember that mistakes can be fixed. Giving up is the only thing that's permanent. Everything else passes."

Penn scrubbed his neck and offered me a hand. "Great, thanks. We'll tell Alice you were full of useful advice. Now, we don't want to keep you from the celebrations."