Fake Marriage Box Set

I grinned. “Nothing is impossible, Mom.”

She nodded, and then a smile spread across her face, one that I hadn’t seen in years. “Ask her,” she said. “Ask her, and then come straight here so we can start planning.”

There was a spark of light in the back of her dull eyes, just a small flame that was beginning to burn brightly as Mom thought more and more about the wedding. It’s a look I hadn’t seen since my father passed, and at that moment I knew I would do whatever I had to in order to get Maddie to marry me. Well, fake marry.

“It’s time for your bath,” Karen said from the hallway. Mom groaned.

“You can’t leave me to my happiness for another few minutes?” she asked, but Karen shook her head. I smiled, knowing that Karen was set in her routine.

“Take your bath,” I said. “I have some planning to do.”

“Don’t forget to write that book,” Mom reminded me.

“You’re giving me a lot of things to plan,” I said and shook my head. “I’ll come see you before dinner tomorrow.”

“Don’t bother,” she said. “Call me the next morning and tell me everything.”

We said our goodbyes and I returned home. I closed the door behind me, wondering if I just put my foot in my mouth. Propose to Maddie already? I wasn’t worried that she’d say no, this was a part of our agreement, but even she would be surprised at the abruptness.

I pulled out my phone and dialed her number.

“Am I being summoned?” she asked as she answered.

“For a dinner tomorrow night,” I said. “I’ll pick you up at six.”

“From my place?” she asked. “You actually want to come over this time?”

“I’ll pick you up outside your apartment,” I said. “And you have to be dressed up. Like, really dressed up, for pictures.”

“Pictures?” Her voice lifted. “What kind of pictures?”

“Fancy ones. Celebratory ones. Just be ready at six, okay?” I hung up, knowing full and well that she was probably cursing my name.

I sat in my office and pulled out my laptop with the intent to write. I got maybe a sentence down before hitting writer’s block, and instead pulled up my browser.

I typed in three words, last minute weddings, and clicked search. The first page of results were more scams than anything, including a few ads for mail-order brides. I groaned.

This wasn’t going to be easy.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Maddie

What sort of celebration happens on a Tuesday? I asked myself this as I got ready for dinner. I spent nearly the entire day trying to force myself to be calm, but it was hard when Gavin refused to explain anything. I messaged him in the afternoon asking if the dress needed to be classy or fun, and he had responded with either. I asked if I should wear a necklace, he said he didn’t care. I asked about any color schemes that I needed to be aware of, and he had replied with a sideways frown face. I had thrown my phone on the floor in frustrated and picked out a simple black cocktail dress, with a halter top and elbow length sleeves.

I spent some time on making my hair wavy and then pinned it up into a high bun. My eyes were smudged with charcoal with a lint hint of golden flakes at the tips, and I meticulously glued on false eyelashes to make mine look long and plump. Dark red lipstick and 20 minutes of blending foundation onto my face followed by another five of blush, and I was ready.

I pulled at the waist line of my dress. It was already as tight as a dress could be, and I knew I’d have to watch it on the carbs. I had eaten only a salad with half a protein shake after a workout, in case dinner ended with a chocolate cake for dessert, and my stomach growled in response.

My phone beeped, and I checked it to find a text from Gavin saying he was in the car outside. I opened the messenger app and replied with, “No dinner unless you meet me at my door. 215B. :)”

I snickered, knowing that he was cursing my name as he read the text. A small bubble with an ellipsis appeared as he began responding, and then it disappeared. I turned back toward the mirror and reapplied my lipstick, waiting.

He knocked on my door several minutes later.

“It’s open!” I yelled, still sitting at my vanity inside my room. I heard him grumble as he entered the apartment.

“You shouldn’t leave your door unlocked,” he said from the living room. “This part of town isn’t safe.”