Pretend We're Over (Pretend 2)

I walk over to her and give them both a stern look. “Come on, Oaklee, they aren’t worth it.”

I lead her to the bar and order us both two drinks before I realize what I’m doing.

Sebastian comes up and sits next to us. “Boden’s gone. You don’t have to worry about him anymore.” There’s a pause. “I’m sorry.”

Oaklee and I ignore him as I drink down my drink. Oaklee eventually pushes her drink in front of Sebastian.

“Drink this. You’re a fucking asshole, and I’m not going to let you go enjoy yourself. Tonight, you are going to drink because I’m pregnant and can’t drink. So you’re going to. Both of you. We are going to drown in my sorrows and come up with a plan that doesn’t leave me completely embarrassed to face all of my friends and family tomorrow.”

“You could tell them that Boden is a cheating bastard who is skirting his responsibility to his kid?” I say. “There is no shame in that.”

“I can’t,” Oaklee breaks. “We need something else to focus on.”

Sebastian starts to open his mouth, but I give him a threatening look. If you do anything, and I mean anything, that will hurt my friend, I will castrate you right now.

He gives me a nod. “Boden is an asshole. I’ll do whatever I can to help you, Oaklee. Just tell me how to fix this.”

She glares at him. “For now, drink.”

I down mine and order another. I assume Sebastian does as well because when Oaklee waves the bartender down, he brings us two more shots. That’s how we continue—drinking shot after shot while we listen to Oaklee’s pain.

“We need a diversion—something to draw attention away from what happened. We will say I was sick, and there will be redo at some point. But we need a different focus, something big,” Oaklee says.

“Like what?” I ask.

She glances between the two of us. “Like you two eloping.”

I gasp.

“Um, what now? How is that going to help anything? Or be remotely believable?”

“You two are the most unlikely people to get married. Everyone knows that. But if you got married, no one would care that I didn’t.”

I’m too stunned to process her words. She has to be kidding.

Oaklee ignores my response and gives Sebastian a smug expression. “You said you would do anything to help me. This is what I want.”

“Okay,” Sebastian says.

“Okay? What are you crazy?”

Oaklee grabs my arm. “Excuse us for just a moment.” She pulls me into the bathroom, and I shake her off.

“Have you gone insane? Why do you want us to get married? How w

ill that solve anything? I don’t want to marry the guy who helped your almost-husband cheat.”

She smiles. “Marry him. Save me from complete embarrassment. And then take half his money.”

“What? I don’t want his money.”

“Okay, fine, just make him think you are going to. Get him to sign a prenup to give you half by sneaking it in the marriage license. The man is filthy rich and a jerk. You don’t have to actually take half but just put that fear into him. Show him that no man messes with us.”

“Shouldn’t we be hurting Boden right now, not Sebastian?”

“Are you my best friend or not?”

“I am.”